Nanomedicine Captures Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Nanomedicine, the research field that makes use of nanoparticulate agents for biomedical applications, is well established in oncology.1 In fact, the application of nanotechnology in medicine started with, and is most prominently present in, targeted therapeutics for cancer. The initial goals included altering pharmacokinetics, increasing the percentage of injected dose to reach the tumor, accomplishing target-specific delivery and uptake therefore decreasing doses of compounds with antitumor activity.2 Furthermore, nanoparticles may be used to solubilize hydrophobic or amphiphilic molecules. Many nanoparticulate formulations (eg, cytostatic agents) have been shown to exhibit increased therapeutic efficacy and diminished adverse effects, which have ultimately resulted in their clinical application.3 The most well-known nanoparticulate formulations applied are liposomes (bilayered vesicles of phospholipids) which can contain a hydrophilic payload in their lumen or an amphiphilic payload in the lipid bilayer.3 Doxil, a liposomal formulation of doxorubicin, is approved for the treatment of solid tumors in patients with breast-carcinoma metastases, and has resulted in a subsequent improvement in survival.4 Gene targeting to angiogenic tumor blood vessels using cationic liposomes specific for αvβ3-intergin has shown efficacy in tumor bearing mice.5 Using this approach, apoptosis of the tumor-associated endothelium was induced by a mutant Raf gene, ultimately leading to tumor cell apoptosis and sustained regression of established …