Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are outstanding nanoplatforms for drug delivery. Herein, the most recent advances to turn MSN-based carriers into minimal side effect drug delivery agents are...

Introduction: Nanocarriers have emerged as a powerful alternative for cancer therapy. Indeed, they are promising candidates to tackle the acquired resistance of surviving cells against antiproliferative drugs – the so-called multidrug resistance (MDR) phenomenon – which has arisen as one of the major clinical issues of chemotherapy. Among nanocarriers, this review focuses on the recent approaches based on tailored mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that could overcome this problem. Areas covered: Herein we summarize the current efforts developed to provide MSN-based nanosystems of enhanced dual therapeutic action against diseased cells. This can be accomplished by three main approaches: i) increasing nanosystems’ killing capability towards particular cells by enhancing both recognition and specificity; ii) increasing the apoptotic effect throughout co-delivery of several drugs; or iii) combining drug delivery with apoptosis induced by physical methods. Expert opinion: The development of multifunctional nanosystems able to exert the optimal therapeutic action through the minimal administration constitutes a major challenge in nanomedicine. Recent developments in advanced MSN-based platforms for drug delivery represent promising avenues in the management of MDR associated with cancer therapy. All strategies discussed in this manuscript demonstrate improvements against difficult-to-treat tumors.

The enormous versatility of mesoporous silica nanoparticles permits the creation of a large number of nanotherapeutic systems for the treatment of cancer and many other pathologies. In addition to the controlled release of small drugs, these materials allow a broad number of molecules of a very different nature and sizes. In this review, we focus on biogenic species with therapeutic abilities (proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and glycans), as well as how nanotechnology, in particular silica-based materials, can help in establishing new and more efficient routes for their administration. Indeed, since the applicability of those combinations of mesoporous silica with bio(macro)molecules goes beyond cancer treatment, we address a classification based on the type of therapeutic action. Likewise, as illustrative content, we highlight the most typical issues and problems found in the preparation of those hybrid nanotherapeutic materials.

The control of many biological roles exerted by nucleic acids turned them into a powerful tool for the development of advanced biotechnological materials when in combination with mesoporous silica nanoparticles.

The rise and development of nanotechnology has enabled the creation of a wide number of systems with new and advantageous features to treat cancer. However, in many cases, the lone application of these new nanotherapeutics has proven not to be enough to achieve acceptable therapeutic efficacies. Hence, to avoid these limitations, the scientific community has embarked on the development of single formulations capable of combining functionalities. Among all possible components, silica—either solid or mesoporous—has become of importance as connecting and coating material for these new-generation therapeutic nanodevices. In the present review, the most recent examples of fully inorganic silica-based functional composites are visited, paying particular attention to those with potential biomedical applicability. Additionally, some highlights will be given with respect to their possible biosafety issues based on their chemical composition.

The synthesis of Mobil Composition of Matter 41 (MCM-41) mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) of controlled sizes and porous structure has been performed at laboratory and pilot plant scales. Firstly, the effects of the main operating conditions (TEOS –Tetraethyl ortosilicate– addition rate, nanoparticle maturation time, temperature, and CTAB –Cetrimonium bromide– concentration) on the synthesis at laboratory scale (1 L round-bottom flask) were studied via a Taguchi experimental design. Subsequently, a profound one-by-one study of operating conditions was permitted to upscale the process without significant particle enlargement and pore deformation. To achieve this, the temperature was set to 60 °C and the CTAB to TEOS molar ratio to 8. The final runs were performed at pilot plant scale (5 L cylindrical reactor with temperature and stirring speed control) to analyze stirring speed, type of impeller, TEOS addition rate, and nanoparticle maturation time effects, confirming results at laboratory scale. Despite slight variations on the morphology of the nanoparticles, this methodology provided MSNs with adequate sizes and porosities for biomedical applications, regardless of the reactor/scale. The process was shown to be robust and reproducible using mild synthesis conditions (2 mL⋅min⁻¹ TEOS addition rate, 400 rpm stirred by a Rushton turbine, 60 min maturation time, 60 °C, 2 g⋅L⁻¹ CTAB, molar ratio TEOS/CTAB = 8), providing ca. 13 g of prismatic short mesoporous 100–200 nm nanorods with non-connected 3 nm parallel mesopores.