Liposome targeting to macrophages: opportunities for treatment of infectious diseases.

Abstract

The central role played by cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) such as alveolar macrophages, hepatic Kupffer cells, splenic and lymph node macrophages, tissue histiocytes and circulating blood monocytes in the complex host reaction to neoplastic and infectious diseases has attracted increasing attention during the past 10 years. This interest stems from the experimental studies illustrating that macrophages when appropriately activated* play a major role in host defense against tumors and infectious microorganisms in vivo and also display enhanced tumoricidal and microbicidal activity in vitro 1–3. These observations, coupled with the disappointing results obtained in both clinical and experimental studies with immunologically-specific therapeutic modalities mediated by T and B lymphocytes in cancer immunotherapy has led to a renewed interest in the functions of macrophages and NK cells. Additionally, there is needed a reappraisal of the potential therapeutic benefit of augmenting non-specific host defense mechanisms mediated by mononuclear phagocytes for adjunct therapy of neoplastic and infectious diseases.KeywordsDrug CarrierHigh Density LipoproteinMononuclear PhagocyteCutaneous LeishmaniasisMononuclear Phagocyte SystemThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.