High-Density Lipoproteins for Therapeutic Delivery Systems

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are natural blood nanostructures comprising lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• HDL possess favorable characteristics for drug delivery, including optimal size for tissue penetration, long circulation half-life, and low toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) as therapeutic delivery systems.
• To discuss the structure, function, and biogenesis of natural HDL.
• To explore the application of HDL and its analogs in delivering diverse therapeutic payloads.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on HDL structure, function, and biogenesis.
• Analysis of HDL properties relevant to drug delivery vehicle design.
• Examination of studies utilizing natural HDL, discoidal HDL analogs, and spherical HDL analogs for drug delivery.

Main Results:

• Natural HDL exhibit properties such as ideal size, long circulation, and low toxicity, making them suitable drug delivery models.
• HDL and their analogs have been successfully employed to deliver small molecules, lipids, and oligonucleotides.
• The concept of 'theralivery,' where drug delivery vehicles possess therapeutic properties, is introduced.

Conclusions:

• High-density lipoproteins (HDL) represent a promising platform for developing advanced therapeutic delivery systems.
• Further research into HDL-based drug delivery holds potential for novel therapeutic strategies.
• Challenges and future directions in the field of HDL-mediated drug delivery are identified.