Inflammation is the bodys response to foreign objects, irritants, germs, and even pathogens. Although such a response is standard in some cases, if left untreated, chronic inflammation can lead to muscle degeneration, gastrointestinal disorders, and some types of cancers. While most treatments, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections, can help relieve symptoms, they often fail to address the conditions underlying cause. Therefore, researchers have sought to explore new and innovative ways of inflammation treatment, such as chemotactic drug delivery.
One promising drug delivery system was based on engineered neutrophils that targeted inflammation sites through chemotaxis's unique properties. This approach took advantage of the concentration difference between iNOS and ROS for inflammatory disease sites and normal tissues. By doing so, this drug delivery system provides the possibility to target areas of inflammation, increase drug efficacy, and minimize damage to the surrounding tissue. Moreover, because this concentration gradient is ubiquitous in the microenvironment of inflammatory diseases, common drug-targeting limitations such as individual differences can be avoided. Another example of an innovative drug delivery system that uses the property of chemotaxis is leukocytes. Indeed, during inflammation, the molecules on a cell that allows for adhesion are overly produced. With this unique condition, researchers can modify leukocytes to quickly detect the cell, attach itself to the surface, and deliver a therapeutic payload. Overall, many promising therapies and drug delivery systems are being developed to target inflammation more effectively. Chemotactic drug delivery systems are just one of many promising avenues that seek to increase target sites specifically, decreasing the needed drug dosage, reducing toxicity, and increasing drug efficacy.