posted on 2024-02-12, 05:45authored byRuihao Li, Xiaochun Hu, Wenhui Li, Wenjing Wu, Jin Xu, Yun Lin, Shuo Shi, Chunyan Dong
The COVID-19 pandemic has become an unprecedented global
medical
emergency, resulting in more than 5 million deaths. Acute respiratory
distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19, characterized by the
release of a large number of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the production
of excessive toxic ROS, is the most common serious complication leading
to death. To develop new strategies for treating ARDS caused by COVID-19,
a mouse model of ARDS was established by using lipopolysaccharide
(LPS). Subsequently, we have constructed a novel nanospray with anti-inflammatory
and antioxidant capacity by loading pentoxifylline (PTX) and edaravone
(Eda) on zeolite imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8). This nanospray
was endowed with synergetic therapy, which could kill two birds with
one stone: (1) the loaded PTX played a powerful anti-inflammatory
role by inhibiting the activation of inflammatory cells and the synthesis
of pro-inflammatory cytokines; (2) Eda served as a free radical scavenger
in ARDS. Furthermore, compared with the traditional intravenous administration,
nanosprays can be administered directly and inhaled efficiently and
reduce the risk of systemic adverse reactions greatly. This nanospray
could not only coload two drugs efficiently but also realize acid-responsive
release on local lung tissue. Importantly, ZIF8-EP nanospray showed
an excellent therapeutic effect on ARDS in vitro and in vivo, which
provided a new direction for the treatment of ARDS.