Nanotherapeutic Heterogeneity: Sources, Effects, and Solutions

Nanomaterials have revolutionized medicine by enabling control over drugs' pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and biocompatibility. However, most nanotherapeutic batches are highly heterogeneous, meaning they comprise nanoparticles that vary in size, shape, charge, composition, and ligand functionalization. Similarly, individual nanotherapeutics often have heterogeneously distributed components, ligands, and charges. This review discusses nanotherapeutic heterogeneity's sources and effects on experimental readouts and therapeutic efficacy. Among other topics, it demonstrates that heterogeneity exists in nearly all nanotherapeutic types, examines how nanotherapeutic heterogeneity arises, and discusses how heterogeneity impacts nanomaterials' in vitro and in vivo behavior. How nanotherapeutic heterogeneity skews experimental readouts and complicates their optimization and clinical translation is also shown. Lastly, strategies for limiting nanotherapeutic heterogeneity are reviewed and recommendations for developing more reproducible and effective nanotherapeutics provided.

A review of the zone broadening contributions in free-flow electrophoresis

The broadening of analyte streams, as they migrate through a free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) channel, often limits the resolving power of FFE separations. Under laminar flow conditions, such zonal spreading occurs due to analyte diffusion perpendicular to the direction of streamflow and variations in the lateral distance electrokinetically migrated by the analyte molecules. Although some of the factors that give rise to these contributions are inherent to the FFE method, others originate from non-idealities in the system, such as Joule heating, pressure-driven crossflows, and a difference between the electrical conductivities of the sample stream and background electrolyte. The injection process can further increase the stream width in FFE separations but normally influencing all analyte zones to an equal extent. Recently, several experimental and theoretical works have been reported that thoroughly investigate the various contributions to stream variance in an FFE device for better understanding, and potentially minimizing their magnitudes. In this review article, we carefully examine the findings from these studies and discuss areas in which more work is needed to advance our comprehension of the zone broadening contributions in FFE assays.

Fluorescence Imaging Characterization of the Separation Process in a Monolithic Microfluidic Free-Flow Electrophoresis Device Fabricated Using Low-Temperature Co-Fired Ceramics

A monolithic microfluidic free-flow electrophoresis device, fabricated using low-temperature co-fired ceramic technology, is presented. The device integrates gold electrodes and a 20 µm thick transparent ceramic optical window, suitable for fluorescence imaging, into a multilevel microfluidic chamber design. The microfluidic chamber consists of a 60 µm deep separation chamber and two, 50 µm deep electrode chambers separated by 10 µm deep side channel arrays. Fluorescence imaging was used for in-chip, spatial-temporal characterization of local pH variations in separation conditions as well as to characterize the separation process. The device allowed baseline resolution separation of a sample mixture of Fluorescein, Rhodamine 6G, and 4-Methylumbelliferone at pH 7.0, in only 6 s, using 378 V.s/cm. The results demonstrate the possibility of studying a chemical process using fluorescence imaging within the traditional fields of low-temperature co-fired ceramics technology, such as high-electrical-field applications, while using a simple fabrication procedure suitable for low-cost mass production.

Purification of low-abundance lysozyme in egg white via free-flow electrophoresis with gel-filtration chromatography

As an effective separation tool, free-flow electrophoresis has not been used for purification of low-abundance protein in complex sample matrix. Herein, lysozyme in complex egg white matrix was chosen as the model protein for demonstrating the purification of low-content peptide via an FFE coupled with gel fitration chromatography (GFC). The crude lysozyme in egg while was first separated via free-flow zone electrophoresis (FFZE). After that, the fractions with lysozyme activity were condensed via lyophilization. Thereafter, the condensed fractions were further purified via a GFC of Sephadex G50. In all of the experiments, a special poly(acrylamide- co-acrylic acid) (P(AM-co-AA)) gel electrophoresis and a mass spectrometry were used for identification of lysozyme. The conditions of FFZE were optimized as follows: 130 μL/min sample flow rate, 4.9 mL/min background buffer of 20 mM pH 5.5 Tris-Acetic acid, 350 V, and 14 °C as well as 2 mg/mL protein content of crude sample. It was found that the purified lysozyme had the purity of 80% and high activity as compared with its crude sample with only 1.4% content and undetectable activity. The recoveries in the first and second separative steps were 65% and 82%, respectively, and the total recovery was about 53.3%. The reasons of low recovery might be induced by diffusion of lysozyme out off P(AM-co-AA) gel and co-removing of high-abundance egg ovalbumin. All these results indicated FFE could be used as alternative tool for purification of target solute with low abundance.

Purification technologies for colloidal nanocrystals

Almost all applications of colloidal nanocrystals require some type of purification or surface modification process following nanocrystal growth. Nanocrystal purification - the separation of nanocrystals from undesired solution components - can perturb the surface chemistry and thereby the physical properties of colloidal nanocrystals due to changes in solvent, solute concentrations, and exposure of the nanocrystal surface to oxidation or hydrolysis. For example, nanocrystal quantum dots frequently exhibit decreased photoluminescence brightness after precipitation from the growth solvent and subsequent redissolution. Consequently, purification is an integral part of the synthetic chemistry of colloidal nanocrystals, and the effect of purification methods must be considered in order to accurately compare and predict the behavior of otherwise similar nanocrystal samples. In this Feature Article we examine established and emerging approaches to the purification of colloidal nanoparticles from a nanocrystal surface chemistry viewpoint. Purification is generally achieved by exploiting differences in properties between the impurities and the nanoparticles. Three distinct properties are typically manipulated: polarity (relative solubility), electrophoretic mobility, and size. We discuss precipitation, extraction, electrophoretic methods, and size-based methods including ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, diafiltration, and size-exclusion chromatography. The susceptibility of quantum dots to changes in surface chemistry, with changes in photoluminescence decay associated with surface chemical changes, extends even into the case of core/shell structures. Accordingly, the goal of a more complete description of quantum dot surface chemistry has been a driver of innovation in colloidal nanocrystal purification methods. We specifically examine the effect of purification on surface chemistry and photoluminescence in quantum dots as an example of the challenges associated with nanocrystal purification and how improved understanding can result from increasingly precise techniques, and associated surface-sensitive analytical methods.

Process Principles for Large-Scale Nanomanufacturing

Nanomanufacturing—the fabrication of macroscopic products from well-defined nanoscale building blocks—in a truly scalable and versatile manner is still far from our current reality. Here, we describe the barriers to large-scale nanomanufacturing and identify routes to overcome them. We argue for nanomanufacturing systems consisting of an iterative sequence of synthesis/assembly and separation/sorting unit operations, analogous to those used in chemicals manufacturing. In addition to performance and economic considerations, phenomena unique to the nanoscale must guide the design of each unit operation and the overall process flow. We identify and discuss four key nanomanufacturing process design needs: (a) appropriately selected process break points, (b) synthesis techniques appropriate for large-scale manufacturing, (c) new structure- and property-based separations, and (d) advances in stabilization and packaging.

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals: the aqueous approach

This article summarizes the main achievements and challenges in the field of the aqueous synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots in colloidal solutions. Developments in the last two decades demonstrate the great potential of this approach to synthesize nanocrystalline materials with superior properties such as strong photoluminescence, long time stability and compatibility with biological media, and the variability in assembling and self-assembling into larger structures or on surfaces. Being relatively straightforward, the aqueous approach provides some advantages such as versatility, scalability, environmental friendliness and cost effectiveness, leading in summary to very attractive application perspectives.

Nanomechanics of lipid encapsulated microbubbles with functional coatings

Microbubbles (MBs) are increasingly being proposed as delivery vehicles for targeted therapeutics, as well as being contrast agents for ultrasound imaging. MBs formed with a lipid shell are promising candidates due to their biocompatibility and the opportunity for surface functionalization, both for specific targeting of tissues and as a means to tune their mechanical response for localized ultrasound induced destruction in vivo. Herein, we acquired force-deformation data on coated lipid MBs using tip-less microcantilevers in an atomic force microscope. Model lipid MBs were designed to test the effects of adding a functional coating on the outside of the lipid leaflet, including a protein coat (streptavidin) or the addition of quantum dots (Q-dots) as optical reporters. MBs (~3 μm diameter) were repeatedly compressed for deformations up to ~50% to obtain a full bubble response. Addition of a coating increased the initial deformation stiffness related to shell bending ~2-fold for streptavidin and ∼3-fold for Q-dots. The presence of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) linker in between the lipid and functional coating, led to enhanced stiffening at high deformations. The plasticity index has been determined and only those MBs that included the PEG linker showed a force dependent short time-scale (<~1s) plasticity. This study demonstrates modulation of the mechanical response of biocompatible MBs through the addition of functional coatings necessary for rationale design of therapeutic lipid MBs for targeted drug delivery.

Expanding 3D geometry for enhanced on-chip microbubble production and single step formation of liposome modified microbubbles

Micron sized, lipid stabilized bubbles of gas are of interest as contrast agents for ultra-sound (US) imaging and increasingly as delivery vehicles for targeted, triggered, therapeutic delivery. Microfluidics provides a reproducible means for microbubble production and surface functionalisation. In this study, microbubbles are generated on chip using flow-focussing microfluidic devices that combine streams of gas and liquid through a nozzle a few microns wide and then subjecting the two phases to a downstream pressure drop. While microfluidics has successfully demonstrated the generation of monodisperse bubble populations, these approaches inherently produce low bubble counts. We introduce a new micro-spray flow regime that generates consistently high bubble concentrations that are more clinically relevant compared to traditional monodisperse bubble populations. Final bubble concentrations produced by the micro-spray regime were up to 10(10) bubbles mL(-1). The technique is shown to be highly reproducible and by using multiplexed chip arrays, the time taken to produce one millilitre of sample containing 10(10) bubbles mL(-1) was ∼10 min. Further, we also demonstrate that it is possible to attach liposomes, loaded with quantum dots (QDs) or fluorescein, in a single step during MBs formation.

Nanoparticle superstructures made by polymerase chain reaction: collective interactions of nanoparticles and a new principle for chiral materials

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was realized on the surface of gold nanoparticles (NPs) as a tool for self-organization at nanoscale and as a step toward programmable production of sufficient quantities of functional metallic superstructures. The assembly is controlled by varying the density of the primer on the surface of gold NPs and the number of PCR cycles generating a mixture of dimers, trimers, tetramers, etc., with gradually increasing complexity. This process leads to strong chirality of the assemblies arising from the three-dimensional positioning of NPs in space which had never been observed before. A circular dichroism band of the superstructures coincides with the plasmon oscillations of the multi-NP systems of Au colloids. This new collective optical property of NPs embracing the diversity of shapes and diameters in the starting dispersions opens unique opportunities for the development of negative index materials.