Pathogen‐binding nanoparticles to inhibit host cell infection by heparan sulfate and sialic acid dependent viruses and protozoan parasites
Author(s)
Najer, Adrian
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Global health faces an immense burden from infectious diseases caused by viruses and intracellular protozoan parasites such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and malaria, respectively. These pathogens propagate through the infection of human host cells. The first stage of this host cell infection mechanism is cell attachment, which typically involves interactions between the infectious agent and surface components on the host cell membranes, specifically heparan sulfate (HS) and/or sialic acid (SA). Hence, nanoparticles (NPs) which contain or mimic HS/SA that can directly bind to the pathogen surface and inhibit cell infection are emerging as potential candidates for an alternative anti-infection therapeutic strategy. These NPs can be prepared from metals, soft matter (lipid, polymer, and dendrimer), DNA, and carbon-based materials among others and can be designed to include aspects of multivalency, broad-spectrum activity, biocidal mechanisms, and multifunctionality. This review provides an overview of such anti-pathogen nanomedicines beyond drug delivery. Nanoscale inhibitors acting against viruses and obligate intracellular protozoan parasites are discussed. In the future, the availability of broadly applicable nanotherapeutics would allow early tackling of existing and upcoming viral diseases. Invasion inhibitory NPs could also provide urgently needed effective treatments for protozoan parasitic infections.
Date Issued
2024-06-28
Date Acceptance
2024-01-25
Citation
Smart Medicine, 2024, 3 (2)
ISSN
2751-1871
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
e20230046
Journal / Book Title
Smart Medicine
Volume
3
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2024 The Authors. Smart Medicine published by Wiley-VCH GmbH on behalf of Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e20230046
Date Publish Online
2024-03-01