Identification Of Magnetic Nanoparticles For Potential Theranostics Applications

The development of nanotechnology has been greatly promoted in the past decade. Nanoparticle formulations could be used to improve the drug efficacy and decrease toxicity in vivo, and many targeted formulations are under clinical trials.The term’theranostics’mentioned in this article encompasses two different definitions. Potential obstacles to optimal nanoparticle formulations applied in nanomedicine include the targeting of biomarkers, the natural toxicity of the nanoparticles, the stability of formulations, and circulation time.Furthermore, ideal therapeutics and diagnostics are two completely different entities. Nanopartick formulations acted as therapeutic are commonly needed long circulating time in human body. However, diagnostic agents serve to improve visibility of abnormal tissues by enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio relative to surrounding tissues to provide a rapid, high-precision snapshot of the living system.Magnetic nanoparticle (MNPs) is a kind of nanoscale materials, which has the potential to revolutionize modern clinical therapeutic and diagnostic techniques. Because of their unique physicochemical properties, MNPs are being actively investigated as the new generation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents and as drug carriers used in nanomedicine. With a wide range of applications in the monitoring, diagnosis, and therapy of disease, MNPs may play an important role in meeting the theranostics demands of tomorrow.A significant challenge connected with the application of MNP functions is their biobehavior in vivo. MNPs are often identified and eliminated by reticuloendothelial system (RES) before reaching targeted tissue, which decreased the efficacy of MNP systems. The fate of these MNPs always depends on the size, shape, charge, and surface modification of nanoparticles, and these physicochemical properties of nanoparticles directly affect their subsequent biobehavior in vivo. To improve the effectiveness of MNP functions, several methods such as reducing size and modifying nanoparticles, have been employed to increase their "stealthiness" and extend their blood retention time to enhance the possibility of reaching targeted tissues.We studied three magnetic nanoparticles modified with different surface chemistry, to investigate the biobehavior of MNPs in vivo. We found that the graphene encapsulated iron nanoparticles exhibited novel biodistribution with long blood circulation time and low liver/spleen capture in rats. The graphene encapsulated iron nanoparticles also exhibits suitable biocompatibility to blood and tissue in rats in short term, providing theoretical basis in drug delivery for future study.On the other hand, the dextran encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles are most accumulated in liver and spleen, which have the potential to act as MRI contrast agents or drug carrier in liver or spleen.