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Review
. 2014 Oct 28:192:271-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.08.003. Epub 2014 Aug 10.

Targeting strategies for delivery of anti-HIV drugs

Lakshmi Narashimhan Ramana  1 , Appakkudal R Anand  2 , Swaminathan Sethuraman  1 , Uma Maheswari Krishnan  3
Affiliations
Review

Targeting strategies for delivery of anti-HIV drugs

Lakshmi Narashimhan Ramana et al. J Control Release. .

Abstract

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains a significant cause of mortality globally. Though antiretroviral therapy has significantly reduced AIDS-related morbidity and mortality, there are several drawbacks in the current therapy, including toxicity, drug-drug interactions, development of drug resistance, necessity for long-term drug therapy, poor bio-availability and lack of access to tissues and reservoirs. To circumvent these problems, recent anti-HIV therapeutic research has focused on improving drug delivery systems through drug delivery targeted specifically to host cells infected with HIV or could potentially get infected with HIV. In this regard, several surface molecules of both viral and host cell origin have been described in recent years, that would enable targeted drug delivery in HIV infection. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the need for novel drug delivery systems, and the successes and challenges in the identification of novel viral and host-cell molecules for the targeted drug delivery of anti-HIV drugs. Such targeted anti-retroviral drug delivery approaches could pave the way for effective treatment and eradication of HIV from the body.

Keywords: AIDS; HIV; Host targets; Targeted drug delivery; Viral targets.

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Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sites of action of anti-retroviral drugs at different steps in the viral life cycle.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Different virus-based and host cell-based targets for specific targeting of HIV infected cells.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Targeting ligands on the surface of HIV infected cells through nano-conjugates loaded with the drug.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Schematic representation of a passive targeting strategy employing nanoparticles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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