Aim: To provide multilayered combination therapies encompassing nanoparticles and organic peptides and to assess their efficacy in the treatment of arthritis.
Materials & methods: Fish oil protein (FP) was isolated from fish oil glands and tagged with spherical gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Tagged GNPs were encapsulated in DPPC liposomes (FP-GNP-DPPC) and characterized.
Results & conclusion: FP increased the hydrophilicity of GNP, while encapsulation of FP-GNP within liposomes increased the hydrophobicity. In vitro release studies of FP-GNP-DPPC exhibited sustained release of FP in simulated synovial fluid. FP-GNP-DPPC injected into intra-articular joints of rats displayed anti-osteoarthritic effects in osteoarthritic rat model. This is the first study to report the anti-osteoarthritic activity of FP and DPPC encapsulated FP-GNP liposomes.
Keywords: DPPC liposome; apoptosis; collagenase-induced osteoarthritis; fish oil protein; gold nanoparticles; surface-active phospholipid mimetic.