Latent Potential of Multifunctional Selenium Nanoparticles in Neurological Diseases and Altered Gut Microbiota

Abstract

Neurological diseases remain a major concern due to the high world mortality rate and the absence of appropriate therapies to cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Therefore, the major focus is on the development of such strategies that not only enhance the efficacy of drugs but also increase their permeability in the BBB. Currently, nano-scale materials seem to be an appropriate approach to treating neurological diseases based on their drug-loading capacity, reduced toxicity, targeted delivery, and enhanced therapeutic effect. Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient and has been of remarkable interest owing to its essential role in the physiological activity of the nervous system, i.e., signal transmission, memory, coordination, and locomotor activity. A deficiency of Se leads to various neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, owing to the neuroprotective role of Se (selenium) nanoparticles (SeNPs) are of particular interest to treat neurological diseases. To date, many studies investigate the role of altered microbiota with neurological diseases; thus, the current review focused not only on the recent advancement in the field of nanotechnology, considering SeNPs to cure neurological diseases, but also on investigating the potential role of SeNPs in altered microbiota.

Role of Nanoparticle-Conjugates and Nanotheranostics in Abrogating Oxidative Stress and Ameliorating Neuroinflammation

“…It has been documented that a deficiency of selenium leads to neurological diseases such as AD, PD, seizures, and epilepsy [267,268]. It has also been documented that SeNPs not only easily cross the BBB but also prevent Aβ aggregation [269,270]. Chlorogenic acid (CGA)-conjugated SeNPs (CGA-SeNPs) showed promising oxidative injury-reducing activity by scavenging ROS and antiaggregatory properties by inhibiting Aβ40 aggregation.…”

By regulating the IP3R/GRP75/VDAC1 complex to restore mitochondrial dynamic balance, selenomethionine reduces lipopolysaccharide‐induced neuronal apoptosis

“…The brain is one of the main target organs of Se. Recent studies have revealed a strong relationship between Se and neuronal development (Zhao et al, 2022), neuronal function (Peters et al, 2006), neuronal damage (Liu, Mao, et al, 2022), and neurological diseases (Ashraf et al, 2023). Appropriate Se levels have a significant impact on maintaining normal brain function, including enzyme activity, cell oxidation processes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial homeostasis, brain signal transduction, neurotransmitter function, and neuronal differentiation and survival (Jia et al, 2021; Zheng et al, 2019).…”

Special Issue: “Functionalized Nanomaterials and Structures for Biomedical Applications”

“…A.M. Diaz-Pascual provided a nice review [10] tackling the most recent achievements in the field of engineered nanostructures in terms of design and functionalization along with important applications in cancer treatment, tissue engineering, drug/gene delivery and medical implants. H. Ashraf et al [11] highlighted the most relevant progress in investigating the role of selenium nanoparticles in the regulation of altered microbiota and in the treatment of neurological diseases.…”