Abstract
Nanocarriers have been increasingly proposed for lung drug delivery applications. The strategy of combining the intrinsic and more general advantages of the nanostructures with specificities that improve the therapeutic outcomes of particular clinical situations is frequent. These include the surface engineering of the carriers by means of altering the material structure (i.e., chemical modifications), the addition of specific ligands so that predefined targets are reached, or even the tuning of the carrier properties to respond to specific stimuli. The devised strategies are mainly directed at three distinct areas of lung drug delivery, encompassing the delivery of proteins and protein-based materials, either for local or systemic application, the delivery of antibiotics, and the delivery of anticancer drugs—the latter two comprising local delivery approaches. This review addresses the applications of nanocarriers aimed at lung drug delivery of active biological and pharmaceutical ingredients, focusing with particular interest on nanocarriers that exhibit multifunctional properties. A final section addresses the expectations regarding the future use of nanocarriers in the area.
Highlights
The appearance of new therapies and alternative strategies for the delivery of drug molecules has been changing the paradigm of therapeutic approaches [1,2,3]
From the referred formulations undergoing a translational process and to the knowledge of the authors of this review, not one is directed to lung drug delivery
The complexation of small interfering RNA (siRNA) with polyethylenimine (PEI), forming polyplexes, was demonstrated to reduce the translocation and extend siRNA retention time in lung, while preventing substantial phagocytosis by macrophages and avoiding extensive mucociliary clearance [55]. It has been shown on several occasions [56,57] that the contact of nanoparticles with the surfactant present in the alveolar zone leads to the coating of nanocarriers by a biomolecular corona, composed of lipids and proteins
Summary
The appearance of new therapies and alternative strategies for the delivery of drug molecules has been changing the paradigm of therapeutic approaches [1,2,3]. From the referred formulations undergoing a translational process and to the knowledge of the authors of this review, not one is directed to lung drug delivery This is a delivery route that has been gaining popularity in recent years, essentially owing to its non-invasiveness and the increased demonstration of its potential, for local therapies, and to provide systemic action. The complexation of siRNA with polyethylenimine (PEI), forming polyplexes, was demonstrated to reduce the translocation and extend siRNA retention time in lung, while preventing substantial phagocytosis by macrophages and avoiding extensive mucociliary clearance [55] It has been shown on several occasions [56,57] that the contact of nanoparticles with the surfactant present in the alveolar zone leads to the coating of nanocarriers by a biomolecular corona, composed of lipids and proteins. The described works clearly demonstrate that the lung provides a suitable route for the delivery of protein-based molecules, serving, in this context, the purpose of both systemic and local delivery
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