Nanoparticle-based therapeutic platforms for inflammatory disorders of the urinary system: Engineering local delivery, biointerface regulation, and smart responsive therapy

Inflammatory diseases of the urinary system, including urinary tract infection (UTI), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), are associated with high recurrence, complex pathogenesis, and limited therapeutic durability. Conventional treatments are constrained by antimicrobial resistance, biofilm persistence, intracellular bacterial reservoirs, urine washout, urothelial and prostatic barriers, indwelling device surfaces, and heterogeneous neuroimmune inflammatory mechanisms. Nanoparticles provide versatile platforms to address these challenges through tunable physicochemical properties, controlled release, local retention, tissue penetration, and intrinsic material functions. This review summarizes the pathological basis and therapeutic limitations of major inflammatory urinary disorders and discusses recent advances in organic, inorganic, and hybrid nanoplatforms. In infectious diseases, nanoparticles can enhance antibiotic delivery, promote biofilm penetration and intracellular pathogen clearance, and functionalize catheter or stent surfaces with antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-encrustation properties. In noninfectious disorders, they support intravesical retention, glycosaminoglycan-layer repair, oxidative-stress modulation, immune regulation, pain-pathway intervention, and prostatic or rectal delivery. Emerging applications in upper UTI and renal inflammatory injury further expand their therapeutic scope. Finally, we discuss current translational barriers, including model fidelity, long-term safety, manufacturing control, clinical evidence, and rational functional integration.