Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an interstitial lung illness characterised by progressive scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue [1], which causes thickening and stiffening of tissue, and subsequently impairing gasoline trade and respiratory perform. The resultant respiratory insufficiency results in a poor prognosis after analysis [2]. Notably, IPF demonstrates robust age-dependent prevalence patterns, considerably rising the burden on sufferers, caregivers, and healthcare techniques with the worldwide growing older state of affairs [3]. Regardless of ongoing analysis efforts, the fibrotic adjustments related to IPF are largely irreversible [7], [5], [4], [6], making early and correct analysis, together with efficient intervention, important for bettering affected person outcomes and high quality of life [8].
In scientific apply, present diagnostic strategies, together with lung imaging, histopathological examination and multidisciplinary discussions (MDD), face exceptional limitations comparable to restricted accuracy, invasiveness and time consumption, respectively. These drawbacks usually result in delayed or incorrect analysis and missed alternatives for early therapeutic intervention [10], [9]. Therapy methods primarily deal with lung transplantation and pharmacotherapy [11], [12]. Nevertheless, lung transplantation is hindered by donor shortages and substantial surgical dangers [14], [16], [15], [13], making pharmacotherapy the mainstream therapy strategy. Current pharmacotherapy exhibit low bioavailability and supply effectivity, resulting in restricted efficacy in illness therapy, and appreciable unwanted effects comparable to nausea, diarrhea, and rash [12], [18], [19], [17]. These challenges spotlight the necessity for progressive technological approaches to enhance sufferers’ high quality of life and lengthen survival.
Developments in nanotechnology over the previous a long time have pushed the emergence of engineered nanomaterials, providing progressive and probably superior options for diagnostics and therapeutics. Within the realm of IPF analysis, nano-contrast brokers, on account of their small measurement and paramagnetic properties, can quickly accumulate in fibrotic areas, considerably enhancing the distinction of fibrosis lesions in imaging modalities comparable to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thereby bettering the sensitivity and determination of fibrosis detection [20]. The problems of long-term accumulation and toxicity of metallic nanomaterials in fibrotic tissue have additionally been progressively ameliorated with refinements in nanotechnology. Moreover, the particular molecular focusing on functionality of nanoprobes permits exact differentiation of IPF from different interstitial lung illnesses in medical photographs. Furthermore, benefiting from their distinctive bodily and chemical properties, metallic nanoparticle-enhanced biosensor platforms reworked the in vitro diagnostic panorama, enabling the non-invasive and extremely correct analysis of IPF [22], [21], [25], [24], [23]. By way of therapy, nanotechnology can be utilized to optimize the efficacy of present pharmacotherapy by creating new nano-therapeutic methods on the molecular and mobile ranges [25], [24], [23], [26]. Nanocarriers present enhancement in focusing on capability of quite a few potential drug candidates [29], [28], [27], whereas bettering inhalation drug supply by overcoming organic boundaries, prolonging pulmonary retention time, enhancing pulmonary drug deposition and their bioavailability [30]. Moreover, unified nanoplatforms have been developed by integrating monitoring and therapeutic capabilities, thereby extending the therapeutic period of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by means of the amelioration of the fibrotic tissue microenvironment [31], [32]. The nanotechnology-mediated options allow early detection and environment friendly therapy of IPF, providing well timed therapy alternatives earlier than vital lung harm happens and bettering affected person outcomes.
This overview focuses the complicated pathogenesis of IPF and newest developments within the analysis and therapy of IPF, embody the functions of nanotechnology in (each in vivo and in vitro) IPF precision diagnostics, the innovation of nanocarriers designed for inhalable drug supply, and the unified nanoplatforms utilizing synergistic methods combining real-time monitoring and therapeutic capabilities. Moreover, the restrictions of nanotechnology have been mentioned by means of comparative evaluation. Lastly, this overview concludes with future instructions for its scientific translation.
