Layer-by-Layer Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems

Layer-by-layer (LbL) nanoparticle drug delivery systems exploit the sequential adsorption of complementary materials—typically polymers, lipids or biomolecules—onto a colloidal core to produce multifunctional carriers with nanometre-scale precision. Each deposition cycle contributes a distinct layer, enabling fine tuning of surface charge, hydrophilicity and ligand presentation. This modular strategy accommodates diverse therapeutic cargos, from small molecules and proteins to nucleic acids, while offering controllable release profiles via environmental triggers such as pH, redox potential or enzymatic activity. By altering the composition or thickness of individual strata, researchers can tailor circulation time, biodistribution and cellular uptake pathways. In addition, the incorporation of targeting moieties—such as antibodies or peptides—on the outermost shell supports active homing to diseased tissue, thereby enhancing efficacy and reducing off-target effects. Owing to its adaptability, the LbL approach has been applied in cancer chemotherapy, gene therapy and immunomodulation, and shows promise for tackling chronic inflammation, infectious diseases and neurological disorders. The intrinsic versatility of LbL constructs also facilitates combination therapies, wherein multiple agents with complementary mechanisms are co-delivered in a single vehicle. Collectively, these attributes underscore the global significance of LbL nanoparticle platforms as a next-generation toolkit for precision medicine.

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Layer-by-Layer Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in layer-by-layer nanoparticle drug delivery systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Layer-by-layer assembly: A fabrication method involving the alternate adsorption of oppositely charged or complementary building blocks onto a substrate to form multishell nanostructures.

Nanoparticle core: The central scaffold—often composed of polymer, lipid or inorganic material—around which successive layers are deposited.

Stimuli-responsive release: Controlled drug discharge from a carrier triggered by environmental cues such as pH shift, redox conditions or enzyme activity.

Active targeting: Surface modification of nanoparticles with ligands (for example antibodies or peptides) that bind specific receptors on target cells, enhancing uptake.

Zeta potential: The electrostatic potential at the slipping plane of a colloidal particle, influencing stability, aggregation and interactions with biological membranes.

References

1. Charge‐Stabilized Nanodiscs as a New Class of Lipid Nanoparticles. Advanced Materials (2024).
2. Layer-by-Layer assembled nano-drug delivery systems for cancer treatment. Drug Delivery (2021).
3. Layer‐by‐layer interleukin‐12 nanoparticles drive a safe and effective response in ovarian tumors. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine (2022).