Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41533007›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of physiology. Cell physiology2026

PLGA nanoparticles restore acidic pH and degradative function to compromised lysosomes with Cy3-labeling providing enhanced tracking to lysosomes.

Jiaqi Li, Tianchen Wang, Wennan Lu, Davit Jishkariani, Andrew Tsourkas, Simon Kaja, Kyle H Vining, Jedtanut Thussananutiyakul, Ashley Spence, Rohini M Nair and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of physiology. Cell physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jiaqi LiDepartment of Chemistry, School of Arts and Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0009-0006-7883-8796
Tianchen WangDepartment of Chemistry, School of Arts and Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Wennan LuDepartment of Basic and Translational Science, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Davit JishkarianiChemical and Nanoparticle Synthesis Core, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Andrew TsourkasChemical and Nanoparticle Synthesis Core, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-7758-1753
Simon KajaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Loyola University Chicago, Health Sciences Campus, Maywood, Illinois, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-6878-521X
Kyle H ViningDepartment of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-4009-879X
Jedtanut ThussananutiyakulDepartment of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Ashley SpenceDepartment of Basic and Translational Science, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
Rohini M NairDepartment of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-5469-6475
Joshua L DunaiefDepartment of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0000-0001-9524-4056
Claire H MitchellDepartment of Basic and Translational Science, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-9784-6672

Funding

Scientific TransparencyP30EY001583 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI CLAIRE H MITCHELL · 1985 to 2026
$19.5M
Purines and the Health of Retinal Ganglion CellsR01EY015537 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI MITCHELL, CLAIRE H · 2005 to 2023
$6.7M
REGULATION OF LYSOSOMAL PH IN RPE CELLSR01EY013434 · NEI · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI MITCHELL, CLAIRE H · 2002 to 2020
$5.3M
Dr. John P. and Therese E. Mulcahy Endowed Professorship in OphthalmologyEversightHHS | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY001538HHS | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY013434HHS | NIH | National Eye Institute (NEI) EY015537Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness (ISPB)NEI NIH HHS P30 EY001583NEI NIH HHS R01 EY013434NEI NIH HHS R01 EY015537Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program (PURM)Research to Protect BlindnessRichard A Perritt MD Charitable FoundationThis work was partially supported by the Collaborative Research Grant (KV) from the Institute of Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania& and the REgeneration and ReSToration of Function
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lysosomal dysfunction and elevated lysosomal pH are hallmark features of age-related neurodegenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD). Restoring lysosomal acidity is important for maintaining enzymatic degradation, preventing protein aggregation, and reducing cellular waste accumulation in degenerating tissues. Acidic nanoparticles represent a promising therapeutic strategy to normalize lysosomal pH; however, accurate monitoring of their delivery, retention, and dosage is critical for rigorous evaluation. To address this, we developed fluorescently labeled poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles conjugated with Cyanine3 amine (Cy3). Nanoparticle uptake was systematically optimized, achieving over 90% delivery to lysosomes of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial (iPS-RPE) cells, although uptake rates varied among adjacent cells. Once internalized, nanoparticles demonstrated remarkable stability, with no detectable change in concentration, distribution, or size for at least 28 days. iPS-RPE cells exhibited higher nanoparticle internalization compared with the ARPE-19 cell line and optic nerve head astrocytes. The capacity of the nanoparticles to restore function to stressed lysosomes was confirmed by their ability to reacidify lysosomes, restore cathepsin B activity, and increase the levels of active cathepsin D. The nanoparticles also reduced the levels of LC3II in astrocytes treated with chloroquine, indicating that they can also restore autophagy rates. In summary, this study demonstrates the value of Cy3 labeling for enhanced nanoparticle tracking to lysosomes. The findings also identify PLGA nanoparticles as powerful tools for restoring degradative lysosomal function and autophagy in cells undergoing lysosomal stress.

Indexed as

CarbocyaninesLysosomesNanoparticlesPolyglycolic AcidPolylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid CopolymerAnimalsAutophagyCathepsin DCell LineFluorescent DyesHumansHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsRetinal Pigment EpitheliumCarbocyaninesCathepsin Dcyanine dye 3Fluorescent DyesPolyglycolic AcidPolylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymerastrocytesautophagynanoparticle traffickingneurodegenerationsretina

Identifiers

PMID41533007
PMCPMC13289670

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.