Comprehensive review on ultrasound-responsive theranostic nanomaterials: mechanisms, structures and medical applications

• Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
• Lida Moradi,
• Elmira Kohan,
• Michael R. Hamblin and
• Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 808–862, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.64

• therapy; sonoporation; theranostics; ultrasound; ultrasound responsive nanomaterials; Review Introduction Smart drug delivery vehicles It is well known that the administration of most anticancer drugs can produce considerable systemic toxicity, which in some cases can be dose-limiting. Whether oral

• administration or intravenous injection is employed, the drug often accumulates in normal healthy tissues and causes damages. Therefore, it is necessary to target and release these drugs at the desired sites in a controlled manner to decrease their systemic side effects and to increase their therapeutic

• efficiency [1]. To overcome the limitations and drawbacks of conventional drugs, such as uncontrolled release and nonspecific biodistribution, drug delivery systems (DDS) such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, or nanoemulsions (NEs) have been extensively explored. However, even conventional DDS often

Recent progress in actuation technologies of micro/nanorobots

• Ke Xu and
• Bing Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 756–765, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.59

• contrast, micro/nanorobots can operate non-invasively in small, inaccessible spaces and play an important role in biomedicine and other fields, such as targeted drug delivery to treat cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6], nanosurgery [7][8], and environmental treatment [9][10][11]. In 1959, Feynman [12] first

• targeted drug delivery. Li et al. [19] designed a fish-like magnetic actuation micro/nanorobot with a passive gold segment as the head, two active nickel segments as the body, and one passive gold segment as the caudal fin, all connected by a flexible structure of porous silver. The swimming mode of the

• swing and spiral motion. At the same time, by applying a suitable magnetic field, the nanoeel can be accurately guided to a target location for drug release. Under a magnetic field of 10 mT and 7 Hz, drug delivery to cancer cells could be achieved. The efficiency of killing cancer cells is 35% in the

Recent progress in magnetic applications for micro- and nanorobots

• Ke Xu,
• Shuang Xu and
• Fanan Wei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 744–755, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.58

• structure had a higher motion speed and could effectively suppress lateral drifting motion. In addition, MNRs with a hollow tubular structure [29], which could facilitate drug delivery and realize effective treatment of cancer by loading and releasing anticancer drugs, were proposed and fabricated. At the

• properties of magnetic materials for MNRs. Currently, mainly paramagnetic [33] and diamagnetic [34] nanoparticles are used. Next, we will focus on these two classes of materials. Paramagnetic nanoparticles Paramagnetic nanoparticles [35] can be used for drug delivery with MNRs. When exposed to external

• operating frequency range. Targeted treatment and controlled drug delivery with MNRs have been achieved [74][75]. For locomotion and drug delivery, the same external power sources should be chosen, if possible. Chen et al. [76] proposed a hybrid magnetoelectric nanowire for MNR applications, which could use

Fate and transformation of silver nanoparticles in different biological conditions

• Barbara Pem,
• Marija Ćurlin,
• Darija Domazet Jurašin,
• Valerije Vrček,
• Rinea Barbir,
• Vedran Micek,
• Raluca M. Fratila,
• Jesus M. de la Fuente and
• Ivana Vinković Vrček

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 665–679, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.53

• , which listed more than 100 AgNP-containing food products [4]. The biomedical use of AgNPs represents the largest proportion of the market share [1] encompassing antimicrobial coatings on medical devices (catheters, stents, implants), wound dressings, targeted drug delivery, cancer therapy and

• drug abuse [21]. Animal experiments demonstrated Ag accumulation in the liver, kidneys, brain, and testis after oral exposure to AgNPs; however, the chemical form of Ag remained undefined in these cases [22]. In media of high ionic strength and low pH the AgNPs aggregate and/or dissolve [23]. Under

A review on nanostructured silver as a basic ingredient in medicine: physicochemical parameters and characterization

• Gabriel M. Misirli,
• Kishore Sridharan and
• Shirley M. P. Abrantes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 440–461, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.36

• treatments, increasing the effectiveness of drug administration and producing antitumor effects [27][81]. In addition, AgNPs have a central role in the development of new treatments for neglected diseases, which are caused by infectious agents or parasites and are considered endemic in populations at low

The impact of molecular tumor profiling on the design strategies for targeting myeloid leukemia and EGFR/CD44-positive solid tumors

• Nikola Geskovski,
• Nadica Matevska-Geshkovska,
• Simona Dimchevska Sazdovska,
• Marija Glavas Dodov,
• Kristina Mladenovska and
• Katerina Goracinova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 375–401, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.31

• efficacy of the cancer treatment. This article will focus on novel design strategies for nanoscale drug delivery systems, based on the unique molecular signatures of myeloid leukemia and EGFR/CD44-positive solid tumors, and the impact of novel discoveries in molecular tumor profiles on future

• smart nanoscale drug delivery carriers with increased selectivity and multistage targeting capabilities has emerged. Common cancer signatures and the synthesis of ligands with high avidity for the overexpressed cancer cell receptors are a valuable addition to the general targeting concepts. Important

• of individualized tumor signatures for a personalized therapy against cancers. The greatest interest regarding the development of targeted nanoscale drug delivery systems is related to solid tumors. However, liquid tumor targeting can greatly benefit from the application of nanomedicines during

Intracranial recording in patients with aphasia using nanomaterial-based flexible electronics: promises and challenges

• Qingchun Wang and
• Wai Ting Siok

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 330–342, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.27

• visual words. Mainy et al. [70] collected iEEG recordings from ten drug-resistant epileptic patients to reveal the measure of brain activation in the temporal and frontal lobes when processing visual words. To investigate this aspect of phonological processing, patients completed a language decision task

• -noise ratio (Figure 5c, right). The real-time signals of cortical activities in different medical and drug-induced epileptic states were precisely measured when the iWEBS array was used in freely moving mice. Combined with optogenetic mapping techniques, long-range cortical interactions were

Doxorubicin-loaded gold nanorods: a multifunctional chemo-photothermal nanoplatform for cancer management

• Uzma Azeem Awan,
• Abida Raza,
• Shaukat Ali,
• Rida Fatima Saeed and
• Nosheen Akhtar

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 295–303, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.24

• study was to fabricate biocompatible multifunctional drug-loaded nanoscale moieties for co-therapy (chemo-photothermal therapy) with maximum efficacy and minimum side effects. Herein, we report in vitro anticancerous effects of doxorubicin (DOX) loaded on gold nanorods coated with the polyelectrolyte

• poly(sodium-4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS-GNRs) with and without NIR laser (808 nm, power density = 1.5 W/cm2 for 2 min) irradiation. The drug-loading capacity of PSS-GNRs was about 76% with a drug loading content of 3.2 mg DOX/mL. The cumulative DOX release significantly increased after laser exposure

• limited due to several unwanted characteristics of poor solubility, broad bioavailability range, narrow therapeutic index, rapid elimination from systemic circulation, unselective site of action after oral/intravenous administration, and cytotoxic effects on normal tissues [6]. The anticancer drug

Characterization, bio-uptake and toxicity of polymer-coated silver nanoparticles and their interaction with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

• Sahar Pourhoseini,
• Reilly T. Enos,
• Angela E. Murphy,
• Bo Cai and
• Jamie R. Lead

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 282–294, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.23

• applications [2]. NPs are present in numerous commercial products such as cosmetics, electronics, and textiles. Also, they are widely used in industry, including various biomedical and drug-delivery applications for the treatment of diseases [3][4][5][6]. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are one of the most

Differences in surface chemistry of iron oxide nanoparticles result in different routes of internalization

• Barbora Svitkova,
• Vlasta Zavisova,
• Veronika Nemethova,
• Martina Koneracka,
• Miroslava Kretova,
• Filip Razga,
• Monika Ursinyova and
• Alena Gabelova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 270–281, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.22

• eligible for the targeted delivery of the drug-loaded particles to the tumor mass via an external magnetic field [2]. Furthermore, MNPs are promising biosensors [3] and antimicrobial tools [4], and they play an important role in the development of multifunctional theranostics to combat cancer [5]. MNPs are

• valuable in vitro model of human alveolar epithelial type-2 cells [21], which are considered as drivers of lung fibrosis [22] and lung tumor development [23]. Inhalation therapy represents a prospective non-invasive curative modality for lung cancer and a therapy for other lung illnesses [24]. Drug

• delivery through the inhalation of nanoparticles is a promising treatment modality against lung cancers conferring high pulmonary drug concentrations while minimizing the side effects [25]. The internalized amount of the tested MNPs in A549 cells in the presence of compounds that inhibit either endocytosis

Imaging of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells by helium ion microscopy

• Natalie Frese,
• Patrick Schmerer,
• Martin Wortmann,
• Matthias Schürmann,
• Matthias König,
• Michael Westphal,
• Friedemann Weber,
• Holger Sudhoff and
• Armin Gölzhäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 172–179, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.13

• ), others seem to just lie on top of it (arrow). Supporting Information Supporting Information File 58: Additional experimental data. Acknowledgements The authors thank André Beyer and Daniel Emmrich for valuable discussions. Funding F.W. is funded by the LOEWE Centre for Novel Drug Targets against

A review on the green and sustainable synthesis of silver nanoparticles and one-dimensional silver nanostructures

• Sina Kaabipour and
• Shohreh Hemmati

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 102–136, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.9

• nanostructures; Review 1 Introduction Nanotechnology has been ubiquitously applied in almost every scientific discipline. Nanomaterials have been utilized in innumerable applications due to their unique characteristics. Novel, successful applications of nanomaterials and nanostructures can be seen in drug

• be seen in the development of antimicrobial agents, biosensors, optics, solar energy, and drug delivery [267][268][269]. 3.2 Fungi-mediated synthesis Fungal species have demonstrated significant potential for the synthesis of AgNPs. Their high binding and bioaccumulation capacity, intracellular

• their use over bacteria. Fungi-synthesized AgNPs have proved to have noticeable anti-bacterial activity. Naqvi et al. showed that synthesized AgNPs using A. flavus fungi increased the biocidal effectiveness against drug-resistant bacteria significantly [271]. Fungi-assisted synthesis has proved to be a

Effect of different silica coatings on the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells

• Cynthia Kembuan,
• Helena Oliveira and
• Christina Graf

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 35–48, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.3

• chemical inertness and relatively low toxicity are also claimed advantages [7][10][11]. Due to these unique features, UCNPs have already been used in medical and biological applications, such as multimodal bioimaging, drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, and biosensing [9][12][13][14][15][16][17]. However

PEG/PEI-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes as delivery carriers for doxorubicin: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation

• Shuoye Yang,
• Zhenwei Wang,
• Yahong Ping,
• Yuying Miao,
• Yongmei Xiao,
• Lingbo Qu,
• Lu Zhang,
• Yuansen Hu and
• Jinshui Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1728–1741, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.155

• of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P. R. China 10.3762/bjnano.11.155 Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have attracted great interest regarding drug-delivery applications. However, their application has been limited by some inherent disadvantages

• evaluated in terms of drug loading, in vitro release, cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 cells and cellular uptake. The results showed that all CNT carriers had a high drug loading capacity. In comparison with CNTs-COOH and CNTs-PEG, CNTs-PEG-PEI showed a more rapid drug release under acidic conditions and a higher

• enhance the dispersion of particles by electrostatic repulsion [25][30]. Cellular entry and uptake of these carriers can be considerably enhanced by cationic modification and passive drug delivery to a tumor site due to high membrane binding avidity can be achieved. In this study, SWCNTs conjugated with

Cardiomyocyte uptake mechanism of a hydroxyapatite nanoparticle mediated gene delivery system

• Hiroaki Komuro,
• Masahiro Yamazoe,
• Kosuke Nozaki,
• Akiko Nagai and
• Tetsuo Sasano

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1685–1692, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.150

• medical and dental applications, such as dental implants, orthopedics, and drug delivery systems, since it has similar elements found in bone and teeth. In addition, CaP stabilizes the nucleic acid against nuclease degradation, forms ionic interactions with the phosphates of DNA, and its biodegradation is

Oxidation of Au/Ag films by oxygen plasma: phase separation and generation of nanoporosity

• Abdel-Aziz El Mel,
• Said A. Mansour,
• Mujaheed Pasha,
• Atef Zekri,
• Janarthanan Ponraj,
• Akshath Shetty and
• Yousef Haik

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1608–1614, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.143

• oxide [1][2]. With the recent advancements in nanotechnology, this unique phenomenon received more attention since it can be used to generate nanoporous materials which are applicable in many areas, including drug delivery, biotechnology and sensor development. The interest in nanoporous materials

Detecting stable adsorbates of (1S)-camphor on Cu(111) with Bayesian optimization

• Jari Järvi,
• Patrick Rinke and
• Milica Todorović

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1577–1589, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.140

• have been studied extensively for applications in tissue engineering [2] and drug delivery [3]. To optimize the functional properties of these materials, we need detailed knowledge of their atomic structure. Of particular interest is the hybrid interface, which has a central role in defining the

Electrokinetic characterization of synthetic protein nanoparticles

• Daniel F. Quevedo,
• Cody J. Lentz,
• Adriana Coll de Peña,
• Yazmin Hernandez,
• Nahal Habibi,
• Rikako Miki,
• Joerg Lahann and
• Blanca H. Lapizco-Encinas

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1556–1567, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.138

• treatment of a wide variety of diseases. However, the slow progress in the field has resulted in relatively few therapies being translated into the clinic. Anisotropic synthetic protein nanoparticles (ASPNPs) show potential as a next-generation drug-delivery technology, due to their biocompatibility

• ; bicompartmental particles; dielectrophoresis; electrokinetics; electrophoresis; electro-osmosis; microfluidics; protein nanoparticles; Introduction Over the past 30 years, nanoparticles have been developed for a wide variety of scientific applications, ranging from medical imaging to drug delivery and enzyme

Antimicrobial metal-based nanoparticles: a review on their synthesis, types and antimicrobial action

• Matías Guerrero Correa,
• Fernanda B. Martínez,
• Cristian Patiño Vidal,
• Camilo Streitt,
• Juan Escrig and
• Carol Lopez de Dicastillo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1450–1469, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.129

• important antibacterial properties against drug-resistant bacteria due to their size, shape and surface-capping agents [129][130]. Emamifar et al. (2010) developed orange juice packages based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposites with ZnO NPs. This packaging material presented a significant

Transient coating of γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles with glutamate for its delivery to and removal from brain nerve terminals

• Konstantin Paliienko,
• Artem Pastukhov,
• Michal Babič,
• Daniel Horák,
• Olga Vasylchenko and
• Tatiana Borisova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1381–1393, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.122

• neurological disorders. Excessive ambient glutamate concentration is a characteristic feature of, among others, stroke, brain trauma, epilepsy, and seizure development. Superparamagnetic γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles are very promising in targeted drug delivery, cancer therapy, diagnostics, and hyperthermia treatment

• drug release from nanoparticles to manipulate neuronal cells [9][15]. Release of receptor agonists and antagonists from thermally sensitive magnetoliposomes loaded with iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles can be remotely controlled by weak alternating magnetic fields facilitating the modulation of

• the nanoparticles [26]. Abakumov et al. revealed that nanoparticles coated with bovine serum albumin can be used for glioma visualization and drug delivery of anticancer therapeutics [34]. Analysis of the biocoating formation at the surface of nanoparticles is crucial for understanding the mechanisms

Magnetic-field-assisted synthesis of anisotropic iron oxide particles: Effect of pH

• Andrey V. Shibaev,
• Petr V. Shvets,
• Darya E. Kessel,
• Roman A. Kamyshinsky,
• Anton S. Orekhov,
• Sergey S. Abramchuk,
• Alexei R. Khokhlov and
• Olga E. Philippova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1230–1241, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.107

• environmental benigness [4][5][6][7][8]. These nanomaterials can be exploited in a variety of applications, including magnetic data storage [9], magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [6][10][11][12], hyperthermia [6][13][14][15], magnetic separation [16], targeted drug delivery [6][16][17][18][19], lithium-ion

• cells [16]. Nanorods have been demonstrated to be effective in mechanically triggering tumoral cell death upon the application of low-frequency magnetic fields [24][25], which has not yet been observed in their spherical counterparts. In drug delivery, the elongated particles demonstrate a stronger

Photothermally active nanoparticles as a promising tool for eliminating bacteria and biofilms

• Mykola Borzenkov,
• Piersandro Pallavicini,
• Angelo Taglietti,
• Laura D’Alfonso,
• Maddalena Collini and
• Giuseppe Chirico

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1134–1146, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.98

• than 13.5% of contracting these diseases [1][2]. In addition, the bacterial strains are becoming increasingly resistant to conventional drug treatments [3]. One reason for bacterial resistance is that after attaching to a surface, bacteria can generate biofilms. Biofilms are organized sessile microbial

• aggregates protected by self-generated extracellular polymeric substances [1][4]. Biofilms are resistant to mechanical abrasion and drug treatments, including antibiotics. The detachment of a single bacterial cell or biofilm fragments can result in systemic chronic infections [5]. As a consequence, when a

• drug release [41][42], in addition to new quantitative tools for biochemical analysis [43] and photothermally induced cell stimulation [44][45]. Since bacteria and biofilm photothermal ablation is another promising application that is currently being widely investigated, this review will highlight the

Gram-scale synthesis of splat-shaped Ag–TiO₂ nanocomposites for enhanced antimicrobial properties

• Mohammad Jaber,
• Asim Mushtaq,
• Kebiao Zhang,
• Jindan Wu,
• Dandan Luo,
• Zihan Yi,
• M. Zubair Iqbal and
• Xiangdong Kong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1119–1125, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.96

• reproduction rate, such as virus, fungi and bacteria, has an influence on the human health and environment. However, it is a challenge to find remedies against these bacteria to control the permanent adhesive reaction. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some potential antibacterial agents

Straightforward synthesis of gold nanoparticles by adding water to an engineered small dendrimer

• Sébastien Gottis,
• Régis Laurent,
• Vincent Collière and
• Anne-Marie Caminade

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1110–1118, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.95

• here at room temperature. Even though a better control of the polydispersity is desirable, other gold nanoparticles of relatively high dispersity have been recently used for drug delivery in three different cell lines [68]. Conclusion In conclusion, we have shown for the first time that a single

Applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in drug and therapeutic delivery, and biotechnological advancements

• Maria Suciu,
• Corina M. Ionescu,
• Alexandra Ciorita,
• Septimiu C. Tripon,
• Dragos Nica,
• Hani Al-Salami and
• Lucian Barbu-Tudoran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1092–1109, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.94

• Babes”, 2 Eftimie Murgu, Timisoara, Timis County, 300041, Romania Biotechnology and Drug Development Research Laboratory, the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth Western Australia 6845, Australia 10.3762/bjnano

• -patient absorption and response. This review addresses potential applications of SPIONs in vitro (formulations), ex vivo (in biological cells and tissues) and in vivo (preclinical animal models), as well as potential biomedical applications in the context of drug targeting, disease treatment and

• therapeutic efficacy, and safety studies. Keywords: drug delivery; drug targeting; endocytosis; medical; nanoparticles; superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs); toxicity; Introduction Nanoencapsulation technologies have been researched over the past several decades and have been widely