Nanoparticle-mediated co-delivery of inflammasome inhibitors provides protection against sepsis

Abstract

The NLRP3 inflammasome, a multiprotein complex responsible for triggering the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, plays a crucial role in inducing the inflammatory response associated with sepsis. While small molecule inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome have been investigated for sepsis management, delivering NLRP3 inhibitors has been accompanied by several challenges, primarily related to the drug formulation, delivery route, stability, and toxicity. Many existing inflammasome inhibitors either show higher liver toxicity or require a high dosage to efficiently impede the inflammasome complex assembly. Moreover, the potential synergistic effects of combining multiple inflammasome inhibitors in sepsis therapy remain largely unexplored. Therefore, a rational approach is essential for presenting the potential administration of NLRP3 small molecule inhibitors to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation effectively. In this context, we present a lipid nanoparticle-based dual-drug delivery system loaded with MCC 950 and disulfiram, demonstrating markedly higher efficiency compared to an equivalent amount of free-drug combinations and individual drug nanoparticles in vitro. This combination therapy substantially improved the in vivo survival rate of mice for LPS-induced septic peritonitis. Additionally, the synergistic approach illustrated a significant reduction in the expression of active caspase-1 as well as IL-1β inhibition integral components in the NLRP3 pathway. This study underscores the importance of integrating combination therapies facilitated by nanoparticle delivery to address the limitations of small molecule inflammasome inhibitors.