CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Layered double hydroxide nanoparticles (LDH-NP) are increasingly studied as vehicles in drug and gene delivery systems for therapeutic and/or theranostic purposes. These nanoparticles are easily prepared and customized for these applications. They present negligible cytotoxicity and high levels of cellular internalization. Cargo molecules are incorporated by intercalation in the interlaminar space or by adsorption, usually with a high loading capacity. On the other hand, the cargo is released through three main mechanisms: anion exchange, desorption and dissolution. LDH-NP for the biomedicine field require a precise modification of their surface properties to preserve an adequate size and colloidal stability, as well as to increase the plasma circulation time and reach a particular cellular target. Particularly, preventing the aggregation of LDH-NP and inclusion of additional functionalities are two important reasons for their application as drug nanocarriers. In this sense, the adsorption of molecules, polyelectrolytes or proteins is a common strategy to stabilize LDH-NP dispersions and customize their surface properties. In order to optimize their application as nanocarriers for therapeutic and theranostic purposes, it is mandatory to understand the interaction between LDH-NP and biological environments. In contact with biological fluids, the nanocarriers are covered with biomolecules that form a protein corona, and change the properties of as-prepared vehicles. These novel physicochemical properties determine their circulation times in biological media and their interaction with the targeted cells.This chapter aims at covering all the main biophysicochemical aspects like particle size control, surface modification, release mechanisms, and interaction with the biological media essential to rationally design and develop drug and gene nanocarriers based on LDH-NP.