Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause locomotor dysfunctions and sensory deficits. Evidence shows that functional nanodrugs can regulate macrophage polarization and promote anti-inflammatory cytokine expression, which is feasible in SCI immunotherapeutic treatments. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials have garnered great attention as potential carriers for therapeutic payload. Herein, we synthesize MoS2@PEG (MoS2 = molybdenum disulfide, PEG = poly (ethylene glycol)) nanoflowers as an effective carrier for loading etanercept (ET) to treat SCI. We characterize drug loading and release properties of MoS2@PEG in vitro and demonstrate that ET-loading MoS2@PEG obviously inhibits the expression of M1-related pro-inflammatory markers (TNF-α, CD86 and iNOS), while promoting M2-related anti-inflammatory markers (Agr1, CD206 and IL-10) levels. In vivo, the mouse model of SCI shows that long-circulating ET-MoS2@PEG nanodrugs can effectively extravasate into the injured spinal cord up to 96 h after SCI, and promote macrophages towards M2 type polarization. As a result, the ET-loading MoS2@PEG administration in mice can protect survival motor neurons, thus, reducing injured areas at central lesion sites, and significantly improving locomotor recovery. This study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities of ET-MoS2@PEG and promising utility of MoS2 nanomaterial-mediated drug delivery
