Iron oxide nanoparticles for theranostic applications - Recent advances

Biogenic metallic nanoparticles: from green synthesis to clinical translation

Biogenic metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their unique properties and various applications in different fields. NPs, including gold, silver, zinc oxide, copper, titanium, and magnesium oxide NPs, have attracted considerable interest. Green synthesis approaches, utilizing natural products, offer advantages such as sustainability and environmental friendliness. The theranostics applications of these NPs hold immense significance in the fields of medicine and diagnostics. The review explores intricate cellular uptake pathways, internalization dynamics, reactive oxygen species generation, and ensuing inflammatory responses, shedding light on the intricate mechanisms governing their behaviour at a molecular level. Intriguingly, biogenic metallic NPs exhibit a wide array of applications in medicine, including but not limited to anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-diabetic, anti-plasmodial, antiviral properties and radical scavenging efficacy. Their potential in personalized medicine stands out, with a focus on tailoring treatments to individual patients based on these NPs' unique attributes and targeted delivery capabilities. The article culminates in emphasizing the role of biogenic metallic NPs in shaping the landscape of personalized medicine. Harnessing their unique properties for tailored therapeutics, diagnostics and targeted interventions, these NPs pave the way for a paradigm shift in healthcare, promising enhanced efficacy and reduced adverse effects.

The menace of severe adverse events and deaths associated with viral gene therapy and its potential solution

Over the past decade, in vivo gene replacement therapy has significantly advanced, resulting in market approval of numerous therapeutics predominantly relying on adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV). While viral vectors have undeniably addressed several critical healthcare challenges, their clinical application has unveiled a range of limitations and safety concerns. This review highlights the emerging challenges in the field of gene therapy. At first, we discuss both the role of biological barriers in viral gene therapy with a focus on AAVs, and review current landscape of in vivo human gene therapy. We delineate advantages and disadvantages of AAVs as gene delivery vehicles, mostly from the safety perspective (hepatotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, inflammatory responses etc.), and outline the mechanisms of adverse events in response to AAV. Contribution of every aspect of AAV vectors (genomic structure, capsid proteins) and host responses to injected AAV is considered and substantiated by basic, translational and clinical studies. The updated evaluation of recent AAV clinical trials and current medical experience clearly shows the risks of AAVs that sometimes overshadow the hopes for curing a hereditary disease. At last, a set of established and new molecular and nanotechnology tools and approaches are provided as potential solutions for mitigating or eliminating side effects. The increasing number of severe adverse reactions and, sadly deaths, demands decisive actions to resolve the issue of immune responses and extremely high doses of viral vectors used for gene therapy. In response to these challenges, various strategies are under development, including approaches aimed at augmenting characteristics of viral vectors and others focused on creating secure and efficacious non-viral vectors. This comprehensive review offers an overarching perspective on the present state of gene therapy utilizing both viral and non-viral vectors.

Omeprazole-Loaded Copper Nanoparticles for Mitochondrial Damage Mediated Synergistic Anticancer Activity against Melanoma Cells

Metallic nanoparticles are promising candidates for anticancer therapies. Among the different metallic systems studied, copper is an affordable and biologically available metal with a high redox potential. Copper-based nanoparticles are widely used in anticancer studies owing to their ability to react with intracellular glutathione (GSH) to induce a Fenton-like reaction. However, considering the high metastatic potential and versatility of the tumor microenvironment, modalities with a single therapeutic agent may not be effective. Hence, to enhance the efficiency of chemotherapeutic drugs, repurposing them or conjugating them with other modalities is essential. Omeprazole is an FDA-approved proton pump inhibitor used in clinics for the treatment of ulcers. Omeprazole has also been studied for its ability to sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy and induce apoptosis. Herein, we report a nanosystem comprising of copper nanoparticles encapsulating omeprazole (CuOzL) against B16 melanoma cells. The developed nanoformulation exerted significant synergistic anticancer activity when compared with either copper nanoparticles or omeprazole alone by inducing cell death through excessive ROS generation and subsequent mitochondrial damage.

Advances in Atherosclerosis Theranostics Harnessing Iron Oxide-Based Nanoparticles

Atherosclerosis, a multifaceted chronic inflammatory disease, has a profound impact on cardiovascular health. However, the critical limitations of atherosclerosis management include the delayed detection of advanced stages, the intricate assessment of plaque stability, and the absence of efficacious therapeutic strategies. Nanotheranostic based on nanotechnology offers a novel paradigm for addressing these challenges by amalgamating advanced imaging capabilities with targeted therapeutic interventions. Meanwhile, iron oxide nanoparticles have emerged as compelling candidates for theranostic applications in atherosclerosis due to their magnetic resonance imaging capability and biosafety. This review delineates the current state and prospects of iron oxide nanoparticle-based nanotheranostics in the realm of atherosclerosis, including pivotal aspects of atherosclerosis development, the pertinent targeting strategies involved in disease pathogenesis, and the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of iron oxide nanoparticles. Furthermore, this review provides a comprehensive overview of theranostic nanomedicine approaches employing iron oxide nanoparticles, encompassing chemical therapy, physical stimulation therapy, and biological therapy. Finally, this review proposes and discusses the challenges and prospects associated with translating these innovative strategies into clinically viable anti-atherosclerosis interventions. In conclusion, this review offers new insights into the future of atherosclerosis theranostic, showcasing the remarkable potential of iron oxide-based nanoparticles as versatile tools in the battle against atherosclerosis.

Recent Advances in the Development of Drug Delivery Applications of Magnetic Nanomaterials

With the predicted rise in the incidence of cancer, there is an ever-growing need for new cancer treatment strategies. Recently, magnetic nanoparticles have stood out as promising nanostructures for imaging and drug delivery systems as they possess unique properties. Moreover, magnetic nanomaterials functionalized with other compounds can lead to multicomponent nanoparticles with innovative structures and synergetic performance. The incorporation of chemotherapeutic drugs or RNA in magnetic drug delivery systems represents a promising alternative that can increase efficiency and reduce the side effects of anticancer therapy. This review presents a critical overview of the recent literature concerning the advancements in the field of magnetic nanoparticles used in drug delivery, with a focus on their classification, characteristics, synthesis and functionalization methods, limitations, and examples of magnetic drug delivery systems incorporating chemotherapeutics or RNA.

Study of the Possibility of Using Sol–Gel Technology to Obtain Magnetic Nanoparticles Based on Transition Metal Ferrites

The article presents results for the magnetic nanoparticles sol–gel method synthesis of cobalt (II) ferrite and organic–inorganic composite materials based on it. The obtained materials were characterized using X-ray phase analysis, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Scherrer, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) methods. A composite materials formation mechanism is proposed, which includes a gelation stage where transition element cation chelate complexes react with citric acid and subsequently decompose under heating. The fundamental possibility of obtaining an organo–inorganic composite material based on cobalt (II) ferrite and an organic carrier using the presented method has been proved. Composite materials formation is established to lead to a significant (5–9 times) increase in the sample surface area. Materials with a developed surface are formed: the surface area measured by the BET method is 83–143 m2/g. The resulting composite materials have sufficient magnetic properties to be mobile in a magnetic field. Consequently, wide possibilities for polyfunctional materials synthesis open up for various applications in medicine.

Magnetite-Based Biosensors and Molecular Logic Gates: From Magnetite Synthesis to Application

In the last few decades, point-of-care (POC) sensors have become increasingly important in the detection of various targets for the early diagnostics and treatment of diseases. Diverse nanomaterials are used as building blocks for the development of smart biosensors and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) are among them. The intrinsic properties of MNPs, such as their large surface area, chemical stability, ease of functionalization, high saturation magnetization, and more, mean they have great potential for use in biosensors. Moreover, the unique characteristics of MNPs, such as their response to external magnetic fields, allow them to be easily manipulated (concentrated and redispersed) in fluidic media. As they are functionalized with biomolecules, MNPs bear high sensitivity and selectivity towards the detection of target biomolecules, which means they are advantageous in biosensor development and lead to a more sensitive, rapid, and accurate identification and quantification of target analytes. Due to the abovementioned properties of functionalized MNPs and their unique magnetic characteristics, they could be employed in the creation of new POC devices, molecular logic gates, and new biomolecular-based biocomputing interfaces, which would build on new ideas and principles. The current review outlines the synthesis, surface coverage, and functionalization of MNPs, as well as recent advancements in magnetite-based biosensors for POC diagnostics and some perspectives in molecular logic, and it also contains some of our own results regarding the topic, which include synthetic MNPs, their application for sample preparation, and the design of fluorescent-based molecular logic gates.

Heparin-Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Theranostic Applications

In this study, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were engineered with an organic coating composed of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA), providing heparin-based nanoparticle systems (LMWH@SPIONs). The purpose was to merge the properties of the heparin skeleton and an inorganic core to build up a targeted theranostic nanosystem, which was eventually enhanced by loading a chemotherapeutic agent. Iron oxide cores were prepared via the co-precipitation of iron salts in an alkaline environment and oleic acid (OA) capping. Dopamine (DA) was covalently linked to BSA and LMWH by amide linkages via carbodiimide coupling. The following ligand exchange reaction between the DA-BSA/DA-LMWH and OA was conducted in a biphasic system composed of water and hexane, affording LMWH@SPIONs stabilized in water by polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). Their size and morphology were investigated via dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The LMWH@SPIONs’ cytotoxicity was tested, showing marginal or no toxicity for samples prepared with PSS at concentrations of 50 µg/mL. Their inhibitory activity on the heparanase enzyme was measured, showing an effective inhibition at concentrations comparable to G4000 (N-desulfo-N-acetyl heparin, a non-anticoagulant and antiheparanase heparin derivative; Roneparstat). The LMWH@SPION encapsulation of paclitaxel (PTX) enhanced the antitumor effect of this chemotherapeutic on breast cancer cells, likely due to an improved internalization of the nanoformulated drug with respect to the free molecule. Lastly, time-domain NMR (TD-NMR) experiments were conducted on LMWH@SPIONs obtaining relaxivity values within the same order of magnitude as currently used commercial contrast agents.