The prevalence of obesity has reached alarming levels, which is considered a major risk factor for several metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D), non-alcoholic fatty liver, atherosclerosis, and ischemic cardiovascular disease. Obesity-induced chronic, low-grade inflammation may lead to insulin resistance, and it is well-recognized that macrophages play a major role in such inflammation. In the current review, the molecular mechanisms underlying macrophages, low-grade tissue inflammation, insulin resistance, and T2D are described. Also, the role of macrophages in obesity-induced insulin resistance is presented, and therapeutic drugs and recent advances targeting macrophages for the treatment of T2D are introduced.

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By modifying the outer surface of MSNs with various functional groups or/and using a combination with other nanomaterials, stimuli-responsive and active targeting nanosystems can be designed for stimuli-responsive target delivery of anticancer drugs.

Abstract. The nanocarrier is linked to the core and shell by hydrogen bond. This drug delivery system represents a smart, biodegradable, and pH-sensitive nanocarrier for breast cancer therapy. These drug nanocarriers were linked by hydrogen bond from -NH 2 on chitosan and -OH on mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN). And MSN was prepared by the cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-templated method via sol-gel and the loading of ibuprofen (IBU) into the pores of MSN was visualized by coprecipitation which was assessed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques. The wrapping of chitosan (CS) onto the surface of MSN was demonstrated by FTIR too. When the nanocarriers entered an acidic environment where large quantity cancer cells existed, the chitosan shell swell into loose random coil, exposing the drug and making them easy to be released. The results showed that the IBU could be successfully and effectively loaded into MSN and CS/MSN. The system was pH responsive. Drug release was much higher at pH 6.8 than at 7.4. This drug delivery system will represent a smart and biodegradable pH-responsive nanocarrier for breast cancer.

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