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The inclusion into PLGA nanoparticles enables α-bisabolol to efficiently inhibit the human dendritic cell pro-inflammatory activity

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Abstract

α-bisabolol, a natural sesquiterpene alcohol, has generated considerable interest for its anti-inflammatory activity. Since the mechanisms of this anti-inflammatory action remain poorly understood, we investigated whether α-bisabolol affects the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-12, IL-23, IL-6, and TNFα by human dendritic cells (DCs). We found that α-bisabolol did not induce the secretion of these cytokines and did not affect their release induced upon DC challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a well-known immune cell stimulator. As α-bisabolol is scarcely ingested by the cells, we wondered whether the inclusion of α-bisabolol into nanoparticles could favor its internalization by DCs and consequently its effects on cytokine secretion. We then prepared and characterized poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, with a dynamic light scattering peak centered at 154 nm and a half width at half maximum of about 48 nm. These particles were unable to affect per se cytokine secretion by both resting and LPS-stimulated DCs and were internalized by human DCs as demonstrated by confocal microscopy analysis. We then loaded PLGA nanoparticles with α-bisabolol and we observed that PLGA-associated α-bisabolol did not stimulate the cytokine release by resting DCs, but decreased IL-12, IL-23, IL-6, and TNFα secretion by LPS-stimulated DCs. Our results indicate that α-bisabolol inclusion into PLGA nanoparticles represents a very promising tool for designing new anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and, possibly, immunosuppressive therapeutic strategies.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been done within the Nanomedicine Initiative funded by Fondazione Cariverona (Verona).

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest in this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Section of General Pathology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Laura Marongiu, Marta Donini & Stefano Dusi

  2. Biocrystallography Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Michele Bovi, Massimiliano Perduca & Hugo L. Monaco

  3. Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Cà Vignal 1, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Federico Vivian & Alessandro Romeo

  4. Department of Life and Reproduction Sciences, Section of Biological Chemistry, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Sofia Mariotto

  5. Dipartimento di Patologia e Diagnostica, Sezione Patologia Generale, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Stefano Dusi

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  1. Laura Marongiu
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  2. Marta Donini
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  3. Michele Bovi
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  9. Stefano Dusi
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Correspondence to Stefano Dusi.

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Laura Marongiu and Marta Donini contributed equally to this study.

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Marongiu, L., Donini, M., Bovi, M. et al. The inclusion into PLGA nanoparticles enables α-bisabolol to efficiently inhibit the human dendritic cell pro-inflammatory activity. J Nanopart Res 16, 2554 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-014-2554-4

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