Shear Stress-sensitive Carriers for Localized Drug Delivery

Title:Shear Stress-sensitive Carriers for Localized Drug Delivery

Volume: 22 Issue: 38

Author(s): Yu Xia, Chun-Yang Shi, Wei Xiong, Xiao-Long Hou, Jian-Guo Fang and Wen-Qing Wang

Affiliation:

Keywords: Vascular stenosis, shear stress, sensitive, carrier, targeting, drug delivery.

Abstract: Stenosis of the critical blood vessels, which occurs in a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, is one of leading causes of death in the world. Vascular stenosis will significantly alter the hemodynamic features in the vessel. Hemodynamic shear stress, one of the most important physical parameters of blood flow, will be dramatically elevated at the stenotic site. When platelets flow through the constricted site, they will sense these abnormally high shear stresses, and then respond by activating, sticking to the vascular wall, and aggregating at these sites. The shear-dependent platelet activation inspired a novel targeting platform—shear stress activated drug targeting delivery. The shear-activated drug delivery systems preferentially release their content under elevated shear stress, providing a novel approach to cure various diseases, in particular, cardiovascular diseases. In this review, we, on one hand, introduced the features of hemodynamic shear stress under both physiological and pathological conditions. On the other hand, we summarized the carriers displaying sensitivity to shear stress, such as liposomes, aggregations, gels, emulsions, in addition to the factors affecting the mechanical properties of them. Lastly, the clinical applications and prospects of this novel drug targeting strategy were discussed. It is hoped that, with a better understanding of shear stress-sensitive carriers and their targeted principle, a novel targeted drug delivery strategy will be one day applied in the clinics of the future.

Cite this article as:

Xia Yu, Shi Chun-Yang, Xiong Wei, Hou Xiao-Long, Fang Jian-Guo and Wang Wen-Qing, Shear Stress-sensitive Carriers for Localized Drug Delivery, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2016; 22 (38) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160628081419