Magnetic Nanoparticles Used in Oncology

Recently, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have more and more often been used in experimental studies on cancer treatments, which have become one of the biggest challenges in medical research. The main goal of this research is to treat and to cure advanced or metastatic cancer with minimal side effects through nanotechnology. Drug delivery approaches take into account the fact that MNPs can be bonded to chemotherapeutical drugs, nucleic acids, synthetized antibodies or radionuclide substances. MNPs can be guided, and different treatment therapies can be applied, under the influence of an external magnetic field. This paper reviews the main MNPs’ synthesis methods, functionalization with different materials and highlight the applications in cancer therapy. In this review, we describe cancer cell monitorization based on different types of magnetic nanoparticles, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, magnetic hyperthermia, gene therapy and ferroptosis. Examples of applied treatments on murine models or humans are analyzed, and glioblastoma cancer therapy is detailed in the review. MNPs have an important contribution to diagnostics, investigation, and therapy in the so called theranostics domain. The main conclusion of this paper is that MNPs are very useful in different cancer therapies, with limited side effects, and they can increase the life expectancy of patients with cancer drug resistance.

Nanoparticles as carriers for drug delivery of macromolecules across the blood-brain barrier

Introduction: Current therapies of neurodegenerative or neurometabolic diseases are, to a large extent, hampered by the inability of drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This very tight barrier severely restricts the entrance of molecules from the blood into the brain, especially macromolecular substances (i.e. neurotrophic factors, enzymes, proteins, as well as genetic materials). Due to their size, physicochemical properties, and instability, the delivery of these materials is particularly difficult.Areas covered: Recent research showed that biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticles possessing tailored surface properties can enable a delivery of drugs and specifically of macromolecules across the blood-brain barrier by using carrier systems of the brain capillary endothelium (Trojan Horse strategy). In the present review, the state-of-art of nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery of different macromolecular substances into the brain following intravenous injection is summarized, and different nanomedicines that are used to enable the transport of neurotrophic factors and enzymes across the blood-brain barrier into the CNS are critically analyzed.Expert opinion: Brain delivery of macromolecules by an intravenous application using nanomedicines is now a growing area of interest which could be really translated into clinical application if dedicated effort will be given to industrial scale-up production.

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles-Current and Prospective Medical Applications

The recent, fast development of nanotechnology is reflected in the medical sciences. Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) are an excellent example. Thanks to their superparamagnetic properties, SPIONs have found application in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and magnetic hyperthermia. Unlike bulk iron, SPIONs do not have remnant magnetization in the absence of the external magnetic field; therefore, a precise remote control over their action is possible. This makes them also useful as a component of the advanced drug delivery systems. Due to their easy synthesis, biocompatibility, multifunctionality, and possibility of further surface modification with various chemical agents, SPIONs could support many fields of medicine. SPIONs have also some disadvantages, such as their high uptake by macrophages. Nevertheless, based on the ongoing studies, they seem to be very promising in oncological therapy (especially in the brain, breast, prostate, and pancreatic tumors). The main goal of our paper is, therefore, to present the basic properties of SPIONs, to discuss their current role in medicine, and to review their applications in order to inspire future developments of new, improved SPION systems.