The direct transfer approach for transcellular drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Direct transfer (DT) is an emerging drug delivery strategy.
• It relies on direct cell-cell contact for nanoparticle transport.
• DT allows for rapid and deep drug penetration into target tissues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the concept of direct transfer (DT) for nanoparticle drug delivery.
• To delineate the distinct modalities of DT.
• To summarize recent advancements in DT-activated drug delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on direct transfer mechanisms.
• Categorization of DT into three modalities: membrane contact, gap junction-mediated (GJ-DT), and tunneling nanotubes-mediated (TNTs-DT).
• Analysis of intercellular structures, merits, and demerits for each DT modality.

Main Results:

• DT enables efficient transcellular drug delivery via direct cell-cell interactions.
• Three primary DT modalities were identified and described.
• Progress in drugs and delivery systems capable of activating DT was discussed.

Conclusions:

• Direct transfer presents a promising paradigm for enhanced drug administration.
• Understanding the different DT modalities is crucial for optimizing drug delivery.
• Further research into DT-activating systems holds potential for advanced therapeutics.