Cognitive abilities, such as learning, seeing, hearing, and creating, are controlled by the brain, allowing humans to understand and interact with their world. Cognitive decline occurs with neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and therapeutic methods for targeted neuroregeneration are required.

In Advanced Functional Materials, Professor Alexander V. Kabanov from the University of North Carolina and M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, and co-workers, present a novel, biocompatible nanoformulation that enhances the delivery of a neurotrophic factor for therapy of neurological diseases.

Professor Kabanov states: “In this paper, we describe therapeutic nanoparticles which entrap the brain-derived neurotrophic factor, known as BDNF, and carry this factor to the brain, and there release BDNF to its receptor. Now, these nanoparticles form spontaneously by simple mixing BDNF with an ionic polymer. The polymer self-assembles with BDNF into nanoparticles, in which BDNF is hidden inside and the polymer forms the coat.”

The formation of the nanoparticles is driven by electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions between the polymer and BDNF.

The coat is very stable, so BDNF is protected in the body from degradation and aggregation. The BDNF is safely delivered, and upon interaction with the receptor, BDNF is released to the receptor in the active form.

Heat maps of the brain regions show improved intranasal-to-brain delivery of nano-BDNF compared to native BDNF, demonstrating its feasibility for nanotherapeutics.

To find out more about this therapeutic nanoformulation for the treatment of neurological diseases, please visit the Advanced Functional Materials homepage.