Navigating rheumatoid arthritis: insights into ligand-anchored nanoparticle strategies for anti-inflammatory therapy and relief

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that primarily affects the synovial joints, causing substantial physical impairment, socioeconomic challenges and, in severe cases, death. Symptoms often appear between the ages of 35 and 60, with varying severity caused by periods of remission and exacerbation. In addition, children under the age of 16 might develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). According to a 2021 CDC poll, the World Health Organization estimates that 14 million people worldwide suffer with RA, with 0.92% of India's adult population afflicted. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (sDMARDs), and biological DMARDs are among the current therapeutic interventions. However, these therapies frequently exhibit limitations such as systemic side effects, short biological half-lives, erratic absorption, and frequent dosing regimens. Recent advances in ligand-based nanotechnology have introduced ligands such as folic acid and sialic acid that improve the targeted delivery when conjugated with nanoparticles. This approach has demonstrated efficacy in improving therapeutic outcomes while alleviating the side effects associated with conventional drug delivery systems. This review highlights the key molecular targets in RA, including T cells, B cells, and TNF-α, while exploring novel ligand-based active targeting strategies as innovative therapeutic avenues. Furthermore, it gives in-depth insights into critical molecular targets and their corresponding ligands, emphasizing the rising importance of ligand-based nanotechnology in the development of targeted drug therapy for autoimmune illnesses such as RA. The findings show the potential for these technologies to revolutionize RA therapy by improving medication specificity and reducing side effects via precise novel targeting mechanisms.