Modification and Potential Applications of Organic–Inorganic Non-Siliceous Hybrid Materials - Mesoporous Organic-Inorganic Non-Siliceous Hybrid Materials - page 105

Fig. 5.22 Schematic representation of covalent attachment of BODIPY-Br and ESCP, further
coating with silica and final release as imaging contrast agent and anticancer drug. Reprinted
with permission from Ref. [ 113 ]. Copyright 2009, American Chemical Society
Numerous studies have indicated that nanoparticle-based therapeutics and
diagnostic agents show enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects, due to their
unique physicochemical properties [ 114 , 115 ]. The vast majority of nanocarriers
can be classified into two categories: either purely inorganic (e.g., quantum dots)
or purely organic (e.g., liposomes). Noticeably, nanosized metal phosphonate
hybrids have the potential to combine attractive characteristics of both inorganic
and organic nanocarriers including robust particle morphologies, compositional
and structural diversity, biocompatibility, and bioactivity, to provide a unique plat-
form for delivering agents, therapeutics, and biosensing [ 116 ]. Surface modifi-
cation of iron oxide nanoparticles by phosphonates has a wealth of applications
including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, and hyperthermia for
cancer treatment [ 117 - 119 ]. Lartigue et al. [ 119 ] reported the modification of iron
oxide nanoparticles with carbohydrates derivatized by phosphonate groups. The
magnetic, hyperthermal, and relaxometric properties of the phosphonated nano-
particles made them promising candidates for MRI imaging and hyperthermia. On