Evaluation of the reproductive toxicity of antiretroviral drug loaded lactoferrin nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

Multiple prevention therapy has gained importance for the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. Antiretroviral drugs encapsulated in nanoparticles have been developed for efficient delivery of the drugs to the vaginal surface. Lactoferrin nanoparticles (LFNPs) encapsulating anticancer or antiretroviral drugs are found to be promising agents to specifically deliver drugs at the target sites. Recent studies indicate that the bioavailability is higher for antiretroviral drugs delivered by LFNPs than when the drugs are administered alone. Although LFNP-mediated drug delivery via the oral or vaginal route for the treatment of HIV/AIDS is promising, the effect of such administrations is not well studied. Drug-loaded LFNPs when administered to rats by the vaginal route did not show any effect on the reproductive performance, fertility, and postnatal development. Oral administration of drug-loaded LFNPs caused a significant decrease in litter size, whereas the reproductive performance and postnatal development remained normal. In our model system, the results indicate that vaginal administration of drug-loaded LFNPs appears safer and can be projected for the delivery of antiretroviral agents via the vaginal route.

Abbreviations: LFNPs: lactoferrin nanoparticles; STIs: sexually transmitted diseases infections; NPs: nanoparticles; LF: lactoferrin; DL-LFNPs: drug loaded lactoferrin nanoparticles; MPT: multiple prevention techniques

KEYWORDS:

• Nanoparticles
• lactoferrin
• antiretroviral drugs
• reproductive toxicity

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Department of Biotechnology, Indian Council of Medical Research and DST-Nanomission of Government of India for financially supporting this study in the form of research funding. We thank the facilities extended by UGC-SAP, UGC-CAS, DBT-CREBB, and FIST programs at School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad. GB received a fellowship from University Grants Commission and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lavanya Madugulla

Conceived and designed the experiments: SY, AKK; Performed the experiments: LM, ARR; Analyzed the data: SY, AKK; Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: SY, AKK; Wrote the manuscript: SY, AKK. All authors approve the final paper.