Fakhara Sabir, Rai K. Farooq, Asim.ur.Rehman and Naveed Ahmed* Pages 5296 - 5312 ( 17 )
Monocytes are leading component of the mononuclear phagocytic system that play a key role in phagocytosis and removal of several kinds of microbes from the body. Monocytes are bone marrow precursor cells that stay in the blood for a few days and migrate towards tissues where they differentiate into macrophages. Monocytes can be used as a carrier for delivery of active agents into tissues, where other carriers have no significant access. Targeting monocytes is possible both through passive and active targeting, the former one is simply achieved by enhanced permeation and retention effect while the later one by attachment of ligands on the surface of the lipid-based particulate system. Monocytes have many receptors e.g., mannose, scavenger, integrins, cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) and cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36). The ligands used against these receptors are peptides, lectins, antibodies, glycolipids, and glycoproteins. This review encloses extensive introduction of monocytes as a suitable carrier system for drug delivery, the design of lipid-based carrier system, possible ways for delivery of therapeutics to monocytes, and the role of monocytes in the treatment of life compromising diseases such as cancer, inflammation, stroke, etc.
Monocytes, active targeting, ligands, monocyte delivery, lipid carrier system, receptors, peptides.
Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Department of Neuroscience Research, Institute of Research and Medical Consultations, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320