Applications of Nanoparticles in Tumor Therapy

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 16826

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Guest Editor
Institut d’Investigacions Biomédiques Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
Interests: nanotechnology; cancer therapy; targeted therapy; protein-based nanoparticles; drug delivery
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Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: nanotechnology; transdermal/topical systems; skin delivery; lipid nanoparticles; controlled release; brain drug delivery; cancer therapy; quality by design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last two decades, a large number of nanoparticle delivery systems has been developed and approved for clinical use in cancer diagnosis and therapy. In contrast with the commonly used small molecule drugs that present a wide range of biodistribution, low specificity, and high toxicity, nanoparticles (NPs) can improve the pharmacological response. The importance of these macromolecules is based on their nanoscale attribute (1–100 nm), being accumulated in the tumor tissue through a passive mechanism known as enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect because of the increased vascular permeability in the tumor region. They include different classes, based on their structure, sizes or inorganic or organic natures depicting some of them, and biologically attractive properties such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. Furthermore, the incorporation of active targeting using molecules (ligands, antibodies, peptides, and RNA aptamers) that can be recognized specifically by receptors on the surface of the cell membrane has increased nanoparticle uptake by tumor cells. These biotechnological advances in functionalizing nanoparticles combined with multiple classes of chemotherapeutics, siRNAs, and plasmids for packaging and delivering into tumor cells have improved efficacy and reduced toxicity over conventional cancer treatments. Undoubtedly, an exciting scenario has been created: new formulations for conventional chemotherapy drugs or the development of new use for existing antitumor drugs. Moreover, the major challenges are how different combinations of nanoparticle delivery systems can be rationally designed so that safety and efficacy are maximized, and to understand and develop tools to evaluate the biological responses to these nanoparticles.

Dr. Maria Virtudes Céspedes
Dr. Carla Vitorino
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • cancer therapy
  • chemotherapeutic drug-based nanoparticles
  • targeted nanoparticle-based therapy
  • nanoparticle technology platforms
  • nanocarriers
  • drug delivery

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3569 KiB  
Article
A Stepwise Framework for the Systematic Development of Lipid Nanoparticles
by João Basso, Maria Mendes, Tânia Cova, João Sousa, Alberto Pais, Ana Fortuna, Rui Vitorino and Carla Vitorino
Biomolecules 2022, 12(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12020223 - 27 Jan 2022
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 8410
Abstract
A properly designed nanosystem aims to deliver an optimized concentration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) at the site of action, resulting in a therapeutic response with reduced adverse effects. Due to the vast availability of lipids and surfactants, producing stable lipid dispersions [...] Read more.
A properly designed nanosystem aims to deliver an optimized concentration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) at the site of action, resulting in a therapeutic response with reduced adverse effects. Due to the vast availability of lipids and surfactants, producing stable lipid dispersions is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, the versatility of composition allows for a refined design and tuning of properties; on the other hand, the complexity of the materials and their physical interactions often result in laborious and time-consuming pre-formulation studies. However, how can they be tailored, and which premises are required for a “right at first time” development? Here, a stepwise framework encompassing the sequential stages of nanoparticle production for disulfiram delivery is presented. Drug in lipid solubility analysis leads to the selection of the most suitable liquid lipids. As for the solid lipid, drug partitioning studies point out the lipids with increased capacity for solubilizing and entrapping disulfiram. The microscopical evaluation of the physical compatibility between liquid and solid lipids further indicates the most promising core compositions. The impact of the outer surfactant layer on the colloidal properties of the nanosystems is evaluated recurring to machine learning algorithms, in particular, hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and partial least squares regression. Overall, this work represents a comprehensive systematic approach to nanoparticle formulation studies that serves as a basis for selecting the most suitable excipients that comprise solid lipid nanoparticles and nanostructured lipid carriers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Tumor Therapy)
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Review

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27 pages, 2164 KiB  
Review
Nano-Based Approved Pharmaceuticals for Cancer Treatment: Present and Future Challenges
by Francisco Rodríguez, Pablo Caruana, Noa De la Fuente, Pía Español, María Gámez, Josep Balart, Elisa Llurba, Ramón Rovira, Raúl Ruiz, Cristina Martín-Lorente, José Luis Corchero and María Virtudes Céspedes
Biomolecules 2022, 12(6), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12060784 - 4 Jun 2022
Cited by 81 | Viewed by 7513
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide. To date, and despite the advances in conventional treatment options, therapy in cancer is still far from optimal due to the non-specific systemic biodistribution of antitumor agents. The inadequate drug concentrations at the [...] Read more.
Cancer is one of the main causes of death worldwide. To date, and despite the advances in conventional treatment options, therapy in cancer is still far from optimal due to the non-specific systemic biodistribution of antitumor agents. The inadequate drug concentrations at the tumor site led to an increased incidence of multiple drug resistance and the appearance of many severe undesirable side effects. Nanotechnology, through the development of nanoscale-based pharmaceuticals, has emerged to provide new and innovative drugs to overcome these limitations. In this review, we provide an overview of the approved nanomedicine for cancer treatment and the rationale behind their designs and applications. We also highlight the new approaches that are currently under investigation and the perspectives and challenges for nanopharmaceuticals, focusing on the tumor microenvironment and tumor disseminate cells as the most attractive and effective strategies for cancer treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Nanoparticles in Tumor Therapy)
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