title: Multidisciplinary perspectives for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: hydrogels for protein delivery and cell-based drug delivery as therapeutic strategies.
abstract: This review presents two intriguing multidisciplinary strategies that might make the difference in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The first proposed strategy is based on the controlled delivery of recombinant proteins known to play a key role in these neurodegenerative disorders that are released in situ by optimized polymer-based systems. The second strategy is the use of engineered cells, encapsulated and delivered in situ by suitable polymer-based systems, that act as drug reservoirs and allow the delivery of selected molecules to be used in the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In both these scenarios, the design and development of optimized polymer-based drug delivery and cell housing systems for central nervous system applications represent a key requirement. Materials science provides suitable hydrogel-based tools to be optimized together with suitably designed recombinant proteins or drug delivering-cells that, once in situ, can provide an effective treatment for these neurodegenerative disorders. In this scenario, only interdisciplinary research that fully integrates biology, biochemistry, medicine and materials science can provide a springboard for the development of suitable therapeutic tools, not only for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases but also, prospectively, for a wide range of severe neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Luigi Mancinelli, 7, 20131 Milan, Italy. carmen.giordano@polimi.it
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albani
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gloria
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tunesi
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batelli
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forloni
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ambrosio
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cigada
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D000818:Animals; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004339:Drug Compounding; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D020100:Hydrogels; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D020100:Hydrogels; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins