An insight into the role of liposomal therapeutics in the reversion of multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as an autoimmune disease, has complicated immunopathology, which makes its management relevant to various factors. Novel pharmaceutical vehicles, especially liposomes, can support efficacious handling of this disease both in early detection and prognosis and also in a therapeutic manner. The most well-known triggers of MS onset are the predominance of cellular to humoral immunity and enhancement of inflammatory cytokines level. The installation of liposomes as nanoparticles to control this disease holds great promise up to now.

Areas covered

Various types of liposomes with different properties and purposes have been formulated and targeted immune cells with their surface manipulations. They may be encapsulated with anti-inflammatory, MS-related therapeutics, or immunodominant myelin-specific peptides for attaining a higher therapeutic efficacy of the drugs or tolerance induction. Cationic liposomes are also highly applicable for gene delivery of the anti-inflammatory cytokines or silencing the inflammatory cytokines. Liposomes have also been used as biotools for comprehending MS pathomechanisms or as diagnostic agents.

Expert opinion

The efforts to manage MS through nanomedicine, especially liposomal therapeutics, pave a new avenue to a high-throughput medication of this autoimmune disease and their translation to the clinic in the future for overcoming the challenges that MS patients confront.

KEYWORDS:

• Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)
• Immune response
• Liposome
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Nanotechnology
• Tolerance

Article highlights

• Liposomes are important drug delivery platforms for the prevention and reversion of autoimmune diseases.

• Liposome as a powerful tool to encapsulate and co-delivery of different drugs including glucocorticoids and immunodominant antigens are an effective vehicle for MS treatment in preclinical and clinical studies.

• Liposomes also could be applied for gene delivery, diagnostic purposes, and sometimes as mechanistic comprehension biotools.

• Liposomal encapsulation leads to enhanced efficacy of the related therapeutics in treatment of MS.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.