Current Highlights About the Safety of Inorganic Nanomaterials in Healthcare

Targeting ferroptosis for leukemia therapy: exploring novel strategies from its mechanisms and role in leukemia based on nanotechnology

The latest findings in iron metabolism and the newly uncovered process of ferroptosis have paved the way for new potential strategies in anti-leukemia treatments. In the current project, we reviewed and summarized the current role of nanomedicine in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia through a comparison made between traditional approaches applied in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia via the existing investigations about the ferroptosis molecular mechanisms involved in various anti-tumor treatments. The application of nanotechnology and other novel technologies may provide a new direction in ferroptosis-driven leukemia therapies. The article explores the potential of targeting ferroptosis, a new form of regulated cell death, as a new therapeutic strategy for leukemia. It discusses the mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in leukemia and how nanotechnology can enhance the delivery and efficacy of ferroptosis-inducing agents. The article not only highlights the promise of ferroptosis-targeted therapies and nanotechnology in revolutionizing leukemia treatment, but also calls for further research to overcome challenges and fully realize the clinical potential of this innovative approach. Finally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities in clinical applications of ferroptosis.

Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular disease is the most common health problem worldwide and remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite recent advances in the management of cardiovascular diseases, pharmaceutical treatment remains suboptimal because of poor pharmacokinetics and high toxicity. However, since being harnessed in the cancer field for the delivery of safer and more effective chemotherapeutics, nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have offered multiple significant therapeutic effects in treating cardiovascular diseases. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems alter the biodistribution of therapeutic agents through site-specific, target-oriented delivery and controlled drug release of precise medicines. Metal-, lipid-, and polymer-based nanoparticles represent ideal materials for use in cardiovascular therapeutics. New developments in the therapeutic potential of drug delivery using nanoparticles and the application of nanomedicine to cardiovascular diseases are described in this review. Furthermore, this review discusses our current understanding of the potential role of nanoparticles in metabolism and toxicity after therapeutic action, with a view to providing a safer and more effective strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Biocompatible Core–Shell-Structured Si-Based NiO Nanoflowers and Their Anticancer Activity

Compared to most of nano-sized particles, core–shell-structured nanoflowers have received great attention as bioactive materials because of their high surface area with the flower-like structures. In this study, core–shell-structured Si-based NiO nanoflowers, Si@NiO, were prepared by a modified chemical bath deposition method followed by thermal reduction. The crystal morphology and basic structure of the composites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specific surface area (BET) and porosity analysis (BJT), and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The electrochemical properties of the Si@NiO nanoflowers were examined through the redox reaction of ascorbic acid with the metal ions present on the surface of the core–shell nanoflowers. This reaction favored the formation of reactive oxygen species. The Si@NiO nanoflowers showed excellent anticancer activity and low cytotoxicity toward the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), respectively, demonstrating that the anticancer activities of the Si@NiO nanoflowers were primarily derived from the oxidative capacity of the metal ions on the surface, rather than from the released metal ions. Thus, this proves that Si-based NiO nanoflowers can act as a promising candidate for therapeutic applications.

Inorganic nanomaterials with rapid clearance for biomedical applications

Inorganic nanomaterials that have inherently exceptional physicochemical properties (e.g., catalytic, optical, thermal, electrical, or magnetic performance) that can provide desirable functionality (e.g., drug delivery, diagnostics, imaging, or therapy) have considerable potential for application in the field of biomedicine. However, toxicity can be caused by the long-term, non-specific accumulation of these inorganic nanomaterials in healthy tissues, preventing their large-scale clinical utilization. Over the past several decades, the emergence of biodegradable and clearable inorganic nanomaterials has offered the potential to prevent such long-term toxicity. In addition, a comprehensive understanding of the design of such nanomaterials and their metabolic pathways within the body is essential for enabling the expansion of theranostic applications for various diseases and advancing clinical trials. Thus, it is of critical importance to develop biodegradable and clearable inorganic nanomaterials for biomedical applications. This review systematically summarizes the recent progress of biodegradable and clearable inorganic nanomaterials, particularly for application in cancer theranostics and other disease therapies. The future prospects and opportunities in this rapidly growing biomedical field are also discussed. We believe that this timely and comprehensive review will stimulate and guide additional in-depth studies in the area of inorganic nanomedicine, as rapid in vivo clearance and degradation is likely to be a prerequisite for the future clinical translation of inorganic nanomaterials with unique properties and functionality.

Tailoring metal-organic frameworks-based nanozymes for bacterial theranostics

Nanozymes are next-generation artificial enzymes having distinguished features such as cost-effective, enhanced surface area, and high stability. However, limited selectivity and moderate activity of nanozymes in the biochemical environment hindered their usage and encouraged researchers to seek alternative catalytic materials. Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) characterized by distinct crystalline porous structures with large surface area, tunable pores, and uniformly dispersed active sites emerged, that filled the gap between natural enzymes and nanozymes. Moreover, by selecting suitable metal ions and organic linkers, MOFs can be designed for effective bacterial theranostics. In this review, we briefly presented the design and fabrication of MOFs. Then, we demonstrated the applications of MOFs in bacterial theranostics and their safety considerations. Finally, we proposed the major obstacles and opportunities for further development in research on the interface of nanozymes and MOFs. We expect that MOFs based nanozymes with unique physicochemical and intrinsic enzyme-mimicking properties will gain broad interest in both fundamental research and biomedical applications.

A short review of alternative ingredients and technologies of inorganic UV filters

BACKGROUND

The growing need to use sunscreens is a concrete reality, and it is associated with the increase in the population's awareness of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage. Inorganic UV filters promote the formation of particles/pigments film over the skin surface, reflecting, dispersing, and absorbing the radiation. Investigations of this class of filters demonstrate the emergence of alternative ingredients and new technologies.

AIMS AND METHODS

In this review, we presented potential candidates for alternative UV inorganic filters, such as hydroxyapatite, cerium dioxide, and hydrotalcite.

RESULTS

Specialized literature identified hydroxyapatite and cerium dioxide as actives with good performances, with a broad spectrum of absorption against UV radiation. Both of them were considered safe against degradation and skin erythema formation. Inorganic compounds as an alternative to circumvent degradation problems of organic UV filters containing PABA were also analyzed, with hydrotalcite having a good performance in improving the performance of classic ingredients, bypassing photoinstability, and improving safety, in addition to preventing skin irritability.

CONCLUSION

Further investigations of these ingredients and interactions with sunscreen formulations are necessary to overall explore their safety and efficacy, encouraging future researches for more inorganic UV filters.

Functional gadolinium-based nanoscale systems for cancer theranostics

Cancer theranostics is a new strategy for combating cancer that integrates cancer imaging and treatment through theranostic agents to provide an efficient and safe way to improve cancer prognosis. Design and synthesis of these cancer theranostic agents are crucial since these agents are required to be biocompatible, tumor-specific, imaging distinguishable and therapeutically efficacious. In this regard, several types of gadolinium (Gd)-based nanomaterials have been introduced to combine different therapeutic agents with Gd to enhance the efficacy of therapeutic agents. At the same time, the entire treatment procedure could be monitored via imaging tools due to incorporation of Gd ions, Gd chelates and Gd/other imaging probes in the theranostic agents. This review aims to overview recent advances in the Gd-based nanomaterials for cancer theranostics and perspectives for Gd nanomaterial-based cancer theranostics are provided.

Application of the Nano-Drug Delivery System in Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have become a serious threat to human life and health. Though many drugs acting via different mechanism of action are available in the market as conventional formulations for the treatment of CVDs, they are still far from satisfactory due to poor water solubility, low biological efficacy, non-targeting, and drug resistance. Nano-drug delivery systems (NDDSs) provide a new drug delivery method for the treatment of CVDs with the development of nanotechnology, demonstrating great advantages in solving the above problems. Nevertheless, there are some problems about NDDSs need to be addressed, such as cytotoxicity. In this review, the types and targeting strategies of NDDSs were summarized, and the new research progress in the diagnosis and therapy of CVDs in recent years was reviewed. Future prospective for nano-carriers in drug delivery for CVDs includes gene therapy, in order to provide more ideas for the improvement of cardiovascular drugs. In addition, its safety was also discussed in the review.