Electron microscopic analysis of nanoparticles delivering thioflavin-T after intrahippocampal injection in mouse: implications for targeting beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease

Neurosci Lett. 2003 Feb 27;338(2):174-6. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(02)01399-x.

Abstract

Prevention of beta-amyloid (Abeta) production, aggregation and formation of Abeta deposits is a key pharmacological target in Alzheimer's disease. The passage of Abeta-binding compounds through the blood-brain barrier is often hampered for free ligands, whereas it is enhanced by drug encapsulation in nanoparticles. Here, we describe the preparation and characterization of polymeric carriers containing thioflavin-T as a marker for fibrillar Abeta. This study is then focused on electron microscopic analyses of thioflavin-T after injection of thioflavin-T-containing nanoparticles into the mouse hippocampus. Therefore, the photoconversion of fluorescent thioflavin-T as model drug was performed in tissues fixed 3 days post-injection. Thioflavin-T delivered from nanospheres was predominantly found in neurons and microglia. Our data suggest that drugs delivered by nanoparticles might target Abeta in the brain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Drug Carriers
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Enbucrilate / analogs & derivatives
  • Enbucrilate / chemical synthesis
  • Enbucrilate / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Dyes / administration & dosage*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / ultrastructure*
  • Injections
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Nanotechnology
  • Particle Size
  • Polymers
  • Polystyrenes / chemical synthesis
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*
  • Thiazoles / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Benzothiazoles
  • Drug Carriers
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Polymers
  • Polystyrenes
  • Thiazoles
  • butylcyanoacrylate-graft-polystyrene
  • thioflavin T
  • Enbucrilate