Compared to their bulk materials, nanomaterials offer a wide range of distinct physicochemical properties that are ideal for many biomedical purposes. Some of the different applications of nanomaterials within medicine include drug delivery, tissue engineering, bio-micromechanical systems (bioMEMS), biosensors, microfluidics, and diagnostics. Of these, nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems have emerged as one of the primary uses of nanotechnology within medicine.
The small size of nanomaterials is mainly responsible for their various advantageous properties. For drug delivery systems, nanomaterials have not only improved the targeting specificity of these drugs but have also improved circulation time, biodistribution, solubility, intracellular delivery, and ability to cross biological membranes. For cancer treatment purposes, nanocarriers have also been found to allow for drugs to accumulate at high levels at the tumor site.
An Overview of Inorganic Nanomaterials
Inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) have been widely studied over the past several decades for a wide variety of industrial purposes. Within the field of biomedicine, INPs have been utilized for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
For example, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been widely studied due to their biocompatibility and the ease of controlling their size distribution and shape, which can include spheres, nanorods, and cubes, among others. Furthermore, the surface chemistry of AuNPs can also be easily modified through conjugation with various polymers, antibodies, small-molecule therapeutics, and molecular probes.
Another prevalent type of INP includes iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), which have been widely used since the 1960s for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic purposes. To date, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several IONPs for both therapeutic and imaging use. In particular, magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles have been used as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to their extremely low cytotoxicity profile, magnetic responsiveness, tunability, and controlled size and surface modification.
MSNPs have also been studied for their use as stimuli-responsive drug release systems. In this application, the surface of MSNPs can be manipulated to adjust the controlled release of the encapsulated drug after a trigger reaction occurs. Some of the different medications that have been incorporated into MSNP-based drug delivery systems include vancomycin and adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
An Overview of Organic Nanomaterials
Several organic-based nanomaterials, including liposomes, micelles, and polymer nanoparticles, have been developed for drug delivery purposes.
Liposomes, for example, or a type of lipid-based nanomaterial that consists of an aqueous core surrounded by a phospholipid bilayer. This structure is therefore amphiphilic and allows for the formation of a thermodynamically stabilized vesicle. Some of the most common types of phospholipids that are often incorporated into liposomes include phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylglycerol. In addition to these phospholipids, stabilizers like cholesterol are also often incorporated into a liposome to increase their stability.
As drug delivery vehicles, liposomes have been shown to improve the permeation of hydrophilic drugs, protect peptides and other protein-based drugs against harsh conditions like the stomach’s acidity, improve the bioavailability of drugs, as well as reduce toxicity and adverse side effects. Notably, the targeting ability and rate of drug release of liposomes depend on the type of lipid incorporated into the liposome and their size, lamellarity, and surface properties.
Applications in Cancer Treatment
Both INPs and organic nanoparticles have been widely studied for their use as drug delivery vehicles for anticancer drugs. For example, AuNPs and IONPs and their combination have been explored for HER2 receptor-based targeting of drugs for the treatment of breast cancer.
Several other HER2-based targeting treatments have been developed based on modified nanocarriers to improve the therapeutic efficacy of specific antineoplastic agents. For example, one recent study discussed the development of trastuzumab conjugated pH-sensitive double-emulsion nanocapsules (DENCs) that are stabilized by both poly (vinyl alcohol) and magnetic nanoparticles. In this work, the researchers used these nanocarriers for the co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel, which were found to improve the targeting ability of these drugs towards HER2 positive breast cancer cells.
The first FDA-approved nanodrug was Doxil®, which is a PEGylated liposomal DOX formulation that passively targets tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Importantly, Doxil® is associated with significantly reduced cardiotoxicity as compared to when DOX is used alone.
Challenges
Despite the numerous advantages associated with both INPs and organic nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles, several major challenges still account for their limited clinical use. One of the most significant issues includes the regulatory mechanisms currently in place for nanomedicines and the safety and toxicity assessments that need to be better tailored for nanomedical applications….
News
AI at the Speed of Light: How Silicon Photonics Are Reinventing Hardware
A cutting-edge AI acceleration platform powered by light rather than electricity could revolutionize how AI is trained and deployed. Using photonic integrated circuits made from advanced III-V semiconductors, researchers have developed a system that vastly [...]
A Grain of Brain, 523 Million Synapses, Most Complicated Neuroscience Experiment Ever Attempted
A team of over 150 scientists has achieved what once seemed impossible: a complete wiring and activity map of a tiny section of a mammalian brain. This feat, part of the MICrONS Project, rivals [...]
The Secret “Radar” Bacteria Use To Outsmart Their Enemies
A chemical radar allows bacteria to sense and eliminate predators. Investigating how microorganisms communicate deepens our understanding of the complex ecological interactions that shape our environment is an area of key focus for the [...]
Psychologists explore ethical issues associated with human-AI relationships
It's becoming increasingly commonplace for people to develop intimate, long-term relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. At their extreme, people have "married" their AI companions in non-legally binding ceremonies, and at least two people [...]
When You Lose Weight, Where Does It Actually Go?
Most health professionals lack a clear understanding of how body fat is lost, often subscribing to misconceptions like fat converting to energy or muscle. The truth is, fat is actually broken down into carbon [...]
How Everyday Plastics Quietly Turn Into DNA-Damaging Nanoparticles
The same unique structure that makes plastic so versatile also makes it susceptible to breaking down into harmful micro- and nanoscale particles. The world is saturated with trillions of microscopic and nanoscopic plastic particles, some smaller [...]
AI Outperforms Physicians in Real-World Urgent Care Decisions, Study Finds
The study, conducted at the virtual urgent care clinic Cedars-Sinai Connect in LA, compared recommendations given in about 500 visits of adult patients with relatively common symptoms – respiratory, urinary, eye, vaginal and dental. [...]
Challenging the Big Bang: A Multi-Singularity Origin for the Universe
In a study published in the journal Classical and Quantum Gravity, Dr. Richard Lieu, a physics professor at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), which is a part of The University of Alabama System, suggests that [...]
New drug restores vision by regenerating retinal nerves
Vision is one of the most crucial human senses, yet over 300 million people worldwide are at risk of vision loss due to various retinal diseases. While recent advancements in retinal disease treatments have [...]
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk by 20%, new study shows
A shingles shot may do more than prevent rash — it could help shield the aging brain from dementia, according to a landmark study using real-world data from the UK. A routine vaccine could [...]
AI Predicts Sudden Cardiac Arrest Days Before It Strikes
AI can now predict deadly heart arrhythmias up to two weeks in advance, potentially transforming cardiac care. Artificial intelligence could play a key role in preventing many cases of sudden cardiac death, according to [...]
NanoApps Medical is a Top 20 Feedspot Nanotech Blog
There is an ocean of Nanotechnology news published every day. Feedspot saves us a lot of time and we recommend it. We have been using it since 2018. Feedspot is a freemium online RSS [...]
This Startup Says It Can Clean Your Blood of Microplastics
This is a non-exhaustive list of places microplastics have been found: Mount Everest, the Mariana Trench, Antarctic snow, clouds, plankton, turtles, whales, cattle, birds, tap water, beer, salt, human placentas, semen, breast milk, feces, testicles, [...]
New Blood Test Detects Alzheimer’s and Tracks Its Progression With 92% Accuracy
The new test could help identify which patients are most likely to benefit from new Alzheimer’s drugs. A newly developed blood test for Alzheimer’s disease not only helps confirm the presence of the condition but also [...]
The CDC buried a measles forecast that stressed the need for vaccinations
This story was originally published on ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. ProPublica — Leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [...]
Light-Driven Plasmonic Microrobots for Nanoparticle Manipulation
A recent study published in Nature Communications presents a new microrobotic platform designed to improve the precision and versatility of nanoparticle manipulation using light. Led by Jin Qin and colleagues, the research addresses limitations in traditional [...]
