Cell Membrane Camouflaged Biomimetic Nanoparticles as a Versatile Platform for Brain Diseases Treatment

Small Methods. 2025 Jan;9(1):e2400096. doi: 10.1002/smtd.202400096. Epub 2024 Mar 10.

Abstract

Although there are various advancements in biomedical in the past few decades, there are still challenges in the treatment of brain diseases. The main difficulties are the inability to deliver a therapeutic dose of the drug to the brain through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the serious side effects of the drug. Thus, it is essential to select biocompatible drug carriers and novel therapeutic tools to better enhance the effect of brain disease treatment. In recent years, biomimetic nanoparticles (BNPs) based on natural cell membranes, which have excellent biocompatibility and low immunogenicity, are widely used in the treatment of brain diseases to enable the drug to successfully cross the BBB and target brain lesions. BNPs can prolong the circulation time in vivo, are more conducive to drug aggregation in brain lesions. Cell membranes (CMs) from cancer cells (CCs), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and so on are used as biomimetic coatings for nanoparticles (NPs) to achieve the ability to target, evade clearance, or stimulate the immune system. This review summarizes the application of different cell sources as BNPs coatings in the treatment of brain diseases and discusses the possibilities and challenges of clinical translation.

Keywords: biomimetic; blood–brain barriers; brain dieases; cell membranes.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomimetic Materials* / chemistry
  • Biomimetic Materials* / pharmacology
  • Biomimetics
  • Blood-Brain Barrier* / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Cell Membrane*
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry

Substances

  • Drug Carriers