pH-sensitive biocompatible mesoporous magnetic nanoparticles labeled with folic acid as an efficient carrier for controlled anticancer drug delivery

Mesoporous Fe3O4/SiO2/poly(2-carboxyethyl acrylate) composite polymer particles for pH-responsive loading and targeted release of bioactive molecules

pH-responsive polymer microspheres undergoing reversible changes in their surface properties have been proved useful for drug delivery to targeted sites. This paper is aimed at preparing pH-responsive polymer-modified magnetic mesoporous SiO2 particles. First, mesoporous magnetic (Fe3O4) core-particles are prepared using a one-pot solvothermal method. Then, magnetic Fe3O4 particles are covered with a C[double bond, length as m-dash]C functional mesoporous SiO2 layer before seeded emulsion polymerization of 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (2-CEA). The composite polymer particles are named Fe3O4/SiO2/P(2-CEA). The average diameters of the Fe3O4 core and Fe3O4/SiO2/P(2-CEA) composite polymer particles are 414 and 595 nm, respectively. The mesoporous (pore diameter = 3.41 nm) structure of Fe3O4/SiO2/P(2-CEA) composite polymer particles is confirmed from Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analysis. The synthesized Fe3O4/SiO2/P(2-CEA) composite polymer exhibited pH-dependent changes in volume and surface charge density due to deprotonation of the carboxyl group under alkaline pH conditions. The change in the surface properties of Fe3O4/SiO2/P(2-CEA) composite polymer particles following pH change is confirmed from the pH-dependent sorption of cationic methylene blue (MB) and anionic methyl orange (MO) dye molecules. The opening of the pH-responsive P(2-CEA) gate valve at pH 10.0 allowed the release of loaded vancomycin up to 99% after 165 min and p-acetamido phenol (p-AP) up to 46% after 225 min. Comparatively, the amount of release is lower at pH 8.0 but still suitable for drug delivery applications. These results suggested that the mesoporous Fe3O4/SiO2 composite seed acted as a microcapsule, while P(2-CEA) functioned as a gate valve across the porous channel. The prepared composite polymer can therefore be useful for treating intestine/colon cancer, where the pH is comparatively alkaline.

Graphene Oxide (GO) for the Treatment of Bone Cancer: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Cancer is a severe disease that, in 2022, caused more than 9.89 million deaths worldwide. One worrisome type of cancer is bone cancer, such as osteosarcoma and Ewing tumors, which occur more frequently in infants. This study shows an active interest in the use of graphene oxide and its derivatives in therapy against bone cancer. We present a systematic review analyzing the current state of the art related to the use of GO in treating osteosarcoma, through evaluating the existing literature. In this sense, studies focused on GO-based nanomaterials for potential applications against osteosarcoma were reviewed, which has revealed that there is an excellent trend toward the use of GO-based nanomaterials, based on their thermal and anti-cancer activities, for the treatment of osteosarcoma through various therapeutic approaches. However, more research is needed to develop highly efficient localized therapies. It is suggested, therefore, that photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and the use of nanocarriers should be considered as non-invasive, more specific, and efficient alternatives in the treatment of osteosarcoma. These options present promising approaches to enhance the effectiveness of therapy while also seeking to reduce side effects and minimize the damage to surrounding healthy tissues. The bibliometric analysis of photothermal and photochemical treatments of graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide from January 2004 to December 2022 extracted 948 documents with its search strategy, mainly related to research papers, review papers, and conference papers, demonstrating a high-impact field supported by the need for more selective and efficient bone cancer therapies. The central countries leading the research are the United States, Iran, Italy, Germany, China, South Korea, and Australia, with strong collaborations worldwide. At the same time, the most-cited papers were published in journals with impact factors of more than 6.0 (2021), with more than 290 citations. Additionally, the journals that published the most on the topic are high impact factor journals, according to the analysis performed, demonstrating the high impact of the research field.

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems targeting cancer cell surfaces

Traditional cancer chemotherapy easily produces serious toxic and side effects due to the lack of specific selection of tumor cells, which restricts its curative effect. Targeted delivery can increase the concentration of drugs in the target site and reduce their toxic and side effects on normal tissues and cells. Biocompatible and surface-modifiable nanocarriers are novel drug delivery systems, which are used to specifically target tumor sites in a controllable way. One of the effective ways to design effective targeting nanocarriers is to decorate with functional ligands, which can bind to specific receptors overexpressed on the surfaces of cancer cells. Various functional ligands, including transferrin, folic acid, polypeptide and hyaluronic acid, have been widely explored to develop tumor-selective drug delivery systems. This review focuses on the research progress of various receptors overexpressed on the surfaces of cancer cells and different nano-delivery systems of anticancer drugs targeted on the surfaces of cancer cells. We believe that through continuous research and development, actively targeted cancer nano-drugs will make a breakthrough and become an indispensable platform for accurate cancer treatment.

Iron Oxide@Mesoporous Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles as Multimodal Platforms for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Magnetic Hyperthermia, Near-Infrared Light Photothermia, and Drug Delivery

The design of core-shell nanocomposites composed of an iron oxide core and a silica shell offers promising applications in the nanomedicine field, especially for developing efficient theranostic systems which may be useful for cancer treatments. This review article addresses the different ways to build iron oxide@silica core-shell nanoparticles and it reviews their properties and developments for hyperthermia therapies (magnetically or light-induced), combined with drug delivery and MRI imaging. It also highlights the various challenges encountered, such as the issues associated with in vivo injection in terms of NP-cell interactions or the control of the heat dissipation from the core of the NP to the external environment at the macro or nanoscale.

The Increased Release Kinetics of Quercetin from Superparamagnetic Nanocarriers in Dialysis

The actual cumulative mass of released quercetin from nanoparticles within the dialysis membrane was determined under the influence of external stationary and alternating magnetic fields. We have shown that the control of the release kinetics of quercetin from MNPs, i.e., the distribution of quercetin between the nanoparticles and the suspension within the membrane, can be tuned by the simple combination of stationary and alternating magnetic fields. Under non-sink conditions, the proportion of quercetin in the suspension inside the membrane is increased toward the nanoparticles, resulting in the increased release of quercetin. The results obtained could be applied to the release of insoluble flavonoids in aqueous suspensions in general.

A Review of Advanced Multifunctional Magnetic Nanostructures for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy Integrated into an Artificial Intelligence Approach

The new era of nanomedicine offers significant opportunities for cancer diagnostics and treatment. Magnetic nanoplatforms could be highly effective tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment in the future. Due to their tunable morphologies and superior properties, multifunctional magnetic nanomaterials and their hybrid nanostructures can be designed as specific carriers of drugs, imaging agents, and magnetic theranostics. Multifunctional magnetic nanostructures are promising theranostic agents due to their ability to diagnose and combine therapies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development of advanced multifunctional magnetic nanostructures combining magnetic and optical properties, providing photoresponsive magnetic platforms for promising medical applications. Moreover, this review discusses various innovative developments using multifunctional magnetic nanostructures, including drug delivery, cancer treatment, tumor-specific ligands that deliver chemotherapeutics or hormonal agents, magnetic resonance imaging, and tissue engineering. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to optimize material properties in cancer diagnosis and treatment, based on predicted interactions with drugs, cell membranes, vasculature, biological fluid, and the immune system to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of AI approaches used to assess the practical utility of multifunctional magnetic nanostructures for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, the review presents the current knowledge and perspectives on hybrid magnetic systems as cancer treatment tools with AI models.

In vitro toxicity of naringin and berberine alone, and encapsulated within PMMA nanoparticles

Phytochemical compounds, such as naringin and berberine, have been used for many years due to their antioxidant activities, and consequently, beneficial health effects. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties of naringin, berberine and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated with naringin or berberine and their possible cytotoxic, genotoxic, and apoptotic effects on mouse fibroblast (NIH/3 T3) and colon cancer (Caco-2) cells. According to the results of the study, it was found that the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition antioxidant activity of naringin, berberine, and naringin or berberine encapsulated PMMA NPs, was significantly increased at higher tested concentrations due to the antioxidant effects of naringin, berberine and naringin or berberine encapsulated PMMA NPs. As a result of the cytotoxicity assay, after 24-, 48- and 72-h of exposure, all of the studied compounds caused cytotoxic effects in both cell lines. Genotoxic effects of studied compounds were not registered at lower tested concentrations. Based on these data, polymeric nanoparticles encapsulated with naringin or berberine may contribute to new treatment approaches for cancer, but further in vivo and in vitro research is required.

Recent Advances in Boosting EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors-Based Cancer Therapy

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a key role in signal transduction pathways associated with cell proliferation, growth, and survival. Its overexpression and aberrant activation in malignancy correlate with poor prognosis and short survival. Targeting inhibition of EGFR by small-molecular tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is emerging as an important treatment model besides of chemotherapy, greatly reshaping the landscape of cancer therapy. However, they are still challenged by the off-targeted toxicity, relatively limited cancer types, and drug resistance after long-term therapy. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of oral, pulmonary, and injectable drug delivery systems for enhanced and targeting TKI delivery to tumors and reduced side effects. Importantly, EGFR-TKI-based combination therapies not only greatly broaden the applicable cancer types of EGFR-TKI but also significantly improve the anticancer effect. The mechanisms of TKI resistance are summarized, and current strategies to overcome TKI resistance as well as the application of TKI in reversing chemotherapy resistance are discussed. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future research of EGFR-TKI-based cancer therapy.

Nanocarriers based novel and effective drug delivery system

Nanotechnology has ultimately come into the domain of drug delivery. Nanosystems for delivery of drugs are promptly emerging science utilizing different nanoparticles as carriers. Biocompatible and stable nanocarriers are novel diagnosis tools or therapy agents for explicitly targeting locates with controllable way. Nanocarriers propose numerous advantages to treat diseases via site-specific as well as targeted delivery of particular therapeutics. In recent times, there are number of outstanding nanocarriers use to deliver bio-, chemo-, or immuno- therapeutic agents to obtain effectual therapeutic reactions and to minimalize unwanted adverse-effects. Nanoparticles possess remarkable potential for active drug delivery. Moreover, conjugation of drugs with nanocarriers protects drugs from metabolic or chemical modifications, through their way to targeted cells and hence increased their bioavailability. In this review, various systems integrated with different types of nanocarriers (inorganic. organic, quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes) having different compositions, physical and chemical properties have been discussed for drug delivery applications.

Using magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles armed with EpCAM aptamer as an efficient platform for specific delivery of 5-fluorouracil to colorectal cancer cells

Background: Theranostic nanoparticles with both imaging and therapeutic capacities are highly promising in successful diagnosis and treatment of advanced cancers. Methods: Here, we developed magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and surface-decorated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) aptamer (Apt) for controlled release of 5-FU and targeted treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) both in vitro and in vivo. In this system, Au NPs are conjugated onto the exterior surface of MSNs as a gatekeeper for intelligent release of the anti-cancer drug at acidic conditions. Results: Nanocarriers were prepared with a final size diameter of 78 nm, the surface area and pore size of SPION-MSNs were calculated as 636 m²g^-1, and 3 nm based on the BET analysis. The release of 5-FU from nanocarriers was pH-dependent, with an initial rapid release (within 6 h) followed by a sustained release for 96 h at pH 5.4. Tracking the cellular uptake by flow cytometry technique illustrated more efficient and higher uptake of targeted nanocarriers in HT-29 cells compared with non-targeted formula. In vitro results demonstrated that nanocarriers inhibited the growth of cancer cells via apoptosis induction. Furthermore, the targeted NPs could significantly reduce tumor growth in immunocompromised C57BL/6 mice bearing HT-29 tumors, similar to those injected with free 5-FU, while inducing less side effects. Conclusion: These findings suggest that application of Apt-PEG-Au-NPs@5-FU represents a promising theranostic platform for EpCAM-positive CRC cells, although further experiments are required before it can be practiced in the clinic.

Smart Nanocarrier-Based Cancer Therapeutics

Considerable advances in the field of cancer have been made; however, these have not been translated into similar clinical progress which results in the high prevalence and increased cancer-related mortality rate worldwide. Available treatments have several challenges such as off-target side effects, non-specific long-term potential biodisruption, drug resistance, and overall inadequate response rates and high probability of recurrence. The limitations associated with independent cancer diagnosis and therapy can be minimized by an emerging interdisciplinary research field of nanotheranostics which include successful integration of diagnosis and therapy on a single agent using nanoparticles. This may offer a powerful tool in developing innovative strategies to enable "personalized medicine" for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Nanoparticles have been proven to be powerful imaging tools or potent agents for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The nanotheranostic provides minimally invasive in vivo visualization of drug biodistribution and accumulation at the target site with real-time monitoring of therapeutic outcome. This chapter intends to cover several important aspects and the advances in the field of nanoparticles-mediated cancer therapeutics including nanocarrier development, drug/gene delivery, intrinsically active nanoparticles, tumor microenvironment, and nanotoxicity. The chapter represents an overview of challenges associated with cancer treatment, rational for nanotechnology in cancer therapeutics, novel concepts of multifunctional nanomaterials for cancer therapy along with their classification and their clinical prospective in different cancers. A special focus is on the nanotechnology: regulatory perspective for drug development in cancer therapeutics. Obstacles hindering further development of nanomaterials-mediated cancer therapy are also discussed. In general, the objective of this chapter is to improve our perceptive in the design and development of nanotechnology for cancer therapeutics.

The function of chitosan/agarose biopolymer on Fe2 O3 nanoparticles and evaluation of their effects on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and expression of BCL2 and BAX genes

In recent decades, magnetic nanoparticles modified with biocompatible polymers have been recognized as a suitable tool for treating breast cancer. The aim of this research was to evaluate the function of chitosan/agarose-functionalized Fe₂ O₃ nanoparticles on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and the expression of BCL2 and BAX genes. Free Fe₂ O₃ nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. FTIR, XRD, SEM, DLS, VSM, and zeta potential analyses determined the size and morphological characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles. The effect of Fe₂ O₃ free nanoparticles and formulated Fe₂ O₃ nanoparticles on induction of apoptosis was studied by double-dye Annexin V-FITC and PI. Also, the gene expression results using the PCR method displayed that Fe₂ O₃ formulated nanoparticles induced BAX apoptosis by increasing the anti-apoptotic gene expression and decreasing the expression of pro-apoptotic gene BCL2, so the cell progresses to planned cell death. In addition, the results showed that the BAX/BCL2 ratio decreased significantly after treatment of MCF-7 cells with free Fe₂ O₃ nanoparticles, and the BAX/BCL2 ratio for Fe₂ O₃ formulated nanoparticles increased significantly. Also, to evaluate cell migration, the scratch test was performed, which showed a decrease in motility of MCF-7 cancer cells treated with Fe₂ O₃ nanoparticles formulated with chitosan/agarose at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 μg/ml.

Load and release of gambogic acid via dual-target ellipsoidal-Fe3O4@SiO2@mSiO2-C18@dopamine hydrochloride -graphene quantum dots-folic acid and its inhibition to VX2 tumor cells

Ellipsoidal-Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@mSiO₂-C₁₈@dopamine hydrochloride-graphene quantum dots-folic acid (ellipsoidal-HMNPs@PDA-GQDs-FA), a dual-functional drug carrier, was stepwise constructed. Theα-Fe₂O₃ellipsoidal nanoparticles were prepared by a hydrothermal method, and then coated with SiO₂by Stöber method. The resulting core-shell structure, Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@mSiO₂-C₁₈magnetic nano hollow spheres, abbreviated as HMNPs, was finally grafted with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), dopamine hydrochloride (PDA) and folic acid (FA) by amide reaction to obtain HMNPs@PDA-GQDs-FA. Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and element analysis proved the successful construction of the HMNPs@PDA-GQDs-FA nanoscale carrier-cargo composite. The carrier HMNPs@PDA-GQDs-FA has higher load (51.63 ± 1.53%) and release (38.56 ± 1.95%) capacity for gambogic acid (GA). Cytotoxicity test showed that the cell survival rate was above 95%, suggesting the cytotoxicity of the carrier-cargo was very low. The cell lethality (74.91 ± 1.2%) is greatly improved after loading GA because of the magnetic targeting of HMNPs, the targeting performance of FA to tumor cells, and the pH response to the surrounding environment of tumor cells of PDA. All results showed that HMNPs@PDA-GQDs-FA had good biocompatibility and could be used in the treatment of VX2 tumor cells after loading GA.

Smart and Multi-Functional Magnetic Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment Applications: Clinical Challenges and Future Prospects

Iron oxide nanoparticle (IONPs) have become a subject of interest in various biomedical fields due to their magnetism and biocompatibility. They can be utilized as heat mediators in magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) or as contrast media in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound (US). In addition, their high drug-loading capacity enabled them to be therapeutic agent transporters for malignancy treatment. Hence, smartening them allows for an intelligent controlled drug release (CDR) and targeted drug delivery (TDD). Smart magnetic nanoparticles (SMNPs) can overcome the impediments faced by classical chemo-treatment strategies, since they can be navigated and release drug via external or internal stimuli. Recently, they have been synchronized with other modalities, e.g., MRI, MHT, US, and for dual/multimodal theranostic applications in a single platform. Herein, we provide an overview of the attributes of MNPs for cancer theranostic application, fabrication procedures, surface coatings, targeting approaches, and recent advancement of SMNPs. Even though MNPs feature numerous privileges over chemotherapy agents, obstacles remain in clinical usage. This review in particular covers the clinical predicaments faced by SMNPs and future research scopes in the field of SMNPs for cancer theranostics.

Physically stimulus-responsive nanoparticles for therapy and diagnosis

Nanoparticles offer numerous advantages in various fields of science, particularly in medicine. Over recent years, the use of nanoparticles in disease diagnosis and treatments has increased dramatically by the development of stimuli-responsive nano-systems, which can respond to internal or external stimuli. In the last 10 years, many preclinical studies were performed on physically triggered nano-systems to develop and optimize stable, precise, and selective therapeutic or diagnostic agents. In this regard, the systems must meet the requirements of efficacy, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and safety before clinical investigation. Several undesired aspects need to be addressed to successfully translate these physical stimuli-responsive nano-systems, as biomaterials, into clinical practice. These have to be commonly taken into account when developing physically triggered systems; thus, also applicable for nano-systems based on nanomaterials. This review focuses on physically triggered nano-systems (PTNSs), with diagnostic or therapeutic and theranostic applications. Several types of physically triggered nano-systems based on polymeric micelles and hydrogels, mesoporous silica, and magnets are reviewed and discussed in various aspects.

A review on the latest developments of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a promising platform for diagnosis and treatment of cancer

Cancer is the second cause of human mortality after cardiovascular disease around the globe. Conventional cancer therapies are chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. In fact, due to the lack of absolute specificity and high drug concentrations, early recognition and treatment of cancer with conventional approaches have become challenging issues in the world. To mitigate against the limitations of conventional cancer chemotherapy, nanomaterials have been developed. Nanomaterials exhibit particular properties that can overcome the drawbacks of conventional therapies such as lack of specificity, high drug concentrations, and adverse drug reactions. Among nanocarriers, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have gained increasing attention due to their well-defined pore size and structure, high surface area, good biocompatibility and biodegradability, ease of surface modification, and stable aqueous dispersions. This review highlights the current progress with the use of MSNs for the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Various stimuli-responsive gatekeepers, which endow the MSNs with on-demand drug delivery, surface modification strategies for targeting purposes, and multifunctional MSNs utilized in drug delivery systems (DDSs) are also addressed. Also, the capability of MSNs as flexible imaging platforms is considered. In addition, physicochemical attributes of MSNs and their effects on cancer therapy with a particular focus on recent studies is emphasized. Moreover, major challenges to the use of MSNs for cancer therapy, biosafety and cytotoxicity aspects of MSNs are discussed.

Recent advances in mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based targeted drug-delivery systems for cancer therapy

Targeted drug-delivery systems are a growing research topic in tumor treatment. In recent years, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been extensively studied and applied in noninvasive and biocompatible drug-delivery systems for tumor therapy due to their outstanding advantages, which include high surface area, large pore volume, tunable pore size, easy surface modification and stable framework. The advances in the application of MSNs for anticancer drug targeting are covered and highlighted in this review, and the challenges and prospects of MSN-based targeted drug-delivery systems are discussed. This review provides new insights for researchers interested in targeted drug-delivery systems against cancer.

Recent advancements and future submissions of silica core-shell nanoparticles

The core-shell silica-based nanoparticles (CSNPs) possess outstanding properties for developing next-generation therapeutics. CSNPs provide greater surface area owing to their mesoporous structure, which offers a high opportunity for surface modification. This review highlights the potential of core-shell silica-based nanoparticle (CSNP) based injectable nanotherapeutics (INT); its role in drug delivery, biomedical imaging, light-triggered phototherapy, Plasmonic enhancers, gene delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, immunotherapy, and potential as next-generation theragnostic. Specifically, the conceptual crosstalk on modern synthetic strategies, biodistribution profiles with a mechanistic view on the therapeutics loading and release modeling are dealt in detail. The manuscript also converses the challenges associated with CSNPs, regulatory hurdles, and their current market position.

The Fine-Tuned Release of Antioxidant from Superparamagnetic Nanocarriers under the Combination of Stationary and Alternating Magnetic Fields

Superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with excellent biocompatibility and negligible toxicity were prepared by solvothermal method and stabilized by widely used and biocompatible polymer poly(ethylene glycol) PEG-4000 Da. The unique properties of the synthesized MNPs enable them to host the unstable and water-insoluble quercetin as well as deliver and localize quercetin directly to the desired site. The chemical and physical properties were validated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, FTIR spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The kinetics of in vitro quercetin release from MNPs followed by UV/VIS spectroscopy was controlled by employing combined stationary and alternating magnetic fields. The obtained results have shown an increased response of quercetin from superparamagnetic MNPs under a lower stationary magnetic field and s higher frequency of alternating magnetic field. The achieved findings suggested that we designed promising targeted quercetin delivery with fine-tuning drug release from magnetic MNPs.

Nanoparticles: A New Approach to Upgrade Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Traditional cancer therapeutics have been criticized due to various adverse effects and insufficient damage to targeted tumors. The breakthrough of nanoparticles provides a novel approach for upgrading traditional treatments and diagnosis. Actually, nanoparticles can not only solve the shortcomings of traditional cancer diagnosis and treatment, but also create brand-new perspectives and cutting-edge devices for tumor diagnosis and treatment. However, most of the research about nanoparticles stays in vivo and in vitro stage, and only few clinical researches about nanoparticles have been reported. In this review, we first summarize the current applications of nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis and treatment. After that, we propose the challenges that hinder the clinical applications of NPs and provide feasible solutions in combination with the updated literature in the last two years. At the end, we will provide our opinions on the future developments of NPs in tumor diagnosis and treatment.

pH-triggered intracellular release of doxorubicin by a poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-based double-shell magnetic nanocarrier

Two core-double-shell pH-sensitive nanocarriers were fabricated using Fe₃O₄ as magnetic core, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-PEG) and salep dialdehyde as the first and the second shell, and doxorubicin as the hydrophobic anticancer drug. Two nanocarriers were different in the drug loading steps. The interaction between the first and the second shell assumed to be pH-sensitive via acetal cross linkages. The structure of nanocarriers, organic shell loading, magnetic responsibility, morphology, size, dispersibility, and drug loading content were investigated by IR, NMR, TG, VSM, XRD, DLS, HRTEM and UV-Vis analyses. The long-term drug release profiles of both nanocarriers showed that the drug loading before cross-linking between the first and second shell led to a more pH-sensitive nanocarrier exhibiting higher control on DOX release. Cellular toxicity assay (MTT) showed that DOX-free nanocarrier is biocompatible having cell viability greater than 80% for HEK-293 and MCF-7 cell lines. Besides, high cytotoxic effect observed for drug-loaded nanocarrier on MCF-7 cancer cells. Cellular uptake analysis showed that the nanocarrier is able to transport DOX into the cytoplasm and perinuclear regions of MCF-7 cells. In vitro hemolysis and coagulation assays demonstrated high blood compatibility of nanocarrier. The results also suggested that low concentration of nanocarrier have a great potential as a contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Photo-stimulated "turn-on/off" molecularly imprinted polymers based on magnetic mesoporous silicon surface for efficient detection of sulfamerazine

In this study, novel photo-stimulated molecularly imprinted polymers based on magnetic mesoporous carrier surface were developed for selective identification and intelligent separation of sulfamerazine in complex samples. The photosensitive monomer of the molecularly imprinted polymers was azobenzene derivative 5-[(4-(methacryloyloxy)phenyl) diazenyl] isophthalic acid with stimulus reaction mechanisms, which has photoisomerization between trans and cis for N=N bonds. Further, the properties of the photo-stimulated molecularly imprinted polymers were further evaluated through several sets of adsorption experiments. It illustrated that the maximum adsorption amount is 0.45 mmol/L. By ultraviolet spectrophotometry, the material reaches typical characteristic peaks of photo sensitivity, and the cycle time is 16 min. Three adsorption and desorption processes were repeated, the adsorption rate reached 34.4%. Overall, the photo-stimulated molecularly imprinted polymers can enrich and separate determine sulfamerazine with high selectivity, which have good recovery for real samples.

Therapeutic Potential of Polymer-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) find tremendous applications in drug delivery due to several advantages such as their easy fabrication process, high drug loading, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and so forth. Nevertheless, despite several advantages, the use of this striking drug delivery carrier is restricted due to premature drug release owing to the porous structure. Coating of the pores using polymers has emerged as a great solution to this problem. Polymer coatings, which act as gatekeepers, avoid the premature release of loaded content from MSNs and offers the opportunity for controlled and targeted drug delivery. Therefore, in this review, we have compiled the polymer-based coating approaches used in recent years for improving the drug delivery capability of MSNs. This manuscript provides an insight into the research about the potential of polymer-coated MSNs, allowing the selection of right polymer for coating purposes according to the desired application.

Recent Advances in Magnetite Nanoparticle Functionalization for Nanomedicine

Functionalization of nanomaterials can enhance and modulate their properties and behaviour, enabling characteristics suitable for medical applications. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles are one of the most popular types of nanomaterials used in this field, and many technologies being already translated in clinical practice. This article makes a summary of the surface modification and functionalization approaches presented lately in the scientific literature for improving or modulating magnetite nanoparticles for their applications in nanomedicine.

Functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles and biomedical applications

Since the first report in early 1990s, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have progressively attracted the attention of scientists due to their potential applications in physic, energy storage, imaging, and especially in biomedical engineering. Owning the unique physiochemical properties, such as highly porosity, large surface area and pore volume, functionalizable, tunable pore and particle sizes and biocompatibility, and high loading cavity, MSNs offer efficient encapsulation and then controlled release, and in some cases, intracellular delivery of bioactive molecules for biomedical applications. During the last decade, functionalized MSNs that show respond upon the surrounding stimulus changes, such as temperature, pH, redox, light, ultrasound, magnetic or electric fields, enzyme, redox, ROS, glucose, and ATP, or their combinations, have continuously revolutionized their potential applications in biomedical engineering. Therefore, this review focuses on discussion the recent fabrication of functionalized MSNs and their potential applications in drug delivery, therapeutic treatments, diagnostic imaging, and biocatalyst. In addition, some potential clinical applications and challenges will also be discussed.

Folate-Functionalized Mesoporous Hollow SnO2 Nanofibers as a Targeting Drug Carrier to Improve the Antitumor Effect of Paclitaxel for Liver Cancer Therapy

In this study, we prepared PTX-loaded mesoporous hollow SnO₂ nanofibers conjugated with folic acid (SFNFP) for liver cancer therapy. According to SEM and TEM characterization, SFNF showed a mesoporous hollow structure. The average outer diameter was 200 nm, and the wall thickness was 50 nm. The DSC and XRD study showed that PTX in the channels of nanofibers was present in an amorphous state. The in vitro release experiments demonstrated that SFNF could efficiently improve the dissolution rate of PTX. Both in vitro cell experiments and in vivo antitumor experiments showed that SFNFP could efficiently inhibit the growth of liver cancer cells. Therefore, SFNF is a promising targeting antitumor drug delivery carrier.

Evaluate the Cytotoxicity of Kojic Acid Nanocomposites on Melanoma Cells and Normal Cells of the Skin

Iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) was synthesized by coprecipitation of Fe+2and Fe+3into highly basic media, followed by coating with chitosan (CH) and polyethylene glycol (PG) to forming CH-MNPs and PG-MNPs nanoparticles, respectively. Kojic acid (Kj) drug was loaded on the CH-MNPs and PG-MNPs nanoparticles to forming Kj-CH-MNPs and Kj-PG-MNPs nanocomposites. The potential cytotoxicity of free Kj, MNPs, Kj-CH-MNPs and Kj-PG-MNPs nanocomposites was evaluated using skin cancer cells (B16-F10 melanoma cells) and normal skin cell (Human Dermal Fibroblasts murine). Kj at concentrations in the range 1.562–50 μg/mL did not affect on the viability of normal skin cell and skin cancer cells during a 72-hours incubation. The Kj-CH-MNPs and Kj-PG-MNPs nanocomposites exhibit significant cytotoxicity in skin cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50value 47.1 and 8.4 μg/mL, respectively.

Tailor-made spider-eggcase-silk spheres for efficient lysosomal drug delivery

Spider silks are attractive biopolymers due to their excellent mechanical properties and biomimetic potential. To optimize the electrostatic interaction for lysosomal drug delivery, a spider-eggcase-silk protein was genetically engineered using 5× His Tag with a tailor-made isoelectric point of 4.8. By a facile HFIP-on-oil method, silk spheres were assembled as rapidly as 10 s. After the post-treatment of ethanol, silk spheres were determined with an improved compressive modulus by AFM indentation. Under incubation of silk spheres in a Doxorubicin solution, a maximum of 35% loading and average of 30% loading efficiency were determined. In the cytotoxicity experiment, silk spheres exhibited intrinsic biocompatibility and showed good control of the loaded drug in the neutral PBS solution. Significantly, by 96 h, the accumulative drug release at pH 4.5 was approximately 4.5-fold higher than that at pH 7.4. By conducting the platelet adhesion and hemolysis assay, Doxorubicin-loaded silk spheres exhibited good hemocompatibility. To further demonstrate this release behavior, within 24 h, Doxorubicin-loaded silk spheres were efficiently delivered to lysosomes and then released the payload to the nuclei of Hela cells.

Recombinant spider-eggcase-silk spheres are facilely prepared as drug carriers with a tailor-made isoelectric point specifically for lysosomal delivery.