Targeting Liver

Many substances for diagnostic imaging and therapy of liver diseases may have either severe adverse effects or insufficient effectiveness in vivo due to the nonspecific uptake. By targeting the delivery of drugs or imaging agents into the liver or specific liver cells, the work efficiency may be largely improved. Creative Biolabs is the expert in the field of targeted delivery and disease diagnosis with the service portfolio including high-efficient delivery system construction and high-quality products. Moreover, our scientists have developed advanced module delivery systems targeting the liver. Many cellular targets have been successfully used for module-mediated nanoparticles to enter liver cells for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.

The liver is the major site of drug metabolism and excretion. Hepatocytes, making up 70-85% of the liver’s cell population, are the key functional cells in the liver that play important roles in metabolic, endocrine and secretory functions. Kupffer cells are specialized macrophages in the liver. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are another important type of cell in the liver, which changes into an activated state in response to the liver damage and can lead to collagen scar tissue formation, fibrosis or cirrhosis. Although many diagnostic and therapeutic drugs have been developed against these liver diseases, most drugs are taken up and cleared from the circulation by the liver without specific targeting, resulting in the inability to deliver a sufficient amount of drugs to the diseased cells. The present drawbacks call for new efficient targeting pharmacological interventions for liver diseases.

Fig.1 Schematic representation of diverse types of nanoparticles in the theranostics of liver.¹

Strategy for targeting to the Liver

In liver-specific applications, the main types of carriers have been examined, such as polymers, lipid-based nanoparticles. Unlike the passive targeting approach without further identification of the intrahepatic cell types that take up the drug, active targeting is using specific modules that can recognize and bind to a certain type of cells in liver. Then particles could be taken up by this specific type of liver cells, minimizing non-specific effects on other types of cells in the liver. Under such circumstances, selective drug delivery is achieved at the cellular level.

Fig.2 Potential targets for liver-targeted delivery of nanocarriers on various liver cell types.²

Several different receptors present on various liver cells including hepatocytes, HSCs, Kupffer cells, endothelial cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells have been identified for possible targeting. Liver-targeted nanoparticles can improve the detection of different liver diseases, and also play an important role in therapeutic decision-making. Liver-targeted magnetic nanoparticles have been employed as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) imaging of the liver. Besides, nanoparticles have drawn significant interest not only as diagnostic but also as therapeutic tools, targeting to the liver with hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis, Targeting liver fibrosis and so forth.

What Can We Do for You?

Equipped with our well-established module delivery systems and experienced scientists, we can provide either individual targeting modules or different kinds of module-payload/ carrier conjugates targeting the liver. A wide spectrum of corresponding products are also available for your choice.

Nanoparticles targeting to the liver have shown high potential to offer a wide variety of diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications in liver diseases. The payload can be specifically delivered to liver cells using different targeting modules and delivery systems. With years of experience in the field of targeted delivery and therapeutic or diagnostic application of nanoparticles, Creative Biolabs is capable of providing high-quality services targeting the liver for clients both in the domestic and overseas. Please don't hesitate to contact us for more information.

References

1. Jin, Yuanyuan, et al. "Applications of nanobiomaterials in the therapy and imaging of acute liver failure." Nano-micro letters 13 (2021): 1-36.
2. Basu, Aalok, Thanaphon Namporn, and Pakatip Ruenraroengsak. "Critical Review in Designing Plant-Based Anticancer Nanoparticles against Hepatocellular Carcinoma." Pharmaceutics 15.6 (2023): 1611.

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