Vasculature organotropism in drug delivery

Over the past decades, there has been an exponential increase in the development of preclinical and clinical nanodelivery systems, and recently, an accelerating demand to deliver RNA and protein-based therapeutics. Organ-specific vasculature provides a promising intermediary for site-specific delivery of nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles to interstitial cells. Endothelial cells express organ-specific surface marker repertoires that can be used for targeted delivery. This article highlights organ-specific vasculature properties, nanodelivery strategies that exploit vasculature organotropism, and overlooked challenges and opportunities in targeting and simultaneously overcoming the endothelial barrier. Impediments in the clinical translation of vasculature organotropism in drug delivery are also discussed.

Automated summary

In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in the development of nanodelivery systems for preclinical and clinical applications, particularly in delivering RNA and protein-based therapeutics. The specific vasculature of organs provides a promising avenue for targeted delivery of nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles to interstitial cells. This article emphasizes the properties of organ-specific vasculature, the strategies for nanodelivery that exploit the organotropism of vasculature, and the challenges and opportunities in targeting and overcoming the endothelial barrier. The impediments in the clinical translation of vasculature organotropism in drug delivery are also discussed.