Cationic albumin-conjugated chelating agent as a novel brain drug delivery system in neurodegeneration.

The critical role of metal ions and in particular iron in oxidative stress and protein aggregation offers chelation therapy as a sensible pharmaceutical strategy in oxidative stress-induced neuronal damages. In this research, we conjugated an iron-chelating agent, deferasirox, to cationized human serum albumin molecules in order to develop a novel brain delivery system for the management of neurodegenerative disorders due to the significant role of oxidative stress-induced neuronal injury in such diseases. Cationized albumin is known to be able to transport to brain tissue via adsorptive-mediated transcytosis. The developed structures were molecularly characterized, and their conjugation ratio was determined. PC12 cell line was utilized to evaluate the neuroprotective features of these newly developed molecules in the presence of hydrogen peroxide neuronal damage and to identify the mechanisms behind the observed neuronal protection including apoptotic and autophagic pathways. Furthermore, a rat model of Alzheimer's disease was utilized to evaluate the impact of conjugated structures in vivo. Data analysis revealed that the conjugated species were able to hinder apoptotic cell death while enhancing autophagic process. The developed conjugated species were also able to attenuate amyloid beta-induced learning deficits when administered peripherally.