Zinc oxide nanoparticles for therapeutic purposes in cancer medicine (original) (raw)
* Corresponding authors
a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Centre of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, Laboratory for Molecular Tumor Biology, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
E-mail: nwiesman@uni-mainz.de
b Department of Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Abstract
The importance of zinc as a trace metal in the human body has long been overlooked. We now gradually discover that the impact of zinc on the health of our body might be as far-reaching as that of iron. Concurrently, nanomaterials containing zinc, in particular zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), are becoming increasingly attractive as innovative agents for medical applications. Zinc oxide is characterized by a good biocompatibility which allows the exploitation of its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anti-cancer qualities in a therapeutic setting. This perspective outlines the current state of knowledge concerning the interaction of zinc oxide nanoparticles with eukaryotic cells and the human body. Furthermore, it sheds light on the importance of zinc under physiological conditions. This helps to place the in vivo behavior of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the proper context. We evaluate the potential of zinc oxide nanoparticles as innovative anti-tumor agents by summarizing important results of current studies in this field and discuss the proposed mechanisms that give zinc oxide nanoparticles a selective toxicity for tumor cells.
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Article information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/D0TB00739K
Article type
Review Article
Submitted
18 Mar 2020
Accepted
08 May 2020
First published
19 May 2020
Download Citation
J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020,8, 4973-4989
Permissions
Zinc oxide nanoparticles for therapeutic purposes in cancer medicine
N. Wiesmann, W. Tremel and J. Brieger,J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, 8, 4973DOI: 10.1039/D0TB00739K
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