Carbohydrate-Functionalized Liposomal Nanocarriers: Design Strategies for Receptor-Mediated Organ Targeting and...

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Biotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Liposomes are advanced nanomedicine carriers with high biocompatibility, capable of delivering hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs.
• Traditional liposomes use passive targeting (e.g., EPR effect), risking non-specific distribution.
• Carbohydrate-functionalized liposomes leverage specific carbohydrate-receptor interactions for targeted delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review carbohydrate-functionalized liposomes for targeted drug delivery.
• To discuss ligand selection, surface modification, conjugation chemistry, and quality attributes.
• To highlight organ-specific targeting strategies and future directions in glycan-based systems.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific literature on carbohydrate-functionalized liposomes.
• Analysis of ligand selection and surface modification techniques.
• Examination of conjugation chemistry and critical quality attributes for biological performance.

Main Results:

• Detailed presentation of organ-specific systems: glucose/mannose/chitosan for brain, galactose/N-acetylgalactosamine for hepatocytes, HA/fucose/sialic acid for tumors/immune cells.
• Advancements in multi-ligand, stimulus-responsive, and biodegradable glycan systems enhance control over drug activity.
• Challenges in synthesis, stability, and safety of glycan-based systems are identified.

Conclusions:

• Carbohydrate-functionalized liposomes represent a promising biologically inspired approach for precise organ- or cell-specific drug delivery.
• Future research should focus on glycomics, receptor interactions, and microfluidic engineering for advanced biomimetic systems.
• These systems hold potential for disease-responsive and targeted therapeutic applications.