Rheumatoid arthritis causes more than joint pain and swelling. Ongoing inflammation can slowly harm cartilage and bones, and systemic medicines often struggle to reach the inflamed areas effectively. A patent from Macau University of Science and Technology introduces a nanomedicine system designed to improve targeting and responsiveness. This system encases leonurine, an anti-inflammatory compound from the herb Leonurus, in tiny lipid carriers. These carriers are coated with membranes from activated neutrophils, immune cells attracted to inflammation. Proteins on the membranes help the nanoparticles identify and accumulate in inflamed joints. In arthritic rats, one formulation with membrane coating showed 2.2 times higher fluorescence in inflamed joints than uncoated liposomes. The nanoparticles respond to inflammation by carrying the enzyme catalase, which reacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS) in inflamed tissue to produce oxygen, breaking the liposome and releasing leonurine faster. Additionally, receptors on the neutrophil membrane can bind inflammatory signals like TNF-α and IL-1β. In a rat arthritis model, the best formulation reduced arthritis scores from 11.2 to 5.2 and also decreased bone erosion and inflammation markers. This concept aims to develop smarter medicine that detects inflammation, responds to its environment, and releases treatment optimally.
A drug carrier that uses inflammation to find its way, and decide when to release
Patent number: CN 119097716 A
Inventor(s): X. Wang, Y. Zhu, Z. Tang, and S. Meng
Citation: X. Wang, Y. Zhu, Z. Tang, and S. Meng, “一种ROS响应性仿生纳米递药系统、制备方法及应用 [ROS-responsive biomimetic nanodrug delivery system, preparation method and application],” China Patent CN 119097716 A, Dec. 10, 2024.
