Fine-tuned cholesterol solubilizer, mono-6-O-α-D-maltosyl-γ-cyclodextrin, ameliorates experimental Niemann–Pick disease type C without hearing loss

Niemann–Pick disease type C (NPC) is a fatal disorder with abnormal intracellular cholesterol trafficking resulting in neurodegeneration and hepatosplenomegaly. A cyclic heptasaccharide with different degrees of substitution of 2-hydroxypropyl groups, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), acts as a strong cholesterol solubilizer and is under investigation for treating this disease in clinical trials, but its physicochemical properties and ototoxicity remain a concern. Here, we evaluated the potential of mono-6-O-α-maltosyl-γ-CD (G2-γ-CD), a single-maltose-branched cyclic octasaccharide with a larger cavity than HP-β-CD, for treating NPC. We identified that G2-γ-CD ameliorated NPC manifestations in model mice and showed lower ototoxicity in mice than HP-β-CD. To investigate the molecular mechanisms of action behind the differential ototoxicity of these CDs, we performed cholesterol solubility analysis, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and molecular modeling, and estimated that the cholesterol inclusion mode of G2-γ-CD maintained solely the 1:1 inclusion complex, whereas that of HP-β-CD shifted to the highly-soluble 2:1 complex at higher concentrations. We predicted the associations of these differential complexations of CDs with cholesterol with the profile of disease attenuation and of the auditory cell toxicity using specific cell models. We proposed that G2-γ-CD can serve as a fine-tuned cholesterol solubilizer for treating NPC, being highly biocompatible and physicochemically suitable for clinical application. [Display omitted] •Ototoxicity and physicochemical issues of HP-β-CD are raised in NPC clinical trial.•G2-γ-CD, a chemically pure agent, reduced NPC severity without ototoxicity in mice.•Estimated UC inclusion mode of G2-γ-CD was distinct from that of HP-β-CD.•UC solubilizing ability and auditory cytotoxicity of G2-γ-CD were lower than HP-β-CD.•G2-γ-CD can overcome the clinical issues of HP-β-CD for the treatment of NPC.