A review on core-shell structured unimolecular nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

PubMed ID: 30009887

Author(s): Chen G, Wang Y, Xie R, Gong S. A review on core-shell structured unimolecular nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2018 May;130:58-72. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.07.008. Epub 2018 Jul 20. Review. PMID 30009887

Journal: Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, Volume 130, May 2018

Polymeric unimolecular nanoparticles (NPs) exhibiting a core-shell structure and formed by a single multi-arm molecule containing only covalent bonds have attracted increasing attention for numerous biomedical applications. This unique single-molecular architecture provides the unimolecular NP with superior stability both in vitro and in vivo, a high drug loading capacity, as well as versatile surface chemistry, thereby making it a desirable nanoplatform for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In this review, we surveyed the architecture of various types of polymeric unimolecular NPs, including water-dispersible unimolecular micelles and water-soluble unimolecular NPs used for the delivery of hydrophobic and hydrophilic agents, respectively, as well as their diverse biomedical applications. Future opportunities and challenges of unimolecular NPs were also briefly discussed.