Recent Advances on Reactive Oxygen Species-Responsive Delivery and Diagnosis System

Biomacromolecules. 2019 Jul 8;20(7):2441-2463. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00628. Epub 2019 Jun 7.

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play crucial roles in biological metabolism and intercellular signaling. However, ROS level is dramatically elevated due to abnormal metabolism during multiple pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cancer, and premature aging. By taking advantage of the discrepancy of ROS levels between normal and diseased tissues, a variety of ROS-sensitive moieties or linkers have been developed to design ROS-responsive systems for the site-specific delivery of drugs and genes. In this review, we summarized the ROS-responsive chemical structures, mechanisms, and delivery systems, focusing on their current advances for precise drug/gene delivery. In particular, ROS-responsive nanocarriers, prodrugs, and supramolecular hydrogels are summarized in terms of their application for drug/gene delivery, and common strategies to elevate or diminish cellular ROS concentrations, as well as the recent development of ROS-related imaging probes were also discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging, Premature* / genetics
  • Aging, Premature* / metabolism
  • Aging, Premature* / pathology
  • Aging, Premature* / therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / genetics
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / pathology
  • Diabetes Mellitus* / therapy
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / genetics
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / metabolism
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / pathology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases* / therapy
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Reactive Oxygen Species