Therapeutic and diagnostic targeting of fibrosis in metabolic, proliferative and viral disorders.

Abstract

Fibrosis is a common denominator in many pathologies and crucially affects disease progression, drug delivery efficiency and therapy outcome. We here summarize therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for fibrosis targeting in atherosclerosis and cardiac disease, cancer, diabetes, liver diseases and viral infections. We address various anti-fibrotic targets, ranging from cells and genes to metabolites and proteins, primarily focusing on fibrosis-promoting features that are conserved among the different diseases. We discuss how anti-fibrotic therapies have progressed over the years, and how nanomedicine formulations can potentiate anti-fibrotic treatment efficacy. From a diagnostic point of view, we discuss how medical imaging can be employed to facilitate the diagnosis, staging and treatment monitoring of fibrotic disorders. Altogether, this comprehensive overview serves as a basis for developing individualized and improved treatment strategies for patients suffering from fibrosis-associated pathologies.

• Authors: Alexandros Marios Sofias, Federica De Lorenzi, Quim Peña, Armin Azadkhah Shalmani, Mihael Vucur, Jiong-Wei Wang, Fabian Kiessling, Yang Shi, Lorena Consolino, Gert Storm, Twan Lammers
• Journal: Advanced drug delivery reviews (Adv Drug Deliv Rev) Vol. 175 Pg. 113831 (08 2021) ISSN: 1872-8294 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 34139255 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Animals
• Fibrosis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Metabolic Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)
• Neoplasms (diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)
• Virus Diseases (diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)