Fig. 3

Therapeutic approaches to targeting HSC. HSC have been targeted by coupling a compound to a carrier possessing either a HSC-specific receptor-binding ligand or an antibody. Carriers utilised include: a monoclonal human single chain antibody (scAb) fragment to synaptophysin [155]; a sugar moiety that binds the mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) insulin-like growth factor receptor [157]; a liposome specific to the vitamin A (retinol-binding protein) receptor [156]; PDGFβ-peptide [160]; PDGFβ receptor recognising peptide (PPB) [164]; an RGD peptide bound to a liposome or coupled to human serum albumin (HSA) [159, 162] scAb Fv, single chain antibody variable fragment; PEG, polyethylene glycol; pCVI, 10 cyclic peptide moieties that recognise collagen type VI receptors