Summary
Published in Molecular Pharmaceutics (2024), this peer-reviewed study used 3D Petri Dish® micro-molds to form scaffold-free 3D microtissues. Full citation: Sun, Dan, et al. Neutrophil-Based Bionic Delivery System Breaks Through the Capillary Barrier of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells and Inhibits the Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells
Neutrophil-Based Bionic Delivery System Breaks Through the Capillary Barrier of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells and Inhibits the Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells
Research Overview
In liver fibrosis, activated hepatic stellate cells drive capillarization of the hepatic sinusoids, forming a barrier that blocks therapeutics from reaching the Disse space where those cells reside.
This study developed a synergistic sequential delivery strategy to breach that barrier: neutrophil membrane hybrid liposomes carrying atorvastatin and ambrisentan were directed to the fibrotic site through neutrophil-mediated homing, followed by vitamin A-functionalized neutrophil membrane hybrid liposomes carrying a second payload — a two-stage approach for targeting activated hepatic stellate cells.
Key Discoveries
- Neutrophil membrane hybrid liposomes exploited immune homing to reach fibrotic liver
- Sequential two-stage delivery breached the capillarized sinusoid barrier
- Vitamin A functionalization targeted activated hepatic stellate cells in the Disse space
