Red blood cells: Supercarriers for drugs, biologicals, and nanoparticles and inspiration for advanced delivery systems

Abstract

Red blood cells (RBCs) constitute a unique drug delivery system as a biologic or hybrid carrier capable of greatly enhancing pharmacokinetics, altering pharmacodynamics (for example, by changing margination within the intravascular space), and modulating immune responses to appended cargoes. Strategies for RBC drug delivery systems include internal and surface loading, and the latter can be performed both ex vivo and in vivo. A relatively new avenue for RBC drug delivery is their application as a carrier for nanoparticles. Efforts are also being made to incorporate features of RBCs in nanocarriers to mimic their most useful aspects, such as long circulation and stealth features. RBCs have also recently been explored as carriers for the delivery of antigens for modulation of immune response. Therefore, RBC-based drug delivery systems represent supercarriers for a diverse array of biomedical interventions, and this is reflected by several industrial and academic efforts that are poised to enter the clinical realm.

Iron Oxide Biomagnetic Nanoparticles (IO-BMNPs); Synthesis, Characterization and Biomedical Application–A Review

“…Therefore, the surface of SIONPs has been modified with hydrophilic polymers to prevent absorption of the circulating plasma proteins. The use of contrast agents and tracers in medical imaging has a long history [81][82][83]. One of the most important challenges about cancer treatment is sustained drug release which has already remained this issue in the world.…”

Next generation drug delivery: circulatory cells-mediated nanotherapeutic approaches

“…Erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs) constitute >99% of total blood cells and transport oxygen from the respiratory organs to the rest of the body [4,5]. RBCs are biodegradable as the reticuloendothelial system (RES) organs rapidly remove the old, incompatible cells.…”

“…These properties include high biocompatibility (if immunologically compatible), high mobility, a longer circulation lifespan, inherent biodegradability through known clearance pathways, natural capability of cell/tissue targeting, high drug loading capacity due to their large internal volume, remarkable stability in circulation, and their ability to cross biological barriers [1,[4][5][6][7]. This editorial article provides an outline of several circulatory cells and their inherent properties (Tables 1) in the design of cell-mediated delivery systems (Figure 1).…”

“…Thus, alternative drug delivery approaches are desirable. One emerging strategy to address the above nanotechnology challenges is to select body's own circulatory cells as drug carriers [1,[4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…Circulatory cells have received a significant interest as drug delivery vehicles because of several attractive and distinctive features arise from their unique structures, mechanical properties, and surface functionality [1,[4][5][6][7][8]. These properties include high biocompatibility (if immunologically compatible), high mobility, a longer circulation lifespan, inherent biodegradability through known clearance pathways, natural capability of cell/tissue targeting, high drug loading capacity due to their large internal volume, remarkable stability in circulation, and their ability to cross biological barriers [1,[4][5][6][7].…”