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New Insight into Therapeutic Potential of Targeted Nanoparticles

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Nanoscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 1140

Special Issue Editor


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National Research Council, Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (CNR-IRIB), Via Ugo la Malfa, 153, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Interests: cancer targeted therapy; theranostics; carbon dots; chemo-phototherapy combination; pathway focused gene expression analyses; biomedical application
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Targeted nanoparticles have gained significant attention in the field of biomedicine due to their promising therapeutic potential. They are designed to carry therapeutic agents, such as drugs or DNA/RNA, and deliver them to specific sites within the body, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and minimizing potential side effects.

One key advantage is their ability to specifically accumulate at the desired site of action. This works by functionalizing the surface of nanoparticles with ligands or antibodies, thus reducing off-target effects and enhancing therapeutic efficacy.

Another benefit is their ability to improve drug solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Therapeutic agents, particularly hydrophobic drugs, face challenges in being efficiently delivered to their target sites. Nanoparticles can encapsulate these drugs, protecting them from degradation and enhancing their solubility in physiological fluids. This improves their pharmacokinetics and allows for controlled release, leading to prolonged drug activity and reduced dosing frequency.

They also provide opportunities for combination therapy. Multiple therapeutic agents, such as drugs with different mechanisms of action or nucleic acids, can be encapsulated within the same nanoparticle system. This allows for synergistic effects, combinatorial therapy, and the potential to overcome drug resistance. Additionally, nanoparticles can be engineered to respond to specific stimuli, such as pH, temperature, or enzymatic activity, enabling the triggered release of therapeutic agents at the desired site.

Furthermore, they offer new possibilities for imaging and diagnostics. By incorporating imaging agents, such as fluorescent probes or contrast agents, they can serve as both therapeutic and diagnostic tools.

This Special Issue aims to cover recent advances in all the various aspects of targeted nanoparticles exploitation. While the field is still rapidly evolving, the development and utilization of targeted nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize the treatment and management of various diseases. The Special Issue aims also to provide a unique platform, offering valuable perspectives from experts in this field.

Dr. Aldo Nicosia
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • targeted nanoparticles
  • theranostics
  • bioimaging
  • targeted therapy
  • photothermal therapy
  • combination therapy
  • controlled release
  • reduced side effects

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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16 pages, 3171 KiB  
Article
Hemocompatibility of Albumin-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles
by Indu Sharma, Mehdi Gaffari Sharaf, Aishwarya Pawar, Agatha Milley and Larry D. Unsworth
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 11975; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252211975 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 584
Abstract
Kidney failure leads to the accumulation of metabolites in the blood compartment. This build-up of metabolites has been associated with increased mortality and morbidity in these patients; thus, these metabolites are commonly called uremic toxins. The retention of some uremic toxins in the [...] Read more.
Kidney failure leads to the accumulation of metabolites in the blood compartment. This build-up of metabolites has been associated with increased mortality and morbidity in these patients; thus, these metabolites are commonly called uremic toxins. The retention of some uremic toxins in the blood results from a strong interaction with serum albumin, preventing their clearance using standard hemodialysis techniques. Adsorbents are considered the next-generation technology for clearing uremic toxins from the blood, and iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles are a promising material due to a high surface area that is easily modified and the ability to remove them from blood with an external magnetic field. Plasma protein adsorption and clot formation kinetics were determined for unmodified and albumin-modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. Albumin was selected because it can bind uremic toxins, and it is commonly used to passivate surfaces. Coatings were formed and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and zeta-potential analysis. Clotting kinetics, total protein assays, and immunoblots were used to analyze the effect surface modification has on protein adsorption events. Unmodified nanoparticles showed rapid clotting and more adsorbed protein compared to albumin-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. Immunoblots show that modified particles showed changes in albumin, protein C, Immunoglobulin G, transferrin, fibrinogen, α1-antitrypsin, vitronectin, plasminogen, prothrombin, and antithrombin levels compared to unmodified controls. The hemocompatibility of adsorbent materials is essential to their clinical application in clearing the blood of uremic toxins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insight into Therapeutic Potential of Targeted Nanoparticles)
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