Table 1 Features of different nanoparticles
From: Current advance of nanotechnology in diagnosis and treatment for malignant tumors
Types of NPs | Advantages | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|---|
Polymeric NPs | Natural polymers | Biocompatibility and degradability, Excellent transmucosal capability | Low stability |
Synthetic polymers | High stability, bioavailability and loading capacity | Tissue accumulation, Low degradability, Unfavorable side effects | |
Liposomes | Excellent biocompatibility, Wide adaptability to drugs, Reduced adverse effects, avoiding bio-clearance of agents | Low storage of lipophilic molecules, opsonization, immunogenicity and instability, High costs | |
Micelles | Alleviating toxicity, Enabling transportation of lipophilic drugs, Reducing the uptake by macrophages, Prolonging the circulation time, Targeting drug release | Instability in vivo, Low solubility of small size particles, Low drug loading capacity | |
Hydrogels | High biocompatibility, High drug loading capacity, Controllable and adjustable of drug release, Highly adjustable chemical and physical properties | Fast clearance, Off-target accumulation | |
Extracellular vesicles | Targeted drug delivery, High biocompatibility, Loading a large variety of cargos | Difficult for isolation, purification and differential recognition, Abnormal accumulations in the liver | |
Natural membrane-coated NPs | Prolonging the blood circulation time, Evading clearance from immune system, Boosting therapeutic effects, Improving target capabilities | Complexity of scale-up manufacturing, Accumulating in livers or reticuloendothelial systems, Difficulties with purification and storage | |
Virus | Outstanding targeting capability, Potential in immunotherapy or vaccination strategies | Lacking of clinical translation | |
Inorganic NPs | Mesoporous silica | Easy functionalization and surface modification, High capacity of storing drugs, Simple production process | High costs |
Gold NPs | Low toxicity, High stability, Simple synthesis, Bioconjugation of desired molecules, Efficient light-to-heat conversion | Prone to accumulating in tissue and toxicity potential, Unsatisfactory clinic treatment outcomes | |
Carbon nanomaterials | Excellent optical properties, Thermal conductivity, Electrical conductivity, Chemical stability, Functionalization | Potential problems of biosafety | |
