Advances in Microfluidic-Based Core@Shell Nanoparticles Fabrication for Cancer Applications

resumo

Current research in cancer therapy focuses on personalized therapies, through nanotechnology-based targeted drug delivery systems. Particularly, controlled drug release with nanoparticles (NPs) can be designed to safely transport various active agents, optimizing delivery to specific organs and tumors, minimizing side effects. The use of microfluidics (MFs) in this field has stood out against conventional methods by allowing precise control over parameters like size, structure, composition, and mechanical/biological properties of nanoscale carriers. This review compiles applications of microfluidics in the production of core-shell NPs (CSNPs) for cancer therapy, discussing the versatility inherent in various microchannel and/or micromixer setups and showcasing how these setups can be utilized individually or in combination, as well as how this technology allows the development of new advances in more efficient and controlled fabrication of core-shell nanoformulations. Recent biological studies have achieved an effective, safe, and controlled delivery of otherwise unreliable encapsulants such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), plasmid DNA (pDNA), and cisplatin as a result of precisely tuned fabrication of nanocarriers, showing that this technology is paving the way for innovative strategies in cancer therapy nanofabrication, characterized by continuous production and high reproducibility. Finally, this review analyzes the technical, biological, and technological limitations that currently prevent this technology from becoming the standard. Microfluidic (MF) devices may become standard for CSNP formulation in cancer therapy, allowing precise control over the properties of nanocarriers. Precise nanofabrication pushes the boundaries in clinical research, as otherwise unstable anticancer agents now become viable for clinical practice. Recent advances in MF technology, although extremely versatile and modulable, are still limited by low scalability and dedicated infrastructures. image

palavras-chave

HIGH-THROUGHPUT SYNTHESIS; DRUG-DELIVERY; FLASH NANOPRECIPITATION; LIPID NANOPARTICLES; POLYMERIC NANOPARTICLES; SURFACE MODIFICATION; DROPLET GENERATION; PLGA NANOPARTICLE; CAPILLARY NUMBER; SIRNA DELIVERY

categoria

Engineering; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Materials Science

autores

Almeida, DRS; Gil, JF; Guillot, AJ; Li, JC; Pinto, RJB; Santos, HA; Gonçalves, G

Grupos

G4 - Materiais Renováveis e Economia Circular

Projectos

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDB/50011/2020)

CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials (UIDP/50011/2020)

Associated Laboratory CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials (LA/P/0006/2020)

agradecimentos

The financial support of TEMA is also acknowledged by the projects UIDB/00481/ 2020 and UIDP/00481/2020 from FCT and CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-022083-Centro Portugal Regional Operational Program (Centro 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund. This work was also developed within the scope of the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 and LA/P/0006/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC). The research contract of R.J.B. Pinto was funded by national funds (OE), through FCT in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5, and 6 of the article 23, of the Decree-Law 57/2016, of August 29, changed by Law 57/2017, of July 19. The authors also acknowledge the financial support of project CARBONCT (2022.03596.PTDC; ). J.F.G. thanks FCT for the PhD grant UI/BD/151259/2021. H. A. Santos acknowledges financial support from the Academy of Finland (Decision no. 331151) and the UMCG Research Funds.