Nanomaterials in Animal Husbandry: Research and Prospects

Abstract

Anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-cancer treatments are potential applications of nanomaterials in biology. To explore the latest discoveries in nanotechnology, we reviewed the published literature, focusing on co-assembled nanoparticles for anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, and their applications in animal husbandry. The results show that nanoparticles have significant anti-inflammation and anti-tumor effects, demonstrating broad application prospects in animal breeding. Furthermore, pooled evidence suggests that the mechanism is to have a positive impact on inflammation and tumors through the specific drug loading by indirectly or directly targeting the disease sites. Because the precise regulatory mechanism remains unclear, most studies have focused on regulating particular sites or even specific genes in the nucleus by targeting functional co-assembled nanoparticles. Hence, despite the intriguing scenarios for nanotechnology in farmed animals, most results cannot yet be translated into field applications. Overall, nanomaterials outperformed similar materials in terms of anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor. Nanotechnology also has promising applications in animal husbandry and veterinary care, and its application and development in animal husbandry remain an exciting area of research.

Keywords: animal medicine; anti-inflammatory; antitumor; nanomaterial; nanoparticles.

FIGURE 1

Nanoparticle classification.

FIGURE 2

NPs passively target the local environment of tissues. To enhance uptake and accumulation in tumor tissues and inflammatory regions, passive targeting depends on cell-specific functions or local conditions particular to the target tissue. Blood vessels abound in tumor tissues, which have large vascular wall gaps and poor structural integrity. Due to the EPR effect, nanomedicines with a diameter of 10–100 nm can be concentrated in tumor tissues. On the contrary, because the microvascular endothelial space in healthy tissue is dense and structurally intact, macromolecules and lipid particles are difficult to penetrate the blood vessel wall, resulting in a decrease in nanomedicine distribution in normal tissues and passive targeting of nanomedicine to tumor tissue.

FIGURE 3

dCas9-MSN/DOX/DNA drugs target cancer cell nucleus and release. DOX, the primary anticancer agent, is encapsulated in MSNs to produce the telomerase-responsive biogate (MSNs/DOX/DNA). In the presence of telomerase, which is extremely active in tumor cells but inert in normal healthy cells, the time of wrapping DNA can be prolonged.

FIGURE 4

Internalization of NPs. Endocytosis, the major channel for passing the cellular membrane, allows NPs to enter the cell. Larger particles can be taken up by phagocytosis. The cell membrane engulfs the NPs, trapping them in the cellular vesicle. The vesicles are then uncoated and sent to intracellular components with specific functions. Early endosomes join vesicles together and shuttle particles to various locations. After that, the early endosome grows into the late endosome, which fuses with lysosomes.

FIGURE 5

SEM images of NPs (Wang et al., 2020b). (A) SEM images of BTA, GA, BTA and PTX self-assemblies NPs. Self-assembly morphologies of GA, BTA, Bet and PTX are nanofibers with particle diameters greater than 600 nm. (B) Effect of BTA and PTX interaction at different ratios on the morphology of NPs. As the increase of PTX, the hybrid NPs gradually changes from nanofibers to nanospheres. When the mass ratio of PTX is greater than 35%, the spherical morphology gradually decreases and gradually transforms into nanofibers. Abbreviations: Bet: botulin; GA: glycyrrhetinic acid; BTA: Betulonic acid; PTX: paclitaxel; BTA-PTX: Co-assembled NPs formed by the interaction of BTA and PTX (different mass percentages).