Nanoparticles Functionalized with Supramolecular Host–Guest Systems for Nanomedicine and Healthcare

Abstract

Synthetic macrocyclic host compounds can interact with suitable guest molecules via noncovalent interactions to form functional supramolecular systems. With the synergistic integration of the response of molecules and the unique properties at the nanoscale, nanoparticles functionalized with the host–guest supramolecular systems have shown great potentials for a broad range of applications in the fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this review article, we focus on the applications of the nanoparticles functionalized with supramolecular host–guest systems in nanomedicine and healthcare, including therapeutic delivery, imaging, sensing and removal of harmful substances. A large number of examples are included to elucidate the working mechanisms, advantages, limitations and future developments of the nanoparticle–supramolecule systems in these applications.

Keywords::

• healthcare
• nanomedicine
• nanoparticles
• pollutant removals
• sensing
• supramolecular host–guest system
• therapeutic delivery

Financial & competing interests disclosure

YB Zheng acknowledges the financial support of the startup grant from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and the Beckman Young Investigator Program. YW Yang thanks the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21272093 and 51473061) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (no. JCKY-QKJC05). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

YB Zheng acknowledges the financial support of the startup grant from the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and the Beckman Young Investigator Program. YW Yang thanks the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21272093 and 51473061) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (no. JCKY-QKJC05). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.