Advances in nanotechnology have produced a range of strategies for cancer treatment. Among the materials under investigation, Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) are attractive candidates for immunotherapy because of their distinctive physicochemical properties and biocompatibility.
This narrative review draws on studies retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science between 2020 and 2025 and describes the mechanisms, therapeutic applications, and clinical development of AuNPs.
AuNPs enhance immune responses by delivering antigens to dendritic cells and T cells and by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. Their photothermal and photodynamic properties damage tumors while activating immunity. Surface modification reduces systemic toxicity, and PEGylation and ligand conjugation improve targeting. Preclinical and early clinical studies indicate that AuNPs can enhance tumor regression and improve treatment response.
AuNPs can serve in drug delivery, immune modulation, and photothermal therapy. Although the results are promising, challenges remain in large-scale synthesis, long-term safety, and regulatory approval. Addressing these factors is essential for successful clinical translation.
Gold nanoparticles represent a promising development in cancer immunotherapy, combining targeted delivery, immune activation, and photothermal effects. Continued optimization and safety evaluation will be essential if AuNPs are to become integral to next-generation personalized cancer treatment. Unlike previous reviews, this work provides a systems-level framework for AuNP-based cancer immunotherapy by integrating mechanistic data, translational bottlenecks, and quantitative comparisons between synthesis methods and nanocarrier systems.
V. R. Jallepalli, Angum M. M. Ibrahim, Anasuya Patil et al.· Current Nanomedicine· 0 citations
Theranostic nanomedicine integrates diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single nanoparticle, allowing clinicians to image a tumor and treat it with the same agent. The logic is simple: instead of administering separate compounds to patients for imaging and treatment, both functions are delivered concurrently. Nanoparticles reach tumor tissue mainly through the EPR effect; leaky vasculature and poor lymphatic drainage cause passive accumulation. Attaching ligands for receptors overexpressed on tumor cells adds a second layer of selectivity. Liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric micelles, and metal nanoparticles have all been adapted for drug-imaging combinations, each with different loading and surface modification options. Protein corona remains a frustrating obstacle. Serum proteins adsorb onto nanoparticle surfaces and throw off targeting, which has pushed groups toward more elaborate designs. D-type peptide-modified nanoparticles withstand enzymatic degradation better than standard L-type versions; oncolytic peptide-based systems have also shown immune-activating effects alongside direct cytotoxicity. Stimulus-responsive release pH, redox, or light-triggered continues to attract attention as a way to limit off-target exposure. However, most programmes fail to progress beyond clinical translation. Tumor heterogeneity means a nanoparticle optimized for one patient's receptor profile may be unremarkable in another patient's profile. Regulators have not agreed on how to classify combination nano-diagnostic-therapeutic products, so approval pathways are unclear. Large-scale synthesis, reproducible manufacturing, and harmonized evaluation guidelines all remain to be established before clinical translation can proceed.
B. E, Vivekanandan K, P. K. et al.· Mini-Reviews in Medical Chem...· 0 citations
Keratitis is a critical inflammation of the cornea caused by chemical agents due to bacterial, fungal, or viral pathogens. It significantly contributes to the global burden of vision loss and blindness in older adults. Antimicrobial treatment helps fight different types of bacteria. Conventional treatments are less effective owing to poor ocular drug bioavailability, rapid tear clearance, and drug-resistant microbes. Recent developments in nanotechnology hold promise for circumventing these limitations via improved delivery, targeting, and combination therapies. This study provides a critical review of the pathogenesis of microbial keratitis and a systematic assessment of emerging therapeutic approaches based on nanotechnology, including piezodynamic therapy (PZDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), nanoenzymes, and metal ions. The assessment of each modality is based on its mechanism of action, effectiveness against biofilm-embedded pathogens, ability to modulate immune responses, and potential use with advanced drug delivery systems, such as microneedle patches, functionalized nanoparticles, and responsive hydrogels. This review also highlights the role of nanocarriers in improving drug retention, reducing systemic toxicity, and enabling targeted drug delivery to infected corneal tissue. Toxicity, regulatory hurdles, and therapeutic consistency pose challenges to clinical translation. This review presents a comprehensive outlook on the potential of nanomedicine in keratitis therapy using microbiology, immunology, materials science, and clinical ophthalmology. The goal is to inform future research and foster interdisciplinary approaches that will result in treatments that are more effective, safer, and patient-focused for this vision-impairing condition. Nanotechnology-enabled ocular therapies may overcome existing drug delivery limitations and improve clinical outcomes in microbial keratitis, as noted in this review.
Ruchi Tiwari, D. G, Vasanth Kumar Mohan et al.· Recent Advances in Anti-Infe...· 1 citation
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