Biodegradable, bile salt microparticles for localized fat dissolution.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 33277261.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abd8019 and PMC identifier 7821899.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Bile acids are proposed as therapeutic agents for various diseases, including liver diseases and obesity. However, oral or subcutaneous administration of a solubilized version of these drugs has limited efficacy and imposes unwanted side effects. Here, we describe a gold-templating method for fabricating stable, bile salt-cholate or deoxycholate-microparticles. The gold ions' reduction at the oil-water interface in a double emulsion solvent evaporation process enables a gold-bile salt interaction and the formation of bile salt particles. We demonstrate that composite microparticles release cholate/deoxycholate into solution via a surface erosion process. We illustrate these particles' capability to lyse adipocytes, both in vitro and in vivo, with minimal side effects, contrary to the Food and Drug Administration-approved salt solution that leads to severe inflammation and ulceration. Overall, particle-based cholate/deoxycholate opens opportunities for localized delivery of these salts, improving efficacy while minimizing side effects associated with oral and subcutaneous use.