Advanced targeted nanomedicine

J Biotechnol. 2015 May 20:202:88-97. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2015.01.009. Epub 2015 Jan 20.

Abstract

Targeted drug delivery has been the major topic in drug formulation and delivery. As nanomedicine emerges to create nano scale therapeutics and diagnostics, it is still essential to embed targeting capability to these novel systems to make them useful. Here we discuss various targeting approaches for delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic nano materials in view of search for more universal methods to target diseased tissues. Many diseases are accompanied with hypoxia and acidosis. Coating nanoparticles with pH Low Insertion Peptides (pHLIPs) increases efficiency of targeting acidic diseased tissues. It has been showing promising results to create future nanotheranostics for cancer and other diseases which are dominating in the present world.

Keywords: Active targeting; Environmental targeting; Nanomedicine; Passive targeting; Tissue acidity; pHLIP.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / administration & dosage*
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / chemistry
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / therapeutic use
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Theranostic Nanomedicine / methods

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides