Maltodextrin-modified lipoplexes for enhanced mucosal penetration and efficient mRNA delivery

Efficient delivery of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to mucosal tissues represents a promising approach for localized protein production in the nasal and respiratory tract. Here, we investigate the use of maltodextrin (MDX) as a surface modifier to enhance the delivery of mRNA-loaded histidylated lipoplexes (LXs) to airway epithelial cells. By reducing hydrophobicity, MDX facilitates better penetration through the mucus layer, enabling effective mRNA delivery. MDX-coated LXs improve mRNA delivery and expression in vitro by increasing cellular uptake and supporting sustained protein production. Additionally, MDX incorporation stabilizes in-house-formulated lipoplexes and modulates their interactions with mucin-covered cells. Notably, MDX-coated mRNA LXs display a four-fold increased transfection efficiency, and the protein expression is maintained up to 48 h post-transfection. Furthermore, intranasal administration of MDX-LXs results in efficient gene expression in vivo. Overall, our findings reveal that integrating MDX into mRNA lipoplexes is a promising strategy to advance nasal delivery for gene therapy and protein replacement applications.