Rotavirus-like particles: a novel nanocarrier for the gut

J Biomed Biotechnol. 2010:2010:317545. doi: 10.1155/2010/317545. Epub 2010 Apr 13.

Abstract

The delivery of bioactive molecules directly to damaged tissues represents a technological challenge. We propose here a new system based on virus-like particles (VLP) from rotavirus, with a marked tropism for the gut to deliver bio-active molecules to intestinal cells. For this, nonreplicative VLP nanoparticles were constructed using a baculovirus expression system and used to deliver an exogenous biomolecule, the green fluorescent protein (GFP), into either MA104 cells or intestinal cells from healthy and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-treated mice. Our results show that expression of rotavirus capsid proteins in baculovirus led to the auto assembly of VLP that display similar properties to rotavirus. In vitro experiments showed that VLP were able to enter into MA104 cells and deliver the reporter protein. Intragastric administration of fluorescent VLP in healthy and TNBS-treated mice resulted in the detection of GFP and viral proteins in intestinal samples. Our results demonstrate an efficient entry of non-replicative rotavirus VLP into the epithelial cell line MA104 and provide the first in vivo evidence of the potential of these nanoparticles as a promising safe candidate for drug delivery to intestinal cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Baculoviridae / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Colitis / chemically induced
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / virology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nanoparticles / virology*
  • Rotavirus / physiology*
  • Spodoptera / metabolism
  • Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
  • Virion / genetics
  • Virion / physiology*
  • Virus Internalization*

Substances

  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid