Precision medicine for acute kidney injury: Baicalein-nanodrug delivery system combat oxidative stress and repair...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Nephrology

Background:

• Acute kidney injury (AKI) presents high global morbidity and mortality, acting as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease.
• Oxidative stress, characterized by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, is a primary pathogenic mechanism in AKI.
• Current AKI treatments are primarily supportive, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel nanodrug delivery system for the precise treatment of AKI.
• To evaluate the efficacy of baicalein-loaded nanocarriers in targeting and treating AKI.

Main Methods:

• Development of aptamer-functionalized nanocarriers (Apt-NS) engineered for specific recognition of AKI renal tubular cells.
• Loading of baicalein (BAI) into Apt-NS to create the Apt-NS-BAI nanodrug delivery system.
• In vitro assessment of Apt-NS-BAI for cell viability, ROS scavenging, and anti-apoptotic effects compared to BAI alone.
• In vivo validation in animal models to confirm targeted delivery to injury sites and therapeutic effects.

Main Results:

• Apt-NS demonstrated excellent serum stability and biocompatibility, with specific targeting of AKI renal tubular cells.
• Apt-NS-BAI exhibited superior efficacy over BAI in enhancing cell viability, scavenging ROS, and preventing apoptosis in vitro.
• In vivo studies confirmed Apt-NS-BAI's ability to target renal injury sites, reduce apoptosis, and alleviate kidney damage.

Conclusions:

• A novel nanodrug delivery system (Apt-NS-BAI) was successfully constructed for targeted delivery of baicalein to AKI sites.
• This system offers enhanced therapeutic effects against oxidative stress and renal damage in AKI.
• The findings provide a promising nanotechnology-based approach for the precision treatment of kidney diseases.