Quality by design optimization of microemulsions for topical delivery of Passiflora setacea seed oil

• Daniel T. Pereira,
• Douglas Dourado,
• Danielle T. Freire,
• Dayanne L. Porto,
• Cícero F. S. Aragão,
• Myla L. de Souza,
• Guilherme R. S. de Araujo,
• Ana Maria Costa,
• Wógenes N. Oliveira,
• Anne Sapin-Minet,
• Éverton N. Alencar and
• Eryvaldo Sócrates T. Egito

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2116–2131, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.146

• assays demonstrated high cell viability for ME at concentrations below 2 mg/mL in RAW 264.7 macrophages and 0.5 mg/mL in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Overall, this work presents a promising nanotechnology-based topical delivery platform for P. setacea seed oil, employing quality by design

• lines relevant to wound healing and topical application: murine macrophages (RAW 264.7) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) (Figure 11). According to ISO 10993-13 guidelines, the base ME was considered cytocompatible up to concentrations of 2 mg/mL for RAW cells and 0.5 mg/mL for HUVECs

• . Shear stress and viscosity profiles of (A) the base microemulsion, and (B) the gelled microemulsion at 25 and 32.5 °C. Mitochondrial activity of (A) RAW 264.7 murine macrophages and (B) HUVECs after 24 h and 48 h of exposure to different concentrations of the microemulsion, assessed by the MTT assay

PEGylated lipids in lipid nanoparticle delivery dynamics and therapeutic innovation

• Peiyang Gao

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1914–1930, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.133

Phytol-loaded soybean oil nanoemulsion as a promising alternative against Leishmania amazonensis

• Victória Louise Pinto Freire,
• Mariana Farias Alves-Silva,
• Johny W. de Freitas Oliveira,
• Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa,
• Alianda Maira Cornélio,
• Marcelo de Souza-Silva,
• Thayse Silva Medeiros and
• Arnóbio Antônio da Silva Junior

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1826–1836, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.126

• on cytotoxicity in cutaneous leishmaniasis highlight the immunological interactions involving multiple cell types beyond macrophages, as well as the role of cytotoxic cells in disease progression and tissue damage, supporting the relevance of studying different cellular models, including fibroblasts

• can improve the cellular uptake of various drugs and can facilitate targeted delivery to the intracellular parasites [50][51]. Since the amastigote forms of Leishmania spp. reside within the phagolysosomes of macrophages, the phagocytic uptake of nanodroplets significantly increases the intracellular

• may also be expected against amastigotes, given the comparable cellular biology and mitochondrial activity between the two stages. The major challenge, however, is the intracellular localization of amastigotes, which requires not only uptake of the nanoemulsion by macrophages but also subsequent

Exploring the potential of polymers: advancements in oral nanocarrier technology

• Rousilândia de Araujo Silva,
• Igor Eduardo Silva Arruda,
• Luise Lopes Chaves,
• Mônica Felts de La Roca Soares and
• Jose Lamartine Soares Sobrinho

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1751–1793, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.122

• pathway offers an alternative to first-pass metabolism and helps reduce toxicity. Moreover, NPs using this route are intercepted by immune cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells, making them suitable for oral vaccine administration (see Table 2) by promoting mucosal immunity activation [16][76

Advances of aptamers in esophageal cancer diagnosis, treatment and drug delivery

• Yang Fei,
• Hui Xu,
• Chunwei Zhang,
• Jingjing Wang and
• Yong Jin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1734–1750, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.121

• ], which may make anti-SPP1 autoantibodies a novel serum biomarker for detecting ESCC patients. Wang et al. [100] found that SPP1 can recruit macrophages and activate the CD44/PI3K/AKT signaling axis, which in turn promotes their polarization to the M2 type, creating a microenvironment conducive to tumor

• growth and promoting ESCC progression. RNA aptamers targeting SPP1 upregulate the expression of M1-like markers, reduce the number and function of M2 tumor-associated macrophages, inhibit ESCC progression, and prolong survival. Interestingly, in mice depleted of peritoneal macrophages, knockout of SPP1

• no longer reduced tumor volume. This suggests that the presence of macrophages is largely required for SPP1-deleted antitumor effects and provides new ideas for developing combination therapy strategies against SPP1 and macrophages, such as SPP1 small-molecule inhibitors, RNA aptamers for SPP1, siRNA

Prospects of nanotechnology and natural products for cancer and immunotherapy

• Jan Filipe Andrade Santos,
• Marcela Bernardes Brasileiro,
• Pamela Danielle Cavalcante Barreto,
• Ligiane Aranha Rocha and
• José Adão Carvalho Nascimento Júnior

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1644–1667, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.116

• tumor cells. This highly specialized network includes cells such as T lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as soluble mediators like cytokines and chemokines, which regulate inflammatory and adaptive responses [5][6]. However, cancer often employs strategies

Enhancing the therapeutical potential of metalloantibiotics using nano-based delivery systems

• Alejandro Llamedo,
• Marina Cano,
• Raquel G. Soengas and
• Francisco J. García-Alonso

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1350–1366, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.98

• interact with upregulated mannose receptors on macrophage surfaces during inflammation. Mannosylated polymeric ligands have been developed for targeted delivery of antibacterial drugs to macrophages, leveraging the high-affinity interaction with mannose receptors on these immune cells [52]. Additionally

• , studies have demonstrated that mannose receptor-targeted rifampicin delivery through solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) can be effectively applied to the treatment of infections, highlighting the role of polymer-based systems in enhancing drug delivery to macrophages [53]. Both passive and active targeting

• targeted release, coupled with the ability to efficiently deliver drugs to cells like macrophages, make MSiNPs an attractive option for overcoming drug delivery challenges, such as those encountered with bacterial infections [91]. Quantum dots. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals generally

Ferroptosis induction by engineered liposomes for enhanced tumor therapy

• Alireza Ghasempour,
• Mohammad Amin Tokallou,
• Mohammad Reza Naderi Allaf,
• Mohsen Moradi,
• Hamideh Dehghan,
• Mahsa Sedighi,
• Mohammad-Ali Shahbazi and
• Fahimeh Lavi Arab

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1325–1349, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.97

• some cells, such as fibroblasts, macrophages, hepatocytes, and vascular smooth muscle cells, from the amino acid methionine. Still, most cells, including cancer cells, cannot produce endogenous cysteine [68][69][70]. A range of delivery mechanisms contribute to supplying cells with the cysteine they

• designed to reduce systemic toxicity, some formulations, particularly cationic liposomes, can be cytotoxic to macrophages and disrupt immunomodulatory signaling. Liposomal immunogenicity depends on factors like surface charge, size, and PEGylation, with positively charged liposomes often triggering

Acrocomia aculeata oil-loaded nanoemulsion: development, anti-inflammatory properties, and cytotoxicity evaluation

• Verónica Bautista-Robles,
• Hady Keita,
• Edgar Julián Paredes Gamero,
• Layna Tayná Brito Leite,
• Jessica de Araújo Isaías Muller,
• Mônica Cristina Toffoli Kadri,
• Ariadna Lafourcade Prada and
• Jesús Rafael Rodríguez Amado

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1277–1288, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.93

• the absorbance of the solvent, and AC is the absorbance of the positive control [61][62]. Cytotoxic activity The cytotoxic activity of AANE was evaluated in murine macrophages of the J774 strain (ATCC USA) according to the technique described by Nakayama and colleagues [64]. Staurosporine (5 μg/mL

Better together: biomimetic nanomedicines for high performance tumor therapy

• Imran Shair Mohammad,
• Gizem Kursunluoglu,
• Anup Kumar Patel,
• Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq,
• Cansu Umran Tunc,
• Dilek Kanarya,
• Mubashar Rehman,
• Omer Aydin and
• Yin Lifang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1246–1276, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.92

•  3D) [30]. 1.1.2 Macrophages. Macrophages are a critical part of the TME. They are specific type of immune cells that can recognize healthy somatic cells as “own” cells and exogenous particles, cancer cells, and pathogens as “foreign” and phagocytose them [31]. Therefore, macrophage membranes could be

• RS09 inside the macrophages and then functionalized the surface with DSPE-PEG2000-cRGD. METTL14 significantly inhibits the tumor growth in vitro, downregulates TICAM2, and inhibits the macrophage polarization by the Toll-like receptor 4 pathway. The combinatory NPs induce antitumor M1 macrophage

• polarization, and cRGD modification further enhances tumor accumulation [32]. In another study, Hou et al. employed M1-type macrophages and loaded them with sorafenib (SF) to develop lipid nanoparticles (M1/SLNPs). The M1/SLNPs showed an increase in tumor accumulation and enhanced the SF tumor targeting

Hydrogels and nanogels: effectiveness in dermal applications

• Jéssica da Cruz Ludwig,
• Diana Fortkamp Grigoletto,
• Daniele Fernanda Renzi,
• Wolf-Rainer Abraham,
• Daniel de Paula and
• Najeh Maissar Khalil

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1216–1233, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.90

• guanosine quartet hydrogels loaded with recombinant human-sourced collagen can be wrapped onto the skin surface. These films can supply collagen deposition for the wound by recruiting macrophages and fibroblasts and eventually inducing their proliferation and migration [42]. In the study by Zhao et al

A formulation containing Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil: improvement of biochemical parameters and oxidative stress in diabetic rats

• Ailton Santos Sena-Júnior,
• Cleverton Nascimento Santana Andrade,
• Pedro Henrique Macedo Moura,
• Jocsã Hémany Cândido dos Santos,
• Cauãn Torres Trancoso,
• Eloia Emanuelly Dias Silva,
• Deise Maria Rego Rodrigues Silva,
• Ênio Pereira Telles,
• Luiz André Santos Silva,
• Isabella Lima Dantas Teles,
• Sara Fernanda Mota de Almeida,
• Daniel Alves de Souza,
• Jileno Ferreira Santos,
• Felipe José Aidar Martins,
• Ana Mara de Oliveira e Silva,
• Sandra Lauton-Santos,
• Guilherme Rodolfo Souza de Araujo,
• Cristiane Bani Correa,
• Rogéria De Souza Nunes,
• Lysandro Pinto Borges and
• Ana Amélia Moreira Lira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 617–636, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.48

• accumulation of mononuclear cells, mainly lymphocytes and macrophages, around the portal spaces and areas of necrosis. In addition, the formation of cavities filled with new inflammatory cells was observed (C), suggesting a persistent and progressive inflammatory process (Figure 10). This infiltration may

Polyurethane/silk fibroin-based electrospun membranes for wound healing and skin substitute applications

• Iqra Zainab,
• Zohra Naseem,
• Syeda Rubab Batool,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Ahsan Nazir and
• Muhammad Anwaar Nazeer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 591–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.46

• wound from infection, and clears the debris [38]. Necrotic cells and injured tissue release signals that trigger the immune response. The resident immune cells such as Langerhans cells, mast cells, T cells, and macrophages respond to the injury-induced signals. Pro-inflammatory molecules, chemokines

• are cleared by macrophage efferocytosis, apoptosis, or return to blood vessels [40]. Proliferation Granulation tissue development, re-epithelialization, and neovascularization are features of the proliferative phase. This period may last several weeks [41]. Fibroblasts, keratinocytes, macrophages, and

• macrophages and foreign bodies [127]. The degree of crystallinity is the key factor in developing biostable PU compounds. PU has two segmented structures, that is, a hard segment (made from isocyanate) and a soft segment (made from diols) [128]. A higher hard segment content will improve the hydrolytic

Nanomaterials in targeting amyloid-β oligomers: current advances and future directions for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and therapy

• Shiwani Randhawa,
• Trilok Chand Saini,
• Manik Bathla,
• Rahul Bhardwaj,
• Rubina Dhiman and
• Amitabha Acharya

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 561–580, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.44

• , by activating macrophages and other immune cells [100]. The size and surface characteristics of NPs are critical in determining

Synthetic-polymer-assisted antisense oligonucleotide delivery: targeted approaches for precision disease treatment

• Ana Cubillo Alvarez,
• Dylan Maguire and
• Ruairí P. Brannigan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 435–463, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.34

Radiosensitizing properties of dual-functionalized carbon nanostructures loaded with temozolomide

• Radmila Milenkovska,
• Nikola Geskovski,
• Dushko Shalabalija,
• Ljubica Mihailova,
• Petre Makreski,
• Dushko Lukarski,
• Igor Stojkovski,
• Maja Simonoska Crcarevska and
• Kristina Mladenovska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 229–251, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.18

• nm were more toxic than smaller ones for RAW264.7 macrophage cells [83]. It was also shown that long MWCNTs (20 µm) were cytotoxic to macrophages unlike short ones (0.6 µm) [84], that longer ones (825 nm) induced more intensive inflammation than shorter ones (220 nm) [85], and that longer CNTs had

• concentrations. In a study of Wan et al. [88], it was shown that acid-functionalized SWCNTs and GO induced cell death, autophagosomal accumulation, and lysosome damage in the macrophages, but also that GO was more toxic despite the similarity in the chemical structure and surface functional groups, pointing to

Nanocarriers and macrophage interaction: from a potential hurdle to an alternative therapeutic strategy

• Naths Grazia Sukubo,
• Paolo Bigini and
• Annalisa Morelli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 97–118, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.10

• advantages, the interaction with many biological matrices, particularly with existing macrophages, must be considered. In this review, we will explore the dual role of macrophages in NC delivery, highlighting their physiological functions, the challenges posed by the mononuclear phagocyte system, and

• delve into the intriguing potential of nanomedicine in neurology and traumatology, associated with macrophage interaction, and the exciting possibilities it holds for the future. Keywords: drug delivery; macrophages; nanomedicine; polarization; RNA-based therapies; Review 1 Introduction In the vast

• from research to clinical application faces significant hurdles, primarily due to interactions with the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS). After administration in host bodies, NCs encounter systems of phagocytic cells, predominantly resident macrophages such as Kupffer cells (KCs) in the liver and

Biomimetic nanocarriers: integrating natural functions for advanced therapeutic applications

• Hugo Felix Perini,
• Beatriz Sodré Matos,
• Carlo José Freire de Oliveira and
• Marcos Vinicius da Silva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1619–1626, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.127

• homotypic behavior of CMC-NPs in delivering active therapeutic agents to specific sites, promoting immune evasion of CD47 cells by blocking binding with SIRP-α, preventing its phosphorylation, and thereby restoring the phagocytosis of cancer cells by macrophages. Additional studies have demonstrated that

• antiviral treatments. Tan et al. (2021) employed lopinavir (LPV), an antiviral drug, in polymeric nanoparticles coated with macrophage membranes (PLGA-LPV@M). This biomimetic nanocarrier demonstrated the ability to inherit the antigenic profile of macrophages, enabling the absorption of pro-inflammatory

Polymer lipid hybrid nanoparticles for phytochemical delivery: challenges, progress, and future prospects

• Iqra Rahat,
• Pooja Yadav,
• Aditi Singhal,
• Mohammad Fareed,
• Jaganathan Raja Purushothaman,
• Mohammed Aslam,
• Raju Balaji,
• Sonali Patil-Shinde and
• Md. Rizwanullah

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1473–1497, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.118

• water/or buffer. Because of the positive charge, the lipids in the inner core encapsulate the drug more efficiently compared to PLHNPs with a polymeric core. In addition, because of the outer lipoidal PEG layer, these nanocarriers escape the uptake by macrophages and enhance the stability of the

• yields a natural vehicle for drug delivery, and these nanocarriers can easily escape the uptake by macrophages. In this system, the drugs are encapsulated in the lipophilic polymeric core, and the lipids in the outer natural membrane enhance the sustained release of drugs. With the development of these

Realizing active targeting in cancer nanomedicine with ultrasmall nanoparticles

• André F. Lima,
• Giselle Z. Justo and
• Alioscka A. Sousa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1208–1226, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.98

• that of conventional NPs [66]. This reduced accumulation can be attributed to their efficient renal excretion together with the absence of stable interactions with blood proteins, especially those of the innate immune system that can mark NPs for phagocytosis by tissue-resident macrophages. Overall

Recent updates in applications of nanomedicine for the treatment of hepatic fibrosis

• Damai Ria Setyawati,
• Fransiska Christydira Sekaringtyas,
• Riyona Desvy Pratiwi,
• A’liyatur Rosyidah,
• Rohimmahtunnissa Azhar,
• Nunik Gustini,
• Gita Syahputra,
• Idah Rosidah,
• Etik Mardliyati,
• Tarwadi and
• Sjaikhurrizal El Muttaqien

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1105–1116, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.89

• conventional delivery platform to deliver a minimum concentration of these therapeutic molecules into the liver, as well as the lack of specificity. Without any targeting strategy, the potent antifibrotic activity of IFNγ, for example, was offset by its proinflammatory effects on macrophages [20]. Therefore

• , resulting in poor bioavailability. Regarding synthetic substances, Kurniawan and co-workers encapsulated the potent inhibitor R406 to inhibit spleen tyrosine kinase in inflammatory macrophages using poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs (R406-PLGA) [45]. PLGA was used as polymeric platform as it is an

• FDA-approved biodegradable polymer. The R406-PLGA NPs (particle size of 159.7 nm) showed a significant downregulation of major inflammatory markers (CCL2, IL-1α, and IL-6) in vitro in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages. In an in vivo experiment using a methionine and choline-deficient (MCD) mouse

Interface properties of nanostructured carbon-coated biological implants: an overview

• Mattia Bartoli,
• Francesca Cardano,
• Erik Piatti,
• Stefania Lettieri,
• Andrea Fin and
• Alberto Tagliaferro

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1041–1053, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.85

• onto the surface, forming a matrix composed by platelets and coagulation cascade components. This process triggers the inflammatory response of neutrophils, which attempt to degrade the implant through phagocytosis and the release of reactive oxygen species. Macrophages play a key role changing from

• macrophages. The reduction of fibrotic formations on the implants is of capital relevance for preventing thrombosis [96]. Hassan et al. [97] investigated graphene coatings on a stainless steel implant to minimize the negative effect of metals contained into the alloy (i.e., Cr, Mo, and Ni). The authors used

• . Furthermore, the authors were able to fine-tune the topology of the CNT coating, reducing inflammatory events by down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophages. The coated polymeric nanofibers showed the ability to up-regulate the formation of new blood vessels and osteogenic pathways, proving the

Entry of nanoparticles into cells and tissues: status and challenges

• Kirsten Sandvig,
• Tore Geir Iversen and
• Tore Skotland

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1017–1029, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.83

• (Kupffer cells, i.e., the liver macrophages, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC), and hepatocytes) in NP uptake [81]. A very recent study points to the importance of interactions between PEG-NPs with (apo)lipoproteins and scavenger receptors, and postulates that the high presence of these receptors

• injection in rats [92]. In vivo studies are essential to evaluate the efficacy of drug-loaded NPs since it is not only the tumor cells that are affected by treatment but also the microenvironment in the tumor, for instance the macrophages. We showed some years ago that cabazitaxel-loaded NPs had a good

• therapeutic effect on a human breast cancer xenograft in mice, and discussed if an increased ratio of M1/M2 (anti-tumorigenic/pro-tumorigenic) macrophages was important for the therapeutic effect [93]. We have recently investigated in more detail the changes occurring in tumor-associated myeloid cells in

Electrospun nanofibers: building blocks for the repair of bone tissue

• Tuğrul Mert Serim,
• Gülin Amasya,
• Tuğba Eren-Böncü,
• Ceyda Tuba Şengel-Türk and
• Ayşe Nurten Özdemir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 941–953, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.77

• , the mineralization phase begins, and new bone tissue is formed [9][14]. The main function of osteoclasts, which have properties similar to those of macrophages, is to resorb the mineralized bone matrix [13][18]. Another group of cells derived from osteoblasts are bone-lining cells, which cover the

Cholesterol nanoarchaeosomes for alendronate targeted delivery as an anti-endothelial dysfunction agent

• Horacio Emanuel Jerez,
• Yamila Roxana Simioni,
• Kajal Ghosal,
• Maria Jose Morilla and
• Eder Lilia Romero

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 517–534, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.46

• assessed on severely inflamed HUVECs. To that aim, HUVECs were grown on a porous barrier on top of a basal compartment seeded either with macrophages or human foam cells. One lighter and one more pronounced inflammatory context was modelled by adding lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to the apical or the apical and

• therapeutic, diagnostic, or theragnostic applications to pathological macrophages and endothelia is of major pharmaceutical interest [21]. The vascular endothelium can be actively targeted with nanomedicines of high structural sophistication [22][23], which are, however, difficult to fit within the

• simplicity and resistance to mechanical stress. Recently, we have reported the structural characterization and effect on J774A.1 murine macrophages of ALN loaded in nanoarchaeosomes, that is, nanoARC(ALN) and nanoARC-Chol(ALN). Remarkably, these formulations do not seek to modify the solubility of ALN, but