Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 6971

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do 24341, Republic of Korea
Interests: cancer; infectious diseases; nanoencapsulation; nanomedicine; nanoparticles; new drug delivery systems; polymersome; theragnosis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to our upcoming Special Issue on "Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics" in Pharmaceutics. This Special Issue aims at unveiling the latest developments and breakthroughs in nanotechnology applications for therapeutic purposes. Nanotechnology has shown immense potential in offering targeted solutions for drug delivery, diagnostics, and monitoring treatments. We seek to compile a collection of high-quality research papers and review articles that delve into the multifaceted advances in nanotechnology therapeutics.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Novel nanocarrier systems for targeted drug delivery;
  • Nanoparticle-based imaging techniques for early cancer detection and diagnosis;
  • Theranostic nanomedicine platforms for simultaneous imaging and therapy;
  • Overcoming biological barriers using nanotechnology for improved drug delivery; 
  • Nanoparticle formulations for combination therapy; 
  • Biocompatibility and safety assessment of nanomaterials for clinical translation;
  • Nanotechnology-based approaches for personalized cancer medicine.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Hyun-ouk Kim
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

  • nanotechnology
  • cancer treatment
  • drug delivery systems
  • diagnostic imaging
  • personalized medicine

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 6940 KiB  
Article
Evidence That a Peptide-Drug/p53 Gene Complex Promotes Cognate Gene Expression and Inhibits the Viability of Glioblastoma Cells
by Ana Neves, Tânia Albuquerque, Rúben Faria, Cecília R. A. Santos, Eric Vivès, Prisca Boisguérin, Diana Carneiro, Daniel F. Bruno, Maria D. Pavlaki, Susana Loureiro, Ângela Sousa and Diana Costa
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(6), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16060781 - 8 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1183
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is considered the deadliest brain cancer. Conventional therapies are followed by poor patient survival outcomes, so novel and more efficacious therapeutic strategies are imperative to tackle this scourge. Gene therapy has emerged as an exciting and innovative tool in cancer [...] Read more.
Glioblastoma multiform (GBM) is considered the deadliest brain cancer. Conventional therapies are followed by poor patient survival outcomes, so novel and more efficacious therapeutic strategies are imperative to tackle this scourge. Gene therapy has emerged as an exciting and innovative tool in cancer therapy. Its combination with chemotherapy has significantly improved therapeutic outcomes. In line with this, our team has developed temozolomide–transferrin (Tf) peptide (WRAP5)/p53 gene nanometric complexes that were revealed to be biocompatible with non-cancerous cells and in a zebrafish model and were able to efficiently target and internalize into SNB19 and U373 glioma cell lines. The transfection of these cells, mediated by the formulated peptide-drug/gene complexes, resulted in p53 expression. The combined action of the anticancer drug with p53 supplementation in cancer cells enhances cytotoxicity, which was correlated to apoptosis activation through quantification of caspase-3 activity. In addition, increased caspase-9 levels revealed that the intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis was implicated. This assumption was further evidenced by the presence, in glioma cells, of Bax protein overexpression—a core regulator of this apoptotic pathway. Our findings demonstrated the great potential of peptide TMZ/p53 co-delivery complexes for cellular transfection, p53 expression, and apoptosis induction, holding promising therapeutic value toward glioblastoma. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics)
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21 pages, 3557 KiB  
Article
Effect of Micromixer Design on Lipid Nanocarriers Manufacturing for the Delivery of Proteins and Nucleic Acids
by Enrica Chiesa, Alessandro Caimi, Marco Bellotti, Alessia Giglio, Bice Conti, Rossella Dorati, Ferdinando Auricchio and Ida Genta
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(4), 507; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16040507 - 7 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1582
Abstract
Lipid-based nanocarriers have emerged as helpful tools to deliver sensible biomolecules such as proteins and oligonucleotides. To have a fast and robust microfluidic-based nanoparticle synthesis method, the setup of versatile equipment should allow for the rapid transfer to scale cost-effectively while ensuring tunable, [...] Read more.
Lipid-based nanocarriers have emerged as helpful tools to deliver sensible biomolecules such as proteins and oligonucleotides. To have a fast and robust microfluidic-based nanoparticle synthesis method, the setup of versatile equipment should allow for the rapid transfer to scale cost-effectively while ensuring tunable, precise and reproducible nanoparticle attributes. The present work aims to assess the effect of different micromixer geometries on the manufacturing of lipid nanocarriers taking into account the influence on the mixing efficiency by changing the fluid–fluid interface and indeed the mass transfer. Since the geometry of the adopted micromixer varies from those already published, a Design of Experiment (DoE) was necessary to identify the operating (total flow, flow rate ratio) and formulation (lipid concentration, lipid molar ratios) parameters affecting the nanocarrier quality. The suitable application of the platform was investigated by producing neutral, stealth and cationic liposomes, using DaunoXome®, Myocet®, Onivyde® and Onpattro® as the benchmark. The effect of condensing lipid (DOTAP, 3–10–20 mol%), coating lipids (DSPE-PEG550 and DSPE-PEG2000), as well as structural lipids (DSPC, eggPC) was pointed out. A very satisfactory encapsulation efficiency, always higher than 70%, was successfully obtained for model biomolecules (myoglobin, short and long nucleic acids). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics)
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Review

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28 pages, 7409 KiB  
Review
Advances in Nanoparticles as Non-Viral Vectors for Efficient Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9
by Minse Kim, Youngwoo Hwang, Seongyu Lim, Hyeon-Ki Jang and Hyun-Ouk Kim
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(9), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16091197 - 11 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1512
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is a gene-editing technology. Nanoparticle delivery systems have attracted attention because of the limitations of conventional viral vectors. In this review, we assess the efficiency of various nanoparticles, including lipid-based, polymer-based, inorganic, and extracellular [...] Read more.
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is a gene-editing technology. Nanoparticle delivery systems have attracted attention because of the limitations of conventional viral vectors. In this review, we assess the efficiency of various nanoparticles, including lipid-based, polymer-based, inorganic, and extracellular vesicle-based systems, as non-viral vectors for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. We discuss their advantages, limitations, and current challenges. By summarizing recent advancements and highlighting key strategies, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of non-viral delivery systems in advancing CRISPR/Cas9 technology for clinical applications and gene therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics)
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27 pages, 3443 KiB  
Review
Photodynamic Therapy for Atherosclerosis: Past, Present, and Future
by Yanqing Lin, Ruosen Xie and Tao Yu
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(6), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16060729 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1607
Abstract
This review paper examines the evolution of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a novel, minimally invasive strategy for treating atherosclerosis, a leading global health concern. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the accumulation of lipids and inflammation within arterial walls, leading to significant morbidity and mortality [...] Read more.
This review paper examines the evolution of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a novel, minimally invasive strategy for treating atherosclerosis, a leading global health concern. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the accumulation of lipids and inflammation within arterial walls, leading to significant morbidity and mortality through cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Traditional therapeutic approaches have primarily focused on modulating risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, with emerging evidence highlighting the pivotal role of inflammation. PDT, leveraging a photosensitizer, specific-wavelength light, and oxygen, offers targeted treatment by inducing cell death in diseased tissues while sparing healthy ones. This specificity, combined with advancements in nanoparticle technology for improved delivery, positions PDT as a promising alternative to traditional interventions. The review explores the mechanistic basis of PDT, its efficacy in preclinical studies, and the potential for enhancing plaque stability and reducing macrophage density within plaques. It also addresses the need for further research to optimize treatment parameters, mitigate adverse effects, and validate long-term outcomes. By detailing past developments, current progress, and future directions, this paper aims to highlight PDT’s potential in revolutionizing atherosclerosis treatment, bridging the gap from experimental research to clinical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Nanotechnology Therapeutics)
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