Glycinated poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) nanoparticles conjugated with relaxin peptide are preferentially taken up by monocytes and T cells, delivering anti-fibrotic therapy with improved biocompatibility for chronic fibrotic diseases.
Immune cell-targeted relaxin deliveryGlycinated nanoparticles deliver anti-fibrotic relaxin peptide preferentially to monocytes and T cells—the immune cells driving fibrosis
What the researchers found
Glycinated NPs: improved biocompatibility, RLX conjugation maintained. Preferential uptake by monocytes and T cells. Targeted delivery of anti-fibrotic peptide to relevant immune cells.
Why it matters
Fibrosis has no cure. Relaxin is a promising anti-fibrotic peptide but has poor pharmacokinetics. Nanoparticle delivery targeting the immune cells that drive fibrosis could make relaxin therapy clinically viable.
How the study worked
Nanoparticle synthesis (glycinated poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid)), relaxin conjugation, immune cell uptake studies with monocytes, T cells, and other immune populations.
What this study cannot tell us
In vitro uptake studies. No in vivo disease model data. Anti-fibrotic efficacy of delivered relaxin not demonstrated. Manufacturing scalability unclear.
How to read the evidence
In vitro proof of concept. Demonstrates targeting but not therapeutic efficacy.
When this study was published
Published in 2025.
The bigger picture
Nanoparticle-peptide conjugates that target specific immune cells represent a precision medicine approach to fibrotic diseases, combining the therapeutic potential of relaxin with the targeting capability of engineered nanoparticles.
Questions still open
- Does nanoparticle-delivered relaxin show superior anti-fibrotic efficacy in vivo?
- Can the glycination approach be adapted for other therapeutic peptides?
- Which fibrotic disease should be targeted first for clinical development?
Common questions
What is relaxin and why use nanoparticles to deliver it?
What diseases could this treat?
Read the original research
Immune cell uptake of glycinated nanoparticles conjugated to anti-fibrotic peptides enables their prolonged activity and oral administration.
Journal of biomedical science, 32(1), 104
Citation
Somanader-Livera, Deidree V N; Wei, Chen; Wang, Chao; Li, Yifang; Ferens, Dorota; Salimova, Ekaterina; Selomulya, Cordelia; Hossain, Mohammed Akhter; Samuel, Chrishan S; Chakraborty, Amlan. (2025). Immune cell uptake of glycinated nanoparticles conjugated to anti-fibrotic peptides enables their prolonged activity and oral administration.. Journal of biomedical science, 32(1), 104. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12929-025-01198-8