Pharmacokinetics and Applications of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanomaterials possess enormous potential for biomedical applications, while some of the most promising nanomaterials currently under investigation demonstrate prolonged tissue retention and contain heavy metals. This article investigates the pharmacokinetics of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to help identify promising candidates with optimal pharmacokinetics and clearance from the body for biomedical use and synthesize nanomaterials ideal for biomedical use. The term 'magnetic nanoparticles' (MNPs) refers to nanoparticles with ferromagnetism. Such nanoparticles have special characteristics, and many in the field of biological field have undertaken research involving, e.g., immobilized enzymes and proteins, biological cells, macromolecular separation, drug carriers, and targeted, immune, biological sensors.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Innovative Tool in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy

“…IONPs are mainly intravenously injected into body because intravenous administration is the most effective way how to reach targeted organs through blood stream, but intragastric, intraperitoneal subcutaneous, intratumoral, intrapulmonary or oral (at a low dose of nanoparticles) administration of IONPs was also described in various recent studies. Intrapulmonary administration is usually used for imagination and treatment of lung cancer; oral administration is mainly used in need of gastrointestinal tract imagination; intraperitoneal injection is chosen if distribution into liver, lymph nodes, or lungs is required; and intramuscular or subcutaneous delivery was recently used for imagination of lymph nodes for observation of cancer metastasis .…”

“…Intrapulmonary administration is usually used for imagination and treatment of lung cancer; oral administration is mainly used in need of gastrointestinal tract imagination; intraperitoneal injection is chosen if distribution into liver, lymph nodes, or lungs is required; and intramuscular or subcutaneous delivery was recently used for imagination of lymph nodes for observation of cancer metastasis . Although bare IONPs are continuously remodeled by interactions with components of biological matrix inside the body and these dynamic interactions lead to change of surface, shape, and properties initiating aggregation, opsonization, enzyme attack, and degradation; broadly speaking, modified IONPs showed good distribution inside living system strongly depending on particles size and charge . The particles larger than 50 nm ride on passive targeting through reticuloendothelial system (primarily after intravenous administration), on the contrary the particles smaller than 50 nm exhibit slower opsonization and no degradation or accumulation into the reticuloendothelial system .…”

“…Although bare IONPs are continuously remodeled by interactions with components of biological matrix inside the body and these dynamic interactions lead to change of surface, shape, and properties initiating aggregation, opsonization, enzyme attack, and degradation; broadly speaking, modified IONPs showed good distribution inside living system strongly depending on particles size and charge . The particles larger than 50 nm ride on passive targeting through reticuloendothelial system (primarily after intravenous administration), on the contrary the particles smaller than 50 nm exhibit slower opsonization and no degradation or accumulation into the reticuloendothelial system . Larger particles are omitted by renal clearance and they are easily recognized by phagocytic cells.…”

“…According to the study of Wang et al, distribution of magnetite IONPs (average 20 nm size) was mostly performed into the liver and spleen, the organs of reticuloendothelial system, but IONPs were taken up by the other tissues including heart, kidneys, lungs, brain, stomach, and small intestine . This observation means that IONPs could penetrate through blood–brain barrier and this issue was proved in more studies including the work of Chertok et al although the mechanism is just little revealed . Blood–brain barrier consists of polarized layer of tightly connected endothelial cells holding up by astrocyte end feet preventing penetration of lipophilic or macromolecular compounds including a wide range of drugs.…”

“…IONPs are thought to be metabolized by the same special mechanisms as iron itself . Intravenously injected IONPs are usually phagocytosed by macrophages and organs of reticuloendothelial system, mainly by liver and spleen, and dissolved in acidic environment of lysosome compartment of the cells . After degradation of IONPs inside lysosome of macrophages, iron ions are released and integrated into normal iron metabolism where they are stored in the body reserves with the help of iron‐regulating proteins including ferritin, hemosiderin, or used for creation of myoglobin and hemoglobin .…”