Applications of mannose-binding lectins and mannan glycoconjugates in nanomedicine

Abstract

Glycosylated nanoparticles (NPs) have drawn a lot of attention in the biomedical field over the past few decades, particularly in applications like targeted drug delivery. Mannosylated NPs and mannan-binding lectins/proteins (MBL/MBP) are emerging as promising tools for delivery of drugs, medicines, and enzymes to targeted tissues and cells as nanocarriers, enhancing their therapeutic benefits while avoiding the adverse effects of the drug. The occurrence of plenty of lectin receptors and their mannan ligands on cell surfaces makes them multifaceted carriers appropriate for specific delivery of bioactive drug materials to their targeted sites. Thus, the present review describes the tethering of mannose (Man) to several nanostructures, like micelles, liposomes, and other NPs, applicable for drug delivery systems. Bioadhesion through MBL-like receptors on cells has involvements applicable to additional arenas of science, for example gene delivery, tissue engineering, biomaterials, and nanotechnology. This review also focuses on the role of various aspects of drug/antigen delivery using (i) mannosylated NPs, (ii) mannosylated lectins, (iii) amphiphilic glycopolymer NPs, and (iv) natural mannan-containing polysaccharides, with most significant applications of MBL-based NPs as multivalent scaffolds, using different strategies. Graphical abstract Mannosylated NPs and/or MBL/MBP are coming up as viable and versatile tools as nanocarriers to deliver drugs and enzymes precisely to their target tissues or cells. The presence of abundant number of lectin receptors and their mannan ligands on cell surfaces makes them versatile carriers suitable for the targeted delivery of bioactive drugs.

Polymeric Micellar Systems—A Special Emphasis on “Smart” Drug Delivery

“…A drug-carrying carrier system is delivered to a specific region through surface modification as opposed to spontaneous reticuloendothelial system (RES) absorption [ 62 ]. Techniques for surface modification include applying a bioadhesive, non-ionic surfactant, monoclonal antibodies that target a particular cell or tissue, or albumin protein [ 63 ].…”

Encapsulation of Polyphenolic Compounds Based on Hemicelluloses to Enhance Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Colorectal Cancer

“…Data indicate that hemicelluloses, xylans, mannans, and glucans, are bioactive compounds. These have hence been labelled green renewable biopolymers, which are valuable agents for creating carriers and encapsulates, and may be useful in drug delivery systems [ 98 , 150 , 151 ]. Generally speaking, polyphenols easily interact with hemicelluloses, making them useful in polyphenol encapsulates; in addition, hemicelluloses may play a protective role, slowing the release of polyphenols in the human digestive system [ 152 ].…”

Glycooligomer-Functionalized Catalytic Nanocompartments Co-Loaded with Enzymes Support Parallel Reactions and Promote Cell Internalization

“…To favor the efficient cellular uptake of the resulting CNCs, glycooligomer tethers consisting of eight pendant mannose units were attached to the azide-groups exposed on the external interface of their membrane. This modification aims to achieve active targeting of mannose-binding receptors (MBRs). , MBRs belong to the group of carbohydrate-binding proteins (aka lectins) that provide selective carbohydrate recognition and subsequent endocytosis. − MBRs have become the focal point in novel therapeutic approaches as they are highly expressed on the surface of cancer cells and have been associated with the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the sixth most common cancer. , As a result, glycooligomers, renowned for their excellent lectin-binding ability are ideal candidates for cell-targeting nanomedicinal systems in cancer therapy. ,− Although polymersomes have been functionalized with sugars such as, glucose, galactose, and mannose, glycooligomers are yet to be used. , As a proof of concept for cell targeting, we chose two cell lines, each possessing different MBR expression profiles; liver-derived HepG2 cells with high expression levels and cervix-derived HeLa cells expressing lower levels of such proteins. ,,− We explored for the first time the synergistic effect of the in situ produced hymecromone and H 2 O 2 on the cell viability. Dual enzyme-loaded catalytic nanocompartments for multifunctional response to pathologic conditions and with an improved internalization by efficient targeting opens new avenues in combinatorial treatment of complex pathologic conditions.…”