Antiviral activity against Zika virus of a new formulation of curcumin in poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles

DÍAZ SIERRA, JOHANNA BRIYITH; DAMONTE, ELSA BEATRIZ; PACHO, MARÍA NATALIA; MORELL, MARÍA LAURA; GARCÍA, CYBELE CARINA; PUGNI, EUGENIO NAHUEL; SEPÚLVEDA, CLAUDIA SOLEDAD; D´ACCORSO, NORMA BEATRIZ

The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

NLM (Medline)

Año: 2021 vol. 73 p. 357 - 365

Objectives In the search of an effective antiviral formulation, the natural product curcumin (CUR)was encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles, a non-toxic bioresorbable andbiocompatible copolymer. The resulting CUR containing particles (PLGA-CUR NPs) were characterized and analysed for antiviral activity against Zika virus (ZIKV) infection.Methods The PLGA-CUR NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, differential scan-ning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetricanalysis and release profile. Cytotoxicity of PLGA-CUR and the antiviral activity against ZIKV weredetermined in Vero cells. The effect of PLGA-CUR NPs on viral RNA synthesis and protein expres-sion was analysed by RT?qPCR and immunofluorescence staining, respectively.Key findings The PLGA-CUR NPs showed an appropriate in vitro drug release profile. Our studiesof the antiviral activity of PLGA-CUR NPs and CUR against ZIKV by virus yield reduction as wellas viral RNA synthesis and protein expression have shown that PLGA-CUR formulation is moreeffective than free CUR to inhibit ZIKV infection of Vero cells.Conclusions Our results demonstrate for the first time the antiviral activity against ZIKV of PLGAnanoparticles charged with CUR, suggesting that PLGA-CUR NPs are promising candidates for adrug formulation against human pathogenic flaviviruses.