Responsive Nanostructure for Targeted Drug Delivery

Abstract

Currently, intelligent, responsive biomaterials have been widely explored, considering the fact that responsive biomaterials provide controlled and predictable results in various biomedical systems. Responsive nanostructures undergo reversible or irreversible changes in the presence of a stimulus, and that stimuli can be temperature, a magnetic field, ultrasound, pH, humidity, pressure, light, electric field, etc. Different types of stimuli being used in drug delivery shall be explained here. Recent research progress in the design, development and applications of biomaterials comprising responsive nanostructures is also described here. More emphasis will be given on the various nanostructures explored for the smart stimuli responsive drug delivery at the target site such as wound healing, cancer therapy, inflammation, and pain management in order to achieve the improved efficacy and sustainability with the lowest side effects. However, it is still a big challenge to develop well-defined responsive nanostructures with ordered output; thus, challenges faced during the design and development of these nanostructures shall also be included in this article. Clinical perspectives and applicability of the responsive nanostructures in the targeted drug delivery shall be discussed here.

Biomaterials for Drug Delivery and Human Applications

“…In ocular conditions, sustained release drug-delivery systems enhance the efficacy of treatments for diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. Overall, biomaterials revolutionized the pain management through the development of localized, sustained-release drug-delivery systems [234][235][236]. These systems can be implanted or injected near the source of pain, ensuring that analgesic medications are delivered directly to the affected area, reducing the potential for systemic side effects and dependency.…”

Unveiling Interactions of Tumor-Targeting Nanoparticles with Lipid Bilayers Using a Titratable Martini Model

“…Compared to normal tissues, tumors usually exhibit a stronger metabolic capacity, leading to the excessive accumulation of carbon dioxide and lactic acid in the environment of tumor tissue. − This accumulation is facilitated by the specific enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and the existence of the basement membrane barrier observed in tumor tissues. , As a consequence, the environment of the tumor cells becomes weakly acidic: the acidic tumor microenvironment (TME) . Numerous experimental studies have determined that the pH value of the TME is within the range of 6.0–7.0, which is much lower than the pH value (7.3–7.4) of normal tissues. − Furthermore, inside tumor cells, the pH range is even lower, on the order of 4.0–6.0. ,, …”

“…7−9 Furthermore, inside tumor cells, the pH range is even lower, on the order of 4.0−6.0. 4,7,9 The unique pH value of the TME is used to design pHresponsive nanoparticle (NP) vehicles for delivering and releasing drugs to targeted tumor tissue. 10−13 Several strategies have been proposed to design such pH-responsive NPs.…”

Synthesis of a smart pH sensitive micelle containing hyaluronic acid-curcumin bioconjugate against colorectal cancer

“…In these systems, stimuli-sensitive linkage between polymer and drug is formed which responds to inherent or external environmental stimuli such as reactive oxygen species, light, ultrasound, temperature, speci c enzymes, and pH, thereby providing an intelligent smart platform [15][16][17][18]. Inserting of acetal linkage as pH-sensitive bond between polymer back bone and drug can control and allow triggered release of chemotherapeutic agent from the conjugate at the intended site, under acidic environment in lysosomes and tumor tissues, enhancing the therapeutic e ciency and diminishing chemotherapy related side effects [9,10,19].…”