Lipid nanovesicles for biomedical applications: `What is in a name'?

Author(s)

Apolinario, Alexsandra Conceicao ^[1] ; Hauschke, Leon ^{[1, 2]} ; Nunes, Jessica Ribeiro ^[1] ; Lopes, Luciana Biagini ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Pharmacol, Inst Biomed Sci, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Munster, Inst Mol Microbiol & Biotechnol, Munster - Germany

• Document type: Review article
• Source: PROGRESS IN LIPID RESEARCH; v. 82, APR 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

Vesicles, generally defined as self-assembled structures formed by single or multiple concentric bilayers that surround an aqueous core, have been widely used for biomedical applications. They can either occur naturally (e. g. exosomes) or be produced artificially and range from the micrometric scale to the nanoscale. One the most well-known vesicle is the liposome, largely employed as a drug delivery nanocarrier. Liposomes have been modified along the years to improve physicochemical and biological features, resulting in long-circulating, ligand-targeted and stimuli-responsive liposomes, among others. In this process, new nomenclatures were reported in an extensive literature. In many instances, the new names suggest the emergence of a new nanocarrier, which have caused confusion as to whether the vesicles are indeed new entities or could simply be considered modified liposomes. Herein, we discussed the extensive nomenclature of vesicles based on the suffix ``some{''} that are employed for drug delivery and composed of various types and proportions of lipids and others amphiphilic compounds. New names have most often been selected based on changes of vesicle lipid composition, but the payload, structural complexity (e.g. multicompartment) and new/improved proprieties (e.g. elasticity) have also inspired new vesicle names. Based on this discussion, we suggested a rational classification for vesicles. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/14375-0 - Nanotechnology-based topical delivery systems for breast cancer chemoprevention
• Grantee: Alexsandra Conceição Apolinário
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 14/50928-2 - INCT 2014: Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology: a transdisciplinary approach
• Grantee: Maria Vitória Lopes Badra Bentley
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/13877-1 - Nanocarriers for localized treatment and chemoprevention of breast tumors
• Grantee: Luciana Biagini Lopes
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2