Nanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging

doi:10.1016/S1359-6446(03)02903-9

Drug Discovery Today

Volume 8, Issue 24, 15 December 2003, Pages 1112-1120

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-6446(03)02903-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Nanotechnology, a multidisciplinary scientific undertaking, involves creation and utilization of materials, devices or systems on the nanometer scale. The field of nanotechnology is currently undergoing explosive development on many fronts. The technology is expected to create innovations and play a critical role in various biomedical applications, not only in drug delivery, but also in molecular imaging, biomarkers and biosensors. Target-specific drug therapy and methods for early diagnosis of pathologies are the priority research areas where nanotechnology would play a vital role. This review considers different nanotechnology-based drug delivery and imaging approaches, and their economic impact on pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.

Section snippets

Nanotechnology in drug delivery

The development of delivery systems for small molecules, proteins and DNA has been impacted to an enormous degree over the past decade by nanotechnology, and has led to the development of entirely new and somewhat unpredicted fields. For the pharmaceutical industry, novel drug delivery technologies represent a strategic tool for expanding drug markets. The technology can address issues associated with current pharmaceuticals such as extending product life (line extension), or can add to their

Significance of drug delivery and targeting

Although opportunities to develop nanotechnology-based efficient drug delivery systems extend into all therapeutic classes of pharmaceuticals, the development of effective treatment modalities for the respiratory, central nervous system and cardiovascular disorders remains a financially and therapeutically significant need. Many therapeutic agents have not been successful because of their limited ability to reach to the target tissue. In addition, the faster growth opportunities are expected in

Polymeric biodegradable nanoparticles

Over the past few decades, there has been considerable interest in developing biodegradable nanoparticles as effective drug delivery devices [5], [6], [7]. Nanoparticles are solid, colloidal particles consisting of macromolecular substances that vary in size from 10 nm to 1000 nm [5]. The drug of interest is either dissolved, entrapped, adsorbed, attached or encapsulated into the nanoparticle matrix. Depending on the method of preparation, nanoparticles, nanospheres or nanocapsules can be

Ceramic nanoparticles

The newly emerging area of using inorganic (ceramic) particles with entrapped biomolecules has potential applications in many frontiers of modern material science including drug delivery [31], [32], [33]. Ceramic nanoparticles have several advantages such as the preparative processes are relatively similar to the well-known sol-gel process, require ambient temperature condition, and can be easily prepared with the desired size, shape and porosity. Their ultra-low size (less than 50 nm) can help

Polymeric micelles

Recently, significant attention has been drawn to various amphiphilic block copolymers, which can self-associate to form micelles in aqueous solution, and have been extensively studied as drug carriers [37], [38], [39]. Polymeric micelles have several advantages over conventional surfactant micelles in that they have better thermodynamic stability in physiological solution, as indicated by their low critical micellar concentration, which makes polymeric micelles stable and prevents their rapid

Liposomes

The first suggested use of liposomes came from the group of Weismann in 1969 [52]. Since then liposomes have been used as a versatile tool in biology, biochemistry and medicine [53]. Liposomes are small artificial vesicles of spherical shape that can be produced from natural non-toxic phospholipids and cholesterol. Because of their size, hydrophobic and hydrophilic character, as well as biocompatibility, liposomes are promising systems for drug delivery. Liposome properties vary substantially

Dendrimers

First discovered in the early 1980s, dendrimers are macromolecular compounds that comprise a series of branches around an inner core [57]. Dendrimers are attractive systems for drug delivery because of their nanometer size range, ease of preparation and functionalization, and their ability to display multiple copies of surface groups for biological reorganization processes [58], [59]. Dendrimer molecules are monodisperse symmetric macromolecules built around a small molecule or in a linear

Nanocrystals for drug delivery and imaging

Nanotechnology can be exploited to improve the utility of fluorescent markers used for diagnostic purposes. Although fluorescent markers are routinely used in basic research and clinical diagnostic applications, there are several inherent disadvantages with current techniques, including the requirement of color-matched lasers, the fluorescence bleaching, and the lack of discriminatory capacity of multiple dyes. Fluorescent nanocrystals potentially overcome these issues. Nanocrystals [also

Magnetic nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles are a powerful and versatile diagnostic tool in biology and medicine [69], [70]. Bound to a suitable antibody, they are used to label specific molecules, cell populations, structures or microorganisms. Magnetic immunoassay techniques have been developed in which the magnetic field generated by the magnetically labeled targets is detected directly with a sensitive magnetometer. Binding of antibody to target molecules or disease-causing organism is the basis of several

Ferrofluids

Ferrofluids are colloidal solutions of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles surrounded by a polymeric layer coated with affinity molecules, such as antibodies, for capturing cells and other biological targets from blood or other fluid and tissue samples [72], [73]. Ferrofluid particles are so small (25–100 nm in radius) that they behave in liquids as a solution rather than suspension. When the coated ferrofluid particles are mixed with a sample containing cells or other analytes, they interact

Surface engineering and targeting

The ability to target pharmacologically active molecules to specific sites in the body has been actively pursued ever since Ehrlich first envisaged the use of ‘magic bullets’ for the eradication of diseases [76]. Interest in this concept has increased significantly in recent years with the advent of new technology and better understanding of the processes involved in drug delivery both at cellular and sub-cellular levels [77], [78]. Drug delivery systems may function through their ability to

Concluding remarks

The multidisciplinary field of nanotechnology holds the promise of delivering the technological breakthrough and is moving very fast from concept to reality. The flexibility to modify or adapt nanotechnology to meet the needs of pathologic conditions either for therapeutic applications or as a diagnostic tool is the important characteristic of the technology. The United States, Japan and the European Union have already established nanotech research initiatives to explore the potential

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ReviewNanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging

Abstract

Section snippets

Nanotechnology in drug delivery

Significance of drug delivery and targeting

Polymeric biodegradable nanoparticles

Ceramic nanoparticles

Polymeric micelles

Liposomes

Dendrimers

Nanocrystals for drug delivery and imaging

Magnetic nanoparticles

Ferrofluids

Surface engineering and targeting

Concluding remarks

Curr. Opin. Biotechnol.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Int. J. Pharm.

Int. J. Pharm.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Adv. Enzyme Regul.

Mol. Brain Res.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Int. J. Pharm.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev.

Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm.

J. Control. Release

J. Control. Release

J. Control. Release

J. Control. Release

Curr. Opin. Biotechnol.

Trends Biotechnol.

Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm.

Cancer Treat. Rev.

Biochim. Biophys. Acta

Int. J. Pharm.

Nanotechnology applications in medicine

Med. Device Technol.

Biodegradable nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.

Gastrointestinal uptake of biodegradable microparticles: effect of particle size

Pharm. Res.

The mechanism of uptake of biodegradable microparticles in Caco-2 cells is size dependent

Pharm. Res.

Conjugation to gold nanoparticles enhances polyethylenimine's transfer of plasmid DNA into mammalian cells

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A.

Rapid endo-lysosomal escape of poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles: implications for drug and gene delivery

FASEB J.

In vivo uptake of chitosan microparticles by murine Peyer's patches: visualization studies using confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunohistochemistry

J. Drug Target.

Analysis of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanosphere uptake by human dendritic cells and macrophages in vitro

Pharm. Res.

Long-circulating and target-specific nanoparticles: theory to practice

Pharmacol. Rev.

Magnetofection: enhancing and targeting gene delivery by magnetic force in vitro and in vivo

Gene Ther.

Augmentation of transvascular transport of macromolecules and nanoparticles in tumors using vascular endothelial growth factor

Cancer Res.

Pegylated zinc protoporphyrin: a water-soluble heme oxygenase inhibitor with tumor-targeting capacity

Bioconjugate Chem.

Efficiency of Dispatch® and Infiltrator® cardiac infusion catheters in arterial localization of nanoparticles in a porcine coronary model of restenosis

J. Drug Target.

Local intraluminal infusion of biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles, A novel approach for prolonged drug delivery after balloon angioplasty

Circulation

Targeted antiproliferative drug delivery to vascular smooth muscle cells with a magnetic resonance imaging nanoparticle contrast agent: implications for rational therapy of restenosis

Circulation

Nanoparticle technology for drug delivery across the blood–brain barrier

Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm.

Potential new methods for antiepileptic drug delivery

CNS Drugs

Direct evidence that polysorbate-80-coated poly(butylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles deliver drugs to the CNS via specific mechanisms requiring prior binding of drug to the nanoparticles

Pharm. Res.

Review
Nanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging