Peptide-targeted cubosome and hexosome nanoassemblies mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction in a MitoPark model

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a primary pathogenic mechanism underlying dopaminergic neuron loss in the nigrostriatal pathway in Parkinson's disease (PD). To investigate mitochondrion-targeted therapeutic strategies, we utilized the MitoPark mouse model, in which mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam) is selectively ablated in midbrain dopamine neurons, resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. We designed multifunctional lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs) of the cubosome and hexosome types for noninvasive nose-to-brain delivery. These nanocarriers were engineered with lipids essential for membrane integrity (plasmalogens and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)) and a nonlamellar structural lipid (monoolein). They coencapsulated the neuroprotective antioxidants ginkgolide B and quercetin. To facilitate neuronal targeting and uptake, the surface of the LCNP was modified by conjugation with pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) and a rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG)-derived peptide-oleic acid (RVG-OL) conjugate. In vitro studies using differentiated SH-SY5Y cells subjected to oxidative stress demonstrated that the targeted LNPs enhanced cellular uptake and activated key neuroprotective signaling cascades, including AKT, ERK, and STAT3 phosphorylation. In vivo, intranasal administration of the optimized LNPs in MitoPark mice was associated with a trend toward the preservation of dopaminergic neuronal markers (such as tyrosine hydroxylase) and the regulation of mitochondrial-related proteins such as ATP5A1. Transcriptomic profiling revealed extensive molecular reprogramming. The peptide-functionalized LNPs upregulated genes enriched in mitochondrial biogenesis (Ppargc1a and Pink1) and survival (Bcl2) but downregulated the expression of neuroinflammatory mediators (Il6, Nos2, Myd88, and Trem2) and apoptotic effectors. These findings establish peptide-targeted, therapeutic lipid (plasmalogen/PUFA)-based nanoassemblies as a potent nonviral platform for noninvasive nose-to-brain delivery that may modulate mitochondrial- and neurodegeneration-related signaling pathways in a genetic model of PD.