pH- and thermo-sensitive MTX-loaded magnetic nanocomposites: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro studies on A549 lung cancer cell and MR imaging.

In the current study, we proposed a facile method for fabrication of multifunctional pH- and thermo-sensitive magnetic nanocomposites (MNCs) as a theranostic agent for using in targeted drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To this end, we decorated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), best known for their pH- and thermo-sensitive properties, respectively. We also conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) to polymer matrix acting as drug container to enhance the drug encapsulation efficacy. Methotroxate (MTX) as a model drug was successfully loaded in MNCs (M-MNCs) via surface adsorption onto MSNs and electrostatic interaction between drug and carrier. The pH- and temperature-triggered release of MTX was concluded through the evaluation of in vitro release at both physiological and simulated tumor tissue conditions. Based on in vitro cytotoxicity assay results, M-MNCs significantly revealed higher antitumor activity compared to free MTX. In vitro MR susceptibility experiment showed that M-MNCs relatively possessed high transverse relaxivity (r2) of about 0.15 mM-1·ms-1 and a linear relationship between the transverse relaxation rate (R2) and the Fe concentration in the M-MNCs was also demonstrated. Therefore, the designed MNCs can potentially become smart drug carrier, while they also can be promising MRI negative contrast agent.

3D Printing of Dental Prostheses: Current and Emerging Applications.

Revolutionary fabrication technologies such as three-dimensional (3D) printing to develop dental structures are expected to replace traditional methods due to their ability to establish constructs with the required mechanical properties and detailed structures. Three-dimensional printing, as an additive manufacturing approach, has the potential to rapidly fabricate complex dental prostheses by employing a bottom-up strategy in a layer-by-layer fashion. This new technology allows dentists to extend their degree of freedom in selecting, creating, and performing the required treatments. Three-dimensional printing has been narrowly employed in the fabrication of various kinds of prostheses and implants. There is still an on-demand production procedure that offers a reasonable method with superior efficiency to engineer multifaceted dental constructs. This review article aims to cover the most recent applications of 3D printing techniques in the manufacturing of dental prosthetics. More specifically, after describing various 3D printing techniques and their advantages/disadvantages, the applications of 3D printing in dental prostheses are elaborated in various examples in the literature. Different 3D printing techniques have the capability to use different materials, including thermoplastic polymers, ceramics, and metals with distinctive suitability for dental applications, which are discussed in this article. The relevant limitations and challenges that currently limit the efficacy of 3D printing in this field are also reviewed. This review article has employed five major scientific databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus, with appropriate keywords to find the most relevant literature in the subject of dental prostheses 3D printing.

Transferrin receptor-mediated liposomal drug delivery: recent trends in targeted therapy of cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Compared to normal cells, malignant cancer cells require more iron for their growth and rapid proliferation, which can be supplied by a high expression level of transferrin receptor (TfR). It is well known that the expression of TfR on the tumor cells is considerably higher than that of normal cells, which makes TfR an attractive target in cancer therapy. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the primary focus is on the role of TfR as a valuable tool for cancer-targeted drug delivery, followed by the full coverage of available TfR ligands and their conjugation chemistry to the surface of liposomes. Finally, the most recent studies investigating the potential of TfR-targeted liposomes as promising drug delivery vehicles to different cancer cells are highlighted with emphasis on their improvement possibilities to become a part of future cancer medicines. EXPERT OPINION: Liposomes as a valuable class of nanocarriers have gained much attention toward cancer therapy. From all the studies that have exploited the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of TfR on cancer cells, it can be realized that the systematic assessment of TfR ligands applied for liposomal targeted delivery has yet to be entirely accomplished.

Comparison of three synthetic transferrin mimetic small peptides to promote the blood-brain barrier penetration of vincristine liposomes for improved glioma targeted therapy.

The existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes the clinical chemotherapy of glioma a formidable challenge, because it hinders the passage of different chemotherapeutics into the brain and reduces the overall therapeutic efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to design a drug delivery system in way that would favor the transportation of anti-cancer agents across the BBB and increase their selective accumulation within the tumor cells without affecting the normal tissues. Transferrin receptor (TfR) that shows an elevated level of expression on the BBB and glioma cells emerges as a promising tool for brain targeted delivery and glioma therapy. However, only a limited number of studies have comparatively evaluated the functionally of TfR targeting ligands. Herein, a series of liposomal formulations modified with the most well-known TfR targeting peptides including T12 (also known as THR), B6, and T7 was developed and their brain targeting capability and selective glioma accumulation was comparatively evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Among all TfR targeting or non-targeting groups, T7-modified liposomes (T7-LS) showed the highest BBB penetration capacity and brain distribution and displayed an enhanced accumulation in glioma cells. When loaded with vincristine (VCR), as a model chemotherapeutic, T7-LS/VCR could achieve the best anti-glioma outcome by means of targeted cytotoxicity and apoptosis in vitro. The obtained results suggested T7-LS as a potential platform for effective brain targeted delivery and glioma therapy in clinic.

An update on actively targeted liposomes in advanced drug delivery to glioma.

High-grade glioma is one of the most aggressive types of cancer with a low survival rate ranging from 12 to 15 months after the first diagnosis. Though being the most common strategy for glioma therapy, conventional chemotherapy suffers providing the therapeutic dosage of common therapeutics mostly because of limited permeability of blood-brain barrier (BBB), and blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB) to anticancer agents. Among various nanoformulations, liposomes are considered as the most popular carriers aimed for glioma therapy. However, non-targeted liposomes which passively accumulate in most of the cancer tissues mainly through the enhanced permeation and retention effect (EPR), may not be applicable for glioma therapy due to BBB tight junctions. In the recent decade, the surface modification of liposomes with different active targeting ligands has shown promising results by getting different chemotherapeutics across the BBB and BBTB and leading them into the glioma cells. The present review discusses the major barriers for drug delivery systems to glioma, elaborates the existing mechanisms for liposomes to traverse across the BBB, and explores the main strategies for incorporation of targeting ligands onto the liposomes. It subsequently investigates the most recent and relevant studies of actively targeted liposomes modified with antibodies, aptamers, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, proteins, and peptides applied for effective glioma therapy, and highlights the common challenges facing this area. Finally, the actively targeted liposomes undergoing preclinical and clinical studies for delivery of different anticancer agents to glioma cells will be reviewed.

Significant role of cationic polymers in drug delivery systems.

Cationic polymers are characterized as the macromolecules that possess positive charges, which can be either inherently in the polymer side chains and/or its backbone. Based on their origins, cationic polymers are divided in two category including natural and synthetic, in which the possessed positive charges are as result of primary, secondary or tertiary amine functional groups that could be protonated in particular situations. Cationic polymers have been employed commonly as drug delivery agents due to their superior encapsulation efficacy, enhanced bioavailability, low toxicity and improved release profile. In this paper, we focus on the most prominent examples of cationic polymers which have been revealed to be applicable in drug delivery systems and we also discuss their general synthesis and surface modification methods as well as their controlled release profile in drug delivery.

Magnetic carbon nanotubes: preparation, physical properties, and applications in biomedicine.

Magnetic carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) have been widely studied for their potential applications in medicine, diagnosis, cell biology, analytical chemistry, and environmental technology. Introduction of MCNTs paved the way for the emergence of new approaches in nanobiotechnology and biomedicine as a result of their multifarious properties embedded within either the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or magnetic parts. Numerous preparation techniques exists for functionalizing CNTs with magnetic nanoparticles, and these versatile strategies lay the ground for the generation of novel and versatile systems which are applicable to many industries and biological areas. Here, we review and discuss the recent papers dealing with MCNTs and their application in biomedical and industrial fields.

Recent advances on liposomal nanoparticles: synthesis, characterization and biomedical applications.

Liposome is a new nanostructure for the encapsulation and delivery of bioactive agents. There are a lot of bioactive materials that could be incorporated into liposomes including cosmetics, food ingredients, and pharmaceuticals. Liposomes possess particular properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability; accompanied by their nanosize they have potential applications in nanomedicine, cosmetics, and food industry. Nanoliposome technology offers thrilling chances for food technologists in fields including encapsulation and controlled release of food ingredients, also improved bioavailability and stability of sensitive materials. Amid numerous brilliant new drug and gene delivery systems, liposomes provide an advanced technology to carry active molecules to the specific site of action, and now days, various formulations are in clinical use. In this paper, we provide review of the main physicochemical properties of liposomes, current methods of the manufacturing and introduce some of their usage in food nanotechnology as carrier vehicles of nutrients, enzymes, and food antimicrobials and their applications as drug carriers and gene delivery agents in biomedicine.