Abstract
In the last two decades, zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor Quantum dots (QDs) have been shown to have fantastic luminescent properties, which together with their low-cost, low-toxicity and biocompatibility have turned these nanomaterials into one of the main candidates for bio-imaging. The discovery of other desirable traits such as their ability to produce destructive reactive oxygen species (ROS), high catalytic efficiency, strong adsorption capability and high isoelectric point, also make them promising nanomaterials for therapeutic and diagnostic functions. Herein, we review the recent progress on the use of ZnO based nanoplatforms in drug delivery and theranostic in several diseases such as bacterial infection and cancer.
Highlights
For many years, the use of organic dye molecules has allowed us to detect and monitor various kinds of substances, including drugs, amino acids, nucleotides or materials, both in and outside of cells
Alenius et al investigated the response produced by topically administration of nano-sized zinc oxide (ZnO) in the mouse model of atopic dermatitis (AD) and compared these outcomes to those induced by bulk-sized ZnO
A nHDF: Normal human dermal fibroblasts; SD: Sprague-Dawley; PBMC: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; HaCaT: Aneuploid immortal keratinocyte cell. b CZBs: Microporous chitosan hydrogel/nano zinc oxide composite bandages; SAGA-ZnO Quantum dots (QDs) hydrogels; chitosan/silk sericin (CHT/SS)/ZnO QDs: Chitosan/silk sericin scaffolds combined with ZnO QDs; CHT/SS/LA: Chitosan/silk sericin scaffolds combined with lauric acid; CHT/gel/C4S/ZnO films: chitosan-based films containing gelatin, chondroitin 4-Sulphate and ZnO, respectively
Summary
The use of organic dye molecules has allowed us to detect and monitor various kinds of substances, including drugs, amino acids, nucleotides or materials, both in and outside of cells. The use of DDS in nanomedicine has important advantages compared with traditional drugs: (i) increasing solubility of drugs that cannot be taken up by cells and increasing their bioavailability [27,28]; (ii) avoiding the degradation of some drugs that are unstable at physiological or gastrointestinal pH [29,30]; and (iii) reducing the toxicity and side effects of drugs by using target molecules that increase the selectivity of the treatment [31,32] Considering their ability to produce ROS, capacity to act as drug delivery systems and their luminescence properties, we can talk about theranostic nanoplatforms where ZnO QDs perform the role of image agents and of treatment [33,34]. A MCF-7: Human breast cancer cell; MCF-7S/MCF-7R: Human breast cancer cell sensitive/resistant to doxorubicin; MDA-MB-231: epithelial, human breast cancer cell; HeLa: Human epithelial cells from a fatal cervical carcinoma; NCI/ADR-RES: Ovarian tumour cell; MES-SA/Dx5: Multidrug-resistant human sarcoma cell; HBL-100: Human, Caucasian, breast cancer cell; SMMC-7721: Human hepatocarcinoma cell; PC3: Human prostate cancer cell; HNSCC: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; BxPC-3: Human pancreatic cancer cell; HEK 293T: Human embryonic kidney cells; Caco-2: Human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cell; HepG2: Human liver cancer cell; A549: Adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell. b ZnO QDs: Zinc oxide quantum dots; FA: Folic acid; QDs: Quantum dots; MUC1: membrane glycoprotein which is highly expressed in most breast cancers; Aptamer S2.2.: (5 -COOH-GCA-GTT-GAT-CCT-TTG-GAT-ACC-CTGGTTTTT-FAM-3 ) SiO2: Silica; NCs: Nanocrystals; MABG: TiO2@ZnO–GO: ZnO coated mesoporous titanium oxide QDs containing graphene oxide; Fe3O4@ZnO@mGd2O3:Eu@P(NIPAm-co-MAA): iron oxide QDs coated with ZnO and mesoporous Gd2O3:Eu shells with a polymer poly[(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-(methacrylic acid)] (P(NIPAm-co-MAA)) to gate the mesoporous; K8(RGD) cationic peptide containing 2 RGD sequences; β-CD-Fe3O4@ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+: β-cyclodextrins functionalized iron oxide QDs doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ coated with ZnO; ZnO MSNs: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with ZnO QDs as cap of the pores; UCNPs@mSiO2-ZnO: Lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles with a mesoporous silica layer and ZnO QDs as gatekeeper; ZnO-pSiO2-GSSG NPs: ZnO QDs as cups of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) amino-functionalized silica NPs; L-pSiO2/Cys/ZnO NPs: Lemon like silica NPs with cysteine and ZnO QDs cups; MCNs: Mesoporous carbon nanoparticles. c UV: Ultra violet. d DOX: Doxorrubicin; Cur: Curcumin; VP-16: Chemotherapeutic drug etoposide; CPT: Camptothecin; and MIT: Mitoxantrone
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