All-trans retinoic acid-hyaluronic acid prodrug nanoparticles for enhanced in vivo anti-psoriatic effect

Herein, all-trans retinoic acid-Hyaluronic acid prodrug nanoparticles (HA-ATRA NPs) were successfully prepared for improving the anti-psoriatic effect of ATRA. The HA-ATRA NPs were 146.7 ± 8.2 nm with a critical aggregation concentration of 92.6 µg/mL and a drug loading content of 8.3 %. Topically applied HA-ATRA NPs remarkably reduced the characteristic symptoms of psoriasis in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mice, including thickness of stratum corneum, epidermis hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, and epidermal infiltrates induced by IMQ compared with ATRA. In addition, HA-ATRA NPs dramatically reduced the expressions of key inflammatory cytokines in psoriasis lesions without influence on the body weight of mice.