Therapeutic and diagnostic targeting of fibrosis in metabolic, proliferative and viral disorders

Alexandros Marios Sofias*, Federica De Lorenzi, Quim Peña, Armin Azadkhah Shalmani, Mihael Vucur, Jiong-Wei Wang, Fabian Kiessling, Yang Shi, Lorena Consolino, Gert Storm, Twan Lammers

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleAcademicpeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)
164 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Fibrosis is a common denominator in many pathologies and crucially affects disease progression, drug delivery efficiency and therapy outcome. We here summarize therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for fibrosis targeting in atherosclerosis and cardiac disease, cancer, diabetes, liver diseases and viral infections. We address various anti-fibrotic targets, ranging from cells and genes to metabolites and proteins, primarily focusing on fibrosis-promoting features that are conserved among the different diseases. We discuss how anti-fibrotic therapies have progressed over the years, and how nanomedicine formulations can potentiate anti-fibrotic treatment efficacy. From a diagnostic point of view, we discuss how medical imaging can be employed to facilitate the diagnosis, staging and treatment monitoring of fibrotic disorders. Altogether, this comprehensive overview serves as a basis for developing individualized and improved treatment strategies for patients suffering from fibrosis-associated pathologies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number113831
JournalAdvanced drug delivery reviews
Volume175
Early online date15 Jun 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2021

Keywords

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Diabetes
  • Drug targeting
  • Fibrosis
  • Imaging
  • Liver
  • Nanomedicine
  • Viral infection

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