Article Title
LiF@SiO2 nanocapsules for controlled lithium release and osteoarthritis treatment
Authors
Trever Todd, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Zhenhui Lu, Guangxi Engineering Center in Biomedical Material for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
Jinmin Zhao, Guangxi Engineering Center in Biomedical Material for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
Benjamin Cline, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Weizhong Zhang, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Hongmin Chen, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
Anil Kumar, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Wen Jiang, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Franklin West, Animal Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Samuel Franklin, Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Li Zheng, Guangxi Engineering Center in Biomedical Material for Tissue and Organ Regeneration, Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedicine, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, China
Jin Xie, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA
Keywords
osteoarthritis, controlled release, hyaluronic acid, lithium, anti-inflammation
Abstract
ABSTRACT Electrolytes can be taken orally or intravenously as supplements or therapeutics. However, their therapeutic window may exceed the serum toxicity threshold, making systemic delivery a poor option. Local injection is also not adequate due to rapid diffusion of electrolytes. Here, we solved this issue with a nanocapsule technology, comprising an electrolyte nanocrystal as the drug filling and a silica sheath to regulate drug release rates. In particular, we prepared LiF@SiO2 nanocapsules and investigated their potential as a delivery system for lithium, which was shown in recent studies to be an effective therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis (OA). We demonstrated that LiF@SiO2 can extend lithium release time from minutes to more than 60 h. After intraarticular (i.a.) injection into a rat OA model, the nanocapsules reduced the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) score by 71% in 8 weeks while inducing no systemic toxicity. Our study opens new doors for improved delivery of electrolyte therapeutics, which have rarely been studied in the past.
Graphical Abstract

Publisher
Tsinghua University Press
Recommended Citation
Trever Todd,Zhenhui Lu,Jinmin Zhao,Benjamin Cline,Weizhong Zhang,Hongmin Chen,Anil Kumar,Wen Jiang,Franklin West,Samuel Franklin,Li Zheng,Jin Xie, LiF@SiO2 nanocapsules for controlled lithium release and osteoarthritis treatment. NanoRes.2018, 11(10): 5751–5760