Nanoscale materials-based platforms for the treatment of bone-related diseases

Abstract

Owing to the high density of bone tissue and the complex and highly hierarchical structure, drugs used for the treatment of bone-related diseases are often not effectively concentrated at the site of the lesion. Generally, the therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory, and the long-term use of drugs causes adverse effects. Therefore, it is of great importance to explore nanotherapeutic platforms to improve bone-targeting capabilities and provide controlled release performance on demand to enhance therapeutic effects. This review aims to (1) summarize various types of recently developed nanotherapeutic platforms; (2) present representative material strategies for applying nanoplatforms for treating bone diseases based on a deeper knowledge of the biophysical structure and material-chemical composition of human osteology, and the awareness of disease pathogenesis and progression; and (3) summarize the typical multifunctional systems through a suitable combination of different cues for enhancing the treatment efficacy.