Harnessing alginate-based nanocomposites as nucleic acid/gene delivery platforms to address diverse biomedical issues: A progressive review

Among various polysaccharides, alginate-based nanostructures have etched an indelible mark on the canvas of biomolecules’ delivery. Although several review articles on the use of alginates for the delivery of drugs and other bio-active agents can be retrieved from various literature repositories, however, the progress in the realm of alginate-based nanomaterials and its nanocomposites for nucleic acid/gene delivery has not been specifically reviewed of late. In this context, the write up in this article is geared off with highlights on alginate's structure-bioactivity concert, molecular modulations, and brief description about the different approaches to fabricate its various nanostructures. The subsequent section is then specifically streamlined towards comprehending the formulation, the biophysicochemical features and applications of alginate-based nanomaterials and nanocomposites for nucleic acid/ gene delivery applications to address various biomedical issues, as attested by a couple of topical investigations. Representative studies on gene delivery using alginate-based nanobiomaterials in research pertaining to cancer therapy, macrophage targeting and repolarization, intestine-inflammation targeting, bone regeneration, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease therapy and wound healing therapy, amongst others are presented. Various practical snags and prospective future direction of research in the use of alginate based nanobiomaterials for gene therapy are highlighted in the concluding section

Potential Nanomedicine Applications of Multifunctional Carbon Nanoparticles Developed Using Green Technology

Carbon nanonmaterial development through green technology is gaining pace owing to their biocompatibility, inertness, modifiability, and photoluminescence. These smart nanomaterials are much sought after and have great potential in bioimaging and drug delivery. In this study, we focused on the preparation of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) using edible yogurt drink (lassi) by microwave irradiation. The physicochemical properties of synthesized CNPs were extensively studied. Results demonstrated that CNPs had average size of 12.58 ± 0.60 nm with a zeta potential of −24.62 ± 0.15 mV. The cytocompatibility of CNPs assessed using L929 and rat primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) demonstrated enhanced viability after 48 h of incubation. At lower concentrations of CNP, intracellular calcium levels remain unaffected in VSMCs. Doxorubicin (Dox) was used as model molecule to evaluate sythesized CNPs for their efficacy in drug delivery. Dox-loaded CNPs (Dox-CNPs) showed pH-dependent (pH 4.6 and 7.4) drug release. Toxicity of Dox-CNPs assessed with MCF-7 and SAS cell lines indicated IC₅₀ values at 0.25 μg/mL. Cell cycle arrest, elevation of reactive oxygen species, and loss of inner mitochondrial membrane potential corroborated efficient delivery of Dox to the nuclei with enhanced activity. The successful delivery of drug into the nuclei and its subsequent pH-dependent release project CNPs as promising drug delivery vehicles for nanomedicine