Micro- and nanotechnology approaches to improve Parkinson's disease therapy

• Published in: Journal of controlled release 2019-02, Vol.295, p.201-213
• Main Authors: Torres-Ortega, Pablo Vicente, Saludas, Laura, Hanafy, Amira Sayed, Garbayo, Elisa, Blanco-Prieto, María José
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; Antiparkinson Agents - administration & dosage; Antiparkinson Agents - therapeutic use; Blood brain barrier; Blood-Brain Barrier - drug effects; Blood-Brain Barrier - metabolism; Blood-Brain Barrier - pathology; Brain - drug effects; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Brain delivery; Disease Models, Animal; Dopaminergic Neurons - drug effects; Dopaminergic Neurons - metabolism; Dopaminergic Neurons - pathology; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; Genetic Therapy - methods; Humans; Microparticles; Nanomedicine - methods; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanotechnology - methods; Nerve Growth Factors - administration & dosage; Nerve Growth Factors - therapeutic use; Neuroprotective Agents - administration & dosage; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Parkinson Disease - drug therapy; Parkinson Disease - genetics; Parkinson Disease - metabolism; Parkinson Disease - therapy; Parkinson's disease
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.12.036

Current therapies for Parkinson's disease are symptomatic and unable to regenerate the brain tissue. In recent years, the therapeutic potential of a wide variety of neuroprotective and neuroregenerative molecules such as neurotrophic factors, antioxidants and RNA-based therapeutics has been explored. However, drug delivery to the brain is still a challenge and the therapeutic efficacy of many drugs is limited. In the last decade, micro- and nanoparticles have proved to be powerful tools for the administration of these molecules to the brain, enabling the development of new strategies against Parkinson's disease. The list of encapsulated drugs and the nature of the particles used is long, and numerous studies have been carried out supporting their efficacy in treating this pathology. This review aims to give an overview of the latest advances and emerging frontiers in micro- and nanomedical approaches for repairing dopaminergic neurons. Special emphasis will be placed on offering a new perspective to link these advances with the most relevant clinical trials and with the real possibility of transferring micro- and nanoformulations to industrial scale-up processes. This review is intended as a contribution towards facing the challenges that still exist in the clinical translation of micro- and nanotechnologies to administer therapeutic agents in Parkinson's disease. [Display omitted]