Human serum albumin nanoparticles loaded with phthalocyanine dyes for potential use in photodynamic therapy for atherosclerotic plaques

Photodynamic Therapy for Atherosclerosis: Past, Present, and Future

This review paper examines the evolution of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a novel, minimally invasive strategy for treating atherosclerosis, a leading global health concern. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the accumulation of lipids and inflammation within arterial walls, leading to significant morbidity and mortality through cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Traditional therapeutic approaches have primarily focused on modulating risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, with emerging evidence highlighting the pivotal role of inflammation. PDT, leveraging a photosensitizer, specific-wavelength light, and oxygen, offers targeted treatment by inducing cell death in diseased tissues while sparing healthy ones. This specificity, combined with advancements in nanoparticle technology for improved delivery, positions PDT as a promising alternative to traditional interventions. The review explores the mechanistic basis of PDT, its efficacy in preclinical studies, and the potential for enhancing plaque stability and reducing macrophage density within plaques. It also addresses the need for further research to optimize treatment parameters, mitigate adverse effects, and validate long-term outcomes. By detailing past developments, current progress, and future directions, this paper aims to highlight PDT's potential in revolutionizing atherosclerosis treatment, bridging the gap from experimental research to clinical application.

Perspectives on complement and phagocytic cell responses to nanoparticles: From fundamentals to adverse reactions

The complement system, professional phagocytes and other cells such as Natural killer cells and mast cells are among the important components of the innate arm of the immune system. These constituents provide an orchestrated array of defences and responses against tissue injury and foreign particles, including nanopharmaceuticals. While interception of nanopharmaceuticals by the immune system is beneficial for immunomodulation and treatment of phagocytic cell disorders, it is imperative to understand the multifaceted mechanisms by which nanopharmaceuticals interacts with the immune system and evaluate the subsequent balance of beneficial versus adverse reactions. An example of the latter is adverse infusion reactions to regulatory-approved nanopharmaceuticals seen in human subjects. Here, we discuss collective opinions and findings from our laboratories in mapping nanoparticle-mediated complement and leucocyte/macrophage responses.

Precision Nanomedicine Volume 2 Issue 2 Table of Contents

Prec. Nanomed. 2019 Apr;2(2):270-277, EDITORIAL It has been 10 years since the establishment of EuroNanoMed (ENM), presently in its third phase. For those 10 years, research and innovation funding organisations in Europe and beyond have been joining forces to fund excellent innovative research projects in three main topics defined by the European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine: targeted drug delivery, diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. Ten joint transnational calls have been launched (the 10th call is ongoing). So far, 90 transnational projects have been funded, including 460 research groups from over 20 countries. In the Joint Transnational Call 2017—co-funded by national and regional funding organizations and the European Commission (EC) —16 projects were funded with a total investment of 14 million euros, including 3.3 million euros from the EC. In addition to ENM's main activity of funding transnational innovative research projects, it collaborates with sister initiatives in nanomedicine and translational research. ENM has organised review seminars as well as safety, ethics, and regulatory affairs training workshops. The purpose of this article is to introduce the ENM initiatives to the scientific community, that together with its collaborators shape the map of nanomedicine in Europe. Prec. Nanomed. 2019 Apr;2(2):278-302: POTENTIAL CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE From the Clinical Editor: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) can be used for a variety of diseases such as cancer, psoriasis, macular degeneration etc. with the aim being minimally invasive and toxic. The authors describe the development and characterization of Near-Infrared (NIR) photosensitizer (silicon and zinc based) human serum albumin nanoparticles and their potential applicability in PDT including in vivo studies for treatment of atherosclerotic plaques. They could show the successful concentration of the nanoparticles in the plaques and after illumination a good cell-killing activity including visualization of the respective areas offering the potential to be a candidate to treat cardiovascular diseases in the future. Prec. Nanomed. 2019 Jan;2(1):249-255: POTENTIAL CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE From the Clinical Editor: Transdermal drug delivery is a very attractive option in clinical practice. Nonetheless, exact interactions between various drugs and the skin are not fully understood. In this study, the authors investigated this aspect using terahertz scanning reflectometry (TSR) and terahertz spectrometry (TS) to study the surface-mediated FXII activation, as well as penetration of the FXII and an in-house compound, UM8190. The findings may open the door to studying other compounds and could potentially lead to better drug design and optimal dose delivery in the clinic.