title: Nanomedicines for dysfunctional macrophage-associated diseases.
abstract: Macrophages play vital functions in host inflammatory reaction, tissue repair, homeostasis and immunity. Dysfunctional macrophages have significant pathophysiological impacts on diseases such as cancer, inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease), metabolic diseases (atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity) and major infections like human immunodeficiency virus infection. In view of this common etiology in these diseases, targeting the recruitment, activation and regulation of dysfunctional macrophages represents a promising therapeutic strategy. With the advancement of nanotechnology, development of nanomedicines to efficiently target dysfunctional macrophages can strengthen the effectiveness of therapeutics and improve clinical outcomes. This review discusses the specific roles of dysfunctional macrophages in various diseases and summarizes the latest advances in nanomedicine-based therapeutics and theranostics for treating diseases associated with dysfunctional macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, United States.
authors.forename: Hongliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States. Electronic address: shobha@vcu.edu.
authors.forename: Shobha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Life Science Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23219, United States; Department of Pharmaceutics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, United States. Electronic address: hyang2@vcu.edu.
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
keywords: Cell receptor; Drug delivery; Gene therapy; In vivo; Macrophage phenotype; Tissue macrophages