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Pharmaceutics
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Nanoparticles for Liver Diseases Therapy
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Nanoparticles for Liver Diseases Therapy

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 2156

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jorge G. Farías

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Ingeniería Química, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad de La Frontera, 4780000 Temuco, Chile
Interests: molecular biochemistry; molecular biology; pharmacology
Dr. Cristián Sandoval

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, 4780000 Temuco, Chile
Interests: biotechnology; pharmaceutical biotechnology; synthetic biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liver disease causes 2 million fatalities each year and 4% of all deaths globally (1 out of every 25 deaths). Acute hepatitis accounts for a lesser percentage of mortality, with complications from cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer being the main causes of death. Worldwide, alcohol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and viral hepatitis are the most frequent causes of cirrhosis.

In the treatment of liver illnesses, encouraging progress has been made. Both localized and systemic medication administration are popular strategies that have shown mediocre therapeutic results. To achieve therapeutic benefits, it remains imperative to develop targeted therapeutics for patients suffering from liver illnesses such as hepatocellular carcinoma and liver fibrosis. A wealth of progress has been made in the fields of biomaterials and nanomedicine. Different targeted therapeutic techniques are now being used to locate genetic materials and medicines to liver cells that are sick in specific ways. The development of novel liposomes, micelles, PLGA nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, and lipid-based nanoparticles has enormous potential to improve liver disease treatment outcomes. Original research papers and reviews on the aforementioned subject are invited for this Special Issue.

Dr. Jorge G. Farías
Dr. Cristián Sandoval
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biotechnology
  • pharmaceutical biotechnology
  • synthetic biology
  • molecular biochemistry
  • molecular biology
  • pharmacology

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4797 KiB  
Article
Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Enicostemma littorale Exhibit Gut Tight Junction Restoration and Hepatoprotective Activity via Regulation of the Inflammatory Pathway
by Hiral Aghara, Simran Samanta, Manali Patel, Prashsti Chadha, Divyesh Patel, Anamika Jha and Palash Mandal
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(7), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17070895 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 433
Abstract
Background: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a primary global health concern, exacerbated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut barrier dysfunction. Conventional phytocompounds exhibit hepatoprotective potential but are hindered by low bioavailability. This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and gut-barrier-restorative effects of green-synthesized [...] Read more.
Background: Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a primary global health concern, exacerbated by oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut barrier dysfunction. Conventional phytocompounds exhibit hepatoprotective potential but are hindered by low bioavailability. This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective and gut-barrier-restorative effects of green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) derived from Enicostemma littorale, a medicinal plant known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: AgNPs were synthesized using aqueous leaf extract of E. littorale and characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, FTIR, DLS, and SEM. HepG2 (liver) and Caco-2 (colon) cells were exposed to 0.2 M ethanol, AgNPs (1–100 µg/mL), or both, to simulate ethanol-induced toxicity. A range of in vitro assays was performed to assess cell viability, oxidative stress (H2DCFDA), nuclear and morphological integrity (DAPI and AO/EtBr staining), lipid accumulation (Oil Red O), and gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tight-junction markers using RT-qPCR. Results: Ethanol exposure significantly increased ROS, lipid accumulation, and the expression of inflammatory genes, while decreasing antioxidant enzymes and tight-junction proteins. Green AgNPs at lower concentrations (1 and 10 µg/mL) restored cell viability, reduced ROS levels, preserved nuclear morphology, and downregulated CYP2E1 and SREBP expression. Notably, AgNPs improved the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, ZO-1, and IL-10, and reduced TNF-α and IL-6 expression in both cell lines, indicating protective effects on both liver and intestinal cells. Conclusions: Green-synthesized AgNPs from E. littorale exhibit potent hepatoprotective and gut-barrier-restoring effects through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antilipidemic mechanisms. These findings support the therapeutic potential of plant-based nanoparticles in mitigating ethanol-induced gut–liver axis dysfunction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles for Liver Diseases Therapy)
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14 pages, 3179 KiB  
Article
Engineered Exosomes Carrying Super-Repressor IκB Reduced Biliary Atresia-Induced Liver Fibrosis in Minipig and Mouse Models
by Jisoo Kang, Cheolhyoung Park, Hanoul Yun, Chulhee Choi and Wonhyo Seo
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(2), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17020264 - 17 Feb 2025
Viewed by 858
Abstract
Background and Aim: Biliary atresia is a rare, progressive disease that affects the bile ducts in newborns. Persistent bile duct obstruction induces various pathological conditions, including jaundice, inflammation, and liver fibrosis; however, the exact pathogenesis of biliary atresia is not yet fully understood. [...] Read more.
Background and Aim: Biliary atresia is a rare, progressive disease that affects the bile ducts in newborns. Persistent bile duct obstruction induces various pathological conditions, including jaundice, inflammation, and liver fibrosis; however, the exact pathogenesis of biliary atresia is not yet fully understood. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is widely acknowledged as a key regulator in the pathogenesis of hepatitis and liver fibrosis, and extensive research has been conducted to develop strategies to effectively inhibit its activity to mitigate liver damage. Exosome-based therapeutic platforms offer targeted NF-κB inhibition with low immunogenicity and enhanced liver-specific delivery. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Exo-SrIκB in treating cholestatic liver fibrosis using experimental animal models. Methods: Exo-SrIκB (an exosome-based therapy containing the super-repressor IκB protein) using EXPLOR technology (Exosome engineering for Protein Loading via Optically Reversible protein-protein interactions) to encapsulate the super repressor IκB (SrIκB) within exosomes. The therapeutic efficacy of Exo-SrIκB was assessed in minipig and mouse models with experimentally induced cholestatic liver disease. Results: Administration of Exo-SrIκB significantly attenuated liver fibrosis progression in both animal models by inhibiting NF-κB nuclear translocation and reducing the expression of fibrotic markers. Treated animals exhibited reduced collagen deposition, lower α-SMA levels, and improved hepatic function compared to untreated controls. Conclusion: Exo-SrIκB effectively suppressed NF-κB signaling and alleviated liver fibrosis in experimental cholestatic liver disease models, suggesting that exosome-based therapeutics may offer a targeted and biocompatible application to managing liver fibrosis and other chronic liver diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles for Liver Diseases Therapy)
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