Therapeutic potentials of peptide-derived nanoformulations in atherosclerosis: present status and future directions

Atherosclerosis is a severe cardiovascular disease followed by the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques within the lumen of blood vessels resulting in reduced blood flow thus initiating a series of events. Conventional therapies for atherosclerosis encounter multiple challenges, especially difficulty in precisely concentrating in certain affected regions and the potential for unwanted side effects. Consequently, scientists are focused on developing nanoformulations for atherosclerosis diagnosis and therapy. Peptide-based nanomedicines improve conventional therapies by offering improved structural and therapeutic stability and enabling target-specific delivery. Their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability additionally render them desirable materials intended for in vivo use. This review manuscript aims to provide an in-depth overview of peptide-based nanomedicines for atherosclerosis, focusing on targeted cells like endothelial cells, macrophages, and monocytes and their interaction with different plaque components. Moreover, the manuscript also highlights the latest progress in multimodal techniques and provides a comprehensive overview of limitations associated with their practical implementation.