Extended Intravitreal Rabbit Eye Residence of Nanoparticles Conjugated With Cationic Arginine Peptides for Intraocular Drug Delivery: In Vivo Imaging

PURPOSE: Drug delivery by intravitreal injection remains problematic, small agents and macromolecules both clearing rapidly. Typical carriers use microparticles (>2 μm), with size-related liabilities, to slow diffusion. We recently described cationic nanoparticles (NP) where conjugated Arg peptides prolonged residence in rat eyes, through ionic interaction with vitreal poly-anions. Here we extended this strategy to in vivo tracking of NP-conjugate (NPC) clearance from rabbit eyes. Relating t(1/2) to zeta potential, and varied dose, we estimated the limits of this charge-based delivery system. METHODS: NPC carried covalently attached PEG(8)-2Arg or PEG(8)-3Arg pentapeptides, having known sequences from human eye proteins. Peptides were conjugated (61–64 per NPC); each NP/NPC also carried a cyanine7 tag (<0.5 dye/particle). In vivo imaging system (IVIS), after intravitreal injection, estimated NPC loss by 800-nm photon emission (745-nm excitation) at 1 to 3-week intervals following initial scan at day 10. RESULTS: NPC of 2Arg-peptides or 3Arg-peptides showed clearance t(1/2) of 7 days and 17 days respectively, unconjugated NP t(1/2) was <<5 days. Doses of 90, 180, and 360 μg of PEG(8)-2Arg NPC were compared. The lower doses showed dose-proportional day-10 concentration, and similar clearance. Higher early loss was seen with a 360-μg dose, exceeding rabbit vitreal binding capacity. No inflammation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This type of cationic NPC can safely increase residence t(1/2) in a 1 to 3-week range, with dose <100 μg per mL vitreous. Human drug load may then range from 10 to 100 μg/eye, usefulness depending on individual drug potency and release rate, superimposed on extended intravitreal residence.