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Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2020) | Viewed by 49001

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jesús Martínez de la Fuente

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Guest Editor

CSIC-UZA - Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragon (ICMA), Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: nanomedicine; nanoparticles; nanoplasmonics; magnetic hyperthermia

Dr. Laura Asín

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

CIBER Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: magnetic hyperthermia; cell-nanoparticle interactions; nanotherapy; magnetic actuators

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, inorganic and organic nanoparticles can be designed with almost any shape, size, and composition. Substantial efforts have been undertaken to achieve this level of design. However, only a few products have reached the market and are actually under commercialization. This Special Issue will collect and provide an overview for biotechnologists, physicians, and biologists of the main innovations in the field of nanotechnology for biotechnological, and biomedical applications. This Special Issue will contain broad revisions and original contributions, collecting good examples of the state-of-the-art nanoparticle designs and their most novel and innovative applications in the field.

Dr. Jesús Martínez de la Fuente
Dr. Laura Asín
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Nanomedicine
Nanotherapy
Nanobiosensors
Nanoparticles
Drug delivery

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3092 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Incorporation of Magnetic Nanoparticles into Protoplasts of Microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis: A Tool for Biotechnological Applications

by Maria G. Savvidou, Angelo Ferraro, Evangelos Hristoforou, Diomi Mamma, Dimitris Kekos and Fragiskos N. Kolisis

Molecules 2020, 25(21), 5068; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25215068 - 1 Nov 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2870

Abstract

Intensive research on the use of magnetic nanoparticles for biotechnological applications of microalgae biomass guided the development of proper treatment to successfully incorporate them into these single-cell microorganisms. Protoplasts, as cells lacking a cell wall, are extensively used in plant/microalgae genetic manipulation as well as various biotechnological applications. In this work, a detailed study on the formation of protoplasts from Haematococcus pluvialis with the use of enzymatic and mechanical procedures was performed. The optimization of several parameters affecting the formation of protoplasmic cells and cell recovery was investigated. In the enzymatic treatment, a solution of cellulase was studied at different time points of incubation, whereas in the mechanical treatment, glass beads vortexing was used. Mechanical treatment gave better results in comparison to the enzymatic one. Concerning the cell recovery, after the protoplast formation, it was found to be similar in both methods used; cell viability was not investigated. To enhance the protoplast cell wall reconstruction, different “recovery media” with an organic source of carbon or nitrogen were used. Cell morphology during all treatments was evaluated by electron microscopy. The optimal conditions found for protoplast formation and cell reconstruction were successfully used to produce Haematococcus pluvialis cells with magnetic properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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16 pages, 2314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antibacterial Activity of Honey/Chitosan Nanofibers Loaded with Capsaicin and Gold Nanoparticles for Wound Dressing

by Sharafaldin Al-Musawi, Salim Albukhaty, Hassan Al-Karagoly, Ghassan M. Sulaiman, Mona S. Alwahibi, Yaser Hassan Dewir, Dina A. Soliman and Humaira Rizwana

Molecules 2020, 25(20), 4770; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25204770 - 17 Oct 2020

Cited by 72 | Viewed by 6296

Abstract

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of honey/tripolyphosphate (TPP)/chitosan (HTCs) nanofibers loaded with capsaicin derived from the natural extract of hot pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) and loaded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as biocompatible antimicrobial nanofibrous wound bandages in topical skin treatments. The capsaicin and AuNPs were packed within HTCs in HTCs-capsaicin, HTCs-AuNP, and HTCs-AuNPs/capsaicin nanofibrous mats. In vitro antibacterial testing against Pasteurella multocida, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis,Staphylococcus pyogenes, and Vibrio vulnificus was conducted in comparison with difloxacin and chloramphenicol antibiotics. Cell viability and proliferation of the developed nanofibers were evaluated using an MTT assay. Finally, in vivo study of the wound-closure process was performed on New Zealand white rabbits. The results indicate that HTCs-capsaicin and HTCs-AuNPs are suitable in inhibiting bacterial growth compared with HTCs and HTCs-capsaicin/AuNP nanofibers and antibiotics (P < 0.01). The MTT assay demonstrates that the nanofibrous mats increased cell proliferation compared with the untreated control (P < 0.01). In vivo results show that the developed mats enhanced the wound-closure rate more effectively than the control samples. The novel nanofibrous wound dressings provide a relatively rapid and efficacious wound-healing ability, making the obtained nanofibers promising candidates for the development of improved bandage materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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16 pages, 3313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanohydroxyapatite-Mediated Imatinib Delivery for Specific Anticancer Applications

by Paulina Sobierajska, Anna Serwotka-Suszczak, Damian Szymanski, Krzysztof Marycz and Rafal J. Wiglusz

Molecules 2020, 25(20), 4602; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25204602 - 9 Oct 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2281

Abstract

In the present study, a nanoapatite-mediated delivery system for imatinib has been proposed. Nanohydroxyapatite (nHAp) was obtained by co-precipitation method, and its physicochemical properties in combination with imatinib (IM) were studied by means of XRPD (X-ray Powder Diffraction), SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), FT-IR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), absorption spectroscopy as well as DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) techniques. The obtained hydroxyapatite was defined as nanosized rod-shaped particles with high crystallinity. The amorphous imatinib was obtained by conversion of its crystalline form. The beneficial effects of amorphous pharmaceutical agents have been manifested in the higher dissolution rate in body fluids improving their bioavailability. Imatinib-to-hydroxyapatite interactions on the surface were confirmed by SEM images as well as absorption and FT-IR spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity of the system was tested on NI-1, L929, and D17 cell lines. The effectiveness of imatinib was not affected by nHAp modification. The calculated IC₅₀ values for drug-modified nHAp were similar to those for the drug itself. However, higher cytotoxicity was observed at higher concentrations of imatinib, in comparison with the drug alone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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26 pages, 7326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Bottom-Up Synthesis Approach to Silver Nanoparticles Induces Anti-Proliferative and Apoptotic Activities Against MCF-7, MCF-7/TAMR-1 and MCF-10A Human Breast Cell Lines

by Nurul Izzati Zulkifli, Musthahimah Muhamad, Nur Nadhirah Mohamad Zain, Wen-Nee Tan, Noorfatimah Yahaya, Yazmin Bustami, Azlan Abdul Aziz and Nik Nur Syazni Nik Mohamed Kamal

Molecules 2020, 25(18), 4332; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25184332 - 22 Sep 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3020

Abstract

A bottom-up approach for synthesizing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-GA) phytomediated by Garcinia atroviridis leaf extract is described. Under optimized conditions, the AgNPs-GA were synthesized at a concentration of 0.1 M silver salt and 10% (w/v) leaf extract, 1:4 mixing ratio of reactants, pH 3, temperature 32 °C and 72 h reaction time. The AgNPs-GA were characterized by various analytical techniques and their size was determined to be 5–30 nm. FTIR spectroscopy indicates the role of phenolic functional groups in the reduction of silver ions into AgNPs-GA and in supporting their subsequent stability. The UV-Visible spectrum showed an absorption peak at 450 nm which reflects the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of AgNPs-GA and further supports the stability of these biosynthesized nanoparticles. SEM, TEM and XRD diffractogram analyses indicate that AgNPs-GA were spherical and face-centered-cubic in shape. This study also describes the efficacy of biosynthesized AgNPs-GA as anti-proliferative agent against human breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR-1. Our findings indicate that AgNPs-GA possess significant anti-proliferative effects against both the MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR-1 cell lines, with inhibitory concentration at 50% (IC₅₀ values) of 2.0 and 34.0 µg/mL, respectively, after 72 h of treatment. An induction of apoptosis was evidenced by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining. Therefore, AgNPs-GA exhibited its anti-proliferative activity via apoptosis on MCF-7 and MCF-7/TAMR-1 breast cancer cells in vitro. Taken together, the leaf extract from Garcinia atroviridis was found to be highly capable of producing AgNPs-GA with favourable physicochemical and biological properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 4629 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antitumor and Anti-Metastatic Effects of Citral-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carrier in 4T1-Induced Breast Cancer Mouse Model

by Noraini Nordin, Swee Keong Yeap, Heshu Sulaiman Rahman, Nur Rizi Zamberi, Nurul Elyani Mohamad, Nadiah Abu, Mas Jaffri Masarudin, Rasedee Abdullah and Noorjahan Banu Alitheen

Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2670; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112670 - 9 Jun 2020

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4524

Abstract

Cancer nano-therapy has been progressing rapidly with the introduction of many novel drug delivery systems. The previous study has reported on the in vitro cytotoxicity of citral-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC-Citral) on MDA-MB-231 cells and some preliminary in vivo antitumor effects on 4T1 breast cancer cells challenged mice. However, the in vivo apoptosis induction and anti-metastatic effects of NLC-Citral have yet to be reported. In this study, the in vitro cytotoxic, anti-migration, and anti-invasion effects of NLC-Citral were tested on 4T1 breast cancer cells. In addition, the in vivo antitumor effects of oral delivery of NLC-Citral was also evaluated on BALB/c mice induced with 4T1 cells. In vitro cytotoxicity results showed that NLC-Citral and citral gave similar IC50 values on 4T1 cells. However, wound healing, migration, and invasion assays reflected better in vitro anti-metastasis potential for NLC-Citral than citral alone. Results from the in vivo study indicated that both NLC-Citral and citral have anti-tumor and anti-metastasis effects, whereby the NLC-Citral showed better efficacy than citral in all experiments. Also, the delay of tumor progression was through the suppression of the c-myc gene expression and induction of apoptosis in the tumor. In addition, the inhibition of metastasis of 4T1 cells to lung and bone marrow by the NLC-Citral and citral treatments was correlated with the downregulation of metastasis-related genes expression including MMP-9, ICAM, iNOS, and NF-kB and the angiogenesis-related proteins including G-CSF alpha, Eotaxin, bFGF, VEGF, IL-1alpha, and M-CSF in the tumor. Moreover, NLC-Citral showed greater downregulation of MMP-9, iNOS, ICAM, Eotaxin, bFGF, VEGF, and M-CSF than citral treatment in the 4T1-challenged mice, which may contribute to the better anti-metastatic effect of the encapsulated citral. This study suggests that NLC is a potential and effective delivery system for citral to target triple-negative breast cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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Graphical abstract

11 pages, 2942 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Probing the Electron Transfer between iLOV Protein and Ag Nanoparticles

by Xia Ran, Qianqian Zhang, Yu Zhang, Jin Chen, Zhongran Wei, Yulu He and Lijun Guo

Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2544; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112544 - 29 May 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2487

Abstract

Nanomaterials have been widely used in biomedical sciences; however, the mechanism of interaction between nanoparticles and biomolecules is still not fully understood. In the present study, we report the interaction mechanism between differently sized Ag nanoparticles and the improved light-oxygen-voltage (iLOV) protein. The steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence results demonstrated that the fluorescence intensity and lifetime of the iLOV protein decreased upon its adsorption onto Ag nanoparticles, and this decrease was dependent upon nanoparticle size. Further, we showed that the decrease of fluorescence intensity and lifetime arose from electron transfer between iLOV and Ag nanoparticles. Moreover, through point mutation and controlled experimentation, we demonstrated for the first time that electron transfer between iLOV and Ag nanoparticles is mediated by the tryptophan residue in the iLOV protein. These results are of great importance in revealing the function of iLOV protein as it applies to biomolecular sensors, the field of nano-photonics, and the interaction mechanism between the protein and nanoparticles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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15 pages, 7649 KiB

Open AccessArticle

γ-Nanofluid Thermal Transport between Parallel Plates Suspended by Micro-Cantilever Sensor by Incorporating the Effective Prandtl Model: Applications to Biological and Medical Sciences

by Umar Khan, Adnan, Naveed Ahmed, Syed Tauseef Mohyud-Din, Yu-Ming Chu, Ilyas Khan and Kottakkaran Sooppy Nisar

Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1777; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081777 - 13 Apr 2020

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2312

Abstract

The flow of nanofluid between infinite parallel plates suspended by micro-cantilever sensors is significant. The analysis of such flows is a rich research area due to the variety of applications it has in chemical, biological and medical sciences. Micro-cantilever sensors play a significant role in accurately sensing different diseases, and they can be used to detect many hazardous and bio-warfare agents. Therefore, flow water and ethylene glycol (EG) composed by γ-nanoparticles is used. Firstly, the governing nanofluid model is transformed into two self-similar nanofluid models on the basis of their effective models. Then, a numerical method is adopted for solution purposes, and both the nanofluid models are solved. To enhance the heat transfer characteristics of the models, the effective Prandtl model is ingrained in the energy equation. The velocity F’(η) decreases with respect to the suction of the fluid, because more fluid particles drags on the surface for suction, leading to an abrupt decrement in F’(η). The velocity F’(η) increases for injection of the fluid from the upper end, and therefore the momentum boundary layer region is prolonged. A high volume fraction factor is responsible for the denser characteristics of the nanofluids, due to which the fluids become more viscous, and the velocity F’(η) drops abruptly, with the magnetic parameters favoring velocity F’(η). An increase in temperature

β (η)

of Al₂O₃-H₂O and γAl₂O₃-C₂H₆O₂ nanofluids was reported at higher fraction factors with permeable parameter effects. Finally, a comparative analysis is presented by restricting the flow parameters, which shows the reliability of the study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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20 pages, 5501 KiB

Open AccessReview

pH-Sensitive Biomaterials for Drug Delivery

by Shijie Zhuo, Feng Zhang, Junyu Yu, Xican Zhang, Guangbao Yang and Xiaowen Liu

Molecules 2020, 25(23), 5649; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25235649 - 30 Nov 2020

Cited by 103 | Viewed by 6451

Abstract

The development of precise and personalized medicine requires novel formulation strategies to deliver the therapeutic payloads to the pathological tissues, producing enhanced therapeutic outcome and reduced side effects. As many diseased tissues are feathered with acidic characteristics microenvironment, pH-sensitive biomaterials for drug delivery present great promise for the purpose, which could protect the therapeutic payloads from metabolism and degradation during in vivo circulation and exhibit responsive release of the therapeutics triggered by the acidic pathological tissues, especially for cancer treatment. In the past decades, many methodologies, such as acidic cleavage linkage, have been applied for fabrication of pH-responsive materials for both in vitro and in vivo applications. In this review, we will summarize some pH-sensitive drug delivery system for medical application, mainly focusing on the pH-sensitive linkage bonds and pH-sensitive biomaterials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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21 pages, 2600 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nanomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering

by Devang R. Amin, Eric Sink, Suguna P. Narayan, Mostafa Abdel-Hafiz, Luisa Mestroni and Brisa Peña

Molecules 2020, 25(21), 5189; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25215189 - 7 Nov 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4328

Abstract

End stage heart failure is a major cause of death in the US. At present, organ transplant and left-ventricular assist devices remain the only viable treatments for these patients. Cardiac tissue engineering presents the possibility of a new option. Nanomaterials such as gold nanorods (AuNRs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) present unique properties that are beneficial for cardiac tissue engineering approaches. In particular, these nanomaterials can modulate electrical conductivity, hardness, and roughness of bulk materials to improve tissue functionality. Moreover, they can deliver bioactive cargo to affect cell phenotypes. This review covers recent advances in the use of nanomaterials for cardiac tissue engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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23 pages, 1142 KiB

Open AccessReview

Gold Nanoparticles for Vectorization of Nucleic Acids for Cancer Therapeutics

by Daniela Ferreira, David Fontinha, Catarina Martins, David Pires, Alexandra R. Fernandes and Pedro V. Baptista

Molecules 2020, 25(15), 3489; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25153489 - 31 Jul 2020

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5081

Abstract

Cancer remains a complex medical challenge and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Nanomedicines have been proposed as innovative platforms to tackle these complex diseases, where the combination of several treatment strategies might enhance therapy success. Among these nanomedicines, nanoparticle mediated delivery of nucleic acids has been put forward as key instrument to modulate gene expression, be it targeted gene silencing, interference RNA mechanisms and/or gene edition. These novel delivery systems have strongly relied on nanoparticles and, in particular, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have paved the way for efficient delivery systems due to the possibility to fine-tune their size, shape and surface properties, coupled to the ease of functionalization with different biomolecules. Herein, we shall address the different molecular tools for modulation of expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and discuss the state-of-the-art of AuNP functionalization for nucleic acid delivery both in vitro and in vivo models. Furthermore, we shall highlight the clinical applications of these spherical AuNP based conjugates for gene delivery, current challenges, and future perspectives in nanomedicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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27 pages, 1839 KiB

Open AccessReview

Intranasal Delivery of Nanoformulations: A Potential Way of Treatment for Neurological Disorders

by Salman Ul Islam, Adeeb Shehzad, Muhammad Bilal Ahmed and Young Sup Lee

Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1929; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081929 - 21 Apr 2020

Cited by 101 | Viewed by 8610

Abstract

Although the global prevalence of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, glioblastoma, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis is steadily increasing, effective delivery of drug molecules in therapeutic quantities to the central nervous system (CNS) is still lacking. The blood brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle for the entry of drugs into the brain, as it comprises a tight layer of endothelial cells surrounded by astrocyte foot processes that limit drugs’ entry. In recent times, intranasal drug delivery has emerged as a reliable method to bypass the BBB and treat neurological diseases. The intranasal route for drug delivery to the brain with both solution and particulate formulations has been demonstrated repeatedly in preclinical models, including in human trials. The key features determining the efficacy of drug delivery via the intranasal route include delivery to the olfactory area of the nares, a longer retention time at the nasal mucosal surface, enhanced penetration of the drugs through the nasal epithelia, and reduced drug metabolism in the nasal cavity. This review describes important neurological disorders, challenges in drug delivery to the disordered CNS, and new nasal delivery techniques designed to overcome these challenges and facilitate more efficient and targeted drug delivery. The potential for treatment possibilities with intranasal transfer of drugs will increase with the development of more effective formulations and delivery devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles and Their Biological and Biomedical Applications)

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