Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
3.4
Journals
Materials
Special Issues
Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications
materials-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 July 2024 | Viewed by 11333

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Leto-Aikaterini Tziveleka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
Interests: functional biomaterials; biocompatible polymers; controlled delivery of bioactive molecules; drug targeting; tissue engineering; nanoparticles; scaffolds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zili Sideratou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR Demokritos, Aghia Paraskevi 15310, Greece
Interests: functional liposomes; functional dendritic polymers; carbon-based nanostructured materials; nano-sized drug delivery systems; drug targeting; triggered drug release; antibacterial agents
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanoparticles have emerged as a promising class of materials for biomedical applications as their particle size, which is in the nanometer range, secures their colloidal nature and their unique properties of increased relative surface area and quantum size effects. Nanoparticles are categorized primarily as polymeric, inorganic, lipid, and carbon-based, each class featuring multiple forms, such as micelles, dendrimers, cyclodextrins, nanospheres, polymersomes, liposomes, lipid, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, quantum dots, and carbon nanostructures.

Their architecture (size, shape, and charge) and surface properties can be fine-tuned to optimize their stability, solubility, drug loading capacity, and controlled release so as to prolong their circulation and enhance delivery of various payloads, including small molecules, biological macromolecules, and proteins, leading to their use in a wide variety of biological and pharmaceutical applications. The incorporation of bioresponsive moieties and surface modification with targeting agents enable the overcoming of biological barriers, enhancing delivery though cell specific targeting and molecular transport to specific organelles.

This Special Issue will highlight the latest research on nanoparticles focusing on their applications in the biomedical field, including but not limited to drug and gene delivery, stimuli-responsive therapeutics, antibacterials, bioimaging, theranostics, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.

Dr. Leto-Aikaterini Tziveleka
Dr. Zili Sideratou
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. Materials 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 2600 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

  • nanoparticles
  • lipid-based
  • carbon-based
  • polymeric
  • inorganic
  • functionalization
  • controlled delivery
  • bioimaging
  • theranostics
  • tissue engineering

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 2314 KiB  
Article
Development of a Resveratrol Nanoformulation for the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy
by Juliana Gonzalez-Perez, A. M. Lopera-Echavarría, Said Arevalo-Alquichire, Pedronel Araque-Marín and Martha E. Londoño
Materials 2024, 17(6), 1420; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17061420 - 20 Mar 2024
Viewed by 643
Abstract
Diabetic retinopathy (RD) is a microvascular disease that can cause the formation of fragile neovessels, increasing the risk of hemorrhages and leading to vision loss. Current therapies are based on the intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which is invasive and [...] Read more.
Diabetic retinopathy (RD) is a microvascular disease that can cause the formation of fragile neovessels, increasing the risk of hemorrhages and leading to vision loss. Current therapies are based on the intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), which is invasive and can cause secondary effects. The development of new treatments that complement the current therapies is necessary to improve the patient’s outcomes. Nanostructured formulations offer several advantages regarding drug delivery and penetration. In this research, a resveratrol nanosuspension (RSV-NS) was prepared and characterized using dynamic light scattering, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The RSV-NS had an average particle size of 304.0 ± 81.21 nm with a PDI of 0.225 ± 0.036, and a spherical-like morphology and uniform particle distribution. Cell viability, proliferation, and migration were tested on endothelial cells (HMRECs). RSV-NS in a concentration of less than 18.75 µM did not have a cytotoxic effect on HMRECs. Likewise, proliferation and migration were significantly reduced compared to the unstimulated control at 37.5 µM. The RSV-NS did not present cytotoxic effects but decreased cell proliferation and migration, indicating that it could provide an important contribution to future medical implementations and could have a high potential to treat this disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 3720 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Codelivery of Gefitinib and Azacitidine for Treatment of Metastatic-Resistant Lung Cancer Using Biodegradable Lipid Nanoparticles
by Ehab M. Elzayat, Abdelrahman Y. Sherif, Fahd A. Nasr, Mohamed W. Attwa, Doaa H. Alshora, Sheikh F. Ahmad and Ali S. Alqahtani
Materials 2023, 16(15), 5364; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16155364 - 30 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1177
Abstract
Lung cancer is a formidable challenge in clinical practice owing to its metastatic nature and resistance to conventional treatments. The codelivery of anticancer agents offers a potential solution to overcome resistance and minimize systemic toxicity. The encapsulation of these agents within nanostructured lipid [...] Read more.
Lung cancer is a formidable challenge in clinical practice owing to its metastatic nature and resistance to conventional treatments. The codelivery of anticancer agents offers a potential solution to overcome resistance and minimize systemic toxicity. The encapsulation of these agents within nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) provides a promising strategy to enhance lymphatic delivery and reduce the risk of relapse. This study aimed to develop an NLC formulation loaded with Gefitinib and Azacitidine (GEF-AZT-NLC) for the treatment of metastatic-resistant lung cancer. The physicochemical properties of the formulations were characterized, and in vitro drug release was evaluated using the dialysis bag method. The cytotoxic activity of the GEF-AZT-NLC formulations was assessed on a lung cancer cell line, and hemocompatibility was evaluated using suspended red blood cells. The prepared formulations exhibited nanoscale size (235–272 nm) and negative zeta potential values (−15 to −31 mV). In vitro study revealed that the GEF-AZT-NLC formulation retained more than 20% and 60% of GEF and AZT, respectively, at the end of the experiment. Hemocompatibility study demonstrated the safety of the formulation for therapeutic use, while cytotoxicity studies suggested that the encapsulation of both anticancer agents within NLCs could be advantageous in treating resistant cancer cells. In conclusion, the GEF-AZT-NLC formulation developed in this study holds promise as a potential therapeutic tool for treating metastatic-resistant lung cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2565 KiB  
Article
Design and Development of Low- and Medium-Viscosity Alginate Beads Loaded with Pluronic® F-127 Nanomicelles
by Flora Kalogeropoulou, Dimitra Papailiou, Chrystalla Protopapa, Angeliki Siamidi, Leto-Aikaterini Tziveleka, Natassa Pippa and Marilena Vlachou
Materials 2023, 16(13), 4715; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134715 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1267
Abstract
The anionic polymer sodium alginate, a linear copolymer of guluronic and mannuronic acids, is primarily present in brown algae. Copolymers are used in the sodium alginate preparation process to confer on the material strength and flexibility. Micelles and other polymeric nanoparticles are frequently [...] Read more.
The anionic polymer sodium alginate, a linear copolymer of guluronic and mannuronic acids, is primarily present in brown algae. Copolymers are used in the sodium alginate preparation process to confer on the material strength and flexibility. Micelles and other polymeric nanoparticles are frequently made using the triblock copolymer Pluronic® F-127. The purpose of the present study is to determine the effect of sodium alginate’s viscosity (low and medium) and the presence of Pluronic® F-127 micelles on the swelling behavior of the prepared pure beads and those loaded with Pluronic® F-127 micelles. The Pluronic® F-127 nanomicelles have a size of 120 nm. The swelling studies were carried out at pH = 1.2 (simulated gastric fluid-SGF) for two hours and at pH = 6.8 (simulated intestinal fluid-SIF) for four more hours. The swelling of both low- and medium-viscosity alginate beads was minor at pH = 1.2, irrespective of the use of Pluronic® F-127 nanomicelles. At pH = 6.8, without Pluronic® F-127, the beads showed an enhanced swelling ratio for the first four hours, which was even higher in the medium-viscosity alginate beads. With the addition of Pluronic® F-127, the beads were dissolved in the first and second hour, in the case of the low- and medium-alginate’s viscosity, respectively. In other words, the behavior of the mixed hydrogels was the same during the swelling experiments. Therefore, the presence of Pluronic® F-127 nanomicelles and medium-viscosity sodium alginate leads to a higher swelling ratio. A model drug, acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), was also encapsulated in the mixed beads and ASA’s release studies were performed. In conclusion, the prepared systems, which are well characterized, show potential as delivery platforms for the oral delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients and biopharmaceuticals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4462 KiB  
Article
Unimolecular Micelles from Randomly Grafted Arborescent Copolymers with Different Core Branching Densities: Encapsulation of Doxorubicin and In Vitro Release Study
by Mosa Alsehli and Mario Gauthier
Materials 2023, 16(6), 2461; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062461 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1311
Abstract
A series of amphiphilic arborescent copolymers of generations G1 and G2 with an arborescent poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBG) core and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chain segments in the shell, PBG-g-PEO, were synthesized and evaluated as drug delivery nanocarriers. The PBG building blocks were [...] Read more.
A series of amphiphilic arborescent copolymers of generations G1 and G2 with an arborescent poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate) (PBG) core and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chain segments in the shell, PBG-g-PEO, were synthesized and evaluated as drug delivery nanocarriers. The PBG building blocks were generated by ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl L-glutamic acid N-carboxyanhydride (Glu-NCA) initiated with n-hexylamine. Partial or full deprotection of the benzyl ester groups followed by coupling with PBG chains yielded a comb-branched (arborescent polymer generation zero or G0) PBG structure. Additional cycles of deprotection and grafting provided G1 and G2 arborescent polypeptides. Side chains of poly(ethylene oxide) were then randomly grafted onto the arborescent PBG substrates to produce amphiphilic arborescent copolymers. Control over the branching density of G0PBG was investigated by varying the length and the deprotection level of the linear PBG substrates used in their synthesis. Three G0PBG cores with different branching densities, varying from a compact and dense to a loose and more porous structure, were thus synthesized. These amphiphilic copolymers behaved similar to unimolecular micelles in aqueous solutions, with a unimodal number- and volume-weighted size distributions in dynamic light scattering measurements. It was demonstrated that these biocompatible copolymers can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs such as doxorubicin (DOX) within their hydrophobic core with drug loading efficiencies of 42–65%. Sustained and pH-responsive DOX release was observed from the unimolecular micelles, which suggests that they could be useful as drug nanocarriers for cancer therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

19 pages, 31474 KiB  
Article
Hyperbranched Polyelectrolyte Copolymers as Novel Candidate Delivery Systems for Bio-Relevant Compounds
by Anastasia Balafouti and Stergios Pispas
Materials 2023, 16(3), 1045; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031045 - 24 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1439
Abstract
In this study, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is utilized in order to synthesize novel hyperbranched poly(oligoethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-tert-butyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (H-[P(OEGMA-co-tBMA-co-MAA)]) copolymers in combination with selective hydrolysis reactions. The copolymers showing amphiphilicity induced by the polar OEGMA and hydrophobic [...] Read more.
In this study, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is utilized in order to synthesize novel hyperbranched poly(oligoethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-tert-butyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (H-[P(OEGMA-co-tBMA-co-MAA)]) copolymers in combination with selective hydrolysis reactions. The copolymers showing amphiphilicity induced by the polar OEGMA and hydrophobic tBMA monomeric units, and polyelectrolyte character due to MAA units, combined with unique macromolecular architecture were characterized by physicochemical techniques, such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The hyperbranched copolymers were investigated in terms of their ability to self-assemble into nanostructures when dissolved in aqueous media. Dynamic light scattering and fluorescence spectroscopy revealed multimolecular aggregates of nanoscale dimensions with low critical aggregation concentration, the size and mass of which depend on copolymer composition and solution conditions, whereas zeta potential measurements indicated pH sensitive features. In addition, aiming to evaluate their potential use as nanocarriers, the copolymers were studied in terms of their drug encapsulation and protein complexation ability utilizing curcumin and lysozyme, as a model hydrophobic drug and a model cationic protein, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

21 pages, 4073 KiB  
Review
Mechanochemical Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Potential Antimicrobial Applications
by Rabindra Dubadi, Songping D. Huang and Mietek Jaroniec
Materials 2023, 16(4), 1460; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041460 - 09 Feb 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4602
Abstract
There is an increased interest in porous materials due to their unique properties such as high surface area, enhanced catalytic properties, and biological applications. Various solvent-based approaches have been already used to synthesize porous materials. However, the use of large volume of solvents, [...] Read more.
There is an increased interest in porous materials due to their unique properties such as high surface area, enhanced catalytic properties, and biological applications. Various solvent-based approaches have been already used to synthesize porous materials. However, the use of large volume of solvents, their toxicity, and time-consuming synthesis make this process less effective, at least in terms of principles of green chemistry. Mechanochemical synthesis is one of the effective eco-friendly alternatives to the conventional synthesis. It adopts the efficient mixing of reactants using ball milling without or with a very small volume of solvents, gives smaller size nanoparticles (NPs) and larger surface area, and facilitates their functionalization, which is highly beneficial for antimicrobial applications. A large variety of nanomaterials for different applications have already been synthesized by this method. This review emphasizes the comparison between the solvent-based and mechanochemical methods for the synthesis of mainly inorganic NPs for potential antimicrobial applications, although some metal-organic framework NPs are briefly presented too. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Νanoparticles for Biomedical Applications)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop