title: Folate-targeted nanoparticles for rheumatoid arthritis therapy.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease, affecting almost 1% of the world population. Although the cause of RA remains unknown, the complex interaction between immune mediators (cytokines and effector cells) is responsible for the joint damage that begins at the synovial membrane. Activated macrophages are critical in the pathogenesis of RA and showed specifically express a receptor for the vitamin folic acid (FA), folate receptor β (FRβ). This particular receptor allows internalization of FA-coupled cargo. In this review we will address the potential of nanoparticles as an effective drug delivery system for therapies that will directly target activated macrophages. Special attention will be given to stealth degree of the nanoparticles as a strategy to avoid clearance by macrophages of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS). This review summarizes the application of FA-target nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for RA and proposes prospective future directions.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating autoimmune disease of the joints which affects many people worldwide. Up till now, there is a lack of optimal therapy against this disease. In this review article, the authors outlined in depth the current mechanism of disease for rheumatoid arthritis and described the latest research in using folic acid-targeted nanoparticles to target synovial macrophages in the fight against rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal; CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eugénia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Preto
authors.affiliation: CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: artur@deb.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cavaco-Paulo
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D058976:Folate Receptor 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C000610095:FOLR2 protein, human; D058976:Folate Receptor 2; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: Drug delivery; Folate; Nanoparticles; Rheumatoid arthritis; Stealth