An official website of the United States government
Abstract Therapeutic antibodies, due to their high affinity and specificity toward their biological targets, may demonstrate reduced harmful side effects compared with traditional drug moieties. While most of the as‐yet clinically approved antibody therapeutics have targeted extracellular or membrane‐bound domains, the ability to target intracellular antigens with antibodies opens up tremendous opportunities for imaging, diagnosis, and therapeutic applications. Generally, delivery concerns have limited the ability to target intracellular antigens, as many antibodies cannot easily cross the cell membrane due to their size and surface chemistry. Delivery platforms have been explored to address this issue, including physical methods, fusion protein/peptide techniques, and synthetic carrier‐based systems. This review summarizes the progress of carrier‐based intracellular antibody delivery systems employing synthetic lipids, polymers, and inorganic nanomaterials. Antibodies targeting various epitopes have been loaded through adsorption, conjugation, or physical encapsulation strategies. Successful intracellular deliveries have been demonstrated largely through fluorescence imaging using dye‐labeled antibody cargos. Specific synthetic delivery platforms have great potential for ex vivo and in vivo therapeutic applications. Challenges and opportunities are further discussed for material scientists to explore in this research area.
more »
« less
Image‐guided mathematical modeling for pharmacological evaluation of nanomaterials and monoclonal antibodies
Abstract While plasma concentration kinetics has traditionally been the predictor of drug pharmacological effects, it can occasionally fail to represent kinetics at the site of action, particularly for solid tumors. This is especially true in the case of delivery of therapeutic macromolecules (drug‐loaded nanomaterials or monoclonal antibodies), which can experience challenges to effective delivery due to particle size‐dependent diffusion barriers at the target site. As a result, disparity between therapeutic plasma kinetics and kinetics at the site of action may exist, highlighting the importance of target site concentration kinetics in determining the pharmacodynamic effects of macromolecular therapeutic agents. Assessment of concentration kinetics at the target site has been facilitated by non‐invasive in vivo imaging modalities. This allows for visualization and quantification of the whole‐body disposition behavior of therapeutics that is essential for a comprehensive understanding of their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Quantitative non‐invasive imaging can also help guide the development and parameterization of mathematical models for descriptive and predictive purposes. Here, we present a review of the application of state‐of‐the‐art imaging modalities for quantitative pharmacological evaluation of therapeutic nanoparticles and monoclonal antibodies, with a focus on their integration with mathematical models, and identify challenges and opportunities. This article is categorized under:Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic DiseaseDiagnostic Tools > in vivo Nanodiagnostics and ImagingNanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1930583
- PAR ID:
- 10360552
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 5
- ISSN:
- 1939-5116
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled rapid progress in many areas of biomedical research, including drug delivery, targeted therapies, imaging, and sensing. The emerging field of DNA nanotechnology, in which oligonucleotides are designed to self‐assemble into programmable 2D and 3D nanostructures, offers great promise for further advancements in biomedicine. DNA nanostructures present highly addressable and functionally diverse platforms for biological applications due to their ease of construction, controllable architecture and size/shape, and multiple avenues for chemical modification. Both supramolecular and covalent modification with small molecules and polymers have been shown to expand or enhance the functions of DNA nanostructures in biological contexts. These alterations include the addition of small molecule, protein, or nucleic acid moieties that enable structural stability under physiological conditions, more efficient cellular uptake and targeting, delivery of various molecular cargos, stimulus‐responsive behaviors, or modulation of a host immune response. Herein, various types of DNA nanostructure modifications and their functional consequences are examined, followed by a brief discussion of the future opportunities for functionalized DNA nanostructures as well as the barriers that must be overcome before their translational use. This article is categorized under:Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in BiologyTherapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging TechnologiesBiology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid‐Based Structuresmore » « less
-
The porosity, order, biocompatibility, and chirality of protein crystals has motivated interest from diverse research domains including materials science, biotechnology, and medicine. Porous protein crystals have the unusual potential to organize guest molecules within highly ordered scaffolds, enabling applications ranging from biotemplating and catalysis to biosensing and drug delivery. Significant research has therefore been directed toward characterizing protein crystal materials in hopes of optimizing crystallization, scaffold stability, and application efficacy. In this overview article, we describe recent progress in the field of protein crystal materials with special attention given to applications in nanomedicine and nanobiotechnology. This article is categorized under:Biology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus‐Based StructuresTherapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging TechnologiesToxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterialsmore » « less
-
Abstract Synthetic cells are engineered vesicles that can mimic one or more salient features of life. These features include directed localization, sense‐and‐respond behavior, gene expression, metabolism, and high stability. In nanomedicine, many of these features are desirable capabilities of drug delivery vehicles but are difficult to engineer. In this focus article, we discuss where synthetic cells offer unique advantages over nanoparticle and living cell therapies. We review progress in the engineering of the above life‐like behaviors and how they are deployed in nanomedicine. Finally, we assess key challenges synthetic cells face before being deployed as drugs and suggest ways to overcome these challenges. This article is categorized under:Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging TechnologiesBiology‐Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid‐Based Structuresmore » « less
-
Micro- and nanorobots excel in navigating the intricate and often inaccessible areas of the human body, offering immense potential for applications such as disease diagnosis, precision drug delivery, detoxification, and minimally invasive surgery. Despite their promise, practical deployment faces hurdles, including achieving stable propulsion in complex in vivo biological environments, real-time imaging and localization through deep tissue, and precise remote control for targeted therapy and ensuring high therapeutic efficacy. To overcome these obstacles, we introduce a hydrogel-based, imaging-guided, bioresorbable acoustic microrobot (BAM) designed to navigate the human body with high stability. Constructed using two-photon polymerization, a BAM comprises magnetic nanoparticles and therapeutic agents integrated into its hydrogel matrix for precision control and drug delivery. The microrobot features an optimized surface chemistry with a hydrophobic inner layer to substantially enhance microbubble retention in biofluids with multiday functionality and a hydrophilic outer layer to minimize aggregation and promote timely degradation. The dual-opening bubble-trapping cavity design enables a BAM to maintain consistent and efficient acoustic propulsion across a range of biological fluids. Under focused ultrasound stimulation, the entrapped microbubbles oscillate and enhance the contrast for real-time ultrasound imaging, facilitating precise tracking and control of BAM movement through wireless magnetic navigation. Moreover, the hydrolysis-driven biodegradability of BAMs ensures its safe dissolution after treatment, posing no risk of long-term residual harm. Thorough in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence demonstrates the promising capabilities of BAMs in biomedical applications. This approach shows promise for advancing minimally invasive medical interventions and targeted therapeutic delivery.more » « less
