Current advances in drug delivery of nanoparticles for respiratory disease treatment

Size-tailored and acid-degradable polyvinyl alcohol microgels for inhalation therapy of bacterial pneumonia

Administration of antibiotics via inhalation is considered an effective strategy for pneumonia treatment; however, it encounters challenges related to the development of drug formulations with precise particle sizes and controlled release profiles. Herein, size-tailored and acid-degradable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microgels are utilized for nebulized inhalation delivery of piperacillin (PIP) antibiotics to effectively treat pneumonia. These microgels loaded with PIP (G@PIP) were prepared through the UV-crosslinking of thermo-triggered vinyl ether methacrylate-functionalized PVA (PVAVEMA) micro-aggregates in aqueous solution. The size of G@PIP microgels could be tailored by adjusting concentrations during the crosslinking process above phase-transition temperature at 15 °C. Additionally, under simulated inflammatory acidic conditions, the G@PIP microgels degraded and released PIP with relatively high inhibition efficiency against E. coli. Furthermore, in vivo therapeutic outcomes revealed that inhalational delivery of G@PIP microgel with a medium-size of 3.5 μm (G-3.5@PIP) exhibited superior lung deposition compared to other microgel sizes owing to its reduced exhalation and enhanced diffusion capacity within the pulmonary system. The high accumulation of G-3.5@PIP significantly reduced E. coli infection and associated inflammation while maintaining the biocompatibility of the microgels. Overall, these acid-degradable PVA microgels offer a versatile and efficacious inhalation therapy for pneumonia-associated infections.

Advances in surface design and biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles

Despite significant efforts by scientists in the development of advanced nanotechnology materials for smart diagnosis devices and drug delivery systems, the success of clinical trials remains largely elusive. In order to address this biomedical challenge, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have gained attention as a promising candidate due to their theranostic properties, which allow the simultaneous treatment and diagnosis of a disease. Moreover, MNPs have advantageous characteristics such as a larger surface area, high surface-to-volume ratio, enhanced mobility, mass transference and, more notably, easy manipulation under external magnetic fields. Besides, certain magnetic particle types based on the magnetite (Fe3O4) phase have already been FDA-approved, demonstrating biocompatible and low toxicity. Typically, surface modification and/or functional group conjugation are required to prevent oxidation and particle aggregation. A wide range of inorganic and organic molecules have been utilized to coat the surface of MNPs, including surfactants, antibodies, synthetic and natural polymers, silica, metals, and various other substances. Furthermore, various strategies have been developed for the synthesis and surface functionalization of MNPs to enhance their colloidal stability, biocompatibility, good response to an external magnetic field, etc. Both uncoated MNPs and those coated with inorganic and organic compounds exhibit versatility, making them suitable for a range of applications such as drug delivery systems (DDS), magnetic hyperthermia, fluorescent biological labels, biodetection and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thus, this review provides an update of recently published MNPs works, providing a current discussion regarding their strategies of synthesis and surface modifications, biomedical applications, and perspectives.

Combined exposure to titanium dioxide and tetracycline induces neurotoxicity in zebrafish

In aquatic environment, engineered materials may inevitably interact with the coexisted organic pollutants, which affect their bioavailability and toxicity. In this contribution, the combined impacts of tetracycline (TC) and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) on the neurodevelopment of zebrafish larvae were investigated, and the underlying mechanisms were further elucidated. Firstly, it was confirmed that the co-existence of TC would increase the size and decrease the zeta potential of TiO₂ NPs. Following, developmental indicators and motor behaviors were investigated. Our results indicated that co-exposure to TC and TiO₂ NPs exhibited enhanced embryonic malformation rates and abnormal nervous system development in zebrafish embryos. Meanwhile, the locomotor behavior was increased upon treatment of TC and TiO₂ NP. Further, pathway enrichment analyses of transcriptomic sequencing provided detailed information that either lipid metabolism or PPAR signaling pathway were significantly affected in the co-exposure group. Also, TC + TiO₂ NP exposure significantly changed the mRNA expression of neural development-related genes and up-regulated the expression levels of neurotransmitters like 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, acetylcholinesterase, and γ-aminobutyric acid. Taken together, our results demonstrated that the co-exposure of TC and TiO₂ NPs had the potential to cause neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryos.

PLGA-Based Micro/Nanoparticles: An Overview of Their Applications in Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are critical areas of medical research, as millions of people are affected worldwide. In fact, more than 9 million deaths worldwide were associated with respiratory diseases in 2016, equivalent to 15% of global deaths, and the prevalence is increasing every year as the population ages. Due to inadequate treatment options, the treatments for many respiratory diseases are limited to relieving symptoms rather than curing the disease. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies for respiratory diseases are urgently needed. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) micro/nanoparticles (PLGA M/NPs) have good biocompatibility, biodegradability and unique physical and chemical properties, making them one of the most popular and effective drug delivery polymers. In this review, we summarized the synthesis and modification methods of PLGA M/NPs and their applications in the treatment of respiratory diseases (asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis (CF), etc.) and also discussed the research progress and current research status of PLGA M/NPs in respiratory diseases. It was concluded that PLGA M/NPs are the promising drug delivery vehicles for the treatment of respiratory diseases due to their advantages of low toxicity, high bioavailability, high drug loading capacity, plasticity and modifiability. And at the end, we presented an outlook on future research directions, aiming to provide some new ideas for future research directions and hopefully to promote their widespread application in clinical treatment.

Nanoparticles: Taking a Unique Position in Medicine

The human nature of curiosity, wonder, and ingenuity date back to the age of humankind. In parallel with our history of civilization, interest in scientific approaches to unravel mechanisms underlying natural phenomena has been developing. Recent years have witnessed unprecedented growth in research in the area of pharmaceuticals and medicine. The optimism that nanotechnology (NT) applied to medicine and drugs is taking serious steps to bring about significant advances in diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease-a shift from fantasy to reality. The growing interest in the future medical applications of NT leads to the emergence of a new field for nanomaterials (NMs) and biomedicine. In recent years, NMs have emerged as essential game players in modern medicine, with clinical applications ranging from contrast agents in imaging to carriers for drug and gene delivery into tumors. Indeed, there are instances where nanoparticles (NPs) enable analyses and therapies that cannot be performed otherwise. However, NPs also bring unique environmental and societal challenges, particularly concerning toxicity. Thus, clinical applications of NPs should be revisited, and a deep understanding of the effects of NPs from the pathophysiologic basis of a disease may bring more sophisticated diagnostic opportunities and yield more effective therapies and preventive features. Correspondingly, this review highlights the significant contributions of NPs to modern medicine and drug delivery systems. This study also attempted to glimpse the future impact of NT in medicine and pharmaceuticals.

A scientometrics study of the nanomedicines assisted in respiratory diseases

Nanomedicine has been extensively studied for its versatility and broad-spectrum applications of theranostics in the research of respiratory disease. However, to the best of our knowledge, a scientometrics study based on the scientific knowledge assay of the overall situation on nanomedicine applied in the research of respiratory disease has not been reported so far, which would be of major importance to relevant researchers. To explore and exhibit the research status and developing trend of nanomedicines deployed in basic or clinical research in respiratory disease, the research ecosystem and exciting subareas were profiled based on the massive data mining and visualization from the relevant works reported from 2006 to 2021. Data were collected from the Web of Science database. Data statistics software and bibliometric analysis software were employed to visualize the research trend and the relationship between respiratory diseases and nanomedicines in each representative direction. The cluster analysis and burst detections indicated that the improvement of drug delivery and vaccine developments are the up-to-date key directions in nanomedicines for respiratory disease research and treatments. Furthermore, we emphatically studied four branch areas in this field including COVID-19, nanotube, respiratory syncytial virus, and mRNA vaccine those are selected for in-depth mining and bibliometric coupling analysis. Research trends signify the future focuses will center on preventing respiratory diseases with mRNA vaccines using nanoparticle-based approaches. We anticipate our study will enable researchers to have the panorama and deep insights in this area, thus inspiriting further exploitations especially the nanobiomaterial-based systems for theranostic applications in respiratory disease treatment.

Emerging strategies in nanotechnology to treat respiratory tract infections: realizing current trends for future clinical perspectives

A boom in respiratory tract infection cases has inflicted a socio-economic burden on the healthcare system worldwide, especially in developing countries. Limited alternative therapeutic options have posed a major threat to human health. Nanotechnology has brought an immense breakthrough in the pharmaceutical industry in a jiffy. The vast applications of nanotechnology ranging from early diagnosis to treatment strategies are employed for respiratory tract infections. The research avenues explored a multitude of nanosystems for effective drug delivery to the target site and combating the issues laid through multidrug resistance and protective niches of the bacteria. In this review a brief introduction to respiratory diseases and multifaceted barriers imposed by bacterial infections are enlightened. The manuscript reviewed different nanosystems, i.e. liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, nanogels, and metallic (gold and silver) which enhanced bactericidal effects, prevented biofilm formation, improved mucus penetration, and site-specific delivery. Moreover, most of the nanotechnology-based recent research is in a preclinical and clinical experimental stage and safety assessment is still challenging.

In vivo intrinsic atomic interaction infer molecular eco-toxicity of industrial TiO2 nanoparticles via oxidative stress channelized steatosis and apoptosis in Paramecium caudatum

The ecotoxicological effect of after-usage released TiO₂ nanoparticles in aquatic resources has been a major concern owing to their production and utilization in different applications. Addressing the issue, this study investigates the detailed in vivo molecular toxicity of TiO₂ nanoparticles with Paramecium caudatum. TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized at a lab scale using high energy ball milling technique; characterized for their physicochemical properties and investigated for their ecotoxicological impact on oxidative stress, steatosis, and apoptosis of cells through different biochemical analysis, flow cytometry, and fluorescent microscopy. TiO₂ nanoparticles; TiO₂ (N15); of size 36 ± 12 nm were synthesized with a zeta potential of - 20.2 ± 8.8 mV and bandgap of 4.6 ± 0.3 eV and exhibited a blue shift in UV-spectrum. Compared to the Bulk TiO₂, the TiO₂ (N15) exhibited higher cytotoxicity with a 24 h LC50 of 202.4 µg/ml with P. Caudatum. The mechanism was elucidated as the size and charge-dependent internalization of nanoparticles leading to abnormal physiological metabolism in oxidative stress, steatosis, and apoptosis because of their influential effect on the activity of metabolic proteins like SOD, GSH, MDA, and catalase. The study emphasized the controlled usage TiO₂ nanoparticles in daily activity with a concern for ecological and biomedical aspects.

Special Issue: Ceramic and Metallic Biomaterials Nanoparticles for Applications in Medical Sciences

Nowadays, the development of new materials that can be used to treat, repair, diagnose, replace, or restore a function of the human body represents one of the key research topics for the worldwide scientists and medical industries [...]

A multifunctional α-Fe2O3@PEDOT core-shell nanoplatform for gene and photothermal combination anticancer therapy

Exploration of versatile nanoplatforms within one single nanostructure for multidisciplinary treatment modalities, especially achieving a synergistic therapeutic efficacy of combinational gene/photothermal cancer therapy is still a great challenge in biomedicine and nanotechnology. In this study, a unique photothermal nanocarrier has successfully been designed and developed for a combination of gene therapy (GT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancer cells. Surface-engineered iron oxides (α-Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles (NPs) with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) polymer coatings are synthesized using a one-pot in situ oxidative polymerization method. The results show that the as-prepared α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs with a uniform particle size exhibit positively charged surfaces, facilitating efficient siRNA Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma-2) uptake for delivery to breast cancer cells. More importantly, α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs not only display good biocompatibility and water dispersibility but also strong optical absorption enhancement in the Vis-NIR region as compared to α-Fe₂O₃ NPs. The obtained α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell NPs show an efficient photothermal conversion efficacy (η = 54.3%) and photostability under NIR laser irradiation. As a result, both in vitro and in vivo biological studies on two types of breast cancer cells/tumors treated with α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT-siRNA nanocomplexes demonstrate high cancer cell apoptosis and tumor inhibition induced by synergistic GT/PTT therapy under mild conditions compared to an individual GT or PTT alone. Taken together, this is the first example of the use of an α-Fe₂O₃@PEDOT core-shell nanoagent as a siRNA delivery nanocarrier for highly effective gene/photothermal combination anticancer therapy.

Co-delivery of sorafenib and crizotinib encapsulated with polymeric nanoparticles for the treatment of in vivo lung cancer animal model

To treat various cancers, including lung cancer, chemotherapy requires the systematic administering of chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic effectiveness of anticancer drugs has been enhanced by polymer nanoparticles (NPs), according to new findings. As an outcome, we have developed biodegradable triblock poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-PCL-PEG, PECE) polymeric NPs for the co-delivery of sorafenib (SORA) and crizotinib (CRIZ) and investigated their effect on lung cancer by in vitro and in vivo. There is little polydispersity in the SORA-CRIZ@NPs, an average size of 30.45 ± 2.89 nm range. A steady release of SORA and CRIZ was observed, with no burst impact. The apoptosis rate of SORA-CRIZ@NPs was greater than that of free drugs in 4T1 and A549 cells. Further, in vitro cytotoxicity of the polymeric NPs loaded with potential anticancer drugs was more quickly absorbed by cancer cells. On the other hand, compared to free drugs (SORA + CRIZ), SORA + CRIZ@NPs showed a substantial reduction of tumor development, longer survival rate, and a lowered side effect when delivered intravenously to nude mice xenograft model with 4T1 cancer cells. TUNEL positivity was also increased in tumor cells treated with SORA-CRIZ@NPs, demonstrating the therapeutic effectiveness. SORA-CRIZ@NPs might be used to treat lung cancer soon, based on the results from our new findings.

Nanoparticles as therapeutic options for treating multidrug-resistant bacteria: research progress, challenges, and prospects

Resistance to antimicrobial agents has been alarming in recent years and poses a huge public health threat globally according to the WHO. The increase in morbidity and mortality resulting from microbial infections has been attributed to the emergence of multidrug-resistant microbes. Associated with the increase in multidrug resistance is the lack of new and effective antimicrobials. This has led to global initiatives to identify novel and more effective antimicrobial agents in addition to discovering novel and effective drug delivery and targeting methods. The use of nanoparticles as novel biomaterials to fully achieve this feat is currently gaining global attention. Nanoparticles could become an indispensable viable therapeutic option for treating drug-resistant infections. Of all the nanoparticles, the metals and metal oxide nanoparticles appear to offer the most promise and have attracted tremendous interest from many researchers. Moreover, the use of nanomaterials in photothermal therapy has received considerable attention over the years. This review provides current insight on antimicrobial resistance as well as the mechanisms of nanoparticle antibacterial activity. It offers an in-depth review of all the recent findings in the use of nanomaterials as agents against multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Also, nanomaterials that can respond to light stimuli (photothermal therapy) to kill microbes and facilitate enhanced drug delivery and release are discussed. Moreover, the synergistic interactions of nanoparticles with antibiotics and other nanomaterials, microbial adaptation strategies to nanoparticles, current challenges, and future prospects were extensively discussed.