Neutrophil-targeted engineered prodrug nanoparticles for anti-inflammation

Inflammation response is a defense to infection induced by invading pathogen or tissue injury. However, exaggerated inflammation may cause autoimmune or inflammatory disorders, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, stroke and rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatory agents and anti-cytokine therapy have been developed to inhibit inflammation pathways and neutralize cytokine storm, but the off-targeting delivery and damage in immune system cause systemic severe side-effect. Selective targeting, precise intracellular drug delivery and induced programed apoptosis of neutrophils may be a potential strategy to regulate the inflammatory responses for immune homeostasis. In this commentary, we summarized that the assembled engineering prodrug nanoparticles carrying doxorubicin via pH-responsive bonds that specifically target to and efficiently induce the apoptosis of activated neutrophils for anti-inflammation with high therapeutic efficacy and no systemically toxicity could be a promising strategy for neutrophil-mediated diseases.