scholarly journals Active Targeting Strategies Using Biological Ligands for Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihye Yoo ◽  
Changhee Park ◽  
Gawon Yi ◽  
Donghyun Lee ◽  
Heebeom Koo

Targeting nanoparticle (NP) carriers to sites of disease is critical for their successful use as drug delivery systems. Along with optimization of physicochemical properties, researchers have focused on surface modification of NPs with biological ligands. Such ligands can bind specific receptors on the surface of target cells. Furthermore, biological ligands can facilitate uptake of modified NPs, which is referred to as ‘active targeting’ of NPs. In this review, we discuss recent applications of biological ligands including proteins, polysaccharides, aptamers, peptides, and small molecules for NP-mediated drug delivery. We prioritized studies that have demonstrated targeting in animals over in vitro studies. We expect that this review will assist biomedical researchers working with NPs for drug delivery and imaging.

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Martins ◽  
Daniela Rosa ◽  
Alexandra Fernandes ◽  
Pedro V. Baptista

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 861
Author(s):  
Jacopo Cardellini ◽  
Arianna Balestri ◽  
Costanza Montis ◽  
Debora Berti

In the past decade(s), fluorescence microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) have been widely employed to investigate biological and biomimetic systems for pharmaceutical applications, to determine the localization of drugs in tissues or entire organisms or the extent of their cellular uptake (in vitro). However, the diffraction limit of light, which limits the resolution to hundreds of nanometers, has for long time restricted the extent and quality of information and insight achievable through these techniques. The advent of super-resolution microscopic techniques, recognized with the 2014 Nobel prize in Chemistry, revolutionized the field thanks to the possibility to achieve nanometric resolution, i.e., the typical scale length of chemical and biological phenomena. Since then, fluorescence microscopy-related techniques have acquired renewed interest for the scientific community, both from the perspective of instrument/techniques development and from the perspective of the advanced scientific applications. In this contribution we will review the application of these techniques to the field of drug delivery, discussing how the latest advancements of static and dynamic methodologies have tremendously expanded the experimental opportunities for the characterization of drug delivery systems and for the understanding of their behaviour in biologically relevant environments.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1108
Author(s):  
Oana Craciunescu ◽  
Madalina Icriverzi ◽  
Paula Ecaterina Florian ◽  
Anca Roseanu ◽  
Mihaela Trif

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease. An objective of the nanomedicine and drug delivery systems field is to design suitable pharmaceutical nanocarriers with controllable properties for drug delivery and site-specific targeting, in order to achieve greater efficacy and minimal toxicity, compared to the conventional drugs. The aim of this review is to present recent data on natural bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties and efficacy in the treatment of OA, their formulation in lipid nanostructured carriers, mainly liposomes, as controlled release systems and the possibility to be intra-articularly (IA) administered. The literature regarding glycosaminoglycans, proteins, polyphenols and their ability to modify the cell response and mechanisms of action in different models of inflammation are reviewed. The advantages and limits of using lipid nanoformulations as drug delivery systems in OA treatment and the suitable route of administration are also discussed. Liposomes containing glycosaminoglycans presented good biocompatibility, lack of immune system activation, targeted delivery of bioactive compounds to the site of action, protection and efficiency of the encapsulated material, and prolonged duration of action, being highly recommended as controlled delivery systems in OA therapy through IA administration. Lipid nanoformulations of polyphenols were tested both in vivo and in vitro models that mimic OA conditions after IA or other routes of administration, recommending their clinical application.


2012 ◽  
Vol 430 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 276-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiguang Jin ◽  
Yanju Lian ◽  
Lina Du ◽  
Shuangmiao Wang ◽  
Chang Su ◽  
...  

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1285
Author(s):  
Louise Van Gheluwe ◽  
Igor Chourpa ◽  
Coline Gaigne ◽  
Emilie Munnier

Progress in recent years in the field of stimuli-responsive polymers, whose properties change depending on the intensity of a signal, permitted an increase in smart drug delivery systems (SDDS). SDDS have attracted the attention of the scientific community because they can help meet two current challenges of the pharmaceutical industry: targeted drug delivery and personalized medicine. Controlled release of the active ingredient can be achieved through various stimuli, among which are temperature, pH, redox potential or even enzymes. SDDS, hitherto explored mainly in oncology, are now developed in the fields of dermatology and cosmetics. They are mostly hydrogels or nanosystems, and the most-used stimuli are pH and temperature. This review offers an overview of polymer-based SDDS developed to trigger the release of active ingredients intended to treat skin conditions or pathologies. The methods used to attest to stimuli-responsiveness in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo are discussed.


Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 460
Author(s):  
Minja Mladenović ◽  
Ibrahim Morgan ◽  
Nebojša Ilić ◽  
Mohamad Saoud ◽  
Marija V. Pergal ◽  
...  

Ruthenium complexes are attracting interest in cancer treatment due to their potent cytotoxic activity. However, as their high toxicity may also affect healthy tissues, efficient and selective drug delivery systems to tumour tissues are needed. Our study focuses on the construction of such drug delivery systems for the delivery of cytotoxic Ru(II) complexes upon exposure to a weakly acidic environment of tumours. As nanocarriers, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are utilized, whose surface is functionalized with two types of ligands, (2-thienylmethyl)hydrazine hydrochloride (H1) and (5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)hydrazine (H2), which were attached to MSN through a pH-responsive hydrazone linkage. Further coordination to ruthenium(II) center yielded two types of nanomaterials MSN-H1[Ru] and MSN-H2[Ru]. Spectrophotometric measurements of the drug release kinetics at different pH (5.0, 6.0 and 7.4) confirm the enhanced release of Ru(II) complexes at lower pH values, which is further supported by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurements. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity effect of the released metallotherapeutics is evaluated in vitro on metastatic B16F1 melanoma cells and enhanced cancer cell-killing efficacy is demonstrated upon exposure of the nanomaterials to weakly acidic conditions. The obtained results showcase the promising capabilities of the designed MSN nanocarriers for the pH-responsive delivery of metallotherapeutics and targeted treatment of cancer.


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