New drug delivery for corneal neovascularization using polyion complex micelles.
OBJECTIVE
To introduce photodynamic therapy (PDT) for corneal neovascularization (NV) by polyion complex (PIC) micelles, a novel drug delivery system.


RESULTS
Development of specific drug delivery systems to corneal NV sites is an important part of next-generation photodynamic therapy. Nanocarriers consisting of PIC micelles bound by polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell exhibit good stability, high drug-loading capacity, and excellent potential for controlled drug release. Encapsulation of the photosensitizer dendrimer porphyrin (DP) into PIC micelles (DP-micelles) conveys adequate stability and increased photocytotoxicity without compromising photophysical properties of DP stability. We assessed the accumulation of DP-micelles and observed that the DP-micelles were incorporated into the corneal NV area.


CONCLUSIONS
PIC micelles possess attractive features of selective accumulation at the corneal NV site. PDT using DP-micelles appears to be effective and safe for the treatment of corneal NV.
Usui
Tomohiko
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. tomohiko-tky@umin.ac.jp
Sugisaki
Kenji
K
Amano
Shiro
S
Jang
Woo-Dong
WD
Nishiyama
Nobuhiro
N
Kataoka
Kazunori
K
D000818:Animals; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000639:trends; D007477:Ions; D008823:Micelles; D049329:Nanostructures; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods
D007477:Ions; D008823:Micelles