Theranostic Applications of Stimulus-Responsive Systems based on Fe₂O₃

Abstract

According to the interaction of nanoparticles with biological systems, enthusiasm for nanotechnology in biomedical applications has been developed in the past decades. Fe2O3 nanoparticles, as the most stable iron oxide, have special merits that make them useful widely for detecting diseases, therapy, drug delivery, and monitoring the therapeutic process. This review presents the fabrication methods of Fe2O3-based materials and their photocatalytic and magnetic properties. Then, we highlight the application of Fe2O3-based nanoparticles in diagnosis and imaging, different therapy methods, and finally, stimulus-responsive systems, such as pH-responsive, magnetic-responsive, redox-responsive, and enzyme-responsive, with an emphasis on cancer treatment. In addition, the potential of Fe2O3 to combine diagnosis and therapy within a single particle called theranostic agent will be discussed.

pH-Responsible Doxorubicin-Loaded Fe3O4@CaCO3 Nanocomposites for Cancer Treatment

“…The DOX loading on nanoparticles’ surface serves as a prospective system that reduces side effects and avoids drug resistance problems [ 41 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ]. Therefore, it is essential to develop new pH-stimuli-responsive DOX-released multifunctional constructions based on MNCs [ 66 , 67 , 68 ]. Moreover, for further in vivo studies, the excellent capacity of DOX is required.…”

Fabrication of Au/Fe3O4/RGO based aptasensor for measurement of miRNA‐128, a biomarker for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)

“…Also, accessibility to active surface area and electron transfer rate between the electrode surface and redox reaction can be dramatically enhanced by Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles on that interface [54][55][56]. Metal oxide nanomaterials usually have higher catalytic activity than single-component nanomaterials (like gold nanoparticles), which is very useful for homogeneous dispersion of noble metal nanoparticles on a specific surface [57,58]. The synergetic effect occurs at the border of metal and oxide support which results in high catalytic activity [46,59].…”

Chitosan/Gamma-Alumina/Fe3O4@5-FU Nanostructures as Promising Nanocarriers: Physiochemical Characterization and Toxicity Activity

“…Nowadays, nanoscience is gaining considerable attention in various fields of medicine, including cancer treatment. Nanotechnology has been utilized for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases through the use of nanoparticles and the development of targeted drug delivery methods [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

“…Nanoparticles exhibit unique hydrodynamic properties and bio-distribution profiles. It is worth noting that interactions taking place at the nano–bio level can be used for improved drug delivery [ 16 , 22 ].…”

“…Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 MNPs) have attracted interest for different applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), targeted drug delivery, tissue repair, tumor targeting, cell isolation, and hyperthermia due to outstanding properties including nanoscale size, low toxicity, superparamagnetism, and catalytic activity [ 16 , 48 , 49 ]. At present, several methods including co-precipitation, hydrothermal, and sol–gel are used to synthesize these MNPs.…”