Albumin-Based Nanodevices as Drug Carriers

Abstract

Nanomedicine, the application of nanotechnology to medicine, is being increasingly used to improve and exploit the advantages of efficient drug delivery. Different nanodevices have been developed in recent years, among them protein-based nanoparticles which have gained considerable interest. Albumin is a versatile protein carrier with several characteristics that make it an ideal candidate for drug delivery, such as its availability, its biocompatibility, its biodegradability, and its lack of toxicity and immunogenicity. This review embodies an overview of different methods available for production of albumin-based nanoparticles, with focus on high-energy emulsification methods. A comparison between production by using sonication, which involves acoustic cavitation, and the high pressure homogenization method, where occurs hydrodynamic cavitation, is presented. Taking into account important properties of nanoparticles required for intravenous administration, the use of poloxamers, tri-block copolymer surfactants is discussed as it improves blood circulation time and bioavailability of nanoparticles. Thus, nanoparticles can be engineered to provide adequate features to therapeutic applications, in which can be included surface functionalization with targeting agents. Different albumin-based formulations and their therapeutic applications are presented in this review, with emphasis on applications in cancer therapy, where albumin-based strategies are promising for targeted drug delivery in innovative clinical strategies.

Focused ultrasound blood brain barrier opening mediated delivery of MRI-visible albumin nanoclusters to the rat brain for localized drug delivery with temporal control

“…This supports 290 previous studies highlighting either no inflammatory response or a brief transient 291 inflammatory response following BBB opening [37,38]. In addition, the use of 292 albumin-based drug carriers have previously been shown to be safe to administer IV 293 [21,[39][40][41][42][43][44] [21], and our work showed no clear additional inflammatory response or 294 cellular toxicity with the presence of albumin NCs in the brain [42,45]. The presence of 295 NCs in brain regions that were not targeted for BBB opening was also not observed.…”

“…However, brain localization of 27 systemically delivered agents requires that they do not readily cross the BBB and 28 systemic delivery of drugs can cause off target side effects. Albumin based drug carriers 29 have been studied as small molecule carriers to increase drug solubility and control 30 systemic distribution [21,22]. However, the use of albumin drug carriers for localized 31 drug delivery to the brain has yet to be thoroughly investigated.…”

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using eugenol and evaluation of antimicrobial potential

“…Inorganic nanoparticles with their physical and chemical properties play an increasingly important role in the development of novel products that can be used in various biomedical, pharmaceutical, physical and biological applications . One of these groups of inorganic nanoparticles is metal nanoparticles, which are purely made from metal precursors like Cu, Ag and Au, etc.…”

“…[3] Inorganic nanoparticles with their physical and chemical properties play an increasingly important role in the development of novel products that can be used in various biomedical, pharmaceutical, physical and biological applications. [4][5][6] One of these groups of inorganic nanoparticles is metal nanoparticles, which are purely made from metal precursors like Cu, Ag and Au, etc. The advantages of metal nanoparticles are unique optoelectrical properties due to well-known localized surface plasmon resonance characteristics, and having a broad absorption band in the visible zone of the electromagnetic solar spectrum.…”

BSA/ASN/Pol407 nanoparticles for acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment

“…The incorporation of Pol 407 in the formulations allows the production of PEGylated nanoparticles without additional chemical surface modification. It is described that PEGylated nanoparticles exhibit reduced adsorption of blood opsonins and consequently resist to the ingestion by phagocytic scavenger cells, promoting their long blood circulation time and biodistribution [14].…”