Tuning the Intrinsic Nanotoxicity in Advanced Therapeutics

The biological functions and toxic effects of nanomaterials are generally entangled. Various properties of nanomaterials that are beneficial for biomedical applications are also potentially toxic. Diverse nanosystems have been designed by systematically altering physicochemical properties to reverse the toxic effects of nanomaterials. In fact, the toxicity of nanomaterials can be regulated in advanced therapeutics via designed nanoscale engineering, which may open up a new direction of treatment with enhanced specificity and simplicity. In this progress report, the authors first discuss how the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials affect their toxic potential. The strategies for manipulating key factors underlying the toxicity at the nanolevel are then discussed. Finally, recent studies on transforming the inherent toxicity of nanomaterials into advanced therapeutic tools are highlighted.