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Ortega MÁ, Guzmán Merino A, Fraile-Martínez O, Recio-Ruiz J, Pekarek L, G. Guijarro L, García-Honduvilla N, Álvarez-Mon M, Buján J, García-Gallego S. Dendrimers and Dendritic Materials: From Laboratory to Medical Practice in Infectious Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12090874. [PMID: 32937793 PMCID: PMC7560085 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12090874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the main global public health risks, predominantly caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The control of infections is founded on three main pillars: prevention, treatment, and diagnosis. However, the appearance of microbial resistance has challenged traditional strategies and demands new approaches. Dendrimers are a type of polymeric nanoparticles whose nanometric size, multivalency, biocompatibility, and structural perfection offer boundless possibilities in multiple biomedical applications. This review provides the reader a general overview about the uses of dendrimers and dendritic materials in the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of highly prevalent infectious diseases, and their advantages compared to traditional approaches. Examples of dendrimers as antimicrobial agents per se, as nanocarriers of antimicrobial drugs, as well as their uses in gene transfection, in vaccines or as contrast agents in imaging assays are presented. Despite the need to address some challenges in order to be used in the clinic, dendritic materials appear as an innovative tool with a brilliant future ahead in the clinical management of infectious diseases and many other health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ángel Ortega
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
- Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Tumour Registry, Pathological Anatomy Service, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- University Center for the Defense of Madrid (CUD-ACD), 28047 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Guzmán Merino
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
| | - Oscar Fraile-Martínez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
| | - Judith Recio-Ruiz
- Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, and Research Institute in Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain;
| | - Leonel Pekarek
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
| | - Luis G. Guijarro
- Department of Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain;
- Networking Research Centre on Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBER-EHD), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalio García-Honduvilla
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
- Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- University Center for the Defense of Madrid (CUD-ACD), 28047 Madrid, Spain
| | - Melchor Álvarez-Mon
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
- Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- University Center for the Defense of Madrid (CUD-ACD), 28047 Madrid, Spain
- Immune System Diseases-Rheumatology, Oncology and Medicine Service, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Buján
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialities, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (M.Á.O.); (A.G.M.); (O.F.-M.); (L.P.); (N.G.-H.); (M.Á.-M.); (J.B.)
- Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Tumour Registry, Pathological Anatomy Service, University Hospital Príncipe de Asturias, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- University Center for the Defense of Madrid (CUD-ACD), 28047 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra García-Gallego
- Institute Ramón y Cajal for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, and Research Institute in Chemistry “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), University of Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain;
- Correspondence:
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