Volume 44, Issue 6 pp. 2793-2824
REVIEW ARTICLE

Polymer nanotherapeutics: A promising approach toward microglial inhibition in neurodegenerative diseases

Sanaz Keshavarz Shahbaz

Sanaz Keshavarz Shahbaz

Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Research Institute for prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

USERN Office, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran

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Khadije Koushki

Khadije Koushki

Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA

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Samaneh Keshavarz Hedayati

Samaneh Keshavarz Hedayati

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran

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Alice P. McCloskey

Alice P. McCloskey

School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

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Prashant Kesharwani

Corresponding Author

Prashant Kesharwani

Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India

Correspondence Yazdan Naderi, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

Amirhossein Sahebkar, Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

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Prashant Kesharwani, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.

Email: [email protected]

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Yazdan Naderi

Corresponding Author

Yazdan Naderi

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran

Correspondence Yazdan Naderi, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

Amirhossein Sahebkar, Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

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Prashant Kesharwani, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.

Email: [email protected]

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Amirhossein Sahebkar

Corresponding Author

Amirhossein Sahebkar

Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India

Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Correspondence Yazdan Naderi, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

Amirhossein Sahebkar, Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Email: [email protected]

Prashant Kesharwani, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.

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First published: 19 July 2024
Citations: 8

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) that target multiple transport mechanisms facilitate targeted delivery of active therapeutic agents to the central nervous system (CNS) and improve therapeutic transport and efficacy across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). CNS nanotherapeutics mostly target neurons and endothelial cells, however, microglial immune cells are the first line of defense against neuronal damage and brain infections. Through triggering release of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and proteases, microglia can however precipitate neurological damage—a significant factor in neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, microglial inhibitory agents are attracting much attention among those researching and developing novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. The most established inhibitors of microglia investigated to date are resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, and minocycline. Thus, there is great interest in developing novel agents that can bypass or easily cross the BBB. One such approach is the use of modified-nanocarriers as, or for, delivery of, therapeutic agents to the brain and wider CNS. For microglial inhibition, polymeric NPs are the preferred vehicles for choice. Here, we summarize the immunologic and neuroinflammatory role of microglia, established microglia inhibitor agents, challenges of CNS drug delivery, and the nanotherapeutics explored for microglia inhibition to date. We also discuss applications of the currently considered “most useful” polymeric NPs for microglial-inhibitor drug delivery in CNS-related diseases.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

No primary data was generated in this review article.

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