This study investigates the unique properties, fabrication technique, and vascular applications of woven nanotextiles made from low-strength nanoyarns, which are bundles of thousands of nanofibers. An innovative robotic system was developed to meticulously interweave nanoyarns in longitudinal and transverse directions, resulting in a flexible, but strong woven product. This is the only technique for producing seamless nanotextiles in tubular form from nanofibers. The porosity and the mechanical properties of nanotextiles could be substantially tuned by altering the number of nanoyarns per unit area. Investigations of the physical and biological properties of the woven nanotextile revealed remarkable and fundamental differences from its nonwoven nanofibrous form and conventional textiles. This enhancement in the material property was attributed to the multitude of hierarchically arranged nanofibers in the woven nanotextiles. This patterned woven nanotextile architecture leads to a superhydrophilic behavior in an otherwise hydrophobic material, which in turn contributed to enhanced protein adsorption and consequent cell attachment and spreading. Short-term in vivo testing was performed, which proved that the nanotextile conduit was robust, suturable, kink proof, and nonthrombogenic and could act as an efficient embolizer when deployed into an artery.

Coronary in-stent restenosis and late stent thrombosis are the two major inadequacies of vascular stents that limit its long-term efficacy. Although restenosis has been successfully inhibited through the use of the current clinical drug-eluting stent which releases antiproliferative drugs, problems of late-stent thrombosis remain a concern due to polymer hypersensitivity and delayed re-endothelialization. Thus, the field of coronary stenting demands devices having enhanced compatibility and effectiveness to endothelial cells. Nanotechnology allows for efficient modulation of surface roughness, chemistry, feature size, and drug/biologics loading, to attain the desired biological response. Hence, surface topographical modification at the nanoscale is a plausible strategy to improve stent performance by utilizing novel design schemes that incorporate nanofeatures via the use of nanostructures, particles, or fibers, with or without the use of drugs/biologics. The main intent of this review is to deliberate on the impact of nanotechnology approaches for stent design and development and the recent advancements in this field on vascular stent performance.

Stainless steel (SS) coronary stents continue to present risk of in-stent restenosis that impact its long term safety and efficacy. The present work focuses on developing a drug-free and polymer-less surface on coronary stents by utilizing a titania (TiO ) nanotexturing approach through hydrothermal processing, that will offer improved stent performance in vivo. Mechanically stable and durable nanotextured coatings are obtained on SS stents that also offer good corrosion resistance. In vitro vascular cell (endothelial and smooth muscle cells) studies on surface modified SS show preferential rapid endothelialization with enhanced nitric oxide production and reduce smooth muscle cell proliferation, in comparison to unmodified SS. In vivo evaluation of the nanotextured stents after subcutaneous implantation in rabbits show reduced irritability and minimal localized inflammatory response. These beneficial effects suggest that the stable, easily scalable titania nanosurface modification strategy on coronary stent surfaces can be a much cheaper alternative to drug eluting stents in addressing in-stent restenosis.

Metformin, a biguanide, is a commonly administered drug for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The drug received tremendous recognition, when retrospective studies proved metformin-associated reduction in cancer risk. Metformin has potential anticancer effects and an ability to suppress tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. Activation of LKB1/AMPK pathway and cancer stem cell destruction along with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction are the proposed mechanisms of anticancer potential of metformin. Nanotechnology approaches have also been adopted for metformin delivery to cancer cells. This review directs on the application of metformin for the therapy of various cancers and also the different pathways responsible for the metformin derived anticancer effect. It also focuses on the pharmacological applications of metformin and the nanotechnology approaches for metformin delivery.

Recent advancements in cancer nanotechnology have facilitated a better way to diagnosis and provide therapy for prostate cancer. Nanotechnology has the potential to battle tumors at the site, where the cancer begins. There is a need to improve the therapeutic availabilities and the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapeutic agents for prostate cancer. Many therapeutic NPs have been developed with nanotechnology that can specifically target and deliver variety of agents including chemo drugs to destruct the prostate cancer cells without causing any damage to the healthy cells. Theranostic NPs have been developed to specifically target the prostate cancer cells using targeting ligands and to release the anticancer agents in a controlled and time-dependent manner for cancer therapy in combination with assisted imaging to monitor the effectiveness of the therapy in real time. The natural products and surface-modified polymers and metallic NPs have evolved as promising nanomaterials for targeted prostate cancer treatment. This review focuses on the role of alternative medicine, polymeric and metallic and metal oxide NPs in prostate cancer theranostics.