Engineered nanozyme immunomodulator for xerostomia treatment via regulating submandibular salivary gland.

ABSTRACT: Xerostomia, or dry mouth, manifests as a symptom of hyposalivation. Current clinical management primarily relies on palliative therapies to alleviate symptoms. However, progressive salivary gland damage often leads to irreversible functional loss, severely compromising patients' quality of life. Consequently, there is an urgent need for therapeutics that can promote salivary gland repair and functional recovery. Herein, we developed a novel cerium-based nanozyme delivery system for hyposalivation immunotherapy. Following intravenous injection, the nanosystem preferentially accumulates in mouse submandibular glands, leveraging the reported affinity of its copolymer coating for muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. At the target site, the nanozyme scavenges reactive oxygen species by mimicking

SUBMITTER: Tao X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12664455 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature