Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Hybrid Nanoparticles for Biological Applications Nanoparticles (NPs) are synthetic materials with considerable applications in biomedicine due to the unique way in which they interact with matter (Wagner, Dullaart et al. 2006, Kim, Rutka et al. 2010, Jokerst, Lobovkina et al. 2011). The control of hybrid nano-objects with tailored shapes and dimensions have attracted extensive researches because of their tremendous interest in numerous applications involving their optical properties, photo-thermal activity or ability for imaging. NPs can be used in diagnosis, as contrast agents in optical, photoacustic and MRI imaging, or in drug delivery, as carriers able to increase tumour exposure to therapeutic agents, improving treatment effects by prolonging circulation times, protecting carried drug from degradation and enhancing tumour uptake (Fernandez-Fernandez, Manchanda et al. 2011). TiO2 nanoparticles and Gold Nanoparticles can be applied in biomedical field like photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy for cancer (Yamaguchi, Kobayashi et al. 2011). Nevertheless, nanoparticles exhibit a potential toxicity to cells and organism, due to the small size and corresponding high specific surface area (Huang, Aronstam et al. 2010). One strategy to prevent TiO2 nanoparticles toxicity is to coat particles with poly-ethylene glycol (PEG). PEG is a hydrophilic, non-ionic polymer that has been shown to exhibit excellent biocompatibility. In both imaging and drug delivery the addition of PEG to NPs increases circulation time preventing the uptake by the reticuloendothelial system (Jacobson, Gonzalez-Gonzalez et al. 2010). For direct targeted therapy is necessary to incorporate, on the nanoparticle surface, a targeting moiety (e.g., antibodies, peptides) able to bind a tumour-associated antigen or receptor and facilitate the delivery of nanoparticles. Preclinical studies have shown that targeted nanoparticles have better antitumor activity compared with nontargeted nanoparticles (Kirpotin, Drummond et al. 2006, Gu, Zhang et al. 2008)