Delivery Systems for Lymphatic Targeting

State-of-the-art drug delivery system to target the lymphatics

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of the review is to assess the potential of lymphatic-targeted drug delivery systems, with a particular emphasis on their role in tumour therapy and vaccination efficacy.

REASON FOR LYMPHATIC TARGETING

The lymphatic system's crucial functions in maintaining bodily equilibrium, regulating metabolism, and orchestrating immune responses make it an ideal target for drug delivery. Lymph nodes, being primary sites for tumour metastasis, underscore the importance of targeting the lymphatic system for effective treatment.

OUTCOME

Nanotechnologies and innovative biomaterials have facilitated the development of lymphatic-targeted drug carriers, leveraging endogenous macromolecules to enhance drug delivery efficiency. Various systems such as liposomes, micelles, inorganic nanomaterials, hydrogels, and nano-capsules demonstrate significant potential for delivering drugs to the lymphatic system.

CONCLUSION

Understanding the physiological functions of the lymphatic system and its involvement in diseases underscores the promise of targeted drug delivery in improving treatment outcomes. The strategic targeting of the lymphatic system presents opportunities to enhance patient prognosis and advance therapeutic interventions across various medical contexts, indicating the importance of ongoing research and development in this area.

Unlocking the power of sugar: carbohydrate ligands as key players in nanotherapeutic-assisted targeted cancer therapy

Cancer cells need as much as 40-times more sugar than their normal cell counterparts. This sugar demand is attained by the excessive expression of inimitable transporters on the surface of cancer cells, driven by their voracious appetite for carbohydrates. Nanotechnological advances drive research utilizing ligand-directed therapeutics and diverse carbohydrate analogs. The precise delivery of these therapeutic cargos not only mitigates toxicity associated with chemotherapy but also reduces the grim toll of mortality and morbidity among patients. This in-depth review explores the potential of these ligands in advanced cancer treatment using nanoparticles. It offers a broader perspective beyond the usual ways we deliver drugs, potentially changing the way we fight cancer.

Enhanced tissue distribution of ritonavir-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers-recommending its dose reduction

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mainly attacks lymphocytes of the human immune system. The untreated infection leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ritonavir (RTV) belongs to protease inhibitors (PIs), the crucial contributors of the combination therapy used in the treatment of HIV that is called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Formulations targeting the lymphatic system (LS) play a key role in delivering and maintaining therapeutic drug concentrations in HIV reservoirs. In our previous study, we developed RTV-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), which contain the natural antioxidant alpha-tocopherol (AT). In the current study, the cytotoxicity of the formulation was studied in HepG2, MEK293, and H9C2 cell lines. The formulation efficacy to reach the LS was evaluated through a cycloheximide-injected chylomicron flow blockade model in Wistar rats. Biodistribution and toxicity studies were conducted in rodents to understand drug distribution patterns in various organs and to establish the safety profile of the optimized formulation (RTV-NLCs). From the MTT assay, it was found that the cell viability of the formulation is comparable with the pure drug (RTV-API). More than 2.5-folds difference in AUC was observed in animals treated with RTV-NLCs with and without cycloheximide injection. Biodistribution studies revealed higher drug exposure in the lymphoidal organs with the RTV-NLCs. No significant increase in serum biomarkers for hepatotoxicity was observed in rats dosed with the RTV-NLCs. The current study reveals the lymphatic uptake of the RTV-NLCs and their safety in rodents. As the tissue distribution of RTV-NLCs is high, hence re-adjusting the RTV-NLCs dose to get the response equivalent to RTV-API may be more beneficial with respect to its safety and efficacy.

Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Approaches of Antimicrobial Agents for Selective Delivery in Various Administration Routes

Globally, the increase of pathogenic bacteria with antibiotic-resistant characteristics has become a critical challenge in medical treatment. The misuse of conventional antibiotics to treat an infectious disease often results in increased resistance and a scarcity of effective antimicrobials to be used in the future against the organisms. Here, we discuss the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the need to combat it through the discovery of new synthetic or naturally occurring antibacterial compounds, as well as insights into the application of various drug delivery approaches delivered via various routes compared to conventional delivery systems. AMR-related infectious diseases are also discussed, as is the efficiency of various delivery systems. Future considerations in developing highly effective antimicrobial delivery devices to address antibiotic resistance are also presented here, especially on the smart delivery system of antibiotics.

A lymphatic-absorbed multi-targeted kinase inhibitor for myelofibrosis therapy

Activation of compensatory signaling nodes in cancer often requires combination therapies that are frequently plagued by dose-limiting toxicities. Intestinal lymphatic drug absorption is seldom explored, although reduced toxicity and sustained drug levels would be anticipated to improve systemic bioavailability. A potent orally bioavailable multi-functional kinase inhibitor (LP-182) is described with intrinsic lymphatic partitioning for the combined targeting of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways without observable toxicity. We demonstrate selectivity and therapeutic efficacy through reduction of downstream kinase activation, amelioration of disease phenotypes, and improved survival in animal models of myelofibrosis. Our further characterization of synthetic and physiochemical properties for small molecule lymphatic uptake will support continued advancements in lymphatropic therapy for altering disease trajectories of a myriad of human disease indications.

Combination therapies simultaneously inhibiting different therapeutic targets in cancer is challenged by individual pharmacokinetic profiles. Here, the authors generate an orally provided multi-targeted kinase inhibitor that is lymphatic absorbed and increases survival in a murine model of myelofibrosis.

Intra-Organ Delivery of Nanotherapeutics for Organ Transplantation

Targeted delivery of therapeutics through the use of nanoparticles (NPs) has emerged as a promising method that increases their efficacy and reduces their side effects. NPs can be tailored to localize to selective tissues through conjugation to ligands that bind cell-specific receptors. Although the vast majority of nanodelivery platforms have focused on cancer therapy, efforts have begun to introduce nanotherapeutics to the fields of immunology as well as transplantation. In this review, we provide an overview from a clinician's perspective of current nanotherapeutic strategies to treat solid organ transplants with NPs during the time interval between organ harvest from the donor and placement into the recipient, an innovative technology that can provide major benefits to transplant patients. The use of ex vivo normothermic machine perfusion (NMP), which is associated with preserving the function of the organ following transplantation, also provides an ideal opportunity for a localized, sustained, and controlled delivery of nanotherapeutics to the organ during this critical time period. Here, we summarize previous endeavors to improve transplantation outcomes by treating the organ with NPs prior to placement in the recipient. Investigations in this burgeoning field of research are promising, but more extensive studies are needed to overcome the physiological challenges to achieving effective nanotherapeutic delivery to transplanted organs discussed in this review.