title: Glutamine-Loaded Liposomes: Preliminary Investigation, Characterization, and Evaluation of Neutrophil Viability.
abstract: Glutamine has received attention due to its ability to ameliorate the immune system response. Once conventional liposomes are readily recognized and captured by immune system cells, the encapsulation of glutamine into those nanosystems could be an alternative to reduce glutamine dosage and target then to neutrophils. Our goals were to nanoencapsulate glutamine into conventional liposomes (Gln-L), develop an analytical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for its quantification, and evaluate the viability of neutrophils treated with Gln-L. Liposomes were prepared using the thin-film hydration technique followed by sonication and characterized according to pH, mean size, zeta potential, and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%). We also aimed to study the effect of liposomal constituent concentrations on liposomal characteristics. The viability of neutrophils was assessed using flow cytometry after intraperitoneal administration of free glutamine (Gln), Gln-L, unloaded-liposome (UL), and saline solution as control (C) in healthy Wistar rats. The selected liposomal formulation had a mean vesicle size of 114.65 ± 1.82 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.30 ± 0.00, a positive surface charge of 36.30 ± 1.38 mV, and an EE% of 39.49 ± 0.74%. The developed chromatographic method was efficient for the quantification of encapsulated glutamine, with a retention time at 3.8 min. A greater viability was observed in the group treated with glutamine encapsulated compared to the control group (17%), although neutrophils remain viable in all groups. Thus, glutamine encapsulated into liposomes was able to increase the number of viable neutrophils at low doses, thereby representing a promising strategy for the treatment of immunodeficiency conditions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.|Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Chaves
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bárbara Nayane Rosário Fernandes
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio Fidélis
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Centro Acadêmico de Vitória, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Rua do Alto do Reservatório s/n, Bela Vista, CEP: 55608-680, Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Jacques
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lagranha
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.|Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pabyton Gonçalves
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Cadena
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.|Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nereide Stela
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Santos-Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Imunopatologia Keizo-Asami, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. marianelira@gmail.com.|Centro Acadêmico de Vitória, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Rua do Alto do Reservatório s/n, Bela Vista, CEP: 55608-680, Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brazil. marianelira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariane Cajubá de Britto
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lira-Nogueira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D005973:Glutamine
keywords: cell viability; glutamine; liposomes; neutrophils