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Table 2 Advantages and limitations of MNPs for nucleic acid delivery

From: Recent advances of metal-based nanoparticles in nucleic acid delivery for therapeutic applications

Types

Advantages

Limitations

References

Gold

â–ª Ability to regulate their size

â–ª Complementary biocompatibility

â–ª Shape and surface functionalization on the nano and molecular level

â–ª Safety

â–ª Difficulty of control the size and morphology

[117, 128]

Silver

â–ª Antibacterial

â–ª Genotoxicity

â–ª Non-specific biological toxicity

[66, 128,129,130]

Iron oxide

â–ª Biodegradability

â–ª Nonreproducibility of the synthesis

â–ª Agglomeration of the colloidal suspension

[131, 135, 144]

Magnetic

â–ª Possibility for selective target site treatment

â–ª Simple monitoring

â–ª Assistant drug or gene release

â–ª Toxicity

â–ª Agglomeration (pH 7)

â–ª Difficulty of control the size and morphology

[136,137,138,139]

Silica

â–ª Capable of conjugating with almost

â–ª all types of functional groups

â–ª Biocompatibility

â–ª Hemolysis

â–ª Toxicity

â–ª Difficulty of synthesis

[133,134,135,136,137]

Zinc oxide

â–ª Anticancer activity

â–ª Cytotoxicity

[155,156,157,158,159]

Copper oxide

â–ª Surface and superior quantum size effect

â–ª Volume effect and macroscopic quantum tunneling have effects in magnetic and chemical activity

â–ª Optical absorption

â–ª Thermal resistance

â–ª Catalysis and the melting point

â–ª Chemical methods synthesize suffer from the adsorption of toxic chemicals

[160,161,162,163,164,165]

Titanium

â–ª Cellular uptake profile and stimuli-responsive

â–ª Cytotoxicity

[166, 167]

Selenium

â–ª Antioxidant in human health

â–ª Superior biocompatibility

â–ª Degradability in vivo

â–ª Toxicity

â–ª Biocompatibility

[168,169,170,171]

Palladium

â–ª High porosity

â–ª Photocatalytic activity

â–ª Thermal and chemical stability

â–ª Toxicity

[172,173,174,175]

Platinum

â–ª Anticancer activity

â–ª Cytotoxicity

â–ª Low biocompatibility

[149, 176,177,178]