Smart Redox-Responsive Nanocarriers

As an appealing stimuli-responsive drug delivery system, the redox-responsive nanoparticulate system provides a precise and effective treatment modality for different diseases, especially those that accompany an imbalance in oxidative stress and redox homeostasis. These smart nanocarriers are designed to respond to intracellular redox stimuli, such as the increased levels of glutathione (GSH), or the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which commonly occur in conditions like cancer, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases. These nanoparticles, which are mostly composed of disulfide bonds and redox-cleavable bonds, remain stable in normal physiological conditions and release drugs upon exposure to the redox milieu of diseased cells. As a carrier system, redox-responsive nanoparticles have been explored in several diseases, with the majority of the research focusing on their application against different cancers. In cancer therapy, these nanoparticles allow site-specific delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs, reducing systemic toxicity and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Likewise, these nanoparticles have also been investigated to deliver anti-inflammatory medication in diseases such as arthritis, psoriasis, and neurodegenerative disease, respiratory disease, and viral infections. Their tunability in size, surface modification, and encapsulation of hydrophobic as well as hydrophilic agents makes them even more favorable for biomedical uses. In the past few years, multiple research has reported the promising potential of redox-responsive nanoparticles in several biomedical fields. However, there are still issues such as commercial-scale production, longer-term biocompatibility, and regulatory approval. Regardless, redox-responsive nanoparticles represent an exciting new advance toward personalized, stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems in current biomedical research and therapy.