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[[Vol. 52]Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment_ WPI-MANA.pdf](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/filesets/79671625-153d-4d17-a203-b3c928718f34/download)

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International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA)

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[[Research Highlights Vol.52] Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment](https://mdr.nims.go.jp/datasets/7bb84726-10cb-4e27-9b3e-a7b27ec541c5)

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2022/03/31 16:26 Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment| MANAhttps://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol52.html 1/2Previous  Index  NextResearch Highlights[Vol. 52]Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for NeurodegenerativeDisease Treatment18 Jul, 2019Figure: Phosphoryl-serine-decorated polymeric particles with anti-inflammatory effect have greatpotential to be used in novel therapies toward neurodegenerative diseases.One of the pathological mechanisms observed in neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervoussystem, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, is the accumulation of so-called microglia —cells that perform functions such as removing dead cells and excess synapses in the brain. Whenover-activated, microglia can also produce cytokines (small proteins) causing inflammation. Now,Mitsuhiro Ebara at the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, National Institute forMaterials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, and colleagues have synthesized polymeric particles that cansuppress microglial inflammation. These particles may be used in novel therapies forneurodegenerative diseases.The researchers were inspired by behavior seen for apoptotic cells — cells that are dying, in acontrolled way, as a natural part of an organism’s development. Microglia can recognize apoptoticcells through the production of a compound called phosphatidylserine. After recognition, microgliaproduce cytokines that have anti-inflammatory effects.Ebara and colleagues synthesized amphiphilic random copolymers with phosphoryl serine (PS)groups attached to them; the idea being that such polymers mimic the property of apoptotic cellsto counter-act inflammation. They fabricated the polymers in the form of spherical particles (ratherthan strings), with the PS groups protruding from the particle surface by using hydrophobic effectand self-assembly system.The scientists then tested the effect of their PS particles on macrophages. (Macrophages are a typeof white blood cell that cleans up ‘debris’ in cells.). The PS particles triggered a response from thehttps://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol51.htmlhttps://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/index.htmlhttps://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol53.html2022/03/31 16:26 Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment| MANAhttps://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol52.html 2/2macrophages, indicating that the particles indeed have an anti-inflammatory effect. Next, theytested the response of the presence of PS particles to microglia in vitro. An uptake of the particlesby microglia cells was observed, again a confirmation of their anti-inflammatory potential.The researchers point out that the finding that PS particles can inhibit inflammatory factors showsthe possibility of applying such particles in novel anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategies forneurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, quoting Ebara and colleagues, “the concept of this polymerparticle system can also be easily extended to harbor various other types of hydrophobic drugs,thereby showing potential to establish a combinatory therapy with an anti-inflammation materialand other drug targets.”Reference“Apoptotic Cell-Inspired Polymeric Particles for Controlling Microglial Inflammation towardNeurodegenerative Disease Treatment”Yasuhiro Nakagawa, Yuto Yano, Jeonggyu Lee, Yasutaka Anraku, Makoto Nakakido, KouheiTsumoto, Horacio Cabral, and Mitsuhiro EbaraJournal : ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. 5 (2019) 5705−5713.DOI : 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01510AffiliationsInternational Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), National Institute for MaterialsScience (NIMS), Namiki 1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, JapanContact informationInternational Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics(WPI-MANA)National Institute for Materials Science1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 JapanPhone: +81-29-860-4710E-mail: mana-pr[AT]ml.nims.go.jphttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01510