Abstract

Inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases including arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Imaging and therapy of inflammation is therefore crucial for the management of a plethora of diseases. In recent years we have developed a series of pH- or reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive materials by functional modification of cyclodextrins. Nanoparticles derived from luminol-conjugated materials can serve as luminescent nanoprobes for noninvasive imaging of different inflammatory diseases. On the other hand, ROS-responsive nanoparticles based on phenylboronic acid pinacol ester-conjugated cyclodextrins can be used for targeted treatment of diverse diseases, such as colitis, atherosclerosis, restenosis, and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Using different candidate drugs, we demonstrated the therapeutic advantages of these ROS-responsive nanovehicles. Also, we proposed a new strategy for targeted treatment of inflammatory diseases, using cyclodextrin material-derived nanoparticles with hydrogen peroxide or broad-spectrum ROS eliminating capability. Importantly, extensive studies indicated that nanoparticles based on these ROS-sensitive cyclodextrin materials displayed good safety profiles.