Engineered elongated inorganic nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Elongated inorganic nanoparticles−titanate nanotubes (TiONts), MnO2 nanofibers, and gold nanorods (AuNRs)−offer unique advantages for theranostics, combining anisotropic morphology with tunable surface chemistry. This study integrates their synthesis, functionalization, and biomedical behavior, focusing on applications in targeted chemotherapy, radiosensitization, redox modulation, photothermal immunotherapy, and biosensing. TiONts, loaded with docetaxel (DTX), serve as multifunctional nanocarriers, mitigating systemic taxane toxicity while enhancing radiotherapy (RT) selectivity. Intraprostatic administration of TiONts-DTX nanohybrids, combined with RT, exploits their morphology and radiosensitizing properties, yielding significant tumor growth inhibition in murine models compared to free DTX-RT. MnO2 nanofibers and nanosheets, synthesized via ultrasonication, and thanks to further PEGylation, modulate the tumor microenvironment by improving oxygenation and inducing oxidative stress through ROS generation. For immunotherapy, AuNRs are functionalized with heterobifunctional PEG and targeted to tumor necrosis factor death receptors, combined with hyperthermia. Coupling strategies (EDC/NHS, click chemistry…) are systematically compared for biomolecule conjugation and immunotherapeutic efficacy. Finally, we present an LSPR-based sensing platform using AuNRs encapsulated in graphene oxide, enabling rapid, sensitive, and environmentally friendly detection of lipopolysaccharides−a critical health hazard at specific concentrations. Across these systems, we show how rational control over shape and surface chemistry leads to safer by design nanoplatforms capable of addressing unmet needs in precision medicine.