Probing the potential of rare earth elements in the development of new anticancer drugs: single molecule studies

• Josiane A. D. Batista,
• Rayane M. de Oliveira,
• Carlos H. M. Lima,
• Milton L. Lana Júnior,
• Virgílio C. dos Anjos,
• Maria J. V. Bell and
• Márcio S. Rocha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 187–194, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.15

• , Minas Gerais, Brazil Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil 10.3762/bjnano.16.15 Abstract We use optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy to investigate the potential of rare earth elements to be used as anticancer agents in the development of new

• side effects related to these therapies. Actually, both aspects depend on the development of new drugs and/or drug carriers that can improve the selectivity of these anticancer agents to reach their specific targets inside tumor cells [3][4][5]. Although commonly used in a number of technological

• (ytterbium, neodymium, and erbium) to interact with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in buffers of physiological relevance. This is an important issue since dsDNA is one of the main targets of anticancer drugs inside cells; hence, a compound that interacts significantly with the biopolymer presents an interesting

Characterization of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum GP258

• Prashantkumar Siddappa Chakra,
• Aishwarya Banakar,
• Shriram Narayan Puranik,
• Vishwas Kaveeshwar,
• C. R. Ravikumar and
• Devaraja Gayathri

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 78–89, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.8

• applications. Keywords: anticancer; green synthesis; lactic acid bacteria; nanoparticles; zinc oxide; Introduction Nanotechnology has revolutionized various fields through its remarkable development and the unique properties exhibited by nanoparticles (NPs) at the mesoscopic level. Dimension, form, surface

• semiconductors. Also, ZnO NPs exhibit antimicrobial activity, targeted drug delivery, catalytic activity, and antidiabetic, larvicidal, acaricidal and anticancer activity in addition to their usage in different medical devices and pharmaceuticals [11][12][13]. We report the ecologically safe production of ZnO

• characterization using UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction measurements, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, photocatalytic studies, electrochemical analysis, and determination of antibacterial and anticancer activity. The

Biomimetic nanocarriers: integrating natural functions for advanced therapeutic applications

• Hugo Felix Perini,
• Beatriz Sodré Matos,
• Carlo José Freire de Oliveira and
• Marcos Vinicius da Silva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1619–1626, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.127

• reactions have also been reported [59][61]. Nanocarriers have evolved into intricate chemical structures that include specific functionalities, allowing them to preferentially target sites of interest with their payload while minimizing immune clearance (Figure 2C) [62]. In studies on the anticancer

Polymer lipid hybrid nanoparticles for phytochemical delivery: challenges, progress, and future prospects

• Iqra Rahat,
• Pooja Yadav,
• Aditi Singhal,
• Mohammad Fareed,
• Jaganathan Raja Purushothaman,
• Mohammed Aslam,
• Raju Balaji,
• Sonali Patil-Shinde and
• Md. Rizwanullah

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1473–1497, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.118

• wide range of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. However, their clinical application is often hindered by poor water solubility, low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and instability under physiological conditions. Polymer lipid

• , each with distinct chemical structures and biological activities [4][5]. Phytochemicals have captured the interest of the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry alike because of their extensive therapeutic potential. They function as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, anticancer

• in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine because of its numerous health benefits. CUR is known for a wide range of therapeutic effects, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, anti-diabetic, and anti-arthritic properties [77][78]. Despite

Dual-functionalized architecture enables stable and tumor cell-specific SiO₂NPs in complex biological fluids

• Iris Renata Sousa Ribeiro,
• Raquel Frenedoso da Silva,
• Romênia Ramos Domingues,
• Adriana Franco Paes Leme and
• Mateus Borba Cardoso

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1238–1252, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.100

• anticancer nanomedicines are administered intravenously. This route is fast and precise as the drug enters directly into the systemic circulation, without undergoing absorption processes. When nanoparticles come into direct contact with the blood, however, they interact with physiological components that can

Synthesis, characterization and anticancer effect of doxorubicin-loaded dual stimuli-responsive smart nanopolymers

• Ömür Acet,
• Pavel Kirsanov,
• Burcu Önal Acet,
• Inessa Halets-Bui,
• Dzmitry Shcharbin,
• Şeyda Ceylan Cömert and
• Mehmet Odabaşı

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1189–1196, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.96

• drug doxorubicin (DOX) has been used in the present study. It is a known antitumor antibiotic of the anthracycline series, which has been approved as anticancer drug in 1974. It has antimitotic and antiproliferative effects. The mechanism of action is interaction with DNA, the formation of free

• loading levels [23]. Such smart polymer nanoparticles have been suggested in the literature, and their effectiveness has been proven by our group, especially for the loading and enhanced release of naringenin [20][24], another anticancer drug, and ʟ-asparaginase, a therapeutic enzyme [22]. Studies

• against the cancer cell line Hela at different DOX concentrations and incubation times showed a prolonged DOX release and a good anticancer effect. The effect was similar to that observed in a commercial liposomal formulation of doxorubicin (Doxil) as well as to that of other polymeric formulations of DOX

AI-assisted models to predict chemotherapy drugs modified with C₆₀ fullerene derivatives

• Jonathan-Siu-Loong Robles-Hernández,
• Dora Iliana Medina,
• Katerin Aguirre-Hurtado,
• Marlene Bosquez,
• Roberto Salcedo and
• Alan Miralrio

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1170–1188, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.95

• well. Baglayan and coworkers carried out a conformation analysis within DFT to obtain the ground state structure for C60–COOH [34]. In addition, they discussed its usage as a potential drug carrier for the antimetabolic and anticancer drug 5-fluoruracil [34]. Similarly, Parlak and Alver reported a

• theoretical study on the interactions and stability of paracetamol complexes with C60–COOH [35]. Consequently, this work proposes the interaction of C60–COOH fullerene with anticancer drugs. As a complement, a water-soluble fullerene predicted as stable at the normal human body temperature was proposed to

• addition, their interactions with a water-soluble fullerene derivative were studied as well. Both anticancer agents are presented in Figure 5 interacting with a water-soluble fullerene [36][37]. Doxorubicin, an antibiotic that belongs to the family of tetracycline pharmaceutical agents, has gained

Introducing third-generation periodic table descriptors for nano-qRASTR modeling of zebrafish toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles

• Supratik Kar and
• Siyun Yang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1142–1152, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.93

• strong antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, antioxidant, anticancer, and photocatalytic activities [7][8][9]. Besides the medical field, they are also commonly used in commercial products such as fuel cells and plastics, and environmental applications such as analysis, sensing, remediation, and

Therapeutic effect of F127-folate@PLGA/CHL/IR780 nanoparticles on folate receptor-expressing cancer cells

• Thi Ngoc Han Pham,
• Phuong-Thao Dang-Luong,
• Hong-Phuc Nguyen,
• Loc Le-Tuan,
• Xuan Thang Cao,
• Thanh-Danh Nguyen,
• Vy Tran Anh and
• Hieu Vu_Quang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 954–964, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.78

• . The outer PEO corona prevents aggregation, protein adsorption, and recognition by the reticuloendothelial system, while the hydrophobic PPO core may be modified to contain hydrophobic anticancer drugs, fluorophores, or even anchor to the hydrophobic layer of the nanoparticles [8][9]. The F127

Electrospun nanofibers: building blocks for the repair of bone tissue

• Tuğrul Mert Serim,
• Gülin Amasya,
• Tuğba Eren-Böncü,
• Ceyda Tuba Şengel-Türk and
• Ayşe Nurten Özdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 941–953, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.77

• , antibiotics, anticancer agents, proteins, DNA, RNA, and growth factors for tissue regeneration [6][7][8]. In addition, nanofibers as drug delivery systems provide rapid or delayed and controlled release of pharmaceuticals. Apart from being implantable drug delivery systems, nanofiber scaffolds can contribute

Vinorelbine-loaded multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles as anticancer drug delivery systems: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro release study

• Zeynep Özcan and
• Afife Binnaz Hazar Yoruç

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 256–269, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.24

• anticancer drugs while mitigating the adverse effects of large dosage administration [6][7]. Additionally, it offers several advantages, such as controlled release, targeted drug delivery, and improved stability [8]. Moreover, nanoscale drug delivery systems hold great promise for specific cancer treatments

• multifunctional PEGylated magnetic nanoparticles coated with polydopamine (PDA) exhibit strong near-infrared absorption because of the PDA layer and have the ability to deliver drugs under a magnetic field owing to their superparamagnetism [51]. During the drug loading studies, the anticancer drug vinorelbine was

Curcumin-loaded albumin submicron particles with potential as a cancer therapy: an in vitro study

• Nittiya Suwannasom,
• Netsai Sriaksorn,
• Chutamas Thepmalee,
• Krissana Khoothiam,
• Ausanai Prapan,
• Hans Bäumler and
• Chonthida Thephinlap

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1127–1140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.93

• cytotoxicity of CUR-HSA-MPs showed promising anticancer potential against human hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh-7) and human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cell lines, although this effect was less pronounced in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFB) and human cholangiocyte (MMN) cell lines. Confocal microscopy was used

• especially anticancer potential [1][2]. Several in vivo and in vitro studies in recent years have demonstrated that CUR can influence cancer cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis [3]. It has been reported that CUR exerts anticancer effects in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) by

• % (Huh-7, Figure 6B) and 58% to 32% (MCF-7, Figure 6D). The CUR-HSA-MPs showed lower cytotoxicity than free CUR at the same drug concentrations. This could be explained by its drug delivery process, which is a common feature of polymer anticancer drugs. Enhanced and sustained release of CUR is attributed

Nanoarchitectonics of photothermal materials to enhance the sensitivity of lateral flow assays

• Elangovan Sarathkumar,
• Rajasekharan S. Anjana and
• Ramapurath S. Jayasree

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 988–1003, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.82

• reduced graphene oxide (rGO), SERS imaging can be done along with photothermal therapy [84]. Recently, our group developed a multifunctional rGO–Au nanoscale architecture loaded with Raman dye and anticancer drugs for fluorescence/SERS imaging-guided breast cancer therapy. Under activation of a laser at

• Photodynamic Therapy, vol. 29, by J. Depciuch; M. Stec; B. Klebowski; A. Maximenko; E. Drzymała; J. Baran; M. Parlinska-Wojtan, “Size effect of platinum nanoparticles in simulated anticancer photothermal therapy“, article no. 101594, Copyright (2019), with permission from Elsevier. This content is not subject

Quercetin- and caffeic acid-functionalized chitosan-capped colloidal silver nanoparticles: one-pot synthesis, characterization, and anticancer and antibacterial activities

• Akif Hakan Kurt,
• Elif Berna Olutas,
• Fatma Avcioglu,
• Hamza Karakuş,
• Mehmet Ali Sungur,
• Cansu Kara Oztabag and
• Muhammet Yıldırım

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 362–376, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.31

• characterization of quercetin- and caffeic acid-functionalized chitosan-capped colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag NPs), and their antibacterial and anticancer activities. The formation of Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag NPs has been confirmed by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform

• colloidal core Ag NPs, was confirmed by UV–vis, and FTIR analyses, and monitored by TEM microscopy. The size of nanoparticles has been determined as 11.2 and 10.3 nm for Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag, respectively. The anticancer activity of Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag NPs has been evaluated against U-118 MG (human

• glioblastoma) and ARPE-19 (human retinal pigment epithelium) cells. Both NPs showed anticancer activity, but Ch/Q-Ag NPs seemed to be more effective on cancer cell lines (U-118 MG) in comparison to healthy ones (ARPE-19). Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of Ch/Q- and Ch/CA-Ag NPs against Gram-negative

Overview of mechanism and consequences of endothelial leakiness caused by metal and polymeric nanoparticles

• Magdalena Lasak and
• Karol Ciepluch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 329–338, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.28

• considered one of the best materials with anticancer properties. Most of the administered NPs that end up in the bloodstream interact with the endothelial layer. The interaction of the NPs with the endothelium widens the existing gaps or induces new ones in the monolayer of vascular endothelial cells, thus

• conditions, such as cancer, the distance between endothelial cells significantly widens (up to 2000 nm). Most nanomedicine capitalizes on the size of these gaps and relies on appropriately sized NPs to cross the gaps and accumulate at specific sites [31]. In the case of anticancer nanomedicine, an important

• junctions of the endothelium and the fact that this effect does not depend on the physiology and microenvironment of the tumor. Therefore, NanoEL is a new approach that can be used in anticancer therapies, especially in the transport of medicinal substances to immature and hard-to-reach tumors. Nevertheless

Recent progress in cancer cell membrane-based nanoparticles for biomedical applications

• Qixiong Lin,
• Yueyou Peng,
• Yanyan Wen,
• Xiaoqiong Li,
• Donglian Du,
• Weibin Dai,
• Wei Tian and
• Yanfeng Meng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 262–279, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.24

• ]. A biomimetic particle model using PLGA NPs as a carrier for the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) encapsulated by the HepG2 liver cancer cell membrane was designed for the treatment of HCC [31]. The HepG2 cell membrane-encapsulated NPs exhibited superior antitumor effects compared to bare NPs and

• anticancer effects [76]. After QT was delivered to tumor tissue by the active targeting ability of the membrane, the sensitivity to radiotherapy was effectively improved, and a strong anticancer effect was exerted under X-ray irradiation [76]. Gong et al. designed a pH-responsive multifunctional biomimetic

• (NIR) radiation to ablate cells or trigger the release of related therapeutic drugs [94][96]. PTT is characterized by noninvasiveness, deep tissue penetration, and high anticancer efficiency, showing good prospects in clinical treatment [97]. Biomimetic NPs of mesoporous polydopamine nanocarriers have

Nanotechnology – a robust tool for fighting the challenges of drug resistance in non-small cell lung cancer

• Filip Gorachinov,
• Fatima Mraiche,
• Diala Alhaj Moustafa,
• Ola Hishari,
• Yomna Ismail,
• Jensa Joseph,
• Maja Simonoska Crcarevska,
• Marija Glavas Dodov,
• Nikola Geskovski and
• Katerina Goracinova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 240–261, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.23

• complexity of resistance and continuous cancer mutations. Co-delivery of TK inhibitors with anticancer drugs, immunotherapy, or gene-specific therapeutics to disrupt key resistance pathways, reactivate p53-mediated apoptosis, or inhibit cellular drug efflux are only a few examples of strategies used to fight

• cancer resistance mechanisms successfully [23][24]. In addition, co-delivery of anticancer therapy using surface-engineered nanoparticles for tumor targeting may alleviate some of the unwanted effects on off-site targets and increase the therapeutic concentration at the site of action as well as efficacy

• nanomedicines as tools for the targeted delivery of high concentrations of anticancer drugs at their site of action. Although designated as molecularly targeted therapies, the targeting of receptors by EGFR TKIs and other receptor inhibitors is not absolute. Once the EGFR TKIs are absorbed from the

Cyclodextrins as eminent constituents in nanoarchitectonics for drug delivery systems

• Makoto Komiyama

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 218–232, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.21

• very stiff. Upon photoirradiation, however, the crosslinkings for the gel formation are broken almost completely, releasing the encapsulated drugs (e.g., DOX as anticancer drug). 2.3 Upconversion nanoparticles to release drugs by near-infrared light As an external stimulus for DDSs, near-infrared (NIR

• recent topics on medical applications of CyD 6.1 Chemical modification of CyD for precise targeting to predetermined cells A multicharged nanoassembly was constructed from β-CyD bearing seven hexylimidazolium units, adamantane-grafted hyaluronic acid, and chlorambucil (an anticancer drug) [90]. In cancer

• efficacy of chlorambucil was greatly increased since it remained in the cell for a long time. Furthermore, an anticancer drug and a resistance-suppressing gene were simultaneously delivered for cooperation [91]. For delayed drug release, anionic β-CyD polymers bearing carboxylate residues are useful [92

Structural, optical, and bioimaging characterization of carbon quantum dots solvothermally synthesized from o-phenylenediamine

• Zoran M. Marković,
• Milica D. Budimir,
• Martin Danko,
• Dušan D. Milivojević,
• Pavel Kubat,
• Danica Z. Zmejkoski,
• Vladimir B. Pavlović,
• Marija M. Mojsin,
• Milena J. Stevanović and
• Biljana M. Todorović Marković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 165–174, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.17

• , 11000 Belgrade, Serbia 10.3762/bjnano.14.17 Abstract Carbon quantum dots as a novel type of carbon nanomaterials have attracted the attention of many researchers because of their unique optical, antibacterial, and anticancer properties as well as their biocompatibility. In this study, for the first

• and thermally stable, quasi-spherical, photoluminescent material with very good antibacterial and anticancer properties under visible light irradiation [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. This material has very good biocompatibility, including low dark cytotoxicity and good cell proliferation

In search of cytotoxic selectivity on cancer cells with biogenically synthesized Ag/AgCl nanoparticles

• Mitzi J. Ramírez-Hernández,
• Mario Valera-Zaragoza,
• Omar Viñas-Bravo,
• Ariana A. Huerta-Heredia,
• Miguel A. Peña-Rico,
• Erick A. Juarez-Arellano,
• David Paniagua-Vega,
• Eduardo Ramírez-Vargas and
• Saúl Sánchez-Valdes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1505–1519, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.124

• and anticancer properties of AgNPs synthesized from pineapple peel. The authors reported a favorable antimicrobial activity at low concentrations of AgNPs. Das et al. [17] found that AgNPs synthesized in the same way have high antidiabetic potential and high cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells in

Facile preparation of Au- and BODIPY-grafted lipid nanoparticles for synergized photothermal therapy

• Yuran Wang,
• Xudong Li,
• Haijun Chen and
• Yu Gao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1432–1444, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.118

• ), indicating that BDP has good stability under these release conditions. Cellular uptake of AB-LNPs Efficient cellular internalization of drugs is critical to the anticancer therapeutic effects [26][27]. From the above studies, we found that DSPE-DTPA/Au3+/BDP at a molar ratio of 2:1:1 could form uniform

Orally administered docetaxel-loaded chitosan-decorated cationic PLGA nanoparticles for intestinal tumors: formulation, comprehensive in vitro characterization, and release kinetics

• Sedat Ünal,
• Osman Doğan and
• Yeşim Aktaş

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1393–1407, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.115

• drug delivery system loaded with docetaxel (DCX) as an anticancer drug, using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) as nanoparticle material, and modified with chitosan (CS) to gain mucoadhesive properties. In this context, an innovative nanoparticle formulation that can protect orally administered DCX

• studies on the Caco-2 cell line, the CS/DCX-PLGA formulation increased permeability by 383% compared to free DCX (p < 0.05). In the light of all results, CS/DCX-PLGA NPs can offer a promising and innovative approach as an oral anticancer drug-loaded nanoformulation for intestinal tumors. Keywords

• -synthetically from 10-deacetyl-baccatin isolated from the Taxus family (T. baccata and T. brevifolia). It is a potent and long-known anticancer agent that acts in the metaphase-anaphase process of cancer cells, exerts a cytotoxic effect on microtubules that are vital for mitotic cellular activity, and prevents

Supramolecular assembly of pentamidine and polymeric cyclodextrin bimetallic core–shell nanoarchitectures

• Alexandru-Milentie Hada,
• Nina Burduja,
• Marco Abbate,
• Claudio Stagno,
• Guy Caljon,
• Louis Maes,
• Nicola Micale,
• Massimiliano Cordaro,
• Angela Scala,
• Antonino Mazzaglia and
• Anna Piperno

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1361–1369, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.112

• -inflammatory, and anticancer). The physicochemical characterization of the supramolecular assembly (nanoGSP) in terms of size and colloidal stability was investigated by complementary spectroscopic techniques, such as UV–vis, ζ-potential, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Furthermore, the role of PolyCD

Recent advances in green carbon dots (2015–2022): synthesis, metal ion sensing, and biological applications

• Aisha Kanwal,
• Naheed Bibi,
• Sajjad Hyder,
• Arif Muhammad,
• Hao Ren,
• Jiangtao Liu and
• Zhongli Lei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1068–1107, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.93

Biomimetic chitosan with biocomposite nanomaterials for bone tissue repair and regeneration

• Se-Kwon Kim,
• Sesha Subramanian Murugan,
• Pandurang Appana Dalavi,
• Sebanti Gupta,
• Sukumaran Anil,
• Gi Hun Seong and
• Jayachandran Venkatesan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1051–1067, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.92

• using mesenchymal stem cells showed that the fabricated biocomposite has exceptional osteogenic potential [96]. In another research study, Chen et al. (2013) fabricated selenium-incorporated and chitosan-covered TiO2 nanotubes. Further investigation demonstrates the antibacterial, anticancer, and

• wettability of the chitosan/reduced graphene oxide composites with specific acetic acid and lactic acid shows water contact angles of (75.40° ± 4.32°) and (36.71° ± 4.53°) [60]. The anticancer agent cisplatin was loaded into graphene oxide/hydroxyapatite/chitosan composites to enable proliferation of

• osteoblasts and inhibition of the development of osteosarcoma cancer cells in the work by Sumathra et al. (2018). The in vitro experiment was carried out by using the osteosarcoma MG-63 cell line. The MTT assay for the composites showed cell expansion and growth. The anticancer activity of cisplatin-loaded