Nanotherapy of Inflammatory Bone Disorders in Sickle Cell Disease

PI’s: Neale Weitzmann

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a devastating genetic hematological disorder leading to significant morbidity and mortality. A major complication is skeletal malformation in children leading to severe systemic skeletal deterioration (osteoporosis). Our goal is to apply nanotechnology to remedy the inflammatory environment and skeletal aberrations associated with SCD using silica based 50 nm nanoparticles which suppress NF-κB signaling, a pro-inflammatory pathway, and stimulate bone accretion in healthy mice.

Publications

Ha SW, Camalier CE, Weitzmann MN, Beck GR Jr..* Lee J-K*. (2013). Long-term monitoring of the physicochemical properties of silica-based nanoparticles on the rate of endocytosis and exocytosis and consequences of cell division. Soft Materials. 11(2):195-203 *Co-corresponding authors.

Ha SW, Weitzmann MN, Beck GR Jr. 2013. Dental and skeletal applications of silica based nanomaterials.  In: Nanobiomaterials in Clinical Dentistry. William Andrew Publishing. pp.69-91.

Ha SW, Sikorski JA, Weitzmann MN*, and Beck GR Jr.* (2014) Bio-active engineered 50 nm silica nanoparticles with bone anabolic activity: therapeutic index, effective concentration, and cytotoxicity profile in vitro. Toxicology in Vitro, 28(3), 354-364. *Co-corresponding authors

Ha SW, Weitzmann MN, Beck GR Jr. (2014) Bio-active silica nanoparticles promote osteoblast differentiation though stimulation of autophagy and direct association with LC3 and p62. ACS Nano; 24;8(6):5898-5910. PMC407602

Weitzmann MN*, Ha SW, Vikulina T, Roser-Page S, Lee JK and Beck GR Jr*. (2105) Bioactive Silica Nanoparticles Reverse Age-Associated Bone Loss in Mice. Nanomedicine (in press) Nanomedicine, 11(4):959-967. (This manuscript was highlighted and featured on the cover of the May issue). *Co-corresponding authors.