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Pharmaceutics
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Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines
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Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2023) | Viewed by 13084

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Quan Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Interests: drug delivery; nanocarriers; nanomedicines; photodynamic therapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the 21st century, nanotechnology has received extensive attention in the field of medicine. The poor solubility and stability of drugs in the physiological environment can be effectively solved through the combination of nanotechnology and medicines. Many strategies have been developed to prepare nanomedicines, including high-gravity sedimentation, microfluidic reactors, emulsification and microemulsion, supercritical fluid crystallization, wet milling technology, and so on. Using these technologies, various organic and inorganic nanomaterials (i.e., liposomes, polymeric micelles, nanogels, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles) have been studied to tackle biosafety and drug efficacy issues. In comparison with conventional drugs, nanomedicines show great advantages with regard to enhancing drug efficacy and reducing adverse effects. Although significant advancements have been achieved with nanomedicines to treat various diseases (i.e., cancer, chronic inflammation, and infection), there is still a need to develop more precise and intelligent nanomedicines.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the technology of nanomedicines, particularly novel designs and smart strategies. For example, stimuli-responsive nanomedicines are promising candidates since drug release can be triggered locally in the disease site via internal (i.e., pH, redox potential, and metabolite or enzyme concentration) or external (i.e., heat, ultrasound, light, and magnetic field) stimuli. Multifunctional nanomedicines have been explored through the combination of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic therapy, thermodynamic therapy, etc. In addition, image-guided targeted drug delivery has attracted much attention as a new nanomedicine technology. Original research papers, communications, and review articles are all welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue, “Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines”.

Prof. Dr. Quan Zhang
Guest Editor

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. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2900 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
  • advanced nanotechnology
  • drug delivery
  • stimuli-responsive drug release
  • multifunctional nanomedicines
  • image-guided targeted therapies

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 7301 KiB  
Article
Doxorubicin Conjugated γ-Globulin Functionalised Gold Nanoparticles: A pH-Responsive Bioinspired Nanoconjugate Approach for Advanced Chemotherapeutics
by Gaurav Chauhan, Vianni Chopra, América García Alvarado, Jocelyn Alexandra Gómez Siono, Marc J. Madou, Sergio Omar Martinez-Chapa and Manish M. Kulkarni
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16020208 - 31 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2109
Abstract
Developing successful nanomedicine hinges on regulating nanoparticle surface interactions within biological systems, particularly in intravenous nanotherapeutics. We harnessed the surface interactions of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with serum proteins, incorporating a γ-globulin (γG) hard surface corona and chemically conjugating Doxorubicin to create an innovative [...] Read more.
Developing successful nanomedicine hinges on regulating nanoparticle surface interactions within biological systems, particularly in intravenous nanotherapeutics. We harnessed the surface interactions of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with serum proteins, incorporating a γ-globulin (γG) hard surface corona and chemically conjugating Doxorubicin to create an innovative hybrid anticancer nanobioconjugate, Dox-γG-AuNPs. γG (with an isoelectric point of ~7.2) enhances cellular uptake and exhibits pH-sensitive behaviour, favouring targeted cancer cell drug delivery. In cell line studies, Dox-γG-AuNPs demonstrated a 10-fold higher cytotoxic potency compared to equivalent doxorubicin concentrations, with drug release favoured at pH 5.5 due to the γ-globulin corona’s inherent pH sensitivity. This bioinspired approach presents a novel strategy for designing hybrid anticancer therapeutics. Our study also explored the intricacies of the p53-mediated ROS pathway’s role in regulating cell fate, including apoptosis and necrosis, in response to these treatments. The pathway’s delicate balance of ROS emerged as a critical determinant, warranting further investigation to elucidate its mechanisms and implications. Overall, leveraging the robust γ-globulin protein corona on AuNPs enhances biostability in harsh serum conditions, augments anticancer potential within pH-sensitive environments, and opens promising avenues for bioinspired drug delivery and the design of novel anticancer hybrids with precise targeting capabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines)
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16 pages, 3237 KiB  
Article
Synergistic Photodynamic/Antibiotic Therapy with Photosensitive MOF-Based Nanoparticles to Eradicate Bacterial Biofilms
by Lehan Du, Wenjun Shi, Xin Hao, Liang Luan, Shibo Wang, Jiaju Lu and Quan Zhang
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(7), 1826; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15071826 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2049
Abstract
Bacterial biofilms pose a serious threat to human health, as they prevent the penetration of antimicrobial agents. Developing nanocarriers that can simultaneously permeate biofilms and deliver antibacterial agents is an attractive means of treating bacterial biofilm infections. Herein, photosensitive metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles [...] Read more.
Bacterial biofilms pose a serious threat to human health, as they prevent the penetration of antimicrobial agents. Developing nanocarriers that can simultaneously permeate biofilms and deliver antibacterial agents is an attractive means of treating bacterial biofilm infections. Herein, photosensitive metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles were developed to promote the penetration of antibiotics into biofilms, thereby achieving the goal of eradicating bacterial biofilms through synergistic photodynamic and antibiotic therapy. First, a ligand containing benzoselenadiazole was synthesized and incorporated into MOF skeletons to construct benzoselenadiazole-doped MOFs (Se-MOFs). The growth of the Se-MOFs could be regulated to obtain nanoparticles (Se-NPs) in the presence of benzoic acid. The singlet oxygen (1O2) generation efficiencies of the Se-MOFs and Se-NPs were evaluated. The results show that the Se-NPs exhibited a higher 1O2 generation efficacy than the Se-MOF under visible-light irradiation because the small size of the Se-NPs was conducive to the diffusion of 1O2. Afterward, an antibiotic drug, polymyxin B (PMB), was conjugated onto the surface of the Se-NPs via amidation to yield PMB-modified Se-NPs (PMB-Se-NPs). PMB-Se-NPs exhibit a synergistic antibacterial effect by specifically targeting the lipopolysaccharides present in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria through surface-modified PMB. Benefiting from the synergistic therapeutic effects of antibiotic and photodynamic therapy, PMB-Se-NPs can efficiently eradicate bacterial biofilms at relatively low antibiotic doses and light intensities, providing a promising nanocomposite for combating biofilm infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines)
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14 pages, 3626 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Biophysical Properties, and Antitumor Activity of Antisense Oligonucleotides Conjugated with Anisamide
by Zhe Zhang, Zuyi Chen, Cheng Li, Zhenyu Xiao, Yuan Luo, Xiaochen Pan, Liang Xu and Xuesong Feng
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(6), 1645; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15061645 - 2 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1879
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASONs) have proven potential for the treatment of various diseases. However, their limited bioavailability restricts their clinical application. New structures with improved enzyme resistance stability and efficient drug delivery are needed. In this work, we propose a novel category of ASONs [...] Read more.
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASONs) have proven potential for the treatment of various diseases. However, their limited bioavailability restricts their clinical application. New structures with improved enzyme resistance stability and efficient drug delivery are needed. In this work, we propose a novel category of ASONs bearing anisamide conjugation at phosphorothioate sites for oncotherapy. ASONs can be conjugated with the ligand anisamide very efficiently and flexibly in a solution. The conjugation sites and the ligand amount both influence anti-enzymatic stability and cellular uptake, resulting in changes in antitumor activity that are detectable by cytotoxicity assay. The conjugate with double anisamide (T6) was identified as the optimal conjugate, and its antitumor activity and the underlying mechanism were examined further in vitro and in vivo. This paper presents a new strategy for the design of nucleic acid-based therapeutics with improved drug delivery and biophysical and biological efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines)
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11 pages, 2623 KiB  
Article
A Biocompatible Liquid Pillar[n]arene-Based Drug Reservoir for Topical Drug Delivery
by Yahan Zhang, Mengke Ma, Longming Chen, Xinbei Du, Zhao Meng, Han Zhang, Zhibing Zheng, Junyi Chen and Qingbin Meng
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2621; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122621 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2101
Abstract
Advanced external preparations that possess a sustained-release effect and integrate few irritant elements are urgently needed to satisfy the special requirements of topical administration in the clinic. Here, a series of liquid pillar[n]arene-bearing varying-length oligoethylene oxide chains (OEPns) were designed and synthesized. Following [...] Read more.
Advanced external preparations that possess a sustained-release effect and integrate few irritant elements are urgently needed to satisfy the special requirements of topical administration in the clinic. Here, a series of liquid pillar[n]arene-bearing varying-length oligoethylene oxide chains (OEPns) were designed and synthesized. Following rheological property and biocompatibility investigations, pillar[6]arene with triethylene oxide substituents (TEP6) with satisfactory cavity size were screened as optimal candidate compounds. Then, a supramolecular liquid reservoir was constructed from host–guest complexes between TEP6 and econazole nitrate (ECN), an external antimicrobial agent without additional solvents. In vitro drug-release studies revealed that complexation by TEP6 could regulate the release rate of ECN and afford effective cumulative amounts. In vivo pharmacodynamic studies confirmed the formation of a supramolecular liquid reservoir contributed to the accelerated healing rate of a S. aureus-infected mouse wound model. Overall, these findings have provided the first insights into the construction of a supramolecular liquid reservoir for topical administration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines)
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Review

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20 pages, 2953 KiB  
Review
Frontiers in Preparations and Promising Applications of Mesoporous Polydopamine for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
by Hualin Ma, Jingwen Peng, Jianing Zhang, Li Pan, Jiayi Ouyang, Zimu Li, Baochun Guo, Zhen Wang, Ying Xu, Daizheng Lian and Xiaowei Zeng
Pharmaceutics 2023, 15(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15010015 - 21 Dec 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3801
Abstract
Polydopamine (PDA) is a natural melanin derived from marine mussels that has good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photothermal conversion ability. As a new coating material, it offers a novel way to modify the surface of various substances. The drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency [...] Read more.
Polydopamine (PDA) is a natural melanin derived from marine mussels that has good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and photothermal conversion ability. As a new coating material, it offers a novel way to modify the surface of various substances. The drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of PDA are greatly improved via the use of mesoporous materials. The abundant pore canals on mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) exhibit a uniquely large surface area, which provides a structural basis for drug delivery. In this review, we systematically summarized the characteristics and manufacturing process of MPDA, introduced its application in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and discussed the existing problems in its development and clinical application. This comprehensive review will facilitate further research on MPDA in the fields of medicine including cancer therapy, materials science, and biology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Nanomedicines)
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