Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Functionalized with a Cardio-Specific Peptide

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide, highliting the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. Peptide-based therapies have demonstrated significant potential for treating CVDs; however, their clinical application is hindered by their limited stability in physiological fluids. To overcome this challenge, an effective drug delivery system is essential to protect and efficiently transport peptides to their intended targets. This study introduces two distinct strategies for loading a cardio-specific mimetic peptide (MP), designed to modulate L-type calcium channel function in cardiomyocytes, onto calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP NPs). MP-loaded CaP NPs were prepared by two different wet precipitation syntheses, one of which involved the use of sodium polyacrylate as templating agent. Characterization of MP-loaded CaP NPs demonstrated that their crystallinity, size, surface charge, and morphology could be precisely controlled through adjustments in synthesis parameters. In vitro tests on cardiac cells confirmed that both types of MP-loaded CaP NPs restored intracellular calcium flux, highlighting their therapeutic potential. These results pave the way for further optimization of CaP NP formulations and suggest their potential as a viable nanomaterial for CVD treatment.

MANCINI Federica;  DEGLI ESPOSTI Lorenzo;  ADAMIANO Alessio;  MODICA Jessica;  CATALUCCI Daniele;  MĖHN Dóra;  GEISS Otmar;  IAFISCO Michele; 

2025-03-19

MDPI

JRC140191

2079-4991 (online),   

https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/2/94,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC140191,   

10.3390/nano15020094 (online),