Research advances in drug carrier systems targeting hepatic stellate cells / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are an important target for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Safe and effective targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to HSCs, improvement of drug therapeutic effect, and reduction of toxic and side effects of off-target drugs are important measures for the development of anti-liver fibrosis drugs. A number of protein markers are elevated in activated HSCs, and thus their ligands are used for the specific delivery of anti-fibrotic drugs. This article summarizes the research advances in the treatment of liver fibrosis by targeting HSCs from the aspects of the type of drug carriers and target receptors.