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Core Cross‐Linked Polymeric Micelles for Specific Iron Delivery: Inducing Sterile Inflammation in Macrophages

Advanced Healthcare Materials, vol. 10, pp. e2100385

Abstract

Iron is an essential co-factor for cellular processes. In the immune system, it can activate macrophages and represents a potential therapeutic for various diseases. To specifically deliver iron to macrophages, iron oxide nanoparticles are embedded in polymeric micelles of reactive polysarcosine-block-poly(S-ethylsulfonyl-l-cysteine). Upon surface functionalization via dihydrolipoic acid, iron oxide cores act as crosslinker themselves and undergo chemoselective disulfide bond formation with the surrounding poly(S-ethylsulfonyl-l-cysteine) block, yielding glutathione-responsive core cross-linked polymeric micelles (CCPMs). When applied to primary murine and human macrophages, these nanoparticles display preferential uptake, sustained intracellular iron release, and induce a strong inflammatory response. This response is also demonstrated in vivo when nanoparticles are intratracheally administered to wild-type C57Bl/6N mice. Most importantly, the controlled release concept to deliver iron oxide in redox-responsive CCPMs induces significantly stronger macrophage activation than any other iron source at identical iron levels (e.g., Feraheme), directing to a new class of immune therapeutics.

Authors 17

  1. Leiden University · Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10‐14 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 Leiden 2333CC The Netherlands

    Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, Mainz, 55128 Germany

    Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden, 2333CC The Netherlands

  2. Heidelberg University · German Center for Lung Research · European Molecular Biology Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and the Faculty of Biosciences University of Heidelberg Meyerhofstr.1 Heidelberg 69117 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) Otto‐Meyerhof‐Zentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC) German Center for Lung Research (DZL) University of Heidelberg Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and the Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Meyerhofstr.1, Heidelberg, 69117 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), Otto-Meyerhof-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  3. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology Heidelberg University Hospital Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) Otto‐Meyerhof‐Zentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), Otto-Meyerhof-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  4. German Cancer Research Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Molecular Thoracic Oncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Im Neuenheimer Feld 280 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Molecular Thoracic Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  5. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology Heidelberg University Hospital Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) Otto‐Meyerhof‐Zentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), Otto-Meyerhof-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  6. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology Heidelberg University Hospital Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) Otto‐Meyerhof‐Zentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), Otto-Meyerhof-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  7. Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research Ackermannweg 10 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128 Germany

  8. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10‐14 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, Mainz, 55128 Germany

  9. Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research Ackermannweg 10 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128 Germany

  10. Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research Ackermannweg 10 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz, 55128 Germany

  11. University of Oslo

    Affiliation as printed

    Department for Biosciences University of Oslo Blindernveien 31 Oslo 0371 Norway

    Department for Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindernveien 31, Oslo, 0371 Norway

  12. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Physics Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Staudingerweg 9 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Staudingerweg 9, Mainz, 55128 Germany

  13. Goethe University Frankfurt

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Biochemistry I Faculty of Medicine Goethe‐University Frankfurt Theodor‐Stern‐Kai 7 Frankfurt am Main 60590 Germany

    Institute of Biochemistry I, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main, 60590 Germany

  14. German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · German Center for Lung Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Molecular Thoracic Oncology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Im Neuenheimer Feld 280 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC) German Center for Lung Research (DZL) University of Heidelberg Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Molecular Thoracic Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  15. Matthias W. Hentze corresponding

    Heidelberg University · European Molecular Biology Laboratory

    Affiliation as printed

    European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and the Faculty of Biosciences University of Heidelberg Meyerhofstr.1 Heidelberg 69117 Germany

    European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Collaboration for Joint PhD Degree between EMBL and the Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Meyerhofstr.1, Heidelberg, 69117 Germany

  16. Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg · German Center for Lung Research

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology Heidelberg University Hospital Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) Otto‐Meyerhof‐Zentrum Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC) German Center for Lung Research (DZL) University of Heidelberg Im Neuenheimer Feld 350 Heidelberg 69120 Germany

    Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, Immunology, and Pulmonology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU), Otto-Meyerhof-Zentrum, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

    Translational Lung Research Center Heidelberg (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 350, Heidelberg, 69120 Germany

  17. Leiden University · Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10‐14 Mainz 55128 Germany

    Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) Leiden University Einsteinweg 55 Leiden 2333CC The Netherlands

    Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, Mainz, 55128 Germany

    Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, Leiden, 2333CC The Netherlands

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References 72