Curing inflammatory diseases using phosphorous dendrimers

• Published in: Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. Nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology 2022-07, Vol.14 (4), p.e1783-n/a
• Main Authors: Caminade, Anne‐Marie, Turrin, Cédric‐Olivier, Poupot, Rémy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Arthritis; Biological properties; Biomedical materials; Blood; CD4 antigen; Cell culture; Cell proliferation; Chemical Sciences; Coordination chemistry; dendrimer; Dendrimers; Dendritic cells; Drug discovery; Hematology; Immune system; Immunology; In vivo methods and tests; inflammation; Inflammatory diseases; Leukemia; Leukocytes (mononuclear); Lung diseases; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Mannose; Monocytes; Multiple sclerosis; Myeloid leukemia; Nanotechnology; Natural killer cells; Neurological diseases; Osteoclastogenesis; Osteoclasts; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Platelet aggregation; Psoriasis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Safety; Skin diseases
• ISSN: 1939-5116; 1939-0041
• DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1783

Different types of water‐soluble phosphorous dendrimers have been synthesized and display many different biological properties. It has been shown in particular that phosphorous dendrimers of first generation functionalized with azabisphosphonate terminal functions are able to stimulate the human immune system ex vivo. These dendrimers are internalized by monocytes within a few seconds, and induce their anti‐inflammatory activation. The presence of the dendrimers induces also the inhibition of the differentiation of monocytes into osteoclasts, the maturation of dendritic cells, and inhibits the proliferation of the proinflammatory CD4+ T lymphocytes. Finally, after 2–3 weeks of culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, amplifications by several tens of natural killer cells is observed. In view of all these properties, the influence of these azabisphosphonate‐dendrimers has been tested in vivo with several animal models, against different chronic or acute inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, uveitis, and psoriasis, but also against myeloid leukemia, a hematological cancer. The hematological safety has been demonstrated in mice, as there is no platelet aggregation, no hemolysis, and no disturbance in the hematological formula. The safety of the azabisphosphonate‐dendrimer has been assessed also with non‐human primates (cynomolgus monkeys) which received repeated injections, as a de‐risking pre‐clinical test. Biochemical, hematological, and all immunological parameters in peripheral blood remained within a normal physiological range throughout the study, and all survived well. Other phosphorous dendrimers also display anti‐inflammatory properties in vivo, in particular dendrimers functionalized with mannose derivatives, which prevent acute lung diseases when given orally (per os) to mice. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease Phosphorous dendrimers specifically functionalized on their surface positively influence the human immune system ex vivo, and decrease the severity of several diseases, in particular inflammatory diseases, in vivo.