Peptidomimetic Lipid-Nanoparticle-Mediated Knockdown of TLR4 in CNS Protects against Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice

Ischemic stroke activates toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling, resulting in proinflammatory polarization of microglia and secondary neuronal damage. Herein, we report a novel lipid-nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated knockdown of TLR4 in microglia and amelioration of neuroinflammation in a mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). siRNA against TLR4 (siTLR4) complexed to the novel LNP (siTLR4/DoGo310), which was based on a dioleoyl-conjugated short peptidomimetic (denote DoGo310), was readily internalized by the oxygen–glucose-deprived (OGD) mouse primary microglia, knocked-down TLR4, and polarized the cell to the anti-inflammatory phenotype in vitro. Systemic administration of siTLR4/DoGo310 LNPs in the tMCAO mice model resulted in the accumulation of siRNA mainly in the Iba1 positive cells in the peri-infarct. Analysis of the peri-infarct brain tissue revealed that a single injection of siTLR4/DoGo310 LNPs led to significant knockdown of TLR4 gene expression, reversing the pattern of cytokines expression, and improving the neurological functions in tMCAO model mice. Our data demonstrate that DoGo310 LNPs could be a promising nanocarrier for CNS-targeted siRNA delivery for the treatment of CNS disorders.