Advanced Science, 2026, in press
Neuropeptide Y – graphene oxide complexes inhibit amygdala NPY-receptor expressing glutamatergic pathways and selectively remove aversive memory in vivo
Therapeutic needs to modulate brain circuits highlight graphene based materials (GBMs) as emerging tool to engineer specific interventions to treat neuro-diseases. In this context, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets offer new drug delivery strategies to reach neural cells and signaling networks selectively. To complex and transport neuropeptide Y (NPY), GO was engineered as GO:NPY, and its activity was investigated in regulating excitatory neurotransmission in NPY-positive synaptic pathways, when delivered to the amygdala, a structure mediating fear memory responses. First, it was shown that in vitro GO:NPY specifically and selectively inhibited glutamate release and suppressed synaptic enhancement via NPY receptors. In a rat model of anxiety disorder, when injected into the amygdala, GO:NPY suppressed contextual fear memory responses via activation of NPY receptors in specific synaptic pathways. This easy-to-tune GBM based nanoplatforms promise advances in co-delivery vectors preserving the synaptic specificity needed for treating specific pathological conditions.