The intranasal administration of drugs allows an effective and noninvasive therapeutic action on the respiratory tract. In an era of rapidly increasing antimicrobial resistance, new approaches to the treatment of communicable diseases, especially lung infections, are urgently needed. Metal nanoparticles are recognized as a potential last-line defense, but limited data on the biosafety and nano/biointeractions preclude their use. Here, we quantitatively and qualitatively assess the fate and the potential risks associated with the exposure to a silver nanomaterial model (i.e., silver ultrasmall-in-nano architectures, AgNAs) after a single dose instillation. Our results highlight that the biodistribution profile and the nano/biointeractions are critically influenced by both the design of the nanomaterial and the chemical nature of the metal. Overall, our data suggest that the instillation of rationally engineered nanomaterials might be exploited to develop future treatments for (non)­communicable diseases of the respiratory tract.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are a complex group of malignancies that affect different body sites pertaining to the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. Their treatment relies on...

Skin burns are debilitating injuries with significant morbidity and mortality associated to infections and sepsis, especially in immunocompromised patients. In this context, nanotechnology can provide pioneering approaches for the topical...