Hepatocyte-Specific Co-Delivery of Zinc Ions and Plasmid DNA by Lactosylated Poly(1-vinylimidazole) for Suppression of Insulin Receptor Internalization

Akito Endo; Shoichiro Asayama

doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics13122084

Hepatocyte-Specific Co-Delivery of Zinc Ions and Plasmid DNA by Lactosylated Poly(1-vinylimidazole) for Suppression of Insulin Receptor Internalization

Pharmaceutics. 2021 Dec 4;13(12):2084. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122084.

Authors

Akito Endo¹, Shoichiro Asayama¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji 192-0397, Japan.

Abstract

The lactosylated poly(1-vinylimidazole) (PVIm-Lac) with various lactosylated degrees has been synthesized for the co-delivery of zinc ions (Zn) and plasmid DNA (pDNA). The Zn/DNA/PVIm-Lac complex formation has achieved the specific delivery of zinc ions to HepG2 cells. Especially, the resulting hepatocyte-specific delivery of zinc ions has increased the number of insulin receptors on the cell surface. Consequently, the Zn/DNA/PVIm-Lac complexes have suppressed insulin receptor internalization on the surface of the HepG2 cells, expecting to offer unique therapy to inhibit hepatic insulin clearance.

Keywords: hepatic insulin clearance; hepatocyte-specific delivery; insulin receptor; lactosylated poly(1-vinylimidazole); zinc ion.

Grants and funding

16K12899/Japan Society for the Promotion of Science