Nano-oncology: drug delivery, imaging, and sensing

Abstract

Innovation in the last decade has endowed nanotechnology with an assortment of tools for delivery, imaging, and sensing in cancer research-stealthy nanoparticle vectors circulating in vivo, assembled with exquisite molecular control, capable of selective tumor targeting and potent delivery of therapeutics; intense and photostable quantum dot-based tumor imaging, enabling multicolor detection of cell receptors with a single optical excitation source; arrays of semiconducting nanowire and carbon nanotube sensor elements for selective multiplexed sensing of cancer markers without the need for probe labeling. These rapidly emerging tools are indicative of a burgeoning field ready to expand into medical applications. This review attempts to outline most of the current nanoparticle toolset for therapeutic release by liposomes, dendrimers, smart polymers, and virus-based systems. Advantages of nanoparticle-based imaging and targeting by use of nanoshells and quantum dots are also explored. Finally, emerging nanoelectronics-based sensing and a global discussion on the utility of each nanoparticle system addresses their fundamental advantages and shortcomings in cancer research.

Semiconductor II-VI Quantum Dots with Interface States and Their Biomedical Applications

“…The most popular are CdSe/ZnS QDs due to their bright and unique emission with the wide excitation spectra and narrow emission bandwidths (Bailey et al, 2004;Dybiec et al, 2007;Jamieson et al, 2007;Kune et al, 2001;Norris et al, 1996;Tessler et al, 2002). The II-VI QDs have been investigated in versatile photonic applications including solar cells (Choi et al, 2006;Kongkanand et al, 2008;Lopez-Luke et al, 2008), optical fibre amplifiers (Liu et al, 2007), color displays using light-emitting diode arrays (Huang et al, 2008: Klude et al, 2002Zhao et al, 2006), optical temperature probes (Liang et al, 2006;Walker et al, 2003), as well as in biology and medicine (Alivisatos et al, 2005;Grodzinski et al, 2006;Hoshino et al, 2007;Murcia et al, 2008;Portney & Ozkan, 2006;Wang et al, 2007). Note that metal, semiconductor, polymer and ceramic nanoparticles in general have gained essential interest for biological and medical applications (Brigger, et al, 2002).…”

Biomedical Applications of Plasmon Resonant Metal Nanoparticles

“…These nanomaterials often exhibit novel, tunable physical properties not found in their molecular or bulk precursors. When coupled to surface ligands for a controlled interface with their environment, the nanoparticle properties enable the development of new biomedical technologies for the detection and treatment of disease [1][2][3][4][5]. Common themes include their use as molecular imaging contrast agents, sensors for disease markers, vehicles for drug delivery and therapeutic agents based on their novel properties.…”

Nanosized Camptothecin Conjugates for Single and Combined Drug Delivery

“…Nanotechnology has achieved huge accomplishments in the past few decades, providing scientists with lots of techniques to fabricate nanoparticles for different objectives (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). From either top-down or bottom-up methods, we are now able to prepare nanoparticles with different shapes, sizes and chemical-physical properties both inside and outside (23)(24)(25)(26).…”