Li Hengde, Zha Shuai, Li Haolan, Liu Haitao, Wong Ka-Leung, All Angelo H
Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
Small. 2022 Nov;18(45):e2203629. doi: 10.1002/smll.202203629. Epub 2022 Sep 9.
Dendrimers are polymers with well-defined 3D branched structures that are vastly utilized in various neurotheranostics and biomedical applications, particularly as nanocarrier vectors. Imaging agents can be loaded into dendrimers to improve the accuracy of diagnostic imaging processes. Likewise, combining pharmaceutical agents and anticancer drugs with dendrimers can enhance their solubility, biocompatibility, and efficiency. Practically, by modifying ligands on the surface of dendrimers, effective therapeutic and diagnostic platforms can be constructed and implemented for targeted delivery. Dendrimer-based nanocarriers also show great potential in gene delivery. Since enzymes can degrade genetic materials during their blood circulation, dendrimers exhibit promising packaging and delivery alternatives, particularly for central nervous system (CNS) treatments. The DNA and RNA encapsulated in dendrimers represented by polyamidoamine that are used for targeted brain delivery, via chemical-structural adjustments and appropriate generation, significantly improve the correlation between transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity. This article reports a comprehensive review of dendrimers' structures, synthesis processes, and biological applications. Recent progress in diagnostic imaging processes and therapeutic applications for cancers and other CNS diseases are presented. Potential challenges and future directions in the development of dendrimers, which provide the theoretical basis for their broader applications in healthcare, are also discussed.
树枝状大分子是具有明确三维分支结构的聚合物，在各种神经治疗诊断学和生物医学应用中被广泛使用，尤其是作为纳米载体。成像剂可以加载到树枝状大分子中，以提高诊断成像过程的准确性。同样，将药剂和抗癌药物与树枝状大分子结合可以提高它们的溶解度、生物相容性和效率。实际上，通过修饰树枝状大分子表面的配体，可以构建有效的治疗和诊断平台，并用于靶向递送。基于树枝状大分子的纳米载体在基因递送方面也显示出巨大潜力。由于酶在血液循环过程中会降解遗传物质，树枝状大分子展现出了有前景的包装和递送选择，特别是对于中枢神经系统（CNS）治疗。通过化学结构调整和适当代数，聚酰胺胺代表的树枝状大分子中封装的用于靶向脑递送的DNA和RNA，显著改善了转染效率和细胞毒性之间的相关性。本文对树枝状大分子的结构、合成过程和生物学应用进行了全面综述。介绍了癌症和其他中枢神经系统疾病在诊断成像过程和治疗应用方面的最新进展。还讨论了树枝状大分子开发中的潜在挑战和未来方向，这为其在医疗保健中的更广泛应用提供了理论基础。
