Magnetic Micellar Nanovehicles: Prospects of Multifunctional Hybrid Systems for Precision Theranostics

Abstract

Hybrid nanoarchitectures such as magnetic polymeric micelles (MPMs) are among the most promising nanotechnology-enabled materials for biomedical applications combining the benefits of polymeric micelles and magnetic nanoparticles within a single bioinstructive system. MPMs are formed by the self-assembly of polymer amphiphiles above the critical micelle concentration, generating a colloidal structure with a hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell incorporating magnetic particles (MNPs) in one of the segments. MPMs have been investigated most prominently as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as heat generators in hyperthermia treatments, and as magnetic-susceptible nanocarriers for the delivery and release of therapeutic agents. The versatility of MPMs constitutes a powerful route to ultrasensitive, precise, and multifunctional diagnostic and therapeutic vehicles for the treatment of a wide range of pathologies. Although MPMs have been significantly explored for MRI and cancer therapy, MPMs are multipurpose functional units, widening their applicability into less expected fields of research such as bioengineering and regenerative medicine. Herein, we aim to review published reports of the last five years about MPMs concerning their structure and fabrication methods as well as their current and foreseen expectations for advanced biomedical applications.

Self-Assembled Materials Based on Fully Aromatic Peptides: The Impact of Tryptophan, Tyrosine, and Dopa Residues

“…Nanostructures and nanomaterials recently emerged as smart platforms for biomedical and technological applications. − Their main advantage is related to the possibility of simultaneously performing different tasks like diagnosis and therapy in theranostic systems or tissue regeneration, imaging, and delivery of therapeutic molecules in extracellular matrices. Most of the nanostructures are formulated starting from commercial and synthetic polymers, surfactants, or phospholipids.…”

Self-assembled aggregates based on cationic amphiphilic peptides: structural insight

“…Supramolecular architectures like micelles, [1][2][3] liposomes, [4][5][6][7] nanotubes, 8,9 fibers 10,11 and hydrogels [12][13][14][15][16] have been proposed for many biomedical applications including delivery of genetic materials, therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents, and as platforms for tissue engineering and regeneration. These structures are generally based on noncovalent bonds (including hydrogen bonding, metal coordination, hydrophobic, van der Waals, and electrostatic and p-p interactions) within and between molecules.…”

Contactless Resolution of Inflammatory Signals in Tailored Macrophage-Based Cell Therapeutics

“…Magnetically assisted technologies offer versatile nanotransporters with multimodal properties to ensure miR bioavailability to Mφ directly or upon local or systemic administration. Magnetic nanomaterials, such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION), have been clinically used as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents for decades and constitute a research hotspot for DNA and RNA carriers because of their easy surface modification and magnetic navigation for contactless control, in vivo trafficking, and real-time monitoring, with a very low tendency to form particle aggregates after external magnetic field (EMF) removal, which favors in vivo compatibility , and distribution at precise locations. Moreover, improved internalization of both permissive and reluctant transfection cell lines was successfully achieved with SPION-based nanoparticles using magnetofection.…”