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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery
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Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 9579

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Kyong-Tai Kim

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Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
Interests: drug delivery; polymer nanocarrier; targeted delivery; bioimaging; surface modification of nanomaterials
Dr. Ranjit De

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
Interests: drug delivery; crossing the blood-brain barrier; neurodegenerative diseases; carbon quantum dots; polymer; polymer nanoparticles; upconversion nanoparticles; counterion condensation of polyelectrolytes; gold/silver nanoparticles; bioimaging/advanced fluorescence microscopy; surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carriers play a role that is as significant as that of drugs. Nanocarriers can achieve targeted delivery to cells as well as to subcellular organelles and play a pivotal role in disease diagnosis through bioimaging. The engagement of polymers to design nanocarriers has revolutionized this field. Along with targeted drug release, such nanocarriers can protect untargeted cells or tissues from the undesired side effects of certain therapeutics. Hence, polymers are increasingly being used to modify the surfaces of various nanomaterials to transform them into biocompatible as well as multi-functional nanocarriers. Along with drug transport, such carriers can simultaneously protect sensitive payloads from degradation induced by heat, acidity, enzyme, etc. The availability of biodegradable polymers makes them advantageous when designing nanocarriers with neglegible cytotoxicity.

This Special Issue aims to collect the latest advances in the field of nanocarrier design for drug delivery, which includes but is not limited to the contributions of polymers, the significance of surface modifications in nanomaterials, the protection of loaded drugs and untargeted cells/tissues, bioimaging, and the development multi-functional nanocarriers, with particular interest on their response to multiple stimuli and the simultaneous delivery of multiple drugs.

Prof. Dr. Kyong-Tai Kim
Dr. Ranjit De
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. 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

  • drug delivery
  • polymer nanocarrier
  • stimuli responsive
  • multiple drug delivery
  • targeted delivery
  • bioimaging
  • surface modification of nanomaterials

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 3557 KiB  
Article
Dual-Enhanced Pluronic Nanoformulated Methotrexate-Based Treatment Approach for Breast Cancer: Development and Evaluation of In Vitro and In Vivo Efficiency
by Amira Mansour, Mohamed Y. Mahmoud, Alaa F. Bakr, Monira G. Ghoniem, Fatima A. Adam and Ibrahim M. El-Sherbiny
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2668; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122668 - 30 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1529 | Correction
Abstract
Breast cancer is a prevalent tumor and causes deadly metastatic complications. Myriad cancer types, including breast cancer, are effectively treated by methotrexate (MTX). However, MTX hydrophobicity, adverse effects and the development of resistance have inspired a search for new effective strategies to overcome [...] Read more.
Breast cancer is a prevalent tumor and causes deadly metastatic complications. Myriad cancer types, including breast cancer, are effectively treated by methotrexate (MTX). However, MTX hydrophobicity, adverse effects and the development of resistance have inspired a search for new effective strategies to overcome these challenges. These may include the addition of a bioenhancer and/or encapsulation into appropriate nano-based carriers. In the present study, the anticancer effect of MTX was fortified through dual approaches. First, the concomitant use of piperine (PIP) as a bioenhancer with MTX, which was investigated in the MCF-7 cell line. The results depicted significantly lower IC50 values for the combination (PIP/MTX) than for MTX. Second, PIP and MTX were individually nanoformulated into F-127 pluronic nanomicelles (PIP-NMs) and F-127/P-105 mixed pluronic nanomicelles (MTX-MNMs), respectively, validated by several characterization techniques, and the re-investigated cytotoxicity of PIP-NMs and MTX-MNMs was fortified. Besides, the PIP-NMs/MTX-MNMs demonstrated further cytotoxicity enhancement. The PIP-NMs/MTX-MNMs combination was analyzed by flow cytometry to understand the cell death mechanism. Moreover, the in vivo assessment of PIP-NMs/MTX-MNMs was adopted through the Ehrlich ascites model, which revealed a significant reduction of the tumor weight. However, some results of the tumor markers showed that the addition of PIP-NMs to MTX-MNMs did not significantly enhance the antitumor effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery)
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12 pages, 2661 KiB  
Article
Formulation of Nanomicelles Loaded with Cannabidiol as a Platform for Neuroprotective Therapy
by Yordan Yordanov, Denitsa Stefanova, Ivanka Spassova, Daniela Kovacheva, Virginia Tzankova, Spiro Konstantinov and Krassimira Yoncheva
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2625; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122625 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1568
Abstract
The present study is focused on the development of cannabidiol-loaded polymeric nanomicelles as a drug delivery system with neuroprotective effects. Cannabidiol was loaded in Pluronic micelles (Pluronic P123 or its combination with Pluronic F127) possessing an average diameter smaller than 50 nm and [...] Read more.
The present study is focused on the development of cannabidiol-loaded polymeric nanomicelles as a drug delivery system with neuroprotective effects. Cannabidiol was loaded in Pluronic micelles (Pluronic P123 or its combination with Pluronic F127) possessing an average diameter smaller than 50 nm and high encapsulation efficiency for the hydrophobic drug (80% and 84%, respectively). The successful encapsulation and transformation of cannabidiol in amorphous phase were observed by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Studies with neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y and Neuro-2a) showed that the pure cannabidiol caused a dose-dependent reduction of cell viability, whereas its loading into the micelles decreased cytotoxicity. Further, neuroprotective effects of pure and micellar cannabidiol were examined in a model of H2O2-induced oxidative stress in both neuroblastoma cells. The pre-treatment of cell lines with cannabidiol loaded into the mixed Pluronic P123/F127 micelles exerted significantly stronger protection against the oxidative stress compared to pure cannabidiol and cannabidiol in single Pluronic P123 micelles. Interestingly, the empty mixed P123/F127 micelles demonstrated protective activity against the oxidative stress. In conclusion, the study revealed the opportunity to formulate a new drug delivery system of cannabidiol, in particular nanosized micellar aqueous dispersion, that could be considered as a perspective platform for cannabidiol application in neurodegenerative diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery)
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Review

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25 pages, 1439 KiB  
Review
Polymeric Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery in Osteoarthritis
by Adriano P. Pontes, Tim J. M. Welting, Jaap Rip and Laura B. Creemers
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(12), 2639; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14122639 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3208
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative musculoskeletal disorder affecting the whole synovial joint and globally impacts more than one in five individuals aged 40 and over, representing a huge socioeconomic burden. Drug penetration into and retention within the joints are major challenges in the [...] Read more.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative musculoskeletal disorder affecting the whole synovial joint and globally impacts more than one in five individuals aged 40 and over, representing a huge socioeconomic burden. Drug penetration into and retention within the joints are major challenges in the development of regenerative therapies for OA. During the recent years, polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) have emerged as promising drug carrier candidates due to their biodegradable properties, nanoscale structure, functional versatility, and reproducible manufacturing, which makes them particularly attractive for cartilage penetration and joint retention. In this review, we discuss the current development state of natural and synthetic PNPs for drug delivery and OA treatment. Evidence from in vitro and pre-clinical in vivo studies is used to show how disease pathology and key cellular pathways of joint inflammation are modulated by these nanoparticle-based therapies. Furthermore, we compare the biodegradability and surface modification of these nanocarriers in relation to the drug release profile and tissue targeting. Finally, the main challenges for nanoparticle delivery to the cartilage are discussed, as a function of disease state and physicochemical properties of PNPs such as size and surface charge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery)
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33 pages, 3678 KiB  
Review
Protein and Gene Delivery Systems for Neurodegenerative Disorders: Where Do We Stand Today?
by Panoraia I. Siafaka, Mehmet Evren Okur, Pelin Dilsiz Erim, Emre Şefik Çağlar, Emre Özgenç, Evren Gündoğdu, Rabia Edibe Parlar Köprülü, Ioannis D. Karantas and Neslihan Üstündağ Okur
Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(11), 2425; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14112425 - 10 Nov 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2419
Abstract
It has been estimated that every year, millions of people are affected by neurodegenerative disorders, which complicate their lives and their caregivers’ lives. To date, there has not been an approved pharmacological approach to provide the complete treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. The only [...] Read more.
It has been estimated that every year, millions of people are affected by neurodegenerative disorders, which complicate their lives and their caregivers’ lives. To date, there has not been an approved pharmacological approach to provide the complete treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. The only available drugs may only relieve the symptoms or slow down the progression of the disease. The absence of any treatment is quite rational given that neurodegeneration occurs by the progressive loss of the function or structure of the nerve cells of the brain or the peripheral nervous system, which eventually leads to their death either by apoptosis or necrotic cell death. According to a recent study, even though adult brain cells are injured, they can revert to an embryonic state, which may help to restore their function. These interesting findings might open a new path for the development of more efficient therapeutic strategies to combat devastating neurodegenerative disorders. Gene and protein therapies have emerged as a rapidly growing field for various disorders, especially neurodegenerative diseases. Despite these promising therapies, the complete treatment of neurodegenerative disorders has not yet been achieved. Therefore, the aim of this review is to address the most up-to-date data for neurodegenerative diseases, but most importantly, to summarize the available delivery systems incorporating proteins, peptides, and genes that can potentially target such diseases and pass into the blood–brain barrier. The authors highlight the advancements, at present, on delivery based on the carrier, i.e., lipid, polymeric, and inorganic, as well as the recent studies on radiopharmaceutical theranostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery)
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