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 operate. The resultant respiratory insufficiency results in a poor prognosis after prognosis [2]. Notably, IPF demonstrates robust age-dependent prevalence patterns, considerably rising the burden on sufferers, caregivers, and healthcare programs with the worldwide growing old 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 prognosis, together with efficient intervention, important for enhancing affected person outcomes and high quality of life [8].
In scientific follow, present diagnostic strategies, together with lung imaging, histopathological examination and multidisciplinary discussions (MDD), face outstanding limitations reminiscent of restricted accuracy, invasiveness and time consumption, respectively. These drawbacks usually result in delayed or incorrect prognosis and missed alternatives for early therapeutic intervention [10], [9]. Therapy methods primarily concentrate on lung transplantation and pharmacotherapy [11], [12]. Nonetheless, lung transplantation is hindered by donor shortages and substantial surgical dangers [14], [16], [15], [13], making pharmacotherapy the mainstream remedy method. Present pharmacotherapy exhibit low bioavailability and supply effectivity, resulting in restricted efficacy in illness remedy, and appreciable uncomfortable side effects reminiscent of nausea, diarrhea, and rash [12], [18], [19], [17]. These challenges spotlight the necessity for revolutionary technological approaches to enhance sufferers’ high quality of life and prolong survival.
Developments in nanotechnology over the previous many years have pushed the emergence of engineered nanomaterials, providing revolutionary and probably superior options for diagnostics and therapeutics. Within the realm of IPF prognosis, nano-contrast brokers, on account of their small dimension and paramagnetic properties, can quickly accumulate in fibrotic areas, considerably enhancing the distinction of fibrosis lesions in imaging modalities reminiscent of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thereby enhancing 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 steadily 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 photos. Furthermore, benefiting from their distinctive bodily and chemical properties, metallic nanoparticle-enhanced biosensor platforms remodeled the in vitro diagnostic panorama, enabling the non-invasive and extremely correct prognosis of IPF [22], [21], [25], [24], [23]. By way of remedy, 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 enhancing inhalation drug supply by overcoming organic limitations, 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 length of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by the amelioration of the fibrotic tissue microenvironment [31], [32]. The nanotechnology-mediated options allow early detection and environment friendly remedy of IPF, providing well timed remedy alternatives earlier than vital lung harm happens and enhancing affected person outcomes.
This assessment focuses the advanced pathogenesis of IPF and newest developments within the prognosis and remedy of IPF, embody the purposes 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 constraints of nanotechnology have been mentioned by comparative evaluation. Lastly, this assessment concludes with future instructions for its scientific translation.