Magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with peptides for the targeted repair of cavernous nerve injury underlying erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male sexual disorder characterized by repeated or persistent difficulty in achieving or maintaining an erection. It can arise from various factors, with cavernous nerve injury (CNI) from radical prostatectomy being a predominant cause of iatrogenic ED, posing significant clinical concerns. The complexity of cavernous tissue damage in CNI-induced ED (CNIED) often results in poor efficacy and resistance to conventional vascular ED treatments. To address CNI-induced ED, this study developed a system of magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) loaded with peptides for targeted treatment. Core-shell Fe3O4-coated MSNs were used as drug carriers and loaded with RADA16-I/RAD-RGI peptides (P-D) to create a neurotrophic microenvironment to treat peripheral nerve defects. Furthermore, the neuro-targeting peptide HLNILSTLWKYR (P-T) was grafted onto MSNs. The in vivo therapeutic effect was evaluated using a rat bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) model. The results showed that the neuro-targeted Fe3O4@SiO2-P-T-P-D nanoparticles significantly promoted regeneration of the cavernous nerve and restored erectile function. This promising strategy offers significant clinical potential for treating CNI-induced ED. Nanomedicine technology has the potential to not only improve treatment outcomes but also reduce side effects in healthy cells, paving the way for more accurate targeted repair of cavernous nerve damage.