Peripheral nerve barrier and its implications for drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Drug delivery to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is crucial for treating neurological disorders.
• The peripheral nerve barrier (PNB) significantly limits the penetration of therapeutic agents into the PNS.
• Understanding the PNB's properties is essential for developing effective PNS-targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of the peripheral nerve barrier (PNB).
• To compare the PNB with the central nervous system (CNS) barrier.
• To explore the implications of PNB properties for therapeutic delivery to peripheral nerves.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on PNB structure, anatomy, and function.
• Analysis of methods used to assess peripheral nerve penetration.
• Evaluation of small molecule and macromolecule transport across the PNB.

Main Results:

• The PNB exhibits distinct structural and functional characteristics compared to CNS barriers.
• Peripheral nerves are generally more permeable to small molecules than the brain.
• The PNB effectively restricts the transport of macromolecules, posing a challenge for large therapeutic molecules.

Conclusions:

• The PNB's permeability properties influence therapeutic strategies for PNS diseases.
• Insights into PNB penetration can guide the development of novel drug delivery systems for peripheral nerve targets.
• Targeting peripheral nerve diseases requires careful consideration of the PNB's restrictive nature for macromolecules.