Research progress on the therapeutic effects of nanoparticles loaded with drugs against atherosclerosis.

Presently, there are many drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis (AS), among which lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative drugs have been the most studied. These drugs have been shown to have inhibitory effects on the development of AS. Nanoparticles are suitable for AS treatment research due to their fine-tunable and modifiable properties. Compared with drug monotherapy, experimental results have proven that the effects of nanoparticle-encapsulated drugs are significantly enhanced. In addition to nanoparticles containing a single drug, there have been many studies on collaborative drug treatment, collaborative physical treatment (ultrasound, near-infrared lasers, and external magnetic field), and the integration of diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an introduction to the therapeutic effects of nanoparticles loaded with drugs to treat AS and summarizes their advantages, including increased targeting ability, sustained drug release, improved bioavailability, reduced toxicity, and inhibition of plaque and vascular stenosis.

Recent progress in cancer cell membrane-based nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

Immune clearance and insufficient targeting have limited the efficacy of existing therapeutic strategies for cancer. Toxic side effects and individual differences in response to treatment have further limited the benefits of clinical treatment for patients. Biomimetic cancer cell membrane-based nanotechnology has provided a new approach for biomedicine to overcome these obstacles. Biomimetic nanoparticles exhibit various effects (e.g., homotypic targeting, prolonging drug circulation, regulating the immune system, and penetrating biological barriers) after encapsulation by cancer cell membranes. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic methods will also be improved by utilizing the properties of cancer cell membranes. In this review, different properties and functions of cancer cell membranes are presented. Utilizing these advantages, nanoparticles can exhibit unique therapeutic capabilities in various types of diseases, such as solid tumors, hematological malignancies, immune system diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, cancer cell membrane-encapsulated nanoparticles show improved effectiveness and efficiency in combination with current diagnostic and therapeutic methods, which will contribute to the development of individualized treatments. This strategy has promising clinical translation prospects, and the associated challenges are discussed.