PH-sensitive fibronectin nanogels combined with UTMD for anti-atherosclerosis treatment through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

ABSTRACT: The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factors secreted by macrophages play pivotal roles in all stages of atherosclerotic progression. Achieving targeted plaque localization while simultaneously reducing ROS levels to exert both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects remains a significant challenge. In this work, we developed a pH sensitive curcumin (Cur)-loaded fibronectin (FN) nanogels, combined with ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) to enhance therapeutic efficacy via cavitation effects. The FN/FBA-PEG-FBA@Cur (denoted as FNC) nanogels demonstrated a targeted effect on atherosclerosis sites, attributed to the strong affinity between the RGD sequence on FN and the integrins highly expressed on the surface of plaque cells. Moreover, the Schiff base linkage

SUBMITTER: Zhang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12274839 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature