The Multifaceted Uses and Therapeutic Advantages of Nanoparticles for Atherosclerosis Research

Abstract

Nanoparticles are uniquely suited for the study and development of potential therapies against atherosclerosis by virtue of their size, fine-tunable properties, and ability to incorporate therapies and/or imaging modalities. Furthermore, nanoparticles can be specifically targeted to the atherosclerotic plaque, evading off-target effects and/or associated cytotoxicity. There has been a wealth of knowledge available concerning the use of nanotechnologies in cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis, in particular in animal models, but with a major focus on imaging agents. In fact, roughly 60% of articles from an initial search for this review included examples of imaging applications of nanoparticles. Thus, this review focuses on experimental therapy interventions applied to and observed in animal models. Particular emphasis is placed on how nanoparticle materials and properties allow researchers to learn a great deal about atherosclerosis. The objective of this review was to provide an update for nanoparticle use in imaging and drug delivery studies and to illustrate how nanoparticles can be used for sensing and modelling, for studying fundamental biological mechanisms, and for the delivery of biotherapeutics such as proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and even cells all with the goal of attenuating atherosclerosis. Furthermore, the various atherosclerosis processes targeted mainly for imaging studies have been summarized in the hopes of inspiring new and exciting targeted therapeutic and/or imaging strategies.

Vulnerable Plaque, Characteristics, Detection, and Potential Therapies

“…However, this concept fell out of favor after the arrival of coronary stenting and a lack of clinical results [145]. Nanoparticle approaches may provide possibilities for safe gene medication, with the goal of attenuating atherosclerosis [201] (Table 2). Silica–gold nanoparticles used for the atheroprotective management of plaques (the NANOM-FIM trial (NCT01270139)) showed a remarkable regression of coronary atherosclerosis [149].…”

Paclitaxel Magnetic Core–Shell Nanoparticles Based on Poly(lactic acid) Semitelechelic Novel Block Copolymers for Combined Hyperthermia and Chemotherapy Treatment of Cancer

“…These nano-based systems may be prepared from either organic (such as biocompatible polymers), or inorganic (such as iron oxides) materials, although recent attempts are focused on the development of novel systems combining both [3,4,5]. Generally, nanoparticles suited for targeted cancer therapy have a particle size between 1 and 200 nanometers and, depending on the materials used and the manufacturing process employed, they may possess unique physicochemical and mechanical properties [6,7,8,9]. These properties may be tailored to meet specific requirements by altering several attributes such as nanoparticle composition, size, shape, surface morphology, etc.…”

Collagenase‐Cleavable Peptide Amphiphile Micelles as a Novel Theranostic Strategy in Atherosclerosis

“…In order to provide clinical relevance and adaptability, we also incorporated gadolinium (Gd) to allow for simultaneous molecular magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of plaques. We chose MR imaging specifically as it is a noninvasive imaging modality capable of producing high‐resolution images, without the use of ionizing radiation that are characteristic to angiography, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET) . Moreover, although near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging is popular for small animal imaging, NIRF imaging alone is hindered by poor tissue penetration and high tissue autofluorescence, making it difficult for transition into the clinic .…”

“…We chose MR imaging specifically as it is a noninvasive imaging modality capable of producing high-resolution images, without the use of ionizing radiation that are characteristic to angiography, computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET). [22][23][24][25][26][27] Moreover, although near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging is popular for small animal imaging, NIRF imaging alone is hindered by poor tissue penetration and high tissue autofluorescence, making it difficult for transition into the clinic. [28] Gd is an FDA-approved contrast agent that produces contrast-enhanced MR images with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which makes it favorable for use in nanoparticle platforms.…”