title: Hyaluronic acid-gold nanoparticle/interferon α complex for targeted treatment of hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been extensively investigated as an emerging delivery carrier of various biopharmaceuticals. Instead of nonspecific polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated interferon α (IFNα) for the clinical treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, in this work, a target-specific long-acting delivery system of IFNα was successfully developed using the hybrid materials of AuNP and hyaluronic acid (HA). The HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was prepared by chemical binding of thiolated HA and physical binding of IFNα to AuNP. According to antiproliferation tests in Daudi cells, the HA-AuNP/IFNα complex showed a comparable biological activity to PEG-Intron with a highly enhanced stability in human serum. Even 7 days postinjection, HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was target-specifically delivered and remained in the murine liver tissue, whereas IFNα and PEG-Intron were not detected in the liver. Accordingly, HA-AuNP/IFNα complex significantly enhanced the expression of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 1 (OAS1) for innate immune responses to viral infection in the liver tissue, which was much higher than those by IFNα, PEG-Intron, and AuNP/IFNα complex. Taken together, the target-specific HA-AuNP/IFNα complex was thought to be successfully applied to the systemic treatment of HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering,  Pohang University of Science and Technology  (POSTECH), San 31, Hyoja-dong, Nam-gu, Pohang, Kyungbuk 790-784, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ho Sang
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Songeun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beack
authors.forename: Jung Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Wonhee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Heebeom
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Kwangmeyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Kew
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sei Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D053769:Nanocapsules; D006046:Gold; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid