Nanosized aspirin-Arg-Gly-Asp-Val: delivery of aspirin to thrombus by the target carrier Arg-Gly-Asp-Val tetrapeptide.

Resistance and nonresponse to aspirin dramatically decreases its therapeutic efficacy. To overcome this issue, a small-molecule thrombus-targeting drug delivery system, aspirin-Arg-Gly-Asp-Val (A-RGDV), is developed by covalently linking Arg-Gly-Asp-Val tetrapeptide with aspirin. The 2D ROESY NMR and ESI-MS spectra support a molecular model of an A-RGDV tetramer. Transmission electron microscopy images suggest that the tetramer spontaneously assembles to nanoparticles (ranging from 5 to 50 nm in diameter) in water. Scanning electron microscopy images and atomic force microscopy images indicate that the smaller nanoparticles of A-RGDV further assemble to bigger particles that are stable in rat blood. The delivery investigation implies that in rat blood A-RGDV is able to keep its molecular integrity, while in a thrombus it releases aspirin. The in vitro antiplatelet aggregation assay suggests that A-RGDV selectively inhibits arachidonic acid induced platelet aggregation. The mechanisms of action probably include releasing aspirin, modifying cyclic oxidase, and decreasing the expression of GPIIb/IIIa. The in vivo assay demonstrates that the effective antithrombotic dose of A-RGDV is 16700-fold lower than the nonresponsive dose of aspirin.