International Journal of Nanomedicine最新文献

{"title":"Extracellular Vesicle-Integrated Biomaterials in Bone Tissue Engineering Applications: Current Progress and Future Perspectives.","authors":"Yan Huang, Hui Xie","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S522198","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S522198","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With an aging population and increased life expectancy, the clinical burden of bone-related disorders, especially large bone defects, continues to grow, underscoring the urgent need for effective regenerative strategies. Effective bone regeneration is essential not only for restoring skeletal structure and function but also for improving patients' quality of life and reducing the socioeconomic burden associated with prolonged recovery or surgical failure. Bone tissue engineering has emerged as a promising approach for healing large bone defects. Traditionally, stem cells, biomaterial scaffolds and growth factors have been considered the three essential elements of bone tissue engineering. However, stem cell-based therapies face several significant challenges, including ectopic tissue formation, malignant transformation, cell embolism, and immune rejection. In recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have gained significant attention as an advanced alternative to stem cells and a novel cell-free therapy for bone regeneration due to their inherent advantages, such as low immune-rejection, excellent biocompatibility, significant bioactivity and high feasibility for carrying bioactive molecules or drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state and future potential of EV-based strategies in bone tissue engineering. We first review the sources of parent cells for EVs applied in bone tissue engineering and the roles and potential mechanisms of EVs in bone regeneration. We then discuss the various modification strategies employed to enhance the therapeutic potential of EVs. Additionally, we summarize strategies for integrating EVs with various biomaterial scaffolds, with a specific focus on the latest advances in achieving controlled and sustained release of EVs from scaffolds at bone defect sites. Collectively, this review aims to offer key insights into the translational potential of EV-functionalized biomaterials and guide future directions in the development of next-generation bone regenerative therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7653-7683"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12182063/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent Achievements and Perspectives in Smart Nano-in-Micro Platforms for Ocular Disease Treatment.","authors":"Yuhan Huang, Dan Yan, Weijie Ouyang, Jiaoyue Hu, Zuguo Liu","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S518643","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S518643","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ocular diseases present unique therapeutic challenges due to the complex anatomical and physiological barriers of the eye. Conventional drug delivery systems often suffer from poor bioavailability, rapid clearance, and inadequate targeting, limiting their clinical efficacy. Recent advances in smart nano-in-micro (NIM) platforms have emerged as a transformative strategy, combining the precision of nanoscale drug carriers with the stability and sustained-release capabilities of microscale matrices. These hierarchical systems enable enhanced drug penetration, prolonged retention, and targeted delivery to both anterior and posterior ocular segments. This review highlights the latest developments in NIM platforms, focusing on material innovations that optimize drug loading, release kinetics, and biocompatibility. The shared physicochemical properties of nano-micro particles that influence their performance across different administration routes (topical, intravitreal, subconjunctival), supported by mechanistic insights into their interactions with ocular tissues are discussed. By bridging nanoscale engineering with clinical ophthalmology, NIM platforms represent a paradigm shift in ocular therapeutics, offering the potential to revolutionize treatment for previously intractable eye diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7579-7612"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12182069/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vancomycin-Loaded Isogenous Membrane Vesicles for Macrophage Activation and Intracellular Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Elimination.","authors":"Jianxiong Dou, Weilong Shang, Huagang Peng, Yi Yang, Juan Chen, Yifan Rao, Li Tan, Zhen Hu, Yuting Wang, Xiaonan Huang, Yuhua Yang, Jianghong Wu, Qiwen Hu, Chuan Xiao, Xiancai Rao","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S524445","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S524445","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA), a notorious multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogen, frequently resides and proliferates within macrophages, contributing to refractory and recurrent infections. Conventional antibiotics exhibit limited efficacy against intracellular MRSA due to poor cellular penetration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Vancomycin (VAN) was encapsulated into membrane vesicles (^ΔagrAMVs) derived from the attenuated <i>S. aureus</i> strain RN4220Δ<i>agrA</i>, generating VAN-loaded nanoparticles (^ΔagrAMV-VAN). In vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to test the efficacy of ^ΔagrAMV-VAN in intracellular MRSA clearance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>^ΔagrAMV-VAN demonstrated sustained VAN release and efficient extracellular MRSA eradication. Moreover, macrophages actively internalized ^ΔagrAMV-VAN, leading to VAN accumulation in intracellular compartments and M1 macrophage polarization, which increased MRSA killing. In vivo animal experiments revealed that ^ΔagrAMV-VAN was safe and effectively eliminated intracellular MRSA in abdominal infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings propose a nanotherapeutic strategy that uses bacterial-derived vesicles for targeted antibiotic delivery, overcoming the intrinsic limitations of conventional therapies against intracellular MDR pathogens.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7637-7651"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12182252/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"NIR-II Imaging Guided Accurate Identification of Paraspinal Muscle Degeneration Through Targeting the Lysosomal Membrane Protein Sidt2.","authors":"Guanghao Piao, Limin Fan, Yanmin Zhang, Wen Jiang, Xiaoping Guo, Rui Liu, Qian Wang, Sihan Jia, Junqin Liang, Yizhou Li","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S517633","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S517633","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study introduces a novel imaging approach for early detection of degenerative paraspinal muscle disorders, which are a key contributor to lower back pain and lumbar-related diseases. The core concept involves the use of a lanthanide-doped nanoprobe with a core@shell structure (NaYbF₄:x%Er@NaYF₄:x%Yb@NaYF₄), designed to function as a second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescent probe. This probe demonstrates significant advantages such as deep tissue penetration, high spatial and temporal resolution, and exceptional stability, enabling in vivo monitoring of muscle degeneration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To achieve precise imaging of degenerative paraspinal muscles, a core@shell structure lanthanide nanoprobe of NaYbF4:x%Er@NaYF4:x%Yb @NaYF4 was designed through adjusting the lanthanide concentration parameters and outer shell structure thickness in the probe structure so that these adjustments improved its fluorescence efficiency and long fluorescence life. Based on the results of mRNA sequencing, our findings support Sidt2 as a reliable and potentially specific marker for paraspinal muscle degeneration. The fluorescent probe was functionalized with an antibody specifically targeting the upregulated lysosomal membrane protein Sidt2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Notably, in a mice model of degenerative paraspinal muscles, the Sidt2-targeted nanoprobe selectively accumulated in the degenerative muscle tissues, displaying intense fluorescence signals. Fluorescence intensity measurements from the region of interest (ROI) in the degenerated paraspinal muscle showed NIR-II intensities of up to 200 a.u. with consistent fluorescence for 8 hours post-injection. Biological assays demonstrated a strong correlation between fluorescence intensity and the extent of muscle degeneration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study presents a platform for ultra-early detection of degenerative paraspinal muscles using NIR-II imaging, providing a theoretical basis for early intervention based on the multifunctionality of nanoprobes. This is the first application of NIR-II fluorescence imaging to assess muscle tissue lesions, and the results strongly support advancing to the next phase, which involves using multifunctional probe technology to intervene in paraspinal muscle degeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7743-7762"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12183308/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potential Applications of Natural Components of Traditional Chinese Medicine Delivery via Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems in the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.","authors":"Guogang Lai, Hao Wu, Kaixia Yang, Kaikai Hu, Wen Zhao, Xiao Chen, Jiayi Li, Haifeng Wang, Zhongyue Lv, Guomin Xie, Xiping Wu","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S525960","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S525960","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alzheimer's disease (AD), a primary neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by amyloid-β plaques and tau hyperphosphorylation-induced neurofibrillary tangles. Current treatments only alleviate symptoms, and Aβ monoclonal antibodies raise safety concerns in clinical use. Natural components (NCs) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) (eg, curcumin, quercetin, berberine, resveratrol) exhibit multi-target neuroprotective effects in AD, but poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration and low bioavailability limit clinical use. Recent strategies to enhance TCM delivery include NP-based nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems (NDDS), structural modifications, and combination therapies. NDDS demonstrate superior performance in enabling brain-targeting delivery via passive (paracellular/transcellular) and active (adsorption-/receptor-/carrier-mediated transcytosis) approaches, improving NCs' stability, controlled release, and bioavailability. With NCs of TCM delivery via NDDS, it is possible to develop intelligent therapeutic systems that combine multi-target regulation with precise drug delivery. This review summarizes the diverse neuroprotective effects of NCs of TCM in AD treatment and discusses the commonly used types of NPs for AD therapy. It particularly focuses on these NCs of TCM delivery via NDDS, covering aspects such as NPs types, fabrication techniques, characteristics, administration routes, and advantages. Finally, the challenges and potential solutions for NCs of TCM were examined, along with comparative advantages and limitations among different NPs and future research directions. Collectively, NCs of TCM delivery via NDDS demonstrate promising therapeutic potential for AD treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7781-7810"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12182090/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancements, Challenges, and Future Prospects of Nanotechnology in Sepsis Therapy.","authors":"Yukun Liu, Jiafeng Liu, Dongfang Wang, Ligang Xu, Zhanfei Li, Xiangjun Bai, Hao Zhu, Yuchang Wang","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S488026","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S488026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sepsis is a life-threatening systemic inflammatory syndrome, typically triggered by infection, that can lead to multi-organ failure and high mortality rates. Traditional treatments for sepsis often have limited efficacy and significant side effects, necessitating the exploration of innovative therapeutic strategies. In recent years, the application of nanotechnology in sepsis therapy has garnered widespread attention due to its potential to modulate immune responses, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and eliminate bacterial toxins. This review aims to provide an overview of the latest advancements, challenges, and future prospects of nanotechnology in sepsis treatment. By analyzing recent developments in anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and detoxification applications of nanotechnology, key findings and therapeutic potential are summarized, including the use of nanocarriers, biomimetic nanoparticles, and self-assembled nanomaterials. Furthermore, this review addresses the challenges in clinical translation, such as drug targeting, long-term safety, and biocompatibility. Future research will require large-scale clinical trials and interdisciplinary collaboration to validate the efficacy of nanotechnology in sepsis treatment and facilitate its integration into clinical practice. Overall, nanotechnology presents unprecedented opportunities for sepsis management, and this review seeks to offer insights into ongoing research while promoting further advancements in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7685-7714"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research Progress of Multifunctional Hydrogels in Promoting Wound Healing of Diabetes.","authors":"Jiansong He, Jiemei Chen, Taotao Liu, Fuli Qin, Weipeng Wei","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S519100","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S519100","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diabetic wound healing represents a crucial and complex subject in clinical medicine, because of its physiological mechanism and pathological state, the conventional treatment methods are often limited. In recent years, multifunctional hydrogels have emerged as a focal point in the research field regarding the healing of diabetic wounds. This is attributed to their outstanding biocompatibility, the capacity for controlling drug release, and the traits of facilitating cell migration and proliferation. This paper reviews the fundamental materials, modification strategies for functionality, the principles underlying drug release, and the latest application advancements of multifunctional hydrogels in the context of facilitating the healing process of diabetic wounds. By introducing bioactive molecules and utilizing 3D bioprinting technology, researchers continue to optimize the properties of hydrogels to adapt to various wound conditions, which demonstrates great promise in the use of wound dressings. Taking the microenvironment of diabetic wounds into consideration, strategies for antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and pro-angiogenic effects are integrated with multifunctional hydrogels. This paper systematically analyzes the existing challenges and explores the future research directions, and emphasizes the potential of multifunctional hydrogels in improving wound healing of diabetes and their clinical application prospects.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7549-7578"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180465/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Platelet Membrane-Based Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery of Deferoxamine to Alleviate Brain Injury Induced by Ischemic Stroke.","authors":"Peina Wang, Xin Lv, Siyu Tian, Wen Yang, Mudi Feng, Shiyang Chang, Linhao You, Yan-Zhong Chang","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S516316","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S516316","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Timely thrombolysis serves as the primary therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke, one of the most serious global public health problems, although reperfusion can cause severe ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Oxidative stress and activation of cell death pathways are the main mechanisms of I/R injury. Our previous studies have demonstrated that iron overload stimulates the generation of reactive oxygen species and facilitates the activation of iron-dependent ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of I/R injury. Removal of excess free iron by deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, may inhibit iron toxicity and reverse I/R-induced neurological deficits. Despite its therapeutic potential, DFO's clinical translation for I/R injury is hampered by rapid systemic clearance, suboptimal bioavailability, and a lack of ischemic lesion-targeting ability. Nanoscale delivery platforms enabling targeted DFO release in stroke lesions may overcome these pharmacokinetic barriers and enhance clinical outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>On the basis of the properties of liposomes in carrying hydrophilic substances and crossing the leaky blood-brain barrier in cerebral I/R, we first encapsulated DFO within traditional liposomes to improve its biocompatibility. Subsequently, inspired by the natural homing properties of platelets to damaged blood vessels during I/R injury, the isolated platelet membranes were coated onto the DFO-liposomes, thus endowing the nanodrug with the ability to target stroke lesion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results demonstrate that Platesome-DFO exhibits accurate lesion-targeting ability and significantly decreases lesion iron content, thereby preventing neuronal ferroptosis and ultimately reversing neurological deficits in I/R mice.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Platesome-DFO provides a novel therapeutic approach for cerebral I/R injury by regulating brain iron status and iron-dependent pathways, highlighting its promising application in the clinical treatment of cerebral I/R injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7533-7548"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180466/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Theranostic Applications of Taurine-Derived Carbon Dots in Colorectal Cancer: Ferroptosis Induction and Multifaceted Antitumor Mechanisms.","authors":"Rongrong Zhang, Shuting Lan, Mengxuan Jia, Fangyuan Liu, Mengqi Wang, Qin Jin, Liya Su, Gang Liu","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S516926","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S516926","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The theranostic potential of taurine-derived carbon dots (Tau/CDs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains largely unexplored, despite their promising physicochemical and biological properties.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, Tau/CDs were synthesized via a microwave-assisted irradiation method, employing citric acid as the carbon source, urea as the nitrogen source, and taurine (Tau) as the dopant. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization and biocompatibility assessments were performed both in vitro and in vivo. The anti-cancer efficacy of Tau/CDs against CRC was systematically evaluated through a series of functional assays, including cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, adhesion, clonogenicity, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and transcriptomic profiling. The therapeutic efficacy was further validated in vivo using CRC xenograft murine models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Tau/CDs exhibited excellent biocompatibility and significantly impaired key malignant properties of CRC cells, including viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, clonogenicity, and EMT. Treatment with Tau/CDs induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro, while in vivo administration robustly suppressed tumor growth in xenograft models. Mechanistically, transcriptomic analysis combined with ferroptosis profiling identified Heme Oxygenase 1 (HO-1)-mediated ferroptosis as a critical pathway underlying the anti-tumor activity of Tau/CDs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Microwave-assisted synthesis of Tau/CDs from citric acid, urea, and Tau yielded biocompatible nanoparticles with potent anti-cancer properties. Tau/CDs were shown to inhibit CRC progression by regulating multiple malignant phenotypes, with HO-1-mediated ferroptosis emerging as a critical mechanistic axis. These findings highlight Tau/CDs as a promising candidate for future clinical translation in CRC nanomedicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7613-7635"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surface-Modified Carbon Dots for Cancer Therapy: Integrating Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications.","authors":"Myriam González, Maria P Romero","doi":"10.2147/IJN.S508181","DOIUrl":"10.2147/IJN.S508181","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carbon dots (CDs) have become versatile nanomaterials that have found practical applications in cancer therapy due to their small size, tunable photoluminescence, and high biocompatibility. Modified CDs have shown remarkable potential in targeted drug delivery systems, enhancing solubility and specificity in tumor sites while minimizing systemic toxicity. Gene therapy applications take advantage of the ability of CDs to condense and protect genetic material from degradation, thereby facilitating efficient cellular uptake. Furthermore, metal-doped CDs can function as fluorophores and enhance imaging capabilities for tumor detection through fluorescence and MRI. Besides, in phototherapy applications, when combining photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), CDs exhibit synergistic effects wherein therapeutic efficacy is increased by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and heat. This review summarizes recent developments in surface-modified and doped CDs for in vitro and in vivo applications, particularly in drug delivery, gene therapy, multimodal imaging, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and gas therapy, for cancer therapies. Advances in modalities of surface modification that include ligand binding and metal doping have significantly improved CDs' biocompatibility and targeting precision. However, limitations such as low drug-loading capacity, complex synthesis processes, and the challenges created by hypoxic tumor environments need to be opened for further research. Future directions will focus on enhancing drug-loading efficiency, establishing long-term biocompatibility, and optimizing multifunctional nanocomposite designs for integrated cancer therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":14084,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Nanomedicine","volume":"20 ","pages":"7715-7741"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180594/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144475137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}