Nanotechnology Applications in Transplantation Medicine

Transplantation. 2020 Apr;104(4):682-693. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003032.

Abstract

A recent technological advance that shows promise for applications in health care, including transplantation medicine, is the implementation of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles can be composed of a variety of organic or inorganic materials and confer many advantages over conventional treatments available, such as low toxicity, low-effective dosage required, and a high degree of manipulability. Although also used for imaging and diagnostics, nanoparticles' utility as a drug or genetic delivery system is of particular interest in transplantation medicine. Currently, researchers are exploring options to integrate nanoparticles into both diagnostics and therapy for both grafts ex-situ before transplantation and for patients following transplantation. These studies have demonstrated that nanoparticles can mitigate damage to organs and patients through a large variety of mechanisms-ranging from the induction of cellular genetic changes to the enhancement of immunosuppressive drug delivery. Specifically, with the advent of machine perfusion preservation ex vivo, treatment of the graft became a very attractive approach and nanoparticles have great potential. However, before nanoparticles can be translated into clinical use, their short-term and long-term toxicity must be thoroughly characterized, especially with regards to their interactions with other biological molecules present in the human body.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Donor Selection
  • Drug Carriers*
  • Drug Compounding
  • Graft Rejection / diagnostic imaging
  • Graft Rejection / immunology
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control
  • Graft Survival / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / chemistry
  • Molecular Imaging*
  • Nanomedicine / methods*
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
  • Nanoparticles / adverse effects
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Organ Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Organ Transplantation / methods*
  • Patient Safety
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Risk Assessment
  • Tissue Donors / supply & distribution

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Immunosuppressive Agents