Drug Targeting of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases by Biomolecules
Joana Costa Antunes,
Catarina Leal Seabra,
Joana Margarida Domingues,
Marta Oliveira Teixeira,
Cláudia Nunes,
Sofia Antunes Costa-Lima,
Natália Cândido Homem,
Salette Reis,
Maria Teresa Pessoa Amorim,
Helena Prado Felgueiras
Affiliations
Joana Costa Antunes
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Catarina Leal Seabra
Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV), Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Joana Margarida Domingues
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Marta Oliveira Teixeira
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Cláudia Nunes
Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV), Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Sofia Antunes Costa-Lima
Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV), Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Natália Cândido Homem
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Salette Reis
Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV), Network of Chemistry and Technology (REQUIMTE), Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
Maria Teresa Pessoa Amorim
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Helena Prado Felgueiras
Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), Campus de Azurém, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disabling, destructive and incurable immune-mediated inflammatory diseases comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), disorders that are highly prevalent worldwide and demand a large investment in healthcare. A persistent inflammatory state enables the dysfunction and destruction of healthy tissue, hindering the initiation and endurance of wound healing. Current treatments are ineffective at counteracting disease progression. Further, increased risk of serious side effects, other comorbidities and/or opportunistic infections highlight the need for effective treatment options. Gut microbiota, the key to preserving a healthy state, may, alternatively, increase a patient’s susceptibility to IBD onset and development given a relevant bacterial dysbiosis. Hence, the main goal of this review is to showcase the main conventional and emerging therapies for IBD, including microbiota-inspired untargeted and targeted approaches (such as phage therapy) to infection control. Special recognition is given to existing targeted strategies with biologics (via monoclonal antibodies, small molecules and nucleic acids) and stimuli-responsive (pH-, enzyme- and reactive oxygen species-triggered release), polymer-based nanomedicine that is specifically directed towards the regulation of inflammation overload (with some nanosystems additionally functionalized with carbohydrates or peptides directed towards M1-macrophages). The overall goal is to restore gut balance and decrease IBD’s societal impact.