Liposomes as Drug Carriers
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioorganic Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2018) | Viewed by 34532
Special Issue Editors
2. Institute for Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, FORTH/ICE-HT, Stadiou Street, 26510 Platani-Rio, Greece
Interests: targeted drug delivery; nanomedicines; liposome technology; lipid-based formulations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
2. Institute for Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, FORTH/ICE-HT, Stadiou Street, 26504 Platani-Rio, Greece
Interests: targeted drug delivery; nanoliposomes; organic chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Liposomes are broadly used as nanocarriers for controlled delivery/ targeting of drugs. Indeed, liposomal formulations may have an important impact on the therapeutic potential of active substances, just by providing the means to protect them from hostile environments in the biological milieu, and/or by increasing their retention at sites of administration or action, increasing, thus, their topical bioavailability.
Furthermore, due to their exceptional physicochemical characteristics, including their small size (at nanoscale), biological compatibility, versatility (which allows easy surface modification) and capability to encapsulate/incorporate high amounts of almost any type of active molecule, they are on the top of the list when challenging drug delivery applications are under consideration. Examples of the later include early diagnosis and/or therapy of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Multiple sclerosis (MS), etc.), were delivery of drugs to the brain is impeded by the blood brain barrier; as well as realization of the therapeutic potential of oligonucleotides, were the physicochemical properties of the actives and their substantial susceptibility to degrading enzymes are major obstacles. A number of technologies which enable surface modification of liposomes (using different types of ligands, such as peptides, antibodies, small organic molecules, aptamers, etc.), by gentle organic-synthesis protocols, have led to the formation of actively- targeted functionalized vesicles with increased affinity for specific biological targets or barriers. The exploitation of biological approaches to overcome barriers, such as those used by bacteria and viruses, and more recently the organotropism of extracellular vesicles, have also been considered for the construction of bio-inspired liposomes, with increased targeting capability. This Special Issue is aimed at covering all the different approaches of liposome diagnostic/therapeutic applications, with specific examples from recent projects.
Prof. Sophia G. Antimisiaris
Dr. Spyridon Mourtas
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- liposomes
- nanocarriers
- controlled release
- retention
- bioavailability
- active targeting
- surface modification
- exosomes
- cellular vesicles
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