The application of nanoparticles in cardiovascular research is rapidly transforming strategies for addressing heart and vascular diseases. By leveraging the unique physicochemical properties of nanoscale materials, researchers can now achieve precise tissue targeting, controlled therapeutic delivery, and improved treatment efficacy, which were previously unattainable with conventional approaches.
Cardiovascular disease pathology is often confined to specific cell types or localized tissue regions, such as macrophages within atherosclerotic plaques or endothelial cells in ischemic myocardium. Traditional pharmacological interventions often lack the specificity required to accumulate therapeutically effective concentrations at these focal sites.
Nanoparticles exploit the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to preferentially accumulate in areas of vascular dysfunction or tissue injury. This size-dependent targeting enables nanoscale carriers to achieve more than a twofold increase in local drug concentration within diseased cardiac regions compared to free drugs.
In addition, nanoparticles address challenges related to short systemic half-lives of cardiovascular drugs. For example, antiplatelet agents like aspirin require frequent administration to maintain effective plasma levels. Encapsulation within nanoscale carriers allows for sustained release, extending the duration of therapeutic activity from hours to several days or even weeks, thereby improving patient compliance and therapeutic consistency.
Organic nanomaterials are prominently employed in cardiovascular applications due to their biocompatibility and functional versatility. Polydopamine nanoparticles, for instance, offer excellent biocompatibility and surface modification potential, allowing drug loading via π-π stacking and conjugation of targeting ligands through Michael addition reactions.
Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is another widely used biodegradable polymer, offering tunable degradation rates based on molecular weight and hydrolysis conditions, making it suitable for chronic cardiovascular therapy requiring long-term drug release.
Among inorganic materials, gold nanoparticles attract attention for their adjustable size and optical properties. Gold particles in the 20–50 nm range strike an optimal balance between circulatory stability and tissue penetration, enhancing delivery efficiency.
Lipid-based nanosystems mimic natural biological membranes, offering an additional layer of functional sophistication. Red blood cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles combine synthetic cores with natural membranes, evading immune clearance while retaining the capacity for physiological interactions, a critical feature for cardiovascular targeting.
Nanoparticles enhance the therapeutic index of cardiovascular agents by increasing drug accumulation at the diseased site while reducing systemic exposure. Studies show targeted nanoparticle formulations achieve a 2.19-fold increase in cardiac tissue accumulation and a 5.94-fold increase in cellular uptake compared to free drugs.
This targeting significantly reduces off-target effects. Polydopamine nanoparticles loaded with sodium ferrite effectively reduce myocardial infarct size while demonstrating favorable safety profiles with minimal observed toxicity.
Stimuli-responsive release mechanisms further refine therapeutic specificity. For instance, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanoparticles release payloads selectively in ischemia-reperfusion injury environments, enabling spatiotemporal control and precise therapeutic intervention.
Fig.1 Nanoparticle applications in cardiovascular therapy and imaging1,2.
Achieving precise delivery to cardiovascular tissues is critical for enhancing therapeutic outcomes. Nanotechnology offers multiple innovative strategies to overcome anatomical and physiological barriers.
The vascular endothelium represents the first barrier for cardiovascular drug delivery and serves as a primary site of disease initiation. Endothelial-targeting nanoparticles primarily employ ligand-receptor interactions to achieve specificity.
RGD peptide-functionalized nanoparticles, for example, recognize integrins on endothelial surfaces, facilitating selective accumulation in myocardial infarction regions. In experimental models, these formulations enhance endothelial proliferation by 1.45-fold and increase angiogenesis by 1.46-fold, resulting in significant reductions in infarct size.
Antibody-mediated strategies offer another targeting modality. Red blood cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles functionalized with CD144 antibodies selectively bind vascular endothelial cadherin receptors, promoting targeted endothelial adhesion.
Nanoparticle size also governs vascular permeability. Polysaccharide hydrogel nanoparticles approximately 315 nm in diameter effectively penetrate thrombi, interact with fibrin and neutrophil extracellular traps, and deliver fibrinolytic drugs directly to occluded regions.
Atherosclerotic plaques are enriched in macrophages, providing an ideal target for nanoparticle-mediated therapy. Hyaluronic acid-modified macrophage membrane hybrid nanoparticles (HMLRPP) demonstrate effective evasion of immune clearance and preferential accumulation within plaques.
This targeted delivery enables modulation of macrophage-mediated processes such as ferroptosis. By downregulating β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 and serum mucin-1 expression while enhancing ribosomal protein S27-like expression, HMLRPP nanoparticles reduce lipid deposition and inflammatory responses.
Biomimetic camouflage further enhances targeting efficiency. Red blood cell membrane-coated nanoparticles not only extend circulation time but also interact selectively with diseased endothelium, ensuring preferential deposition in plaque regions.
Cardiovascular diseases are often chronic, necessitating long-term therapeutic interventions. Nanoparticle systems provide solutions through sustained release and stimuli-responsive designs.
PLGA cores, for instance, enable continuous delivery of 2-deoxy-D-ribose, activating the EGFR-MAPK signaling pathway to drive cytoskeletal remodeling and promote endothelial migration and proliferation. In rat abdominal aortic models, this system accelerates the formation of a confluent endothelial monolayer within 14 days.
Environmentally responsive systems release drugs in response to pathological microenvironment changes. ROS-responsive death receptor 5 fusion protein nanoparticles selectively deliver therapy to ischemia-reperfusion injury sites, mitigating excessive apoptosis and inflammation.
Nanoparticle-based controlled release also addresses low drug solubility. Human serum albumin nanoparticles encapsulating tannic acid improve aqueous solubility and prevent conversion to urolithin derivatives post-oral administration, exhibiting robust anti-atherosclerotic effects in apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse models.
BOC Sciences offers versatile nanoparticles engineered for targeted drug delivery and therapeutic applications. Our customized solutions enhance treatment efficacy and precision.
Inflammation and oxidative stress are two of the most critical biological processes driving cardiovascular pathogenesis. Nanotechnology offers new tools to modulate these mechanisms with precision, enabling localized intervention and controlled therapeutic responses. Through rational material design and functionalization, nanoparticles can deliver anti-inflammatory or antioxidant agents directly to the disease microenvironment, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic exposure.
Polymer- and lipid-based nanocarriers have emerged as highly adaptable delivery vehicles for anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Their tunable composition and surface chemistry enable selective targeting of inflamed endothelium or immune-active regions.
Functionalized lipid nanoparticles, for example, can be engineered using peptide-mediated targeting. Liposomes labeled with the short peptide IELLQARC, inserted via post-insertion modification, selectively recognize E-selectin overexpressed on activated endothelial cells. This receptor-specific interaction facilitates accumulation at inflammatory sites, resulting in significantly higher local concentrations compared with non-targeted formulations.
Such targeting efficiency has been validated in multiple inflammation models. In a rat femoral artery injury model, fluorescence imaging revealed preferential localization of functionalized liposomes at the damaged vascular region. Similarly, in zebrafish inflammation models, the accumulation of targeted nanocarriers was markedly enhanced (P < 0.001), confirming their superior selectivity.
Biomimetic nanocarriers represent a further step toward intelligent drug delivery. Platelet membrane-coated liposomes, for instance, exhibit prolonged circulation and enhanced affinity toward damaged vascular tissues. By inheriting natural surface proteins, these systems interact effectively with inflammatory microenvironments and demonstrate improved uptake by activated immune cells. Such designs provide a robust foundation for next-generation precision anti-inflammatory therapies.
Metal oxide nanoparticles function as artificial enzymes ("nanozymes") that catalytically eliminate excessive ROS, a key contributor to oxidative injury in cardiovascular disorders. By mimicking the activity of natural antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), these nanoparticles restore redox balance in oxidative microenvironments.
Manganese-doped hollow cerium oxide (Mn–CeO2) nanospheres exemplify this concept. Their optimized crystal structure enhances oxygen vacancy concentration and facilitates rapid electron transfer, resulting in superior SOD- and CAT-like activity as well as efficient hydroxyl radical scavenging. Composition and structural engineering, such as controlled Mn incorporation, further improve ROS elimination capacity, demonstrating how nanoscale design can tune catalytic efficiency.
This principle has broader implications across oxidative-stress-related cardiovascular conditions, suggesting that rationally engineered nanozymes could act as long-lasting and biocompatible antioxidant platforms, complementing or replacing conventional small-molecule antioxidants.
Nanomedicine enables multi-target interventions that address the complex pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, where oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid metabolism are tightly interlinked.
A representative system involves osteopontin (OPN)-modified lipid nanoparticles co-encapsulating L-arginine and cerium-zirconium oxide nanocrystals. This multifunctional platform simultaneously promotes nitric oxide (NO) generation and scavenges ROS, combining antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Upon release, Ce-Zr nanoparticles efficiently neutralize reactive oxygen species, suppress cholesterol uptake, and drive macrophage polarization from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype toward the reparative M2 phenotype.
Gasotransmitter-mediated modulation provides an additional layer of synergy. L-arginine metabolism through inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) increases NO levels in macrophages, which subsequently diffuse into endothelial cells. NO acts as a signaling molecule that reduces senescence-associated secretory phenotype factors, enhances lysosomal activity, alleviates DNA damage, and supports endothelial rejuvenation. These concerted effects highlight how nanotechnology can orchestrate multiple biological pathways to mitigate atherosclerotic progression.
The integration of diagnostics and therapy, termed "theranostics", represents a transformative direction in cardiovascular nanomedicine. Nanoparticles can be engineered to serve dual roles: enhancing imaging precision and simultaneously delivering therapeutic payloads.
Advances in multimodal imaging probes are expanding the boundaries of cardiovascular diagnostics. Gadolinium-functionalized MXene quantum dots (Gd–MQDs) have emerged as single-component nanoplatforms capable of magnetic resonance (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and optical imaging. With an average diameter of ~3.4 nm, these quantum dots exhibit high stability, tunable photoluminescence, and enhanced MRI contrast efficiency. Gadolinium functionalization not only mitigates intrinsic toxicity but also boosts fluorescence intensity by approximately 85% compared to unmodified MQDs.
Gold nanoparticles remain another cornerstone in cardiovascular imaging. Their size-dependent optical properties, particularly within the 20–50 nm range, achieve an optimal balance between hemodynamic stability and tissue penetration. Dual-modality GNP probes can precisely delineate vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques, offering early insight into plaque instability and disease progression.
Nanostructured materials dramatically enhance biosensor sensitivity by increasing the electrochemically active surface area and facilitating rapid charge transfer. A biosensor based on Pd@PdPtCo porous nanopolyhedra exemplifies this principle. The multi-metallic structure provides abundant catalytic sites and synergistic redox activity, enabling efficient electrooxidation of hydroquinone and ultra-sensitive detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI).
This nanosensor demonstrates a broad linear response range (1.0×10-4–200 ng·mL-1) and an exceptionally low detection limit of 0.031 pg·mL-1, surpassing the performance of previously reported systems. Its robust response in complex serum environments underscores the practical potential of nanointerface-based biosensing for real-time cardiovascular monitoring.
Integrated theranostic systems unify diagnostic imaging and localized therapy within a single nanoplatform. Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, such as those utilizing gold nanoparticles with tunable surface chemistry, can release therapeutic agents upon environmental triggers like pH or ROS gradients. This approach ensures localized drug activation, enhancing therapeutic efficiency while minimizing systemic toxicity.
By combining imaging capabilities with targeted drug release, these intelligent nanoplatforms enable real-time visualization of drug distribution and treatment response. Such feedback-driven precision opens the path toward fully personalized cardiovascular therapy, where diagnosis, monitoring, and intervention operate in a continuous, adaptive loop.
Nanotechnology is reshaping the landscape of cardiovascular therapeutics, offering precise, intelligent, and adaptive approaches to disease intervention. Through the convergence of materials science and biomedicine, nanoparticles have evolved from simple drug carriers into multifunctional systems capable of active targeting, controlled release, and real-time feedback.
Biodegradable nanomaterials have emerged as a pivotal solution to address long-term safety and sustainability challenges in nanoparticle-based therapies. These materials can be designed to degrade into non-toxic byproducts that are naturally metabolized and excreted, thereby minimizing bioaccumulation and potential systemic risks. Typical examples include PLGA, polycaprolactone (PCL), chitosan, and hyaluronic acid, each offering tunable degradation profiles suitable for controlled drug delivery in cardiovascular applications.
Safety evaluation remains a critical component in the development of biocompatible nanoparticles. Parameters such as cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, immune response, and metabolic fate of degradation products serve as essential indicators of biological performance. Surface engineering techniques, such as PEGylation or charge modulation, can further reduce nonspecific interactions with plasma proteins and blood cells, thereby enhancing circulation stability and minimizing potential adverse effects.
Recent advances in composite nanomaterials have expanded the design space for next-generation systems. Hybrid metal–polymer or ceramic–polymer nanostructures provide enhanced mechanical integrity and chemical stability while maintaining favorable biocompatibility. These developments offer new pathways for designing biodegradable scaffolds, vascular delivery systems, and implantable nanoarchitectures tailored to dynamic cardiovascular environments.
Overall, the trend toward biodegradable and functionally adaptive nanomaterials reflects a broader shift from static formulations toward smart, responsive systems capable of harmonizing safety, efficacy, and sustainability.
The concept of personalized nanomedicine represents a transformative direction in cardiovascular research. By integrating molecular profiling, disease phenotype analysis, and material customization, researchers can design nanotherapeutics that align precisely with individual pathological features.
Targeted delivery lies at the core of this approach. Functional nanoparticles can be modified with ligands or antibodies that recognize specific vascular or inflammatory biomarkers, enabling precise drug localization at diseased sites. This strategy minimizes systemic exposure while enhancing therapeutic concentration at the point of action, offering a rational framework for individualized treatment design.
Multi-modal nanoplatforms further enhance the potential of personalized therapy. By co-encapsulating imaging probes, such as magnetic resonance, optical, or radionuclide agents, with therapeutic payloads, researchers can achieve real-time visualization of drug biodistribution and treatment response. This capability enables dynamic optimization of dosage and delivery parameters based on individual biological feedback.
Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) and other advanced delivery systems are also facilitating the transport of genetic and nucleic acid agents, opening new opportunities for targeting pathways previously inaccessible to conventional small molecules. The combination of high-throughput screening and machine-learning algorithms is accelerating formulation design, allowing predictive modeling of nanoparticle–tissue interactions and pharmacokinetic behaviors.
Together, these advances signal a future where cardiovascular nanomedicine will be increasingly adaptive, data-driven, and patient-specific, marking a paradigm shift toward precision-oriented therapeutic design.
With deep expertise in nanomaterial synthesis, formulation engineering, and advanced analytics, BOC Sciences supports cardiovascular nanomedicine innovation through comprehensive, end-to-end service platforms—from material design to product-scale validation. The company's capabilities bridge academic research and industrial application, empowering partners to translate conceptual nanotherapies into scalable, reproducible, and high-performance solutions.
BOC Sciences provides a wide spectrum of customizable nanocarrier systems designed to meet the unique requirements of cardiovascular therapeutics. Platforms include LNPs, polymeric nanoparticles, and hybrid composite systems, each engineered for optimized physicochemical and biological performance.
The company tailors key design parameters, such as particle size, surface charge, and composition, to achieve an optimal balance between stability, circulation time, and targeted release. For drugs ranging from small molecules to oligonucleotides or RNA constructs, BOC Sciences offers formulation customization to ensure efficient encapsulation and sustained release under physiologically relevant conditions.
Functionalization options include surface modification with ligands, peptides, or imaging markers to enable selective binding and in vivo tracking. This modular approach allows precise alignment of nanoparticle properties with specific cardiovascular research goals, from inflammation modulation to vascular remodeling studies.
Beyond formulation development, BOC Sciences also provides scale-up and manufacturing process optimization. Its integrated workflow supports the transition from small-scale research to pilot and pre-commercial production, ensuring consistency, reproducibility, and technical reliability throughout the development cycle.
Table 1. Nanoparticle Products for Cardiovascular Therapy at BOC Sciences.
| Product Name | Description | Inquiry |
| Gold Nanoparticles | Gold nanoparticles with size-dependent optical properties, widely used for multimodal imaging (MRI, CT, Optical) and surface-modified for targeted drug delivery to cardiovascular tissues. | Inquiry |
| PLGA Nanoparticles | Biodegradable and tunable polymeric nanoparticles with adjustable degradation rates, suitable for sustained drug release in chronic cardiovascular therapies. They offer excellent biocompatibility and stability. | Inquiry |
| Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) | Highly efficient delivery systems for nucleic acids, siRNA, and small molecule drugs, offering high transfection efficiency and low immunogenicity, ideal for targeted cardiovascular therapy. | Inquiry |
| Mn–CeO2 Nanospheres | Metal oxide nanoparticles functioning as "nanozymes" that mimic SOD and catalase activity, efficiently scavenging ROS in cardiovascular diseases. | Inquiry |
| Polydopamine Nanoparticles | Biocompatible nanoparticles with excellent surface modification potential, enabling drug loading via π-π stacking and conjugation with targeting ligands, ideal for targeted cardiovascular drug delivery. | Inquiry |
| Liposome Nanoparticles | Lipid bilayer nanoparticles with excellent biocompatibility, capable of efficiently delivering both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, making them suitable for cardiovascular drug delivery. | Inquiry |
| Nanomicelles | Nanoparticles formed by the self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers, ideal for delivering poorly soluble drugs in cardiovascular therapy, enhancing solubility and stability. | Inquiry |
| Polymeric Micelles | Nanoparticles formed by the self-assembly of polymeric materials, used for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs, improving drug accumulation in cardiovascular tissues and enhancing therapeutic effects. | Inquiry |
Comprehensive analytical and characterization capabilities form the foundation of BOC Sciences' quality assurance framework. The company offers a full suite of analytical services covering physical, chemical, and biological dimensions of nanoparticle assessment. Key characterization parameters include:
Particle size and distribution: determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to evaluate uniformity and morphological integrity.
Encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics: analyzed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry to quantify drug loading and controlled-release behavior.
Surface charge and stability: assessed to ensure predictable interactions with biological systems and sustained colloidal stability under physiological conditions.
Impurity profiling and purity testing: performed using GC-MS, LC-MS, and spectroscopy-based assays to identify and quantify residual solvents or degradation products.
In vitro functionality and compatibility evaluations: encompassing cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, and controlled-release studies to validate safety and performance in biological environments.
By integrating multi-dimensional data analysis and standardized documentation, BOC Sciences provides reliable, reproducible, and traceable technical support for cardiovascular nanomedicine projects. These capabilities help research teams accelerate formulation optimization, validate performance attributes, and strengthen data-driven decision-making during development.
Table 2. Nanoparticle Services for Cardiovascular Research and Therapy.
| Service Name | Service Description | Inquiry |
| Customized Nanocarrier Solutions for Targeted Therapy | Tailored nanoparticle systems (lipid, polymeric, hybrid) for optimized cardiovascular drug delivery, customizing size, surface charge, and composition for effective encapsulation and sustained release. | Inquiry |
| Formulation Development & Optimization | Comprehensive nanoparticle formulation services for cardiovascular applications, focusing on particle size, stability, encapsulation efficiency, and drug release kinetics. | Inquiry |
| Targeted Delivery System Design | Design of nanoparticle-based systems for targeted delivery to specific cardiovascular tissues, enhancing drug efficacy while reducing off-target effects. | Inquiry |
| In Vitro & In Vivo Evaluation | Testing of nanoparticle formulations through in vitro cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, and release studies, along with in vivo efficacy assessments in cardiovascular disease models. | Inquiry |
| Analytical & Characterization Support | Full suite of services to characterize nanoparticles, including particle size, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, release profiles, and stability testing. | Inquiry |
| Biocompatibility & Safety Testing | Safety evaluations of nanoparticles, including cytotoxicity, hemocompatibility, immune response, and biodegradation to ensure cardiovascular application safety. | Inquiry |
This article explores the application of nanoparticles in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapies, with a focus on their potential to modulate oxidative stress and inflammation in cardiovascular diseases. Through rational design, nanoparticles can precisely deliver therapeutic agents to disease sites, enhancing efficacy while minimizing systemic exposure. Polymer and lipid-based nanocarriers provide adjustable, targeted drug delivery systems for anti-inflammatory drugs, while metal oxide nanoparticles function as artificial enzymes to efficiently scavenge ROS and alleviate oxidative damage. Multi-target nanomedicine platforms demonstrate synergistic effects in atherosclerosis, highlighting the broad potential of nanotechnology in cardiovascular therapy.
BOC Sciences offers comprehensive nanotechnology services in cardiovascular applications, covering the full process from material design to large-scale production. The company provides customized nanocarrier solutions to ensure effective drug delivery, as well as support for drug efficacy validation and safety assessments. BOC Sciences is committed to advancing the application of nanomedicine in cardiovascular treatment, offering efficient and personalized therapeutic solutions.
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