Advances in Nano-Drug Delivery Systems for Chronic Autoimmune Diseases: A Focus on Diabetes Mellitus, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Abstract

The global prevalence of autoimmune diseases ranges from 3% to 8%, with women at a significantly higher risk than men. The core mechanisms underlying these diseases include impaired T-cell and B-cell immune tolerance, abnormal cytokine production, and aberrant activation of related signaling pathways. Conventional treatments primarily focus on suppressing immune responses, but their efficacy remains limited and they are often associated with substantial side effects. Nanomedicine leverages nanoscale materials to enable precise diagnosis and targeted therapy. Nanocarriers can penetrate biological barriers, enhance cellular uptake, and prolong circulation time in vivo, demonstrating considerable potential for drug delivery. Common nanoscale drug delivery platforms include nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, liposomes, dendrimers, mesoporous materials, hydrogels, and exosomes. Each carrier type possesses distinct characteristics in terms of drug-loading capacity, stability, responsiveness, and biocompatibility, thereby enabling targeted delivery and controlled release. This review summarizes recent advances in nano-delivery technologies for three representative chronic autoimmune diseases: diabetes mellitus (DM), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nano-delivery systems can improve therapeutic outcomes by optimizing drug delivery, targeting complications, and modulating the pathological microenvironment. They enhance drug bioavailability, reduce off-target and systemic adverse effects, and provide novel strategies for the precise and efficient treatment of chronic autoimmune diseases.