Hyaluronic acid-gold nanoparticle/interferon α complex for targeted treatment of hepatitis C virus infection

ACS Nano. 2012 Nov 27;6(11):9522-31. doi: 10.1021/nn302538y. Epub 2012 Oct 26.

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been extensively investigated as an emerging delivery carrier of various biopharmaceuticals. Instead of nonspecific polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated interferon α (IFNα) for the clinical treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, in this work, a target-specific long-acting delivery system of IFNα was successfully developed using the hybrid materials of AuNP and hyaluronic acid (HA). The HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was prepared by chemical binding of thiolated HA and physical binding of IFNα to AuNP. According to antiproliferation tests in Daudi cells, the HA-AuNP/IFNα complex showed a comparable biological activity to PEG-Intron with a highly enhanced stability in human serum. Even 7 days postinjection, HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was target-specifically delivered and remained in the murine liver tissue, whereas IFNα and PEG-Intron were not detected in the liver. Accordingly, HA-AuNP/IFNα complex significantly enhanced the expression of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) for innate immune responses to viral infection in the liver tissue, which was much higher than those by IFNα, PEG-Intron, and AuNP/IFNα complex. Taken together, the target-specific HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was thought to be successfully applied to the systemic treatment of HCV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Hepatitis C / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C / pathology
  • Hyaluronic Acid / chemistry*
  • Interferon-alpha / administration & dosage*
  • Interferon-alpha / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nanocapsules / administration & dosage*
  • Nanocapsules / chemistry
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Nanocapsules
  • Gold
  • Hyaluronic Acid