Development of antithrombotic nanoconjugate blocking integrin α2β1-collagen interactions.

An antithrombotic nanoconjugate was designed in which a designed biomimetic peptide LWWNSYY was immobilized to the surface of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) nanoparticles (PGMA NPs). Our previous work has demonstrated LWWNSYY to be an effective inhibitor of integrin α2β1-collagen interaction and subsequent thrombus formation, however its practical application suffered from the formation of clusters in physiological environment caused by its high hydrophobicity. In our present study, the obtained LWWNSYY-PGMA nanoparticles (L-PGMA NPs) conjugate, with an improved dispersibility of LWWNSYY by PGMA NPs, have shown binding to collagen receptors with a Kd of 3.45 ± 1.06 μM. L-PGMA NPs have also proven capable of inhibiting platelet adhesion in vitro with a reduced IC50 of 1.83 ± 0.29 μg/mL. High inhibition efficiency of L-PGMA NPs in thrombus formation was further confirmed in vivo with a 50% reduction of thrombus weight. Therefore, L-PGMA NPs were developed as a high-efficiency antithrombotic nanomedicine targeted for collagen exposed on diseased blood vessel wall.