LAUSR

The effective drug treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is hindered by poor delivery efficiency to the diseased site and the serious side effects caused by wide-spread drug distribution. Traditional drug-targeting strategies, such as ligand modification, are complex, laborious, and inefficient. Inspired by the intrinsic relationship between platelets and RA, platelet-mimetic nanoparticles (PNPs) were developed for targeted drug delivery in RA. Through platelet receptor-mediated adhesion, an intact platelet membrane was coated onto poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles, endowing the resulting PNPs with various functional receptors. By coating with platelet membranes, the nanoparticles were stabilized and had a better circulation profile, providing a benefit for passive targeting. In vitro binding of PNPs to inflamed endothelium, and in vivo accumulation in joints of a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model of RA were significantly improved via P-selectin and GVPI recognition, indicating that the PNPs could effectively target to RA tissues through multiple mechanisms, similar to natural platelets. Moreover, FK506, a model drug, was loaded into the PNPs and used to treat RA. Pharmacodynamic studies demonstrated that the FK506-PNPs had a notable anti-arthritic effect in CIA mice. This study provides a new biomimetic targeting strategy with great potential for the treatment of RA.