Living biosystems for NANOMEDICINE

Animal models play critical roles in fundamental discovery, feasibility and bioactivity testing, clinical modelling and efficacy prediction. Invertebrates address also the 3Rs principle (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement), reducing vertebrate experimentation and avoiding ethical issues. We use the freshwater polyp Hydra vulgaris as an in vivo model system to test advanced drug delivery tools. In collaboration with many research groups, we tested a variety of formulations based on inorganic and organic platforms. We used multifunctional gold nanoparticles for delivery of siRNA and downregulation of myc proto-oncogene by RNA interference [1-2] or for detection of mRNA in situ by using specific DNA coatings [3]. We used inorganic quantum dots to elicit neuronal activity [4], imaging cell membrane receptors [5-7], up to polymeric light responsive microcapsules to deliver a modulator of the Wnt/beta catenin signalling pathway, obtaining the full spatio-temporal control [8]. Moreover, we developed strategies to purify nanovesicles from Hydra [9] and other systems, acting as mediators of intercellular communication.

[1] Conde J, Ambrosone A, Sanz V, Hernandez Y, Marchesano V, Tian F, Child H, Berry CC, Ibarra MR, Baptista PV, Tortiglione C*, de la Fuente JM*. Design of Multifunctional Gold Nanoparticles for In Vitro and In Vivo Gene Silencing. ACS Nano 2012 6 (9), 8316–8324.

[2] V.Marchesano, Y.Hernandez, W.Salvenmoser, A.Ambrosone, A.Tino, B.Hobmayer, JM de la Fuente and C.Tortiglione*. Imaging inwards and outwards trafficking of gold nanoparticles in whole animals. ACS Nano 2013 Mar 26;7(3):2431-42.

[3] M Moros, ME Kyriazi,  AH. El-Sagheer, T Brown, C Tortiglione*, A G. Kanaras*. DNA-Coated Gold Nanoparticles for the Detection of mRNA in Live Hydra Vulgaris Animals ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2019 Apr 17;11(15):13905-13911

[4] Malvindi MA, Carbone L, Quarta A, Tino A, Manna L, Pellegrino T, Tortiglione C. Rod-shaped nanocrystals elicit neuronal activity in vivo. Small 2008, 4, 1747-1755.

[5] Tortiglione C, Quarta A, Tino A, Manna L, Cingolani R and Pellegrino T. Synthesis and biological assay of GSH functionalized fluorescent quantum dots for staining Hydra vulgaris. Bioconjugate chemistry 2007, 18, 829-835.

[6] Quarta A, Ragusa A, Deka S, Tortiglione C, Tino A, Cingolani R, and Pellegrino T. Bioconjugation of rod-shaped fluorescent nanocrystals for efficient targeted cell labeling. Lamguimir 2009; 25, 12614-12622.

[7] Malvindi MA, Di Corato R, Curcio A, Melisi D, Rimoli MG, Tortiglione C, Tino A, George C, Brunetti V, Cingolani R, Pellegrino T, Ragusa A. (2011) Multiple functionalization of fluorescent nanoparticles for specific biolabeling and drug delivery of dopamine. Nanoscale, 3, 5110-5019

[8] Ambrosone A., Marchesano V., Carregal-Romero S, Intartaglia D, Parak WJ, Tortiglione C. Control of Wnt/β-catenin Signalling Pathway in vivo via Light Responsive Capsules. ACS Nano 2016, 10, 4828-4834

[9] M. Moros, E. Fergola, V. Marchesano, M. Mutarelli, G. Tommasini, B. Miedziak, G. Palumbo, A. Ambrosone, A.Tino, C. Tortiglione.  The aquatic invertebrate Hydra vulgaris releases molecular messages through extracellular vesicles. 2021, 9: 3425 Doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.788117

GO TO: RESEARCH

GO TO: RESEARCH