TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploiting oxidative microenvironments in the body as triggers for drug delivery systems
AU - Joshi-Barr, Shivanjali
AU - De Gracia Lux, Caroline
AU - Mahmoud, Enas
AU - Almutairi, Adah
PY - 2014/8/10
Y1 - 2014/8/10
N2 - Significance: Reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) play an important role in cell signaling pathways. However, the increased production of these species may disrupt cellular homeostasis, giving rise to pathological conditions. Biomaterials that are responsive to ROS/RNS can be strategically used to specifically release therapeutics and diagnostic agents to regions undergoing oxidative stress. Recent Advances: Many nanocarriers intended to exploit redox micro-environments as triggers for drug release, summarized and compared in this review, have recently been developed. We describe these carriers' chemical structures, strategies for payload protection and oxidation-selective release, and ROS/RNS sensitivity as tested in initial studies. Critical Issues: ROS/RNS are unstable, so reliable measures of their concentrations in various conditions are scarce. Combined with the dearth of materials shown to respond to physiologically relevant levels of ROS/RNS, evaluations of their true sensitivity are difficult. Future Directions: Oxidation-responsive nanocarriers developed thus far show tremendous potential for applicability in vivo; however, the sensitivity of these chemistries needs to be fine tuned to enable responses to physiological levels of ROS and RNS.
AB - Significance: Reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) play an important role in cell signaling pathways. However, the increased production of these species may disrupt cellular homeostasis, giving rise to pathological conditions. Biomaterials that are responsive to ROS/RNS can be strategically used to specifically release therapeutics and diagnostic agents to regions undergoing oxidative stress. Recent Advances: Many nanocarriers intended to exploit redox micro-environments as triggers for drug release, summarized and compared in this review, have recently been developed. We describe these carriers' chemical structures, strategies for payload protection and oxidation-selective release, and ROS/RNS sensitivity as tested in initial studies. Critical Issues: ROS/RNS are unstable, so reliable measures of their concentrations in various conditions are scarce. Combined with the dearth of materials shown to respond to physiologically relevant levels of ROS/RNS, evaluations of their true sensitivity are difficult. Future Directions: Oxidation-responsive nanocarriers developed thus far show tremendous potential for applicability in vivo; however, the sensitivity of these chemistries needs to be fine tuned to enable responses to physiological levels of ROS and RNS.
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U2 - 10.1089/ars.2013.5754
DO - 10.1089/ars.2013.5754
M3 - Review article
C2 - 24328819
AN - SCOPUS:84904440126
SN - 1523-0864
VL - 21
SP - 730
EP - 754
JO - Antioxidants and Redox Signaling
JF - Antioxidants and Redox Signaling
IS - 5
ER -