Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects

Hui Kong,1,2 Qijun He,2 Juanjuan Han,2 Xin-An Zhang1,2 1College of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Exercise and Health, Shenyang Sport University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xin-An Zhang, Shanghai Universit...

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Main Authors: Kong H, He Q, Han J, Zhang XA
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-04-01
Series:International Journal of Nanomedicine
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/nanomaterial-based-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-functional-cells-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJN
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author Kong H
He Q
Han J
Zhang XA
author_facet Kong H
He Q
Han J
Zhang XA
author_sort Kong H
collection DOAJ
description Hui Kong,1,2 Qijun He,2 Juanjuan Han,2 Xin-An Zhang1,2 1College of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Exercise and Health, Shenyang Sport University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xin-An Zhang, Shanghai University of Sport, 200 heng’Ren Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200438, People’s Republic of China, Email zhangxa2725@163.comAbstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) represents a chronic joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone erosions. Functional cells in OA mainly include macrophages, synoviocytes, chondrocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells. These cells can secrete cytokines and non-coding RNAs and exosomes and interact with each other to coregulate the progression of OA. Some nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) surface ligands can alleviate OA by targeting receptors on the surface of functional cells. Meanwhile, other nanomaterial-based DDSs, whose surfaces are masked by the cell membranes or extracellular vesicles of these functional cells, treat OA by targeting and attacking the diseased site. When ligand-modified nanomaterials target specific functional cells to treat OA, the functional cells are attacked. Functional cells become attackers, similar to arrows, when their cell membranes or extracellular vesicles are modified into nanomaterials to deliver drugs for OA treatment. An increasing number of studies have been conducted on nanomaterial-based DDS-targeted functional cells for the treatment of OA, but none has summarized the corresponding research progress and mechanism of action. In this review, the related references on the treatment of osteoarthritis with nanomaterial-based DDSs targeting functional cells have been included, and how a variety of functional cells can be engineered into nanomaterial-based DDSs serving as targets or arrows to treat OA has been summarised for the first time, providing a new idea and method for the targeted treatment of OA. Keywords: nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems, osteoarthritis, macrophages, chondrocytes, synoviocytes, mesenchymal stem cells
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series International Journal of Nanomedicine
spelling doaj-art-f12decdb0fcb46809c05fafa13cb8a922025-08-20T02:20:25ZengDove Medical PressInternational Journal of Nanomedicine1178-20132025-04-01Volume 2052915320102403Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future ProspectsKong HHe QHan JZhang XAHui Kong,1,2 Qijun He,2 Juanjuan Han,2 Xin-An Zhang1,2 1College of Exercise and Health, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Exercise and Health, Shenyang Sport University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xin-An Zhang, Shanghai University of Sport, 200 heng’Ren Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200438, People’s Republic of China, Email zhangxa2725@163.comAbstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) represents a chronic joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, synovial inflammation, and subchondral bone erosions. Functional cells in OA mainly include macrophages, synoviocytes, chondrocytes, and mesenchymal stem cells. These cells can secrete cytokines and non-coding RNAs and exosomes and interact with each other to coregulate the progression of OA. Some nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) surface ligands can alleviate OA by targeting receptors on the surface of functional cells. Meanwhile, other nanomaterial-based DDSs, whose surfaces are masked by the cell membranes or extracellular vesicles of these functional cells, treat OA by targeting and attacking the diseased site. When ligand-modified nanomaterials target specific functional cells to treat OA, the functional cells are attacked. Functional cells become attackers, similar to arrows, when their cell membranes or extracellular vesicles are modified into nanomaterials to deliver drugs for OA treatment. An increasing number of studies have been conducted on nanomaterial-based DDS-targeted functional cells for the treatment of OA, but none has summarized the corresponding research progress and mechanism of action. In this review, the related references on the treatment of osteoarthritis with nanomaterial-based DDSs targeting functional cells have been included, and how a variety of functional cells can be engineered into nanomaterial-based DDSs serving as targets or arrows to treat OA has been summarised for the first time, providing a new idea and method for the targeted treatment of OA. Keywords: nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems, osteoarthritis, macrophages, chondrocytes, synoviocytes, mesenchymal stem cellshttps://www.dovepress.com/nanomaterial-based-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-functional-cells-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJNnanomaterial-based drug delivery systemsosteoarthritismacrophageschondrocytessynoviocytesmesenchymal stem cells
spellingShingle Kong H
He Q
Han J
Zhang XA
Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
International Journal of Nanomedicine
nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems
osteoarthritis
macrophages
chondrocytes
synoviocytes
mesenchymal stem cells
title Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
title_full Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
title_fullStr Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
title_full_unstemmed Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
title_short Nanomaterial-Based Drug Delivery Systems Targeting Functional Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Prospects
title_sort nanomaterial based drug delivery systems targeting functional cells for osteoarthritis treatment mechanisms challenges and future prospects
topic nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems
osteoarthritis
macrophages
chondrocytes
synoviocytes
mesenchymal stem cells
url https://www.dovepress.com/nanomaterial-based-drug-delivery-systems-targeting-functional-cells-fo-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJN
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AT hanj nanomaterialbaseddrugdeliverysystemstargetingfunctionalcellsforosteoarthritistreatmentmechanismschallengesandfutureprospects
AT zhangxa nanomaterialbaseddrugdeliverysystemstargetingfunctionalcellsforosteoarthritistreatmentmechanismschallengesandfutureprospects