Aim: To improve nucleus pulposus cell-targeted therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) by fabricating a novel kind of ultrasound (US)-mediated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanobubbles (NBs) as a means of targeted drug delivery.
Materials & methods: The resveratrol (RES)-embedded NBs were synthesized using a double-emulsion method. The active NP cell-targeting biomarker CDH2 antibody (AbCDH2) was further conjugated to the NBs using a carbodiimide method. Then, this RES/AbCDH2 NBs were examined by physical properties, specifc cell-targeting ability, anticatabolism effect in vitro and in vivo.
Results: RES/AbCDH2 NBs exhibited high RES-loading efficiency, and US triggered accelerated RES release. Furthermore, RES/AbCDH2 NB treatment exhibited excellent anticatabolic ability in vitro; and in an IDD rabbit model, US-mediated RES/AbCDH2 NB injection effectively retarded the degenerative process of the intervertebral disc in vivo.
Conclusion: The combination of US irradiation and drug delivery through RES/AbCDH2 NBs can be considered as a novel treatment option for IDD.
Keywords: drug delivery; intervertebral disc degeneration; nanobubble; nucleus pulposus cell; ultrasound.