Gold Nanoparticles For Drug Delivery

This edited book highlights the central players in the Bionanotechnology field - which are the nanostructures and biomolecules. It provides broad examples of current developments in Bionanotechnology research and is an excellent introduction to the field. The book describes how nanostructures are synthesized and details the wide variety of nanostructures available for biological research and applications. Examples of the unique properties of nanostructures are provided along with the current applications of these nanostructures in biology and medicine. The final chapters of the book describe the toxicity of nanostructures.

Organized nanoassemblies of inorganic nanoparticles and organic molecules are building blocks of nanodevices, whether they are designed to perform molecular level computing, sense the environment or improve the catalytic properties of a material. The key to creation of these hybrid nanostructures lies in understanding the chemistry at a fundamental level. This book serves as a reference book for researchers by providing fundamental understanding of many nanoscopic materials.

In recent years, nanoparticles—bionanomaterials with specific physicochemical properties—have gained a great deal of scientific interest owing to their unique structure. Nanoparticle-based drugs are now widely regarded as a safer, more precise, and more effective mode of cancer therapy, considering their ability to enhance drug bioavailability, improve site-specific drug delivery, and protect nontarget tissues from toxic therapeutic drugs. This book compiles and details cutting-edge research in nanomedicine from an interdisciplinary team of international cancer researchers who are currently revolutionizing drug delivery techniques through the development of nanomedicines and nanotheranostics. Edited by Hala Gali-Muhtasib and Racha Chouaib, two prominent cancer researchers, this book will appeal to anyone involved in nanotechnology, cancer therapy, or drug delivery research.

Tissue engineering involves seeding of cells on bio-mimicked scaffolds providing adhesive surfaces. Researchers though face a range of problems in generating tissue which can be circumvented by employing nanotechnology. It provides substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation and agents for cell growth and can be used to create nanostructures and nanoparticles to aid the engineering of different types of tissue. Written by renowned scientists from academia and industry, this book covers the recent developments, trends and innovations in the application of nanotechnologies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. It provides information on methodologies for designing and using biomaterials to regenerate tissue, on novel nano-textured surface features of materials (nano-structured polymers and metals e.g.) as well as on theranostics, immunology and nano-toxicology aspects. In the book also explained are fabrication techniques for production of scaffolds to a series of tissue-specific applications of scaffolds in tissue engineering for specific biomaterials and several types of tissue (such as skin bone, cartilage, vascular, cardiac, bladder and brain tissue). Furthermore, developments in nano drug delivery, gene therapy and cancer nanotechonology are described. The book helps readers to gain a working knowledge about the nanotechnology aspects of tissue engineering and will be of great use to those involved in building specific tissue substitutes in reaching their objective in a more efficient way. It is aimed for R&D and academic scientists, lab engineers, lecturers and PhD students engaged in the fields of tissue engineering or more generally regenerative medicine, nanomedicine, medical devices, nanofabrication, biofabrication, nano- and biomaterials and biomedical engineering.

Gold nanoparticle-drug conjugates have attracted increasing attention in drug delivery for photodynamic cancer therapy. The nanoparticle acts as a water-soluble and bio-compatible platform that allows the delivery of hydrophobic drugs to the site of therapy. Due to the favorable surface area, hundreds of molecules can be attached to a 5 nm gold nanoparticle. More importantly, the versatile nanoparticle surface plays a vital role in targeted drug delivery. In this dissertation, we focus on efficient drug vectors for cancer therapy by synthesizing PEGylated gold nanoparticle-phthalocyanine conjugates. Both covalent and non-covalent drug binding can be achieved by designing the functionality of the nanoparticle surface. Due to the design of the gold nanoparticle carrier, using amphiphilic polymers, the drug delivery can be facilitated based on its size and the enhanced permeability and retention in the tumor tissue. Compared to the covalent approach, the non-covalent delivery approach of the hydrophobic photodynamic therapy drug Pc 4 through gold nanoparticles has provided rapid release and enhanced photocytotoxicity in cancer cells. In vivo studies in cancer bearing mice have shown an efficient deep penetration of the drug into the target tumors by the nanoparticle carriers within hours. In addition, controlled drug delivery system using visible-NIR light is achieved by a masked Pc 4-gold nanoparticle conjugate system. Targeted drug delivery can be achieved by modification of the carrier surface with active targeting ligands. After modification of the gold nanoparticle-Pc 4 conjugates with an EGF peptide, drug uptake into the tumor cells is dramatically improved due to the combination of active and passive targeting compared to untargeted conjugates. A 10-fold increase of the drug accumulation in a brain tumor was observed for the targeted drug delivery system. This shows that the designed gold nanoparticle-based drug delivery vector is able to cross the blood brain tumor barrier to address the brain tumor owning to the EGF targeted effect. The biodistribution of the drug and gold nanoparticles in vivo was investigated over a time frame of seven days. The biodistribution of the drug was studied by monitoring its intrinsic fluorescence in the organs and the gold nanoparticle concentrations in the corresponding organs have been quantified as well. Both gold nanoparticles and the drug can be removed from the body through renal clearance and the hepatobiliary system within days after drug administration.

This unique book is the only one to discuss various new techniques developed to enhance the application of nanoparticulate drug delivery systems using surface modification of nanoparticles. The understanding of the surface characteristics nano-particles is growing significantly with the advent of new analytical techniques. Polymer chemistry is contributing to the development of many new versatile polymers which have abilities to accommodate many different, very reactive chemical groups, and can be used as a diagnostic tool, for better targeting, for more effective therapeutic results as well as for reducing the toxic and side effects of the drugs. Surface modification of such polymeric nanoparticles has been found by many scientists to enhance the application of nanoparticles and also allows the nano particles to carry specific drug molecule and disease /tumor specific antibodies which refine and improve drug delivery. Surface Modification of Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Delivery is a collection essential information with various applications of surface modification of nanoparticles and their disease specific applications for therapeutic purposes.

Metal Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Diagnostic Applications addresses the lifecycle of metal nanoparticles, from synthesis and characterization, to applications in drug delivery and targeting. It is an important resource for those in biomaterials, nanomedicine and pharmaceutical sciences, exploring gold, silver and iron-based drug delivery systems for controlled and targeted delivery of potential drugs and genes for enhanced clinical efficacy. Nanotechnology is widely used in drug delivery due to its ability to reduce plasma fluctuation of drugs, high solubility, and efficiency, the relatively low cost of nanoscale products, and enhancement of patient comfort, hence this resource is a welcome edition to the science. Illustrates the progression of nanoparticle therapeutics from basic research to applications Explores new opportunities and ideas for developing and improving technologies in nanomedicine and nanobiology Discusses the toxicity of different types of metal nanoparticles and how to ensure their safe use