Objective
The blood-brain barrier is considered to be an insurmountable obstacle for a number of drugs, particularly peptides and proteins. Recently it was shown by pharmacological methods and by electron microscopy that a hexapeptide, dalargin, was transported across this barrier after sorption to nanoparticles and overcoating with polysorbate 80 and exhibited an analgesic effect after intravenous injection.
This project has three objectives: optimisation of the nanoparticle polymer; investigation of the mechanism of action of the polysorbate 80 coating because this surfactant has no effect on the blood-brain barrier without coating on the nanoparticles (this part of the research includes investigation of other surfactants and coating materials); expansion of the blood-brain barrier transport to other drugs and peptides used for the treatment of brain diseases. The nanoparticles will be prepared and analytically characterised in Frankfurt/Main, the new polymers will be produced in Moscow, the pharmacological and the electron microscopic investigations also will be performed in Moscow, the investigation of the uptake and drug release mechanisms will be carried out in Leiden using brain endothelium tissue cultures and in London using brain perfusion.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
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60439 Frankfurt am Main
Germany