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Papers of the Week


Papers: 7 May 2022 - 13 May 2022


Animal Studies


2022 Apr 28


Biomaterials


285

Sustained endosomal release of a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist from nanostars provides long-lasting relief of chronic pain.

Authors

Latorre R, Ramírez-Garcia PD, Hegron A, Grace JL, Retamal JS, Shenoy P, Tran M, Aurelio L, Flynn B, Poole DP, Klein-Cloud R, Jensen DD, Davis TP, Schmidt BL, Quinn JF, Whittaker MR, Veldhuis NA, Bunnett NW
Biomaterials. 2022 Apr 28; 285:121536.
PMID: 35533442.

Abstract

Soft polymer nanoparticles designed to disassemble and release an antagonist of the neurokinin 1 receptor (NKR) in endosomes provide efficacious yet transient relief from chronic pain. These micellar nanoparticles are unstable and rapidly release cargo, which may limit the duration of analgesia. We examined the efficacy of stable star polymer nanostars containing the NKR antagonist aprepitant-amine for the treatment of chronic pain in mice. Nanostars continually released cargo for 24 h, trafficked through the endosomal system, and disrupted NKR endosomal signaling. After intrathecal injection, nanostars accumulated in endosomes of spinal neurons. Nanostar-aprepitant reversed mechanical, thermal and cold allodynia and normalized nociceptive behavior more efficaciously than free aprepitant in preclinical models of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Analgesia was maintained for >10 h. The sustained endosomal delivery of antagonists from slow-release nanostars provides effective and long-lasting reversal of chronic pain.