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Targeted Plasma Membrane Delivery of a Hydrophobic Cargo Encapsulated in a Liquid Crystal Nanoparticle Carrier
Published on: February 8, 2017
Advances in Drug Delivery Systems Based on Red Blood Cells and Their Membrane-Derived Nanoparticles
Phuong Hoang Diem Nguyen1,2, Migara Kavishka Jayasinghe1,2, Anh Hong Le1,2
1Department of Pharmacology, and Institute for Digital Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117600, Singapore.
Abstract:
Red blood cells (RBCs) and RBC membrane-derived nanoparticles have been historically developed as bioinspired drug delivery systems to combat the issues of premature clearance, toxicity, and immunogenicity of synthetic nanocarriers. RBC-based delivery systems possess characteristics including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and long circulation time, which make them suited for systemic administration. Therefore, they have been employed in designing optimal drug formulations in various preclinical models and clinical trials to treat a wide range of diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the biology, synthesis, and characterization of drug delivery systems based on RBCs and their membrane including whole RBCs, RBC membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles, RBC-derived extracellular vesicles, and RBC hitchhiking. We also highlight conventional and latest engineering strategies, along with various therapeutic modalities, for enhanced precision and effectiveness of drug delivery. Additionally, we focus on the current state of RBC-based therapeutic applications and their clinical translation as drug carriers, as well as discussing opportunities and challenges associated with these systems.
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