Multivalent nanosystems: targeting monocytes/macrophages

Among all the cellular partners involved in inflammatory processes, monocytes and macrophages are the master regulators of inflammation. They are found in almost all the tissues and are nearly the only cells capable of performing each step of inflammation. Consequently, they stand as major relevant therapeutic targets to treat inflammatory disorders and diseases. The physiological phagocytic activity of macrophages prompts them to detect, to recognize, and eventually to engulf any nanosystem cruising in their neighborhood. Interestingly, nanosystems can be rationally engineered to afford multivalent, and multifunctional if needed, entities with multiplexed and/or reinforced biological activities. Indeed, engineered nanosystems bearing moieties specifically targeting macrophages, and loaded with or bound to drugs are promising candidates to modulate, or even eradicate, deleterious macrophages in vivo. In this review we highlight recent articles and concepts of multivalent nanosystems targeting monocytes and macrophages to treat inflammatory disorders.