Hepatitis C virus management: potential impact of nanotechnology

Abstract

Around 170–200 million individuals have hepatitis C virus (HCV), which represents ~ 3% of the world population, including ~ 3–5 million people in the USA. According to the WHO regional office in the Middle East, Egypt has the highest prevalence in the world, with 7% prevalence in adults. There had been no effective vaccine for HCV; a combination of PEG-Interferon and ribavirin for at least 48 weeks was the standard therapy, but it failed in more than 40% of the patients and has a high cost and serious side effects. The recent introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) resulted in major advances toward the cure of HCV. However, relapse and reduced antiviral efficacy in fibrotic, cirrhotic HCV patients in addition to some undesired effects restrain the full potential of these combinations. There is a need for new approaches for the combinations of different DAA and their targeted delivery using novel nanotechnology approaches. In this review, the role of nanoparticles as a carrier for HCV vaccines, anti-HCV combinations, and their targeted delivery are discussed.

Application of Nanomaterials as an Advanced Strategy for the Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment of Viral Diseases

“…Delivery systems formulated with NPs are being used in next-generation vaccines for effectively delivering antigens and/or intrinsic immunostimulants [93][94][95][96][97]. These vaccines are being engineered not only for the prevention of emerging infectious diseases, but also for treating chronic diseases, such as diseases caused by hepatitis C infections [98,99], human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections [100,101], herpes [102], and cancer. Nextgeneration vaccines aim to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses, while being applied prophylactically and therapeutically [103,104].…”

Polymer Particles Bearing Recombinant LEL CD81 as Trapping Systems for Hepatitis C Virus

“…To overcome the drawbacks of PEG-IFN/RBV treatment, the development of a new, specifically targeted antiviral therapy for HCV can be a matter of choice [ 4 ]. In particular, the achievements of nanotechnology as targeted delivery systems for HCV treatment are summarized in a recent review [ 5 ]. Besides the development of vaccines and targeted delivery systems, an actual task is a necessity to reduce the toxic effects under acute conditions like viremia as well as to increase the sensitivity level of existing methods for early diagnostics.…”

Downregulation of hepatitis C virus replication by miR‐196a using lentiviral vectors

“…10,11 Genotype 1 (gt1) is the most predominant in the world, including in Iran (about 83.4 million people worldwide), followed by gt3 (about 54.3 million), gt2, gt4, and gt6 (about 15.6 million), and gt5 (about 1.4 million). 12 Given the lack of suitable laboratory animal models or cell culture systems to support virus replication, there has been no effective vaccine developed to date. 13 In the absence of a protective vaccine against HCV infection, interferon-free therapies or novel direct-acting antiviral drugs are effective HCV treatments.…”