Nanocarriers For Applications Research Articles

Strategies for Targeted Delivery via Structurally Variant Polymeric Nanocarriers

AbstractThe last decade has seen a meteoric rise in studies investigating polymeric aggregates as nanocarriers. When it comes to morphology, size, functionality, and immunostability, polymeric nanocarriers (PNCs) are unparalleled. With characteristics such as large surface area to volume ratio, amphiphilic nano‐environment, non‐toxic components, chemically modifiable composition, external surface alteration potential, uniform particle size, and stimuli‐dependent self‐assembly, PNCs have emerged as strong candidates for therapeutic applications. The article reviews the latest research on different challenges and strategies for targeted drug delivery and shall serve as guide to the researchers in designing site‐specific nanocarriers for application in future. The review systematically discusses the fundamental structural variation of the nanocarriers with emphasis on the influence of chemical alterations and the resulting effects on functionality; addresses the difficulties encountered with modes of administration; target selectivity and stimulus response.

Advantages of nanocarriers for basic research in the field of traumatic brain injury.

A major challenge for the efficient treatment of traumatic brain injury is the need for therapeutic molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier to enter and accumulate in brain tissue. To overcome this problem, researchers have begun to focus on nanocarriers and other brain-targeting drug delivery systems. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology, basic pathophysiology, current clinical treatment, the establishment of models, and the evaluation indicators that are commonly used for traumatic brain injury. We also report the current status of traumatic brain injury when treated with nanocarriers such as liposomes and vesicles. Nanocarriers can overcome a variety of key biological barriers, improve drug bioavailability, increase intracellular penetration and retention time, achieve drug enrichment, control drug release, and achieve brain-targeting drug delivery. However, the application of nanocarriers remains in the basic research stage and has yet to be fully translated to the clinic.

A systematic review on application of nano-carriers loaded with drug in the treatment of neurological disorders

The central nervous system disorders represent a worldwide public health problem. Neuro-degeneration is associated with many transitions in brain including synaptic disorder and neuro-cognition decline. It is shielded by a barrier which controls the entry of compounds into the brain known as blood brain barrier (BBB), there by regulating brain homeostasis. In achieving a therapeutic amount of drug to the proper site of action in the body and then maintaining the desired amount of drug concentration for a sufficient time interval to be clinically effective for treatment. Particularly, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are becoming further established in the elderly inhabitants of the society. These ailments usually encompass advanced degeneration & neuronal loss, rendering these disorders spread and difficult to treat. There are various types of pharmaceutical approaches to treat the neurological disorders. The drug loaded Nano-carriers are one of them. In this review, we will address the different applications of drug loaded Nano-carriers in the treatment of various neurological disorders. The Nano-carriers developed to enhance drug delivery across the BBB include micelles, exosomes, liposomes, nanotubes, nanoparticle, Nano emulsions, dendrimers, Nano gels, and quantum dots, etc. The recent developments in Nano-carriers’ implementation through size/charge optimization and surface modifications like PE Gylation, targeting delivery, and coating with surfactants have been discussed, and a detailed description of the Nano-scaled pharmaceutical delivery devices employed for the treatment of central nervous system disorders has also been defined. This review provides a brief overview of the variety of carriers employed for central nervous system drug and diagnostic probes delivery.

Advancement in nanotechnology for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: scope and potential applications.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a hyperactive immune disorder that results in severe inflammation in synovial joints, cartilage, and bone deterioration, resulting in immobilization of joints. Traditional approaches for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are associated with some limiting factors such as suboptimal patient compliance, inability to control the progression of disorder, and safety concerns. Therefore, innovative drug delivery carriers for efficient therapeutic delivery at inflamed synovial sites with better safety assessment are urgently needed to address these issues. From this perspective, nanotechnology is an outstanding alternative to traditional drug delivery approaches, and it has shown great promise in developing novel carriers to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Considering the current research and future application of nanocarriers, it is believed that nanocarriers can be a crucial element in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. This paper covers all currently available pathophysiological aspects of rheumatoid arthritis and treatment options. Future research for the reduction of synovial inflammation should focus on developing multifunction nanoparticles capable of delivering therapeutic agents with improved safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness to be commercialized.

Colon cancer and their targeting approaches through nanocarriers

Colon cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer in the world. Colon cancer develops when healthy cells in the lining of the colon or rectum alter and grow uncontrollably to form a mass known as a tumor. Despite major medical improvements, colon cancer is still one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally. One of the main issues of chemotherapy is toxicity related to conventional medicines. The targeted delivery systems are considered the safest and most effective by increasing the concentration of a therapeutic substance at the tumor site while decreasing it at other organs. Therefore, these delivery systems required lower doses for high therapeutic value with minimum side effects. The current review focuses on targeting therapeutic substances at the desired site using nanocarriers. Additionally, the diagnostic applications of nanocarriers in colorectal cancer are also discussed.

Nanotechnology-Based Drug Delivery Systems in the Transdermal Treatment of Melanoma.

The incidence rate of melanoma is dramatically increasing worldwide, raising it to the fifth most common cancer in men and the sixth in women currently. Resistance generally occurs to the agents used in chemotherapy; besides their high toxicity destroys the normal cells. This study reviewed a detailed summary of the structure, advantages, and disadvantages of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems in the treatment of melanoma, as well as some nanocarrier applications in animal models or clinical studies. Respective databases were searched for the target keywords and 93 articles were reviewed and discussed. A close study of the liposomes, niosomes, transferosomes, ethosomes, transethosomes, cubosomes, dendrimers, cyclodextrins, solid lipid nanoparticles, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was conducted. It was found that these nanocarriers could inhibit metastasis and migration of melanoma cells and decrease cell viability. Conclusively, some nanocarriers like liposomes, niosomes, and transferosomes have been discussed as superior to conventional therapies for melanoma treatment.

Physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and application of nanocarriers.

As a promising delivery nanosystem for drug controlled-release, nanocarriers (NCs) have been investigated widely. Although various studies have concentrated on the preparation and characterization of nanoparticles (NPs), clinical applications are rarely reported, due to the unclear distribution, absorption, metabolism, toxicology processes and drug release mechanism. The clinical application of NCs is therefore still a long way off. This review describes the effects of the properties of NCs (including size, shape, surface properties, porosity, elasticity and so on) on pharmacological and toxicological behaviours in vivo and medical applications. Moreover, this study is intended to help the readers understand the behaviours and mechanisms of NCs and positively face the challenges caused by the variety of complicated and limited processes of NCs in vivo. Importantly, this article provides some strategies for the clinical application of NCs and may provide ideas to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of NCs without increasing the toxicology, by introducing tracing technology, which can be more suitable in contributing to the development of safety and efficacy of NCs and the growth of nanotechnology.

Common Nanocarriers and Their Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications

With the improvement of people’s quality of life, skin management and skincare products have become the focus and topics of more and more people’s attention. Among them, the most popular products are anti-aging products. However, the main ingredients in anti-aging products are Antioxidants (AOs), and the irritation and penetrability of the antioxidants might prevent them from being used on the skin directly. With the development of nanotechnology, nanocarriers are created to solve these problems. Herein, liposomes, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanocarriers (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are summarized. Besides, relative applications, benefits, and drawbacks are discussed. This review is intended to deepen the understanding of nanocarriers and promote safer applications of nanocarriers in the cosmetic industry.

Nanocarriers in Veterinary Medicine: A Challenge for Improving Osteosarcoma Conventional Treatments.

In recent years, several nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, liposomes, and others, have been explored to target and treat a wide variety of diseases. Their employment has brought many benefits, not only to human medicine but also to veterinary medicine, albeit at a slower rate. Soon, the use of nanocarriers could revolutionize the animal health sector, and many veterinary therapies will be more effective as a result. The purpose of this review is to offer an overview of the main applications of nanocarriers in the veterinary field, from supplements for animal health and reproduction to nanovaccines and nanotherapies. Among the major pathologies that can affect animals, special attention is given to canine osteosarcoma (OSA): a comparison with human OSA is provided and the main treatment options are reviewed emphasizing the benefits that nanocarriers could bring in the treatment of this widespread disease.

Controlled Release and Capture of Aldehydes by Dynamic Imine Chemistry in Nanoemulsions: From Delivery to Detoxification

Current biomedical applications of nanocarriers are focused on drug delivery, where encapsulated cargo is released in the target tissues under the control of external stimuli. Here, we propose a very different approach, where the active toxic molecules are removed from biological tissues by the nanocarrier. It is based on the drug-sponge concept, where specific molecules are captured by the lipid nanoemulsion (NE) droplets due to dynamic covalent chemistry inside their oil core. To this end, we designed a highly lipophilic amine (LipoAmine) capable of reacting with a free cargo-aldehyde (fluorescent dye and 4-hydroxynonenal toxin) directly inside lipid NEs, yielding a lipophilic imine conjugate well encapsulated in the oil core. The formation of imine bonds was first validated using a push-pull pyrene aldehyde dye, which changes its emission color during the reaction. The conjugate formation was independently confirmed by mass spectrometry. As a result, LipoAmine-loaded NEs spontaneously loaded cargo-aldehydes, yielding formulations stable against leakage at pH 7.4, which can further release the cargo in a low pH range (4-6) in solutions and living cells. Using fluorescence microscopy, we showed that LipoAmine NEs can extract pyrene aldehyde dye from cells as well as from an epithelial tissue (chicken skin). Moreover, successful extraction from cells was also achieved for a highly toxic aliphatic aldehyde 4-hydroxynonenal, which allowed obtaining the proof of concept for detoxification of living cells. Taken together, these results show that the dynamic imine chemistry inside NEs can be used to develop detoxification platforms.

Application of Nanocarrier in Drug development with special Emphasis on Liposomes: A Review

Liposomes are the nano-scale bilayer structure of phospholipid used as a carrier for a Large Variety of drugs. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs can encapsulate into the liposome and delivered to the body. The purpose behind the preparation of liposomes is to reduce the side effects associated with systemic delivery of drugs as well as it also helps in the protection of biodegradable drugs and molecules such as protein and peptides from body enzymes and fluids. Other than these advantages liposome also have high skin permeation due to structural similarities with the stratum corneum and therefore can be used for the topical delivery of drugs. The various types of liposomes and their application in their marketed products are discussed below in the article.

Nanoaggregates of Biphilic Carboxyl-Containing Copolymers as Carriers for Ionically Bound Doxorubicin.

Application of nanocarriers for drug delivery brings numerous advantages, allowing both minimization of side effects common in systemic drug delivery and improvement in targeting, which has made it the focal point of nanoscience for a number of years. While most of the studies are focused on encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs, delivery of hydrophilic compounds is typically performed via covalent attachment, which often requires chemical modification of the drug and limits the release kinetics. In this paper, we report synthesis of biphilic copolymers of various compositions capable of self-assembly in water with the formation of nanoparticles and suitable for ionic binding of the common anticancer drug doxorubicin. The copolymers are synthesized by radical copolymerization of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and acrylic acid using n-octadecyl-mercaptan as a chain transfer agent. With an increase of the carboxyl group’s share in the chain, the role of the electrostatic stabilization factor of the nanoparticles increased as well as the ability of doxorubicin as an ion binder. A mathematical description of the kinetics of doxorubicin binding and release is given and thermodynamic functions for the equilibrium ionic binding of doxorubicin are calculated.

Hypoxic-Sensitive Nano-Carriers for Anti-Neoplastic Drug Delivery: New Perspectives

Since the inception of Anti-neoplastic drug delivery in the 1950s oncologists and researchers have revolutionized the field of diagnostics and treatment with novel therapeutic modalities. Tumor hypoxia remains the first and foremost factor contributing to a resistance in anti-neoplastic drugs, ionized radiation and chemotherapy by solid tumors. The laps in vasculature in solid tumors promulgates tumor resistance by inhibiting the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) within the tumor. It is on this basis that the selectivity of hypoxic cells are datelined. Based on clinical studies it was revealed that hypoxia does not occur in healthy human tissue; thus, paving the way for the exploitation of hypoxia as an advantage in creating novel therapeutic methods of detection and treatment for solid tumors with an added advantage of nano-science. The biological application of nano-carriers is a fast developing area of nano-science that is expected to realize new and innovative possibilities in the diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Cancer diagnostics using nano-carriers entails the use of fluorescent nanoparticles for a multiplex of simultaneous profiling of tumor bio-markers. These fluorescent probes are also used for detection of multiple RNA matrices and genes within in-situ hybridization. It is expected that in the very near future, the application of conjugated nanoparticles in anti-neoplastic tumor detection and drug delivery will enable oncologists and scientists to pinpoint and identify cancer-related proteins on tumor surfaces, providing a new method of analysis; thus, creating personalized treatment methods for individual tumors. Nano-carriers possess an extraordinary possibility as contrast agents for cancer cell detection in vivo, and for monitoring the response to treatment of select cancers. Keywords: Nano-Medicine, Hypoxia, Solid Tumors, HIF factor. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/102-04 Publication date: October 31 st 2022

Stem Cell-derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Promising Nano Delivery Platform to the Brain?

A very important cause of the frustration with drug therapy for central nervous system (CNS) diseases is the failure of drug delivery. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) prevents most therapeutic molecules from entering the brain while maintaining CNS homeostasis. Scientists are keen to develop new brain drug delivery systems to solve this dilemma. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), as a class of naturally derived nanoscale vesicles, have been extensively studied in drug delivery due to their superior properties. This review will briefly present current brain drug delivery strategies, including invasive and non-invasive techniques that target the brain, and the application of nanocarriers developed for brain drug delivery in recent years, especially EVs. The cellular origin of EVs affects the surface protein, size, yield, luminal composition, and other properties of EVs, which are also crucial in determining whether EVs are useful as drug carriers. Stem cell-derived EVs, which inherit the properties of parental cells and avoid the drawbacks of cell therapy, have always been favored by researchers. Thus, in this review, we will focus on the application of stem cell-derived EVs for drug delivery in the CNS. Various nucleic acids, proteins, and small-molecule drugs are loaded into EVs with or without modification and undergo targeted delivery to the brain to achieve their therapeutic effects. In addition, the challenges facing the clinical application of EVs as drug carriers will also be discussed. The directions of future efforts may be to improve drug loading efficiency and precise targeting.

Development of spirotetramat nanoparticles based on mesoporous silica: improving the uptake and translocation of spirotetramat in plants.

As an ideal nanocarrier, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have the characteristics of high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and good biocompatibility, which are excellent carriers for improving the stability and sustained-release performance of pesticides and improving the utilization rate of pesticides In this study, three kinds of particle size MSNs (100 nm, 200 nm, and 400 nm) were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis method, and then, the spirotetramat (Stm) was loaded into MSNs with different particle sizes by solvent volatilization method to prepare Stm nanoparticles with different particle sizes (Stm@MSNs). The results of Stm@MSNs characterization showed that the three particle sizes of MSNs were 112.5, 200.1, and 439.4 nm, respectively. Besides, the pore sizes of the three MSNs were all in the range of 2~50 nm. And the FTIR spectra showed that the Stm was successfully loaded into the channel of MSNs. TGA analysis showed that Stm@MSNs-100, Stm@MSNs-200, and Stm@MSNs-400 had good thermal stability in the range of 200°C. The drug loads of Stm@MSNs-100, Stm@MSNs-200, and Stm@MSNs-400 to Stm were 38%, 21%, and 53%. The release test showed that all of them showed the characteristics of slow release. After 3 days of application on cucumber plants, Stm was detected in both upper and lower leaves of cucumber. Compared with MSNs-200 and MSNs-400, the nanocarrier MSNs-100 were more easily absorbed by cucumber plants and could carry more Stm into cucumber plants. This study provided a theoretical basis for the development and application of nanocarriers and the improvement of pesticide utilization rate by discussing the effects of different particle size MSNs on the slow release and systemicity of pesticides.

Big Data Analysis of Manufacturing and Preclinical Studies of Nanodrug-Targeted Delivery Systems: A Literature Review.

Objective Nanodelivery is a modern technology involving improved delivery methods and drug formulations. The current development and initial applications of nanocarriers are pointing to new directions in the current development of nanomedicine. Researchers are increasingly applying nanodelivery to the delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents. This article discusses the preparation and application of nanocomplexes and nanoparticles, as well as their potential future value in clinical research. Through a review and analysis, it is hoped that this will serve as a guide for the future development of various nanodelivery technologies and help researchers learn more about these technologies. Materials and Methods A literature search was conducted using the keywords “Nano drug delivery” or “Nanomedical materials” or “Nano”. A literature search was conducted in three major databases, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using the keywords such as “Nano drug delivery”, “Nanomedical materials”, or “Nanobubble drug delivery”. The initial search was screened by title and abstract. In the full-text review, the titles or abstracts were reviewed according to the selection criteria based on the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias and study quality was assessed according to the Cochrane guidelines, and possible biases such as selection bias and good selection bias were included in the review. Results A total of 297 studies were included in this study, of which 219 were excluded based on the screening criteria, resulting in the inclusion of 78 studies, the majority of which were original studies and clinical trials, and a small number of which provided design and route of administration analysis of nanomaterial particles and effect fluorograms and were studied in more depth. This paper summarises and reviews the views and directions of the included articles. The main directions include cyclodextrin-based or grafted cyclodextrin nanomaterials, nanobubbles, and stimuli-sensitive and temperature-sensitive nanodelivery systems. Conclusion The use of innovative, targeted drug delivery systems is effective in cancer drug delivery by summarising the previous studies. However, nanodelivery systems' risks and therapeutic effects need to be evaluated before clinical application. Future research in the field of targeted drug delivery nanosystems should focus on the development of nanocarriers with high in vivo delivery capacity, good synergy with therapeutic agents, and milder short-term and long-term toxicological effects and conduct comprehensive preclinical trials on nanodrug delivery systems with high potential for clinical application as soon as possible, to find nanodrug delivery systems suitable for clinical use and put them into the clinical application as soon as possible.

Temperature, concentration, and surface modification influence the cellular uptake and the protein corona of polystyrene nanoparticles

The composition of the protein corona varies depending on several parameters and influences the cellular fate of the nanocarriers. Here, we investigated the influence of three key parameters (surface charge, temperature, and plasma concentration) on the formation and composition of the protein corona of polystyrene nanoparticles and ultimately on the cellular uptake of pre-coated nanoparticles. At a fixed temperature and concentration, the surface charge, and surfactant influence its composition. We observed that the composition of the corona formed at low temperatures (4°C) is different from that formed at physiological temperatures (37°C). At low plasma concentrations (up to 25%), the corona consists of more diverse proteins than at higher concentrations. Finally, we concluded that regardless of the nanoparticle formulation, the degree of uptake by model cancer and endothelial cells of the nanoparticles decreased when pre-coated at increasing temperature or plasma concentration. Statement of significanceDrug delivery through nanocarriers is an increasingly important concept in research and medicine. One problem in the application of nanocarriers in medicine is the protein corona that forms around the nanocarriers when they get in contact with protein-containing fluids. So far, several factors have been identified that influence the composition of the protein corona and thus the biological identity of the particles. However, lacking comparability remains between the studies because different concentrations or temperatures of the protein solutions are used. In this study we demonstrate how the incubation temperature or the concentration of plasma influences the protein corona and thus the cellular uptake of polystyrene nanoparticles.

Preparation and evaluation of photoprotective kenaf seed oil nanocarriers-based cream of tocotrienol-rich fraction

Applications of nanotechnology and vegetable oil in topical formulation have emerged to provide benefits to develop effective and safe advanced biocosmetic prototypes. The study aimed to optimize the ratio of UV filters in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil nanocarrier to form a sunscreen formulation. The nanocarriers were characterized based on particle size, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, UV absorption, Raman microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis. The selected nanocarrier was added to a tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) cream and subjected to photoprotection and functional analysis to determine its skin beneficial properties based on cellular antioxidant capacity and relative protein expression on fibroblasts. The results revealed that nanocarriers with particle sizes ranging from 180 nm to 240 nm showed > 90% of encapsulation efficiency for UV filters. Sample F5 contained 1.25% of diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB) and 0.75% of ethylhexyl triazone (EHT), having a spherical shape at particle size 204.80 nm with > 95% of UV filter encapsulation and high intensity in both UVA and UVB spectra. The cream produced from F5 and TRF (NLC-TRF cream) indicated no cytotoxicity and was able to provide sun protection factor (SPF) value of 53 and cellular antioxidant capacity of 45.13%. Besides, a significant protein upregulation (1.29-fold for fibroblast growth factor, 7.77-fold for vascular endothelial growth factor, 11.21-fold for transforming growth factor-β1, and 1.69-fold for tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase-1) and downregulation for matrix metalloproteinase-1 and − 2 resulted after 24 hr of treatment. The application of nanocarriers in TRF cream can enhance the photoprotection, skin-protective properties in cellular antioxidant capacity, and protein expression which could be a promising delivery system in sunscreen formulations.

Functionalization of Nanoparticulate Drug Delivery Systems and Its Influence in Cancer Therapy.

Research into the application of nanocarriers in the delivery of cancer-fighting drugs has been a promising research area for decades. On the other hand, their cytotoxic effects on cells, low uptake efficiency, and therapeutic resistance have limited their therapeutic use. However, the urgency of pressing healthcare needs has resulted in the functionalization of nanoparticles’ (NPs) physicochemical properties to improve clinical outcomes of new, old, and repurposed drugs. This article reviews recent research on methods for targeting functionalized nanoparticles to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, the use of relevant engineering techniques for surface functionalization of nanocarriers (liposomes, dendrimers, and mesoporous silica) and their critical roles in overcoming the current limitations in cancer therapy—targeting ligands used for targeted delivery, stimuli strategies, and multifunctional nanoparticles—were all reviewed. The limitations and future perspectives of functionalized nanoparticles were also finally discussed. Using relevant keywords, published scientific literature from all credible sources was retrieved. A quick search of the literature yielded almost 400 publications. The subject matter of this review was addressed adequately using an inclusion/exclusion criterion. The content of this review provides a reasonable basis for further studies to fully exploit the potential of these nanoparticles in cancer therapy.

Novel Adhesive Nanocarriers Based on Mussel-Inspired Polyglycerols for the Application onto Mucosal Tissues

A synthetic route for adhesive core-multishell (CMS) nanocarriers for application to the oral mucosa was established using mussel-inspired catechol moieties. The three CMS nanocarriers with 8%, 13%, and 20% catechol functionalization were evaluated for loading capacity using Nile red, showing an overall loading of 1 wt%. The ability of Nile red loaded and functionalized nanocarriers to bind to a moist mucosal surface was tested in two complementary adhesion assays under static and dynamic conditions using monolayers of differentiated gingival keratinocytes. Adhesion properties of functionalized nanocarriers were compared to the adhesion of the non-functionalized nanocarrier. In both assays, the CMS nanocarrier functionalized with 8% catechol exhibited the strongest adhesion compared to its catechol-free counterpart and the CMS nanocarriers functionalized with 13% and 20% catechol.