Size-Controlled Iron Oxide Nanoplatforms with Lipidoid-Stabilized Shells for Efficient Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Trackable Lymph Node Targeting and High-Capacity Biomolecule Display

Nanoparticles Targeting Lymph Nodes for Cancer Immunotherapy: Strategies and Influencing Factors

Immunotherapy has emerged as a potent strategy in cancer treatment, with many approved drugs and modalities in the development stages. Despite its promise, immunotherapy is not without its limitations, including side effects and suboptimal efficacy. Using nanoparticles (NPs) as delivery vehicles to target immunotherapy to lymph nodes (LNs) can improve the efficacy of immunotherapy drugs and reduce side effects in patients. In this context, this paper reviews the development of LN-targeted immunotherapeutic NP strategies, the mechanisms of NP transport during LN targeting, and their related biosafety risks. NP targeting of LNs involves either passive targeting, influenced by NP physical properties, or active targeting, facilitated by affinity ligands on NP surfaces, while alternative methods, such as intranodal injection and high endothelial venule (HEV) targeting, have uncertain clinical applicability and require further research and validation. LN targeting of NPs for immunotherapy can reduce side effects and increase biocompatibility, but risks such as toxicity, organ accumulation, and oxidative stress remain, although strategies such as biodegradable biomacromolecules, polyethylene glycol (PEG) coating, and impurity addition can mitigate these risks. Additionally, this work concludes with a future-oriented discussion, offering critical insights into the field.

Antigen-Clustered Nanovaccine Achieves Long-Term Tumor Remission by Promoting B/CD 4 T Cell Crosstalk

Current cancer vaccines using T cell epitopes activate antitumor T cell immunity through dendritic cell/macrophage-mediated antigen presentation, but they lack the ability to promote B/CD4 T cell crosstalk, limiting their anticancer efficacy. We developed antigen-clustered nanovaccine (ACNVax) to achieve long-term tumor remission by promoting B/CD4 T cell crosstalk. The topographic features of ACNVax were achieved using an iron nanoparticle core attached with an optimal number of gold nanoparticles, where the clusters of HER2 B/CD4 T cell epitopes were conjugated on the gold surface with an optimal intercluster distance of 5-10 nm. ACNVax effectively trafficked to lymph nodes and cross-linked with BCR, which are essential for stimulating B cell antigen presentation-mediated B/CD4 T cell crosstalk in vitro and in vivo. ACNVax, combined with anti-PD-1, achieved long-term tumor remission (>200 days) with 80% complete response in mice with HER2+ breast cancer. ACNVax not only remodeled the tumor immune microenvironment but also induced a long-term immune memory, as evidenced by complete rejection of tumor rechallenge and a high level of antigen-specific memory B, CD4, and CD8 cells in mice (>200 days). This study provides a cancer vaccine design strategy, using B/CD4 T cell epitopes in an antigen clustered topography, to achieve long-term durable anticancer efficacy through promoting B/CD4 T cell crosstalk.

A Facile Method to Coat Nanoparticles with Lipid Bilayer Membrane: Hybrid Silica Nanoparticles Disguised as Biomembrane Vesicles by Particle Penetration of Concentrated Lipid Layers

Natural membrane vesicles, including extracellular vesicles and enveloped viruses, participate in various events in vivo. To study and manipulate these events, biomembrane-coated nanoparticles inspired by natural membrane vesicles are developed. Herein, an efficient method is presented to prepare organic-inorganic hybrid materials in high yields that can accommodate various lipid compositions and particle sizes. To demonstrate this method, silica nanoparticles are passed through concentrated lipid layers prepared using density gradient centrifugation, followed by purification, to obtain lipid membrane-coated nanoparticles. Various lipids, including neutral, anionic, and cationic lipids, are used to prepare concentrated lipid layers. Single-particle analysis by imaging flow cytometry determines that silica nanoparticles are uniformly coated with a single lipid bilayer. Moreover, cellular uptake of silica nanoparticles is enhanced when covered with a lipid membrane containing cationic lipids. Finally, cell-free protein expression is applied to embed a membrane protein, namely the Spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, into the coating of the nanoparticles, with the correct orientation. Therefore, this method can be used to develop organic-inorganic hybrid nanomaterials with an inorganic core and a virus-like coating, serving as carriers for targeted delivery of cargos such as proteins, DNA, and drugs.

Liposomal Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Loaded with Doxorubicin for Combined Chemo-Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) possesses unique advantages over other nanoparticles in the use of cancer imaging and therapy. Specifically, it has drawn great attention in the emerging research field of photothermal cancer therapy. Herein, we developed doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded liposomal IONP (Lipo-IONP/DOX) and evaluated in vitro and in vivo their applicability for combined chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. The Lipo-IONP was synthesized by the thin-film evaporation method. The prepared Lipo-IONP was observed as about a 240 nm-sized agglomerate of globular-shaped nanoparticles. The TEM and FT-IR data evidenced the successful formation of liposomal IONP. The superparamagnetic property of the Lipo-IONP was confirmed by the SQUID analysis. The DSC data showed a transition temperature of about 47-48 °C for the mixed lipids composing the Lipo IONP, and the DOX release studies revealed the feasibility of induced burst release of DOX by laser irradiation. The Lipo-IONP/DOX possessed a plasma half-life of 42 min, which could ensure sufficient circulation time for magnetic tumor targeting. The in vivo magnetic targeting enabled a significant increase (6.3-fold) in the tumor accumulation of Lipo-IONP/DOX, leading to greater photothermal effects. Finally, the preliminary efficacy study evidenced the applicability as well as the safety of the Lipo-IONP/DOX for use in combined chemo-photothermal cancer therapy. Overall, the study results demonstrated that the Lipo-IONP/DOX might serve as an effective and safe agent for combined chemo-photothermal cancer therapy.

Multifunctional Iron Oxide Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications: A Review

Due to their good magnetic properties, excellent biocompatibility, and low price, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are the most commonly used magnetic nanomaterials and have been extensively explored in biomedical applications. Although magnetic IONPs can be used for a variety of applications in biomedicine, most practical applications require IONP-based platforms that can perform several tasks in parallel. Thus, appropriate engineering and integration of magnetic IONPs with different classes of organic and inorganic materials can produce multifunctional nanoplatforms that can perform several functions simultaneously, allowing their application in a broad spectrum of biomedical fields. This review article summarizes the fabrication of current composite nanoplatforms based on integration of magnetic IONPs with organic dyes, biomolecules (e.g., lipids, DNAs, aptamers, and antibodies), quantum dots, noble metal NPs, and stimuli-responsive polymers. We also highlight the recent technological advances achieved from such integrated multifunctional platforms and their potential use in biomedical applications, including dual-mode imaging for biomolecule detection, targeted drug delivery, photodynamic therapy, chemotherapy, and magnetic hyperthermia therapy.

Magnetic Nanostructures as Emerging Therapeutic Tools to Boost Anti-Tumour Immunity

Cancer immunotherapy has shown remarkable results in various cancer types through a range of immunotherapeutic approaches, including chimeric antigen receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy, immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and therapeutic vaccines. Despite the enormous potential of cancer immunotherapy, its application in various clinical settings has been limited by immune evasion and immune suppressive mechanisms occurring locally or systemically, low durable response rates, and severe side effects. In the last decades, the rapid advancement of nanotechnology has been aiming at the development of novel synthetic nanocarriers enabling precise and enhanced delivery of immunotherapeutics, while improving drug stability and effectiveness. Magnetic nanostructured formulations are particularly intriguing because of their easy surface functionalization, low cost, and robust manufacturing procedures, together with their suitability for the implementation of magnetically-guided and heat-based therapeutic strategies. Here, we summarize and discuss the unique features of magnetic-based nanostructures, which can be opportunely designed to potentiate classic immunotherapies, such as therapeutic vaccines, ICB, adoptive cell therapy (ACT), and in situ vaccination. Finally, we focus on how multifunctional magnetic delivery systems can facilitate the anti-tumour therapies relying on multiple immunotherapies and/or other therapeutic modalities. Combinatorial magnetic-based therapies are indeed offering the possibility to overcome current challenges in cancer immunotherapy.

Bio-nano interactions: binding proteins, polysaccharides, lipids and nucleic acids onto magnetic nanoparticles

The major interest in nanoparticles as an application platform for biotechnology arises from their high surface-to-volume ratio. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are particularly appealing due to their superparamagnetic behavior, which enables bioseparation using external magnetic fields. In order to design advanced biomaterials, improve binding capacities and develop innovative processing solutions, a thorough understanding of the factors governing organic-inorganic binding in solution is critical but has not yet been achieved, given the wide variety of chemical and physical influences. This paper offers a critical review of experimental studies of the interactions between low cost IONPs (bare iron oxides, silica-coated or easily-functionalized surfaces) and the main groups of biomolecules: proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and carbohydrates. Special attention is devoted to the driving forces and interdependencies responsible of interactions at the solid-liquid interface, to the unique structural characteristics of each biomolecular class, and to environmental conditions influencing adsorption. Furthermore, studies focusing on mixtures, which are still rare, but absolutely necessary to understand the biocorona, are also included. This review concludes with a discussion of future work needed to fill the gaps in knowledge of bio-nano interactions, seeking to improve nanoparticles' targeting capabilities in complex systems, and to open the door for multipurpose recognition and bioseparation processes.

Delivery of drugs, proteins, and nucleic acids using inorganic nanoparticles

Inorganic nanoparticles provide multipurpose platforms for a broad range of delivery applications. Intrinsic nanoscopic properties provide access to unique magnetic and optical properties. Equally importantly, the structural and functional diversity of gold, silica, iron oxide, and lanthanide-based nanocarriers provide unrivalled control of nanostructural properties for effective transport of therapeutic cargos, overcoming biobarriers on the cellular and organismal level. Taken together, inorganic nanoparticles provide a key addition to the arsenal of delivery vectors for fighting disease and improving human health.

Versatile Nanoplatforms with enhanced Photodynamic Therapy: Designs and Applications

As an emerging antitumor strategy, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted intensive attention for the treatment of various malignant tumors owing to its noninvasive nature and high spatial selectivity in recent years. However, the therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory on some occasions due to the presence of some unfavorable factors including nonspecific accumulation of PS towards malignant tissues, the lack of endogenous oxygen in tumors, as well as the limited light penetration depth, further hampering practical application. To circumvent these limitations and improve real utilization efficiency, various enhanced strategies have been developed and explored during the past years. In this review, we give an overview of the state-of-the-art advances progress on versatile nanoplatforms for enhanced PDT considering the enhancement from targeting or responsive, chemical and physical effect. Specifically, these effects mainly include organelle-targeting function, tumor microenvironment responsive release photosensitizers (PS), self-sufficient O2 (affinity oxygen and generating oxygen), photocatalytic water splitting, X-rays light stimulate, surface plasmon resonance enhancement, and the improvement by resonance energy transfer. When utilizing these strategies to improve the therapeutic effect, the advantages and limitations are addressed. Finally, the challenges and prospective will be discussed and demonstrated for the future development of advanced PDT with enhanced efficacy.

Antimicrobial and Physicochemical Properties of Artificial Saliva Formulations Supplemented with Core-Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles

Saliva plays a crucial role in oral cavity. In addition to its buffering and moisturizing properties, saliva fulfills many biofunctional requirements, including antibacterial activity that is essential to assure proper oral microbiota growth. Due to numerous extra- and intra-systemic factors, there are many disorders of its secretion, leading to oral dryness. Saliva substitutes used in such situations must meet many demands. This study was design to evaluate the effect of core-shell magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) adding (gold-coated and aminosilane-coated nanoparticles NPs) on antimicrobial (microorganism adhesion, biofilm formation), rheological (viscosity, viscoelasticity) and physicochemical (pH, surface tension, conductivity) properties of three commercially available saliva formulations. Upon the addition of NPs (20 µg/mL), antibacterial activity of artificial saliva was found to increase against tested microorganisms by 20% to 50%. NPs, especially gold-coated ones, decrease the adhesion of Gram-positive and fungal cells by 65% and Gram-negative bacteria cells by 45%. Moreover, the addition of NPs strengthened the antimicrobial properties of tested artificial saliva, without influencing their rheological and physicochemical properties, which stay within the range characterizing the natural saliva collected from healthy subjects.

Folic acid-conjugated magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with quercetin: a theranostic approach for cancer management

The development of drug carriers based on nanomaterials that can selectively carry chemotherapeutic agents to cancer cells has become a major focus in biomedical research. A novel pH-sensitive multifunctional envelope-type mesoporous silica nanoparticle (SBA-15) was fabricated for targeted drug delivery to human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116). SBA-15 was functionalized with folic acid (FA), and the material was loaded with the water-insoluble flavonoid, quercetin (QN). Additionally, acid-labile magnetite Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were embedded over the FA-functionalized QN-loaded monodisperse SBA-15 to prepare the highly orchestrated material FA-FE-SBA15QN. The in vitro and in vivo anti-carcinogenic efficacy of FA-FE-SBA15QN was carried out to explore the pH-sensitive QN release with putative mechanistic aspects. FA-FE-SBA15QN caused a marked tumor suppression, and triggered mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis through a redox-regulated cellular signaling system. Furthermore, FA-IO-SBA-15-QN initiated the c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK)-guided H2AX phosphorylation, which relayed the downstream apoptotic signal to the phosphorylate tumor suppressor protein, p53. On the other hand, the selective inhibition of heat shock protein-27 (HSP-27) by FA-FE-SBA15QN augmented the apoptotic fate through JNK/H2AX/p53 axis. The in vitro and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have indicated the theranostic perspective of the composite. Thus, the result suggested that the newly synthesized FA-FE-SBA15QN could be used as a promising chemo theranostic material for the management of carcinoma.

pH-Sensitive quercetin/Fe₃O₄ NPs loaded functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 fabricated for targeted drug delivery to colorectal carcinoma cells with high anti-carcinogenic efficacy.

Succinylated heparin monolayer coating vastly increases superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle T2 proton relaxivity

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have a history of clinical use as contrast agents in T₂ weighted MRI, though relatively low T₂ relaxivity has caused them to fall out of favor as new faster MRI techniques have gained prominence. We demonstrate that SPIONs coated with a monolayer of succinylated heparin (Su-HP-SPIONs) exhibit over four-fold increased T₂ relaxivity (460 mM^-1 s^-1) as compared to the clinically approved SPION-based contrast agent Feridex (98.3 mM^-1 s^-1) due to greatly increased water interaction from increased hydrophilicity and thinner coating as supported by our proposed parametric model. In vivo, the performance increase of the Su-HP-SPIONs in T₂ MRI imaging of xenograft tumors is ten-fold that of our in-house synthesized Feridex analogue, due to better tumor localization from the smaller size imparted by the thinner coating. In addition to these significantly improved magnetic properties, the succinylated heparin coating also exhibits favorable synthetic reproducibility, solution stability, and biocompatibility. These findings demonstrate the untapped potential of SPIONs as possible high performance clinical T₂ contrast agents.

Self-Assembled Au@Fe Core/Satellite Magnetic Nanoparticles for Versatile Biomolecule Functionalization

Although the functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with biomolecules has been widely explored for various biological applications, achieving efficient bioconjugations with a wide range of biomolecules through a single, universal, and versatile platform remains a challenge, which may significantly impact their applications' outcomes. Here, we report a novel MNP platform composed of Au@Fe core/satellite nanoparticles (CSNPs) for versatile and efficient bioconjugations. The engineering of the CSNPs is facilely formed through the self-assembly of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, 2-3 nm in diameter) around MNPs with a polysiloxane-containing polymer coating. The formation of the hybrid magnetic nanostructure is revealed by absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), element analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. The versatility of biomolecule loading to the CSNP is revealed through the bioconjugation of a wide range of relevant biomolecules, including streptavidin, antibodies, peptides, and oligonucleotides. Characterizations including DLS, TEM, lateral flow strip assay, fluorescence assay, giant magnetoresistive nanosensor array, high-performance liquid chromatography, and absorption spectrum are performed to further confirm the efficiency of various bioconjugations to the CSNP. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the CSNP is a novel MNP-based platform that offers versatile and efficient surface functionalization with various biomolecules.

Susceptibility of microbial cells to the modified PIP2-binding sequence of gelsolin anchored on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles

BACKGROUND

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are characterized by unique physicochemical and biological properties that allow their employment as highly biocompatible drug carriers. Gelsolin (GSN) is a multifunctional actin-binding protein involved in cytoskeleton remodeling and free circulating actin sequestering. It was reported that a gelsolin derived phosphoinositide binding domain GSN 160-169, (PBP10 peptide) coupled with rhodamine B, exerts strong bactericidal activity.

RESULTS

In this study, we synthesized a new antibacterial and antifungal nanosystem composed of MNPs and a PBP10 peptide attached to the surface. The physicochemical properties of these nanosystems were analyzed by spectroscopy, calorimetry, electron microscopy, and X-ray studies. Using luminescence based techniques and a standard killing assay against representative strains of Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus MRSA Xen 30) and Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa Xen 5) bacteria and against fungal cells (Candida spp.) we demonstrated that magnetic nanoparticles significantly enhance the effect of PBP10 peptides through a membrane-based mode of action, involving attachment and interaction with cell wall components, disruption of microbial membrane and increased uptake of peptide. Our results also indicate that treatment of both planktonic and biofilm forms of pathogens by PBP10-based nanosystems is more effective than therapy with either of these agents alone.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that magnetic nanoparticles enhance the antimicrobial activity of the phosphoinositide-binding domain of gelsolin, modulate its mode of action and strengthen the idea of its employment for developing the new treatment methods of infections.

Concepts of nanoparticle cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, and kinetics in nanomedicine

Nanoparticle-based therapeutics and diagnostics are commonly referred to as nanomedicine and may significantly impact the future of healthcare. However, the clinical translation of these technologies is challenging. One of these challenges is the efficient delivery of nanoparticles to specific cell populations and subcellular targets in the body to elicit desired biological and therapeutic responses. It is critical for researchers to understand the fundamental concepts of how nanoparticles interact with biological systems to predict and control in vivo nanoparticle transport for improved clinical benefit. In this overview article, we review and discuss cellular internalization pathways, summarize the field`s understanding of how nanoparticle physicochemical properties affect cellular interactions, and explore and discuss intracellular nanoparticle trafficking and kinetics. Our overview may provide a valuable resource for researchers and may inspire new studies to expand our current understanding of nanotechnology-biology interactions at cellular and subcellular levels with the goal to improve clinical translation of nanomedicines.

Cell-Promoted Nanoparticle Aggregation Decreases Nanoparticle-Induced Hyperthermia under an Alternating Magnetic Field Independently of Nanoparticle Coating, Core Size, and Subcellular Localization

Magnetic hyperthermia has a significant potential to be a new breakthrough for cancer treatment. The simple concept of nanoparticle-induced heating by the application of an alternating magnetic field has attracted much attention, as it allows the local heating of cancer cells, which are considered more susceptible to hyperthermia than healthy cells, while avoiding the side effects of traditional hyperthermia. Despite the potential of this therapeutic approach, the idea that local heating effects due to the application of alternating magnetic fields on magnetic nanoparticle-loaded cancer cells can be used as a treatment is controversial. Several studies indicate that the heating capacity of magnetic nanoparticles is largely reduced in the cellular environment because of increased viscosity, aggregation, and dipolar interactions. However, an increasing number of studies, both in vitro and in vivo, show evidence of successful magnetic hyperthermia treatment on several different types of cancer cells. This apparent contradiction might be due to the use of different experimental conditions. Here, we analyze the effects of several parameters on the cytotoxic efficiency of magnetic nanoparticles as heat inductors under an alternating magnetic field. Our results indicate that the cell-nanoparticle interaction reduces the cytotoxic effects of magnetic hyperthermia, independent of nanoparticle coating and core size, the cell line used, and the subcellular localization of nanoparticles. However, there seems to occur a synergistic effect between the application of an external source of heat and the presence of magnetic nanoparticles, leading to higher toxicities than those induced by heat alone or the accumulation of nanoparticles within cells.

Iron oxide nanoparticles as multimodal imaging tools

In medicine, obtaining simply a resolute and accurate image of an organ of interest is a real challenge.