Macrophage-Targeted Nanomedicines

ROMERO, EDER LILIA; ALTUBE, MARIA JULIA; PEREZ, ANA PAULA; MORILLA, MARIA JOSE

Biotechnology Applied to Inflammatory Diseases.:Cellular Mechanisms and Nanomedicine

Springer Singapore

Año: 2023; p. 193 - 240

Macrophages are versatile cells of the innate immune system responsible forthe control and progressions of a variety of autoimmune inflammatory,infectious, and metabolic diseases and cancer. Macrophage polarization(pro-inflammatory and tissue injury M1 or anti-inflammatory, tissuerepair, and proangiogenic M2) occurs in health tissues and in diseases,being a vital element of disease development or reversion. Macrophagesplay important roles in diverse diseases that affect millions of people andhave significant health and economic costs since generally they are chronic,relapsing, and disabling. Therapies focus on elimination, repolarization,reduction of pro-inflammatory mediators, activation of antimicrobialactivity, or induction of immune response by macrophages is beingconsidered of increasing interest. However, issues associated withinappropriate pharmacokinetics, lack of tissue selectivity, and poorintracellular delivery make such pharmacological approaches poorlyefficient and/or toxic. Macrophage-targeted nanomedicines may increaseintracellular drug concentration on activated macrophages, reduce toxicity,and improve activity. In this chapter, we will describe strategies formacrophage targeting employing nanoparticles for treatment ofinflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, lung inflammatorydiseases, inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis, andinfectious diseases such as leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, andnontuberculous mycobacterial disease developed in the last 5 years.