Dual-Modal Cellular Nanoparticles for Continuous Neurotoxin Detoxification.

Abstract

Neurotoxins are known for their extreme lethality. However, due to their enormous diversity, effective and broad-spectrum countermeasures are lacking. This study presents a dual-modal cellular nanoparticle (CNP) formulation engineered for continuous neurotoxin neutralization. The formulation involves encapsulating the metabolic enzyme <i>N</i>-sulfotransferase (SxtN) into metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticle cores and coating them with a natural neuronal membrane, termed "Neuron-MOF/SxtN-NPs". The resulting nanoparticles combine membrane-enabled broad-spectrum neurotoxin neutralization with enzyme payload-enabled continuous neurotoxin neutralization. The studies confirm the protection of the enzyme payload by the MOF core and validate the continuous neutralization of saxitoxin (STX). <i>In vivo</i> studies conducted using a mouse model of STX intoxication reveal markedly improved survival rates compared with control groups. Furthermore, acute toxicity assessments show no adverse effects associated with the administration of Neuron-MOF/SxtN-NPs in healthy mice. Overall, Neuron-MOF/SxtN-NPs represent a unique biomimetic nanomedicine platform poised to effectively neutralize neurotoxins, marking an important advancement in the field of countermeasure nanomedicine.