Sodium butyrate-loaded nanoparticles coated with chitosan for the treatment of neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: Ocular biocompatibility and antiangiogenic activity

Sodium butyrate-loaded nanoparticles coated chitosan (NaBu-loaded nanoparticles/CS) were developed to treat the choroidal neovascularization in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The nanoparticles were pro-duced by double emulsification and solvent evaporation technique, optimized by experimental statistical design, characterized by analytical methods, investigated in terms of in vitro and in vivo ocular biocompatibility, and evaluated as an antiangiogenic system in vivo. The NaBu-loaded nanoparticles/CS were 311.1 ?? 3.1 nm in diameter with a 0.208 ?? 0.007 polydispersity index; had a +56.3 ?? 2.6 mV zeta potential; showed a 92.3 % NaBu encapsulation efficiency; and sustained the drug release over 35 days. The NaBu-loaded nanoparticles/CS showed no toxicity to human retinal pigment epithelium cells (ARPE-19 cells); was not irritant to the chorio-allantoic membrane (CAM); did not interfere in the integrity of the retinal layers of rat???s eyes, as detected by the Optical Coherence Tomography and histopathology; and inhibited the angiogenesis in CAM assay. The NaBu-loaded nanoparticles/CS could be a therapeutic alternative to limit the neovascularization in AMD. Superscript/Subscript Available

Automated summary

The study found that sodium butyrate-loaded nanoparticles coated chitosan had a diameter of approximately 311.1 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.208, and a zeta potential of +56.3 mV; they were nontoxic to human retinal pigment epithelium cells, did not interfere with the integrity of rat's eye retinal layers, and inhibited angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane assay.