Poly(propylene imine) dendrimers with histidine-maltose shell as novel type of nanoparticles for synapse and memory protection

Abstract Poly(propylene imine) dendrimers have been shown to be promising 3-dimensional polymers for the use in the pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. Our aims of this study were first, to synthesize a novel type of dendrimer with poly(propylene imine) core and maltose-histidine shell (G4HisMal) assessing if maltose-histidine shell can improve the biocompatibility and the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and second, to investigate the potential of G4HisMal to protect Alzheimer disease transgenic mice from memory impairment. Our data demonstrate that G4HisMal has significantly improved biocompatibility and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier in vivo. Therefore, we suggest that a maltose-histidine shell can be used to improve biocompatibility and ability to cross the blood-brain barrier of dendrimers. Moreover, G4HisMal demonstrated properties for synapse and memory protection when administered to Alzheimer disease transgenic mice. Therefore, G4HisMal can be considered as a promising drug candidate to prevent Alzheimer disease via synapse protection.