Journal of Liver

Nanomedicine Approaches for Targeted Drug Delivery in Liver Diseases: Recent Advances and Challenges

Kenneth Baron^* Department of Epidemiology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
^*Correspondence: Kenneth Baron, Department of Epidemiology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, Email:

Received: 22-May-2024, Manuscript No. JLR-24-26663; Editor assigned: 24-May-2024, Pre QC No. JLR-24-26663(PQ); Reviewed: 24-Jun-2024, QC No. JLR-24-26663; Revised: 21-Jun-2024, Manuscript No. JLR-24-26663(R); Published: 28-Jun-2024, DOI: 10.35248/2167-0889.24.13.229

Description

Liver diseases represent a substantial global health burden, often characterized by complex pathophysiology and limited therapeutic options. Conventional drug delivery systems frequently encounter challenges such as poor bioavailability, non-specific distribution, and systemic toxicity. To address these limitations, nanomedicine has emerged as a strategy for targeted drug delivery to the liver. Nanoparticles, with their unique properties, offer several advantages for liver disease treatment. These tiny particles can be engineered to encapsulate drugs, enhancing their solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Additionally, they can be designed to target specific liver cells or tissues, improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects. These spherical vesicles composed of phospholipids are highly versatile, capable of encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. They can be modified with ligands to target specific liver cells, such as hepatocytes, or equipped with stealth coatings to prolong circulation time. These nanoparticles offer excellent drug loading capacity and can be designed with various sizes, shapes, and surface chemistries to optimize drug delivery. They can be made from synthetic polymers or natural polymers like chitosan, which often exhibit biocompatibility and degradability. Nanoparticles made from materials like gold, silica, or iron oxide possess unique properties, including optical and magnetic properties, that can be exploited for drug delivery, imaging, and theranostic applications.

To achieve effective drug delivery to the liver, nanoparticles can be equipped with targeting ligands that bind to specific receptors on liver cells. Some common targeting strategies includes hepatocytes to express ASGPR, a receptor that recognizes galactose residues. Nanoparticles conjugated with galactose or its derivatives can be efficiently delivered to hepatocytes. Nanoparticles can be designed to accumulate in the RES, which is enriched in the liver, by modifying their surface properties with opsonizing agents. Nanoparticles can accumulate in the liver due to their size and surface properties through a process known as Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect, which is particularly pronounced in diseased liver tissue. This involves conjugating nanoparticles with ligands that specifically bind to receptors overexpressed on liver cancer cells, enabling selective drug delivery to tumor sites. Significant progress has been made in developing nanomedicine-based therapies for liver diseases, includes nanoparticles which have been used to deliver insulin-sensitizing agents, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory drugs to the liver, showing results in reducing liver inflammation and fibrosis. Nanoparticles have been explored for delivering antiviral drugs, gene therapy agents, and immune modulators to enhance treatment efficacy. Nanoparticles are being investigated for targeted drug delivery, imaging, and combination therapies to improve treatment outcomes. Some notable examples include nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastasis. Nanomedicine holds great potential, but its clinical application requires overcoming several challenges. One critical challenge is ensuring nanoparticles accurately deliver drugs to the liver without causing side effects. The long-term safety and biocompatibility of nanoparticles need to be thoroughly evaluated, including potential immune responses and organ accumulation. Developing nanomedicine products requires navigating complex regulatory pathways, including demonstrating efficacy and safety in clinical trials. Scaling up nanoparticle production for clinical use while maintaining consistent quality and affordability is a significant challenge.

Conclusion

Overcoming these challenges through continued research and development will be essential for realizing the full potential of nanomedicine in treating liver diseases. Future research should focus on developing more sophisticated nanoparticle designs, optimizing drug loading and release, and conducting well-designed clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of these promising therapies. Beyond the aforementioned challenges, several other factors influence the successful translation of nanomedicine for liver diseases, by understanding the complex interplay between nanoparticles and the liver microenvironment, including factors like immune cells, extracellular matrix, and disease-associated changes, is needed for optimizing drug delivery. Considering patient-specific factors such as disease stage, genetic predisposition, and co-morbidities is essential for personalized nanomedicine approaches.