Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033-9121, USA.
Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2010 Aug 30;62(11):1052-1063. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2010.08.004. Epub 2010 Aug 13.
Nanoparticle technologies are significantly impacting the development of both therapeutic and diagnostic agents. At the intersection between treatment and diagnosis, interest has grown in combining both paradigms into clinically effective formulations. This concept, recently coined as theranostics, is highly relevant to agents that target molecular biomarkers of disease and is expected to contribute to personalized medicine. Here we review state-of-the-art nanoparticles from a therapeutic and a diagnostic perspective and discuss challenges in bringing these fields together. Major classes of nanoparticles include, drug conjugates and complexes, dendrimers, vesicles, micelles, core-shell particles, microbubbles, and carbon nanotubes. Most of these formulations have been described as carriers of either drugs or contrast agents. To observe these formulations and their interactions with disease, a variety of contrast agents have been used, including optically active small molecules, metals and metal oxides, ultrasonic contrast agents, and radionuclides. The opportunity to rapidly assess and adjust treatment to the needs of the individual offers potential advantages that will spur the development of theranostic agents.
纳米颗粒技术正在极大地推动治疗和诊断试剂的发展。在治疗和诊断的交叉点上，人们对将这两种模式结合成临床有效的制剂越来越感兴趣。这一概念最近被称为治疗诊断学，与针对疾病分子生物标志物的试剂密切相关，预计将为个性化医疗做出贡献。在这里，我们从治疗和诊断的角度综述了最先进的纳米颗粒，并讨论了将这些领域结合起来所面临的挑战。主要的纳米颗粒类别包括药物偶联物和复合物、树枝状大分子、囊泡、胶束、核壳颗粒、微泡和碳纳米管。这些制剂中的大多数都被描述为药物或造影剂的载体。为了观察这些制剂及其与疾病的相互作用，已经使用了多种造影剂，包括光学活性小分子、金属和金属氧化物、超声造影剂和放射性核素。快速评估和根据个体需求调整治疗的机会提供了潜在的优势，这将刺激治疗诊断试剂的发展。
