Research Progress on Self-Assembling Delivery Systems in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joints exhibit a unique pathological microenvironment with acidic pH, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).
• Synovial hyperplasia, immune cell infiltration (M1 macrophages, Th17 cells), and pannus formation are characteristic of RA-affected joints.
• Current RA treatments face challenges in targeting accuracy, controllability, and safety due to the complex joint microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the design principles and synergistic mechanisms of local administration strategies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy using self-assembled drug delivery systems (SADDS).
• To evaluate SADDS for RA treatment, focusing on enhancing therapeutic outcomes by leveraging the specific pathological microenvironment of RA-affected joints.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of four carrier types: nanoparticles, micelles, microneedles, and hydrogels within the context of SADDS for RA.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on self-assembled drug delivery systems (SADDS) and their application in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy.
• Analysis of SADDS construction via non-covalent interactions (hydrophobic forces, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking, metal coordination, electrostatic interactions).
• Evaluation of microenvironment-responsive design strategies for SADDS targeting RA-affected joints.

Main Results:

• Self-assembled drug delivery systems (SADDS) can be formed into stable nanocarriers like micelles, nanoparticles, and hydrogels.
• Intelligent, microenvironment-responsive SADDS show potential for improved targeting accuracy, controllability, and safety in RA treatment.
• The review systematically examines four carrier types (nanoparticles, micelles, microneedles, hydrogels) for local RA therapy.

Conclusions:

• Self-assembled drug delivery systems (SADDS) offer a promising platform for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment by exploiting the joint's pathological microenvironment.
• Microenvironment-responsive SADDS design can enhance drug delivery efficiency and therapeutic efficacy for RA.
• Further research into nanoparticle, micelle, microneedle, and hydrogel-based SADDS is warranted for advanced RA therapies.