Site-specific intestinal DMT1 silencing to mitigate iron absorption using pH-sensitive multi-compartmental...

Iron is a nutrient metal, but excess iron promotes tissue damage. Since iron chelation therapies exhibit multiple off-target toxicities, there is a substantial demand for more specific approaches to decrease iron burden in iron overload. While the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) plays a well-established role in the absorption of dietary iron, up-regulation of intestinal DMT1 is associated with iron overload in both humans and rodents. Hence, we developed a novel pH-sensitive multi-compartmental particulate (MCP) oral delivery system that encapsulates DMT1 siRNA and validated its efficacy in mice. Using the gelatin NPs coated with Eudragit® L100-55, we demonstrated that DMT1 siRNA-loaded MCPs down-regulated DMT1 mRNA levels in the duodenum, which was consistent with decreased intestinal absorption of orally-administered ⁵⁹Fe. Together, the Eudragit® L100-55-based oral siRNA delivery system could provide an effective strategy to specifically down-regulate duodenal DMT1 and mitigate iron absorption.