Professor Ashutosh Kumar Receives Grant from GSBTM, Government of Gujarat

Paper Title: Co-delivery of Methotrexate and RELA siRNA using Nanoscale DNA Tetrahedrons and Folate Liposomes to Synergistically Target Synovial Macrophages in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Principal Investigators: Professor Ashutosh Kumar, Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University and Professor Dhiraj Devida Bhatia, Biological Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar

Funding Agency: Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission, Government of Gujarat

Project Summary: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes inflammation affecting the joints, connective tissues, muscles, and fibrous tissues, leading to disability, reduced quality of life, and premature mortality. Current treatments have adverse systemic side effects, necessitating frequent dosing. DNA nanostructures (TDN) and liposomes can be used as drug carriers in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis as it offer stability, biocompatibility, functional modification sites, adaptability, and efficient cellular uptake.

The study explores the possibility of converting the macrophage (M1) which secretes many inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α and IL-1β, contributing to RA's progression to M2 (anti-inflammatory) in the joints for treating RA. siRNA targeting TNF- α (tumor necrosis factor TNF-α that recruits additional cytokines and stimulates chronic inflammation) could potentially down-regulate the REL-A and, thereby, M1 macrophages re-polarize into M2, which is involved in tissue repair.