Intranasal delivery of human beta-amyloid peptide in rats: effective brain targeting

Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2010 Apr;30(3):405-13. doi: 10.1007/s10571-009-9463-6. Epub 2009 Oct 6.

Abstract

(1) Intranasal administration is a non-invasive and effective way for the delivery of drugs to brain that circumvents the blood-brain barrier. The aims of the study were to test a nasal delivery system for human beta-amyloid (A beta) peptides, to measure the delivery of the peptides to brain regions, and to test their biological activity in rats. (2) A beta(1-42), in the form of a mixture of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils was dissolved in a nasal formulation containing hydrophobic, hydrophylic, and mucoadhesive components. The peptide solution was administered intranasally to rats as a single dose or in repeated doses. (3) Nasally injected A beta labeled with the blue fluorescent dye amino-methyl coumarinyl acetic acid (AMCA) could be detected by fluorescent microscopy in the olfactory bulb and frontal cortex. The concentration of the peptide was quantified by fluorescent spectroscopy, and a significant amount of AMCA-A beta peptide could be detected in the olfactory bulb. Unlabeled A beta also reached the olfactory bulb and frontal cortex of rats as evidenced by intense immunostaining. (4) In behavioral experiments, nasal A beta treatment did not affect anxiety levels (open-field test) and short-term memory (Y-maze test), but significantly impaired long-term spatial memory in the Morris water maze. The treatments did not result in A beta immunization. (5) The tested intranasal delivery system could successfully target a bioactive peptide into the central nervous system and provides a basis for developing a non-invasive and cost effective, new model to study amyloid-induced dysfunctions in the brain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Intranasal
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / administration & dosage*
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / metabolism
  • Amyloid beta-Peptides / toxicity
  • Animals
  • Axonal Transport / drug effects
  • Axonal Transport / physiology
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Maze Learning / physiology
  • Memory Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Memory Disorders / metabolism
  • Memory Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Olfactory Bulb / drug effects
  • Olfactory Bulb / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / administration & dosage*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Peptide Fragments / toxicity
  • Prefrontal Cortex / drug effects
  • Prefrontal Cortex / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Staining and Labeling / methods

Substances

  • Amyloid beta-Peptides
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Peptide Fragments
  • amyloid beta-protein (1-42)