Multifunctional Dendritic Nanocarriers: The Architecture and Applications in Targeted Drug Delivery

Abstract

In this chapter, promising dendritic systems are highlighted and theirlimitations are discussed; recent approaches to overcoming these drawbacks are also outlined. Important architectural parameters used torationally design various dendritic materials are provided, while dendritic structure‐related toxicity, biodistribution, cellular uptake, and multivalency are also described in detail. Using several examples, it is shown how dendrimers and dendrons havebeen designed and used as targeted drug delivery vehicles for cancer diagnosis andtreatments in particular. Dendritic materials possessing multifunctionalarchitectures are expected to have a significant impact on the way cancer isprevented, diagnosed, treated, and ultimately cured in the future.

Recent advances in targeted drug delivery approaches using dendritic polymers

“…94 Recently, our group reported a self-assembled dendritic micelle that contains a hydrophobic core for drug loading and dense PEG exterior for enhanced stealth effect. 6, 95, 96 Furthermore, due to their conical architecture, these PEGylated dendron-based copolymers (PDC) display critical micelle concentrations 1–2 orders of magnitude lower than linear diblock copolymers at a comparable hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). Interestingly, they do not exhibit surface charge-dependent cellular interactions, which were typically observed in the surface-modified dendrimers.…”

“…5 Because they are nanoscaled (2–20 nm) hyperbranched polymers with a well-defined chemical structure and with a size distribution close to monodispersity, dendrimers are particularly well suited for precise size control and surface functionalization, which allows their modification with drugs, imaging agents, surface charges, and targeting moieties. 6, 7 These unique properties have made them one of the most promising nanocarrier platforms for biomedical applications including several recent in vivo applications and two clinical trials (Table 1). This mini-review will focus on highlighting the key design aspects of dendrimers and other dendritic nanomaterials, with a focus on their most recent biomedical advances in targeted drug/gene delivery.…”