Submit to Molecules Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 33754

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine book cover image

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wansong Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Interests: nanomedicine; functional nanomaterials; cancer therapy; nanocatalysis

Dr. Jianhua Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Interests: design; functionalization and fabrication of polymers and polymer-based nanomaterials for various applications in biomedical fields and petroleum industry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, various nanomaterials are designed and prepared for nanomedicine, such as polymer nanodrugs, metal–organic frameworks, inorganic nanocrystals, and organic semiconducting nanomaterials. The applications of nanomaterials overcome several limitations of traditional molecular drugs, including short circulation time, serious side effects, and low bioavailability. Accordingly, the great success of nanotechnology promotes a tremendous revolution in biomedical field. Various therapeutic nanoplatforms have been developed with therapeutic functions and intelligent properties. For example, semiconducting nanomaterials are found with responsiveness to external stimuli, such as light and ultrasound. Moreover, many nanocatalysts with enzymatic activity have also been designed as artificial enzymes for catalytic therapy. Recently, some functional nanomaterials have exhibited modulating activity to the immune system and thus activate adaptive immunity. Based on all the abovementioned features, functional nanomaterials have been widely applied for the treatment of various diseases, such as cancer, bacterial infection, diabetes, inflammation, and neurodegenerative disorder.

However, the development of nanomedicine suffers from several challenges prior to their clinical applications. For instance, disease detection in an early stage is a critical challenge for nanomedicine. It is difficult to detect disease markers (e.g., proteins, genes, or cancer circulating cells), so nanoprobes with high sensitivity and selectivity are required. Moreover, to overcome drug resistance, it is highly desirable to develop functional nanomedicines with the combination of multiple therapeutic modalities, such as chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, chemodynamic therapy, radiotherapy, starving therapy, and immunotherapy. Additionally, the stability and degradability of most nanomedicines in biofluids should be carefully evaluated before their administration to humans.

The main aims of the Special Issue on "Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine" is to be an open forum where researchers may share their investigations and findings in this promising field. Contributions to this issue, both in the form of original research or review articles, are particularly welcome.

Prof. Wansong Chen
Prof. Dr. Jianhua Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

stimuli-sensitive nanomedicines
advanced targeting delivery
controlled drug release
theranostic nanomedicines
functional polymeric nanoparticles
biosensing and diagnostics
biomimetic nanomedicines
catalytic therapy

Published Papers (12 papers)

Download All Papers

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 178 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Functional Nanomaterials: From Structures to Biomedical Applications

by Wansong Chen, Keyin Liu and Jianhua Zhang

Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7492; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27217492 - 03 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 975

Abstract

In recent decades, a number of functional nanomaterials have attracted a great amount of attention and exhibited excellent performance for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

24 pages, 4603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Loaded with Levodopa and Curcumin for Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

by Bassam Felipe Mogharbel, Marco André Cardoso, Ana Carolina Irioda, Priscila Elias Ferreira Stricker, Robson Camilotti Slompo, Julia Maurer Appel, Nathalia Barth de Oliveira, Maiara Carolina Perussolo, Claudia Sayuri Saçaki, Nadia Nascimento da Rosa, Dilcele Silva Moreira Dziedzic, Christophe Travelet, Sami Halila, Redouane Borsali and Katherine Athayde Teixeira de Carvalho

Molecules 2022, 27(9), 2811; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27092811 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3325

Abstract

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Levodopa (L-DOPA) remains the gold-standard drug available for treating PD. Curcumin has many pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-amyloid, and antitumor properties. Copolymers composed of Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and biodegradable polyesters such as Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) can self-assemble into nanoparticles (NPs). This study describes the development of NH₂–PEO–PCL diblock copolymer positively charged and modified by adding glutathione (GSH) on the outer surface, resulting in a synergistic delivery of L-DOPA curcumin that would be able to pass the blood–brain barrier. Methods: The NH₂–PEO–PCL NPs suspensions were prepared by using a nanoprecipitation and solvent displacement method and coated with GSH. NPs were submitted to characterization assays. In order to ensure the bioavailability, Vero and PC12 cells were treated with various concentrations of the loaded and unloaded NPs to observe cytotoxicity. Results: NPs have successfully loaded L-DOPA and curcumin and were stable after freeze-drying, indicating advancing into in vitro toxicity testing. Vero and PC12 cells that were treated up to 72 h with various concentrations of L-DOPA and curcumin-loaded NP maintained high viability percentage, indicating that the NPs are biocompatible. Conclusions: NPs consisting of NH₂–PEO–PCL were characterized as potential formulations for brain delivery of L-DOPA and curcumin. The results also indicate that the developed biodegradable nanomicelles that were blood compatible presented low cytotoxicity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2861 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Synthesis Conditions on the Antioxidant Activity of Selenium Nanoparticles

by Aleksandra Sentkowska and Krystyna Pyrzyńska

Molecules 2022, 27(8), 2486; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27082486 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 2243

Abstract

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have attracted great attention in recent years due to their unique properties and potential bioactivities. While the production of SeNPs has been long reported, there is little news about the influence of reaction conditions and clean-up procedure on their physical properties (e.g., shape, size) as well as their antioxidant activity. This study takes up this issue. SeNPs were synthesized by two methods using cysteine and ascorbic acid as selenium reductants. The reactions were performed with and without the use of polyvinyl alcohol as a stabilizer. After the synthesis, SeNPs were cleaned using various procedures. The antioxidant properties of the obtained SeNPs were investigated using DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. It was found that their antioxidant activity does not always depend only on the nanoparticles size but also on their homogeneity. Moreover, the size and morphology of selenium nanoparticles are controlled by the clean-up step. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 2545 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Colorimetric and Electrochemical Methods for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Peptide-Triggered Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles

by Yunxiao Feng, Gang Liu, Ming La and Lin Liu

Molecules 2022, 27(3), 615; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27030615 - 18 Jan 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2172

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease (Mpro) has been regarded as one of the ideal targets for the development of antiviral drugs. The currently used methods for the probing of Mpro activity and the screening of its inhibitors require the use of a double-labeled peptide substrate. In this work, we suggested that the label-free peptide substrate could induce the aggregation of AuNPs through the electrostatic interactions, and the cleavage of the peptide by the Mpro inhibited the aggregation of AuNPs. This fact allowed for the visual analysis of Mpro activity by observing the color change of the AuNPs suspension. Furthermore, the co-assembly of AuNPs and peptide was achieved on the peptide-covered electrode surface. Cleavage of the peptide substrate by the Mpro limited the formation of AuNPs/peptide assembles, thus allowing for the development of a simple and sensitive electrochemical method for Mpro detection in serum samples. The change of the electrochemical signal was easily monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The detection limits of the colorimetric and electrochemical methods are 10 and 0.1 pM, respectively. This work should be valuable for the development of effective antiviral drugs and the design of novel optical and electrical biosensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 4171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endosomal pH-Responsive Fe-Based Hyaluronate Nanoparticles for Doxorubicin Delivery

by Yangmun Bae, Yoonyoung Kim and Eun Seong Lee

Molecules 2021, 26(12), 3547; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26123547 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2098

Abstract

In this study, we report pH-responsive metal-based biopolymer nanoparticles (NPs) for tumor-specific chemotherapy. Here, aminated hyaluronic acid (aHA) coupled with 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride (DMA, as a pH-responsive moiety) (aHA-DMA) was electrostatically complexed with ferrous chloride tetrahydrate (FeCl₂/4H₂O, as a chelating metal) and doxorubicin (DOX, as an antitumor drug model), producing DOX-loaded Fe-based hyaluronate nanoparticles (DOX@aHA-DMA/Fe NPs). Importantly, the DOX@aHA-DMA/Fe NPs improved tumor cellular uptake due to HA-mediated endocytosis for tumor cells overexpressing CD44 receptors. As a result, the average fluorescent DOX intensity observed in MDA-MB-231 cells (with CD44 receptors) was ~7.9 × 10² (DOX@HA/Fe NPs, without DMA), ~8.1 × 10² (DOX@aHA-DMA_0.36/Fe NPs), and ~9.3 × 10² (DOX@aHA-DMA_0.60/Fe NPs). Furthermore, the DOX@aHA-DMA/Fe NPs were destabilized due to ionic repulsion between Fe²⁺ and DMA-detached aHA (i.e., positively charged free aHA) in the acidic environment of tumor cells. This event accelerated the release of DOX from the destabilized NPs. Our results suggest that these NPs can be promising tumor-targeting drug carriers responding to acidic endosomal pH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

33 pages, 7656 KiB

Open AccessReview

Multimodal Imaging and Phototherapy of Cancer and Bacterial Infection by Graphene and Related Nanocomposites

by Ganesh Gollavelli, Anil V. Ghule and Yong-Chien Ling

Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5588; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27175588 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2203

Abstract

The advancements in nanotechnology and nanomedicine are projected to solve many glitches in medicine, especially in the fields of cancer and infectious diseases, which are ranked in the top five most dangerous deadly diseases worldwide by the WHO. There is great concern to eradicate these problems with accurate diagnosis and therapies. Among many developed therapeutic models, near infra-red mediated phototherapy is a non-invasive technique used to invade many persistent tumors and bacterial infections with less inflammation compared with traditional therapeutic models such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgeries. Herein, we firstly summarize the up-to-date research on graphene phototheranostics for a better understanding of this field of research. We discuss the preparation and functionalization of graphene nanomaterials with various biocompatible components, such as metals, metal oxides, polymers, photosensitizers, and drugs, through covalent and noncovalent approaches. The multifunctional nanographene is used to diagnose the disease with confocal laser scanning microscopy, magnetic resonance imaging computed tomography, positron emission tomography, photoacoustic imaging, Raman, and ToF-SMIS to visualize inside the biological system for imaging-guided therapy are discussed. Further, treatment of disease by photothermal and photodynamic therapies against different cancers and bacterial infections are carefully conferred herein along with challenges and future perspectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5887 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Electrostatic Spinning of Polymer Fibers Functionalized with Metal-Based Nanocrystals and Biomedical Applications

by Haojun Li, Meng Xu, Rui Shi, Aiying Zhang and Jiatao Zhang

Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5548; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27175548 - 29 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2625

Abstract

Considering the metal-based nanocrystal (NC) hierarchical structure requirements in many real applications, starting from basic synthesis principles of electrostatic spinning technology, the formation of functionalized fibrous materials with inorganic metallic and semiconductor nanocrystalline materials by electrostatic spinning synthesis technology in recent years was reviewed. Several typical electrostatic spinning synthesis methods for nanocrystalline materials in polymers are presented. Finally, the specific applications and perspectives of such electrostatic spun nanofibers in the biomedical field are reviewed in terms of antimicrobial fibers, biosensing and so on. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4089 KiB

Open AccessReview

Single-Atom Nanozymes: Fabrication, Characterization, Surface Modification and Applications of ROS Scavenging and Antibacterial

by Haihan Song, Mengli Zhang and Weijun Tong

Molecules 2022, 27(17), 5426; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules27175426 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2602

Abstract

Nanozymes are nanomaterials with intrinsic natural enzyme-like catalytic properties. They have received extensive attention and have the potential to be an alternative to natural enzymes. Increasing the atom utilization rate of active centers in nanozymes has gradually become a concern of scientists. As the limit of designing nanozymes at the atomic level, single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes) have become the research frontier of the biomedical field recently because of their high atom utilization, well-defined active centers, and good natural enzyme mimicry. In this review, we first introduce the preparation of SAzymes through pyrolysis and defect engineering with regulated activity, then the characterization and surface modification methods of SAzymes are introduced. The possible influences of surface modification on the activity of SAzymes are discussed. Furthermore, we summarize the applications of SAzymes in the biomedical fields, especially in those of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and antibacterial. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of SAzymes are summarized and prospected. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 8456 KiB

Open AccessReview

Organic Nanoplatforms for Iodinated Contrast Media in CT Imaging

by Peng Zhang, Xinyu Ma, Ruiwei Guo, Zhanpeng Ye, Han Fu, Naikuan Fu, Zhigang Guo, Jianhua Zhang and Jing Zhang

Molecules 2021, 26(23), 7063; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26237063 - 23 Nov 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3176

Abstract

X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging can produce three-dimensional and high-resolution anatomical images without invasion, which is extremely useful for disease diagnosis in the clinic. However, its applications are still severely limited by the intrinsic drawbacks of contrast media (mainly iodinated water-soluble molecules), such as rapid clearance, serious toxicity, inefficient targetability and poor sensitivity. Due to their high biocompatibility, flexibility in preparation and modification and simplicity for drug loading, organic nanoparticles (NPs), including liposomes, nanoemulsions, micelles, polymersomes, dendrimers, polymer conjugates and polymeric particles, have demonstrated tremendous potential for use in the efficient delivery of iodinated contrast media (ICMs). Herein, we comprehensively summarized the strategies and applications of organic NPs, especially polymer-based NPs, for the delivery of ICMs in CT imaging. We mainly focused on the use of polymeric nanoplatforms to prolong circulation time, reduce toxicity and enhance the targetability of ICMs. The emergence of some new technologies, such as theragnostic NPs and multimodal imaging and their clinical translations, are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

31 pages, 7060 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nanomaterials for Modulating the Aggregation of β-Amyloid Peptides

by Yaliang Huang, Yong Chang, Lin Liu and Jianxiu Wang

Molecules 2021, 26(14), 4301; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26144301 - 15 Jul 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3592

Abstract

The aberrant aggregation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain has been recognized as the major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, the inhibition and dissociation of Aβ aggregation are believed to be effective therapeutic strategiesforthe prevention and treatment of AD. When integrated with traditional agents and biomolecules, nanomaterials can overcome their intrinsic shortcomings and boost their efficiency via synergistic effects. This article provides an overview of recent efforts to utilize nanomaterials with superior properties to propose effective platforms for AD treatment. The underlying mechanismsthat are involved in modulating Aβ aggregation are discussed. The summary of nanomaterials-based modulation of Aβ aggregation may help researchers to understand the critical roles in therapeutic agents and provide new insight into the exploration of more promising anti-amyloid agents and tactics in AD theranostics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2877 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances of Cell Membrane Coated Nanoparticles in Treating Cardiovascular Disorders

by Chaojie Zhu, Junkai Ma, Zhiheng Ji, Jie Shen and Qiwen Wang

Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3428; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26113428 - 05 Jun 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4511

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, causing approximately 17.9 million deaths annually, an estimated 31% of all deaths, according to the WHO. CVDs are essentially rooted in atherosclerosis and are clinically classified into coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disorders. Current clinical interventions include early diagnosis, the insertion of stents, and long-term preventive therapy. However, clinical diagnostic and therapeutic tools are subject to a number of limitations including, but not limited to, potential toxicity induced by contrast agents and unexpected bleeding caused by anti-platelet drugs. Nanomedicine has achieved great advancements in biomedical area. Among them, cell membrane coated nanoparticles, denoted as CMCNPs, have acquired enormous expectations due to their biomimetic properties. Such membrane coating technology not only helps avoid immune clearance, but also endows nanoparticles with diverse cellular and functional mimicry. In this review, we will describe the superiorities of CMCNPs in treating cardiovascular diseases and their potentials in optimizing current clinical managements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 6455 KiB

Open AccessReview

Exploiting a New Approach to Destroy the Barrier of Tumor Microenvironment: Nano-Architecture Delivery Systems

by Yanting Sun, Yuling Li, Shuo Shi and Chunyan Dong

Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2703; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092703 - 05 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2941

Abstract

Recent findings suggest that tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important regulatory role in the occurrence, proliferation, and metastasis of tumors. Different from normal tissue, the condition around tumor significantly altered, including immune infiltration, compact extracellular matrix, new vasculatures, abundant enzyme, acidic pH value, and hypoxia. Increasingly, researchers focused on targeting TME to prevent tumor development and metastasis. With the development of nanotechnology and the deep research on the tumor environment, stimulation-responsive intelligent nanostructures designed based on TME have attracted much attention in the anti-tumor drug delivery system. TME-targeted nano therapeutics can regulate the distribution of drugs in the body, specifically increase the concentration of drugs in the tumor site, so as to enhance the efficacy and reduce adverse reactions, can utilize particular conditions of TME to improve the effect of tumor therapy. This paper summarizes the major components and characteristics of TME, discusses the principles and strategies of relevant nano-architectures targeting TME for the treatment and diagnosis systematically. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Functional Nanomaterials in Biomedicine

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (12 papers)

Editorial

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI