title: Targeting strategies for delivery of anti-HIV drugs.
abstract: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains a significant cause of mortality globally. Though antiretroviral therapy has significantly reduced AIDS-related morbidity and mortality, there are several drawbacks in the current therapy, including toxicity, drug-drug interactions, development of drug resistance, necessity for long-term drug therapy, poor bio-availability and lack of access to tissues and reservoirs. To circumvent these problems, recent anti-HIV therapeutic research has focused on improving drug delivery systems through drug delivery targeted specifically to host cells infected with HIV or could potentially get infected with HIV. In this regard, several surface molecules of both viral and host cell origin have been described in recent years, that would enable targeted drug delivery in HIV infection. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the need for novel drug delivery systems, and the successes and challenges in the identification of novel viral and host-cell molecules for the targeted drug delivery of anti-HIV drugs. Such targeted anti-retroviral drug delivery approaches could pave the way for effective treatment and eradication of HIV from the body.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India; School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India.
authors.forename: Lakshmi Narashimhan
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Ramana
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India.
authors.forename: Appakkudal R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India; School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India.
authors.forename: Swaminathan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sethuraman
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India; School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, India. Electronic address: umakrishnan@sastra.edu.
authors.forename: Uma Maheswari
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Krishnan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: AIDS; HIV; Host targets; Targeted drug delivery; Viral targets