A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is chronic renal injury characterized by proteinuria and podocyte injury with glomerulus scarring and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the current first-line treatment. Long-term use of GCs, however, is associated with numerous off-targ...

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Main Authors: Haochen Jiang, Xin Fu, Salma Althobaiti, Braeden Pinkerton, Shabnam Arash, Xiaoqing Du, Zhenshan Jia, Fang Yu, Kirk W. Foster, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Troy J. Plumb, Dong Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-03-01
Series:Smart Materials in Medicine
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590183425000055
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author Haochen Jiang
Xin Fu
Salma Althobaiti
Braeden Pinkerton
Shabnam Arash
Xiaoqing Du
Zhenshan Jia
Fang Yu
Kirk W. Foster
Geoffrey M. Thiele
Troy J. Plumb
Dong Wang
author_facet Haochen Jiang
Xin Fu
Salma Althobaiti
Braeden Pinkerton
Shabnam Arash
Xiaoqing Du
Zhenshan Jia
Fang Yu
Kirk W. Foster
Geoffrey M. Thiele
Troy J. Plumb
Dong Wang
author_sort Haochen Jiang
collection DOAJ
description Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is chronic renal injury characterized by proteinuria and podocyte injury with glomerulus scarring and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the current first-line treatment. Long-term use of GCs, however, is associated with numerous off-target adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent unmet clinical need for novel FSGS therapies. Recognizing potent efficacy of GCs in managing FSGS, we proposed the use of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based nephrotropic dexamethasone (Dex) prodrug (ZSJ-0228 or PEG-Dex) to mitigate the GC side effects. The focus of the present study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of PEG-Dex in an Adriamycin-induced BALB/c mouse model of FSGS. A single dose of PEG-Dex treatment (35 ​mg/kg Dex dose equivalent) effectively reduced the proteinuria level, ameliorated FSGS lesions and restored kidney function when compared to the dose equivalent daily Dex treatment and Saline control. Additionally, PEG-Dex treatment also showed a much-improved safety profile than Dex with minimal adverse events detected. Collectively, these data suggest that PEG-Dex may be established as a promising drug candidate for more effective and safe clinical treatment of FSGS.
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spelling doaj-art-803f2f401d794a22959422e3d2ae91b32025-08-20T03:44:35ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Smart Materials in Medicine2590-18342025-03-0161566610.1016/j.smaim.2025.02.003A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effectsHaochen Jiang0Xin Fu1Salma Althobaiti2Braeden Pinkerton3Shabnam Arash4Xiaoqing Du5Zhenshan Jia6Fang Yu7Kirk W. Foster8Geoffrey M. Thiele9Troy J. Plumb10Dong Wang11Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADivision of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA; Veterans Affairs (VA) Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, Omaha, NE, 68105, USADivision of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USADepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, PDD 3020, Omaha, NE, 68198-6125, USA.Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is chronic renal injury characterized by proteinuria and podocyte injury with glomerulus scarring and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the current first-line treatment. Long-term use of GCs, however, is associated with numerous off-target adverse effects. Thus, there is an urgent unmet clinical need for novel FSGS therapies. Recognizing potent efficacy of GCs in managing FSGS, we proposed the use of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based nephrotropic dexamethasone (Dex) prodrug (ZSJ-0228 or PEG-Dex) to mitigate the GC side effects. The focus of the present study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of PEG-Dex in an Adriamycin-induced BALB/c mouse model of FSGS. A single dose of PEG-Dex treatment (35 ​mg/kg Dex dose equivalent) effectively reduced the proteinuria level, ameliorated FSGS lesions and restored kidney function when compared to the dose equivalent daily Dex treatment and Saline control. Additionally, PEG-Dex treatment also showed a much-improved safety profile than Dex with minimal adverse events detected. Collectively, these data suggest that PEG-Dex may be established as a promising drug candidate for more effective and safe clinical treatment of FSGS.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590183425000055DexamethasoneGlucocorticoidsFocal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)Polymeric prodrugToxicity
spellingShingle Haochen Jiang
Xin Fu
Salma Althobaiti
Braeden Pinkerton
Shabnam Arash
Xiaoqing Du
Zhenshan Jia
Fang Yu
Kirk W. Foster
Geoffrey M. Thiele
Troy J. Plumb
Dong Wang
A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
Smart Materials in Medicine
Dexamethasone
Glucocorticoids
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
Polymeric prodrug
Toxicity
title A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
title_full A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
title_fullStr A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
title_full_unstemmed A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
title_short A polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in an Adriamycin-induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
title_sort polymeric dexamethasone prodrug attenuates focal segmental glomerulosclerosis fsgs in an adriamycin induced mouse model with minimal glucocorticoid side effects
topic Dexamethasone
Glucocorticoids
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)
Polymeric prodrug
Toxicity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590183425000055
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