Drug-Loaded Zwitterion-Based Nanomotors for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment requires a nanosystemfor drugdelivery that can effectively penetrate the blood-spinal cordbarrier (BSCB). Herein, we designed poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylgallylcholine)(PMPC)/l-arginine (PMPC/A)-based nanomotors that can releasenitric oxide (NO). The nanomotors were loaded with the inducible NOsynthase inhibitor 1400W and nerve growth factor (NGF). PMPC witha zwitterionic structure not only provided good biocompatibility forthe nanomotors but also facilitated their passage through the BSCBowing to the assistance of a large number of choline transporterson the BSCB. Additionally, the l-arginine loaded on the nanomotorswas able to react with reactive oxygen species in the microenvironmentof the injured nerve to produce NO, thereby conferring the abilityof autonomic movement to the nanomotors, which facilitated the uptakeof drugs by cells in damaged areas and penetration in pathologicaltissues. Moreover, in vivo animal experiments indicated that the PMPC/A/1400W/NGFnanomotors could effectively pass through the BSCB and restore themotion function of a rat SCI model by regulating its internal environmentas well as the release of therapeutic drugs. Thus, the drug deliverysystem based on nanomotor technology offers a promising strategy fortreating central nervous system diseases.