Table 1.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticle‐Based Theranostic Nanomedicine with Various Therapeutic Strategies for Atherosclerosis.

Therapeutic strategy	Drug/method	Name of agent	Binding ligand	Target marker	Therapeutic effect	Imaging modality	Ref
Chemical therapy	Rapamycin	RAP@Fe3O4‐PDA‐CD‐PEG‐PEI‐Profilin‐1‐Cy5.5 nanoparticles	Anti‐profilin‐1	Profilin‐1, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs)	Anti‐inflammatory and stabilized plaque	Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/Near‐infrared fluorescent (NIRF)	[38]
	Rapamycin	Rap/Fe3O4@VHP‐Lipo	VHPKQHR (VHP) peptide	Vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1)	Reduce plaque and lower blood	MRI/Fluorescence bimodal imaging	[68]
	Fumagillin	αvβ3‐targeted SPIONs	Peptidomimetic vitronectin antagonist	αvβ3‐integrin, VSMCs	Inhibit angiogenesis	MRI	[39b]
	Fumagillin; Atorvastatin	αvβ3‐targeted SPIONs	Peptidomimetic αvβ3‐integrin antagonist	αvβ3‐integrin, VSMCs	Inhibit angiogenesis; Lower blood lipid	MR molecular imaging	[39a]
	Dexamethasone (DEXA)	SPION‐DEXA	/	/	Anti‐inflammatory	MRI	[73]
	α‐tocopherol prostacyclin	IONP‐loaded Solid lipid nanoparticles	/	Platelet	Inhibit platelet aggregation	MRI	[62]
	α‐tocopherol	P3‐functionalized NE‐SPIO‐PEG	Fully Human scFv‐Fc Antibody(P3)	Galectin 3, Macrophage	Antioxidation	MRI	[74]
	Protocatechuic acid	MNP‐DEX/PCA	Dextran	Dectin‐1, Macrophage	Anti‐inflammatory	MRI	[54a]
	Curcumin	SDP‐VCAM‐1/Cur/Cy5.5	VCAM‐1 targeted peptide	VCAM‐1	Scavenger ROS, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant	MRI/Fluorescence imaging	[75]
	Paclitaxel	USPIO + paclitaxel‐loaded polymer‐lipid hybrid theranostic nanoparticles conjugated with C11 (UP‐NP‐C11)	Polypeptide C11	Collagen IV	Inhibit plaque progression and promote plaque stability	MRI	[45c]
	CeO2 NPs	Iron oxide–cerium oxide core‐shell nanoparticles	/	/	Scavenger ROS, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant	MRI	[76]
Chemical therapy	CeO2 NPs	CeO2·Fe3O4@LDH	/	/	Scavenger ROS, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant	MRI	[63]
	Trisodium citrate‐coated cerium oxide	Chitosan Nanococktails containing both Ceria and SIONPs	/	/	Scavenger ROS, anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant	MRI	[77]
Physical stimulation therapy	Photodynamic therapy, chlorin‐based photosensitizer	CLIO‐TPC	Dextran	Dectin‐1, Macrophage	Ablation of macrophages	MRI/NIRF	[78]
	Photodynamic therapy, chlorin‐based photosensitizer	CLIO‐THPC	Dextran	Dectin‐1, Macrophage	Ablation of macrophages	MRI/NIRF	[79]
	Photothermal therapy	Au‐coated IONP nanoclusters	Dextran	Dectin‐1, Macrophage	Ablation of macrophages	MRI/NIRF	[64]
	Photothermal therapy	Ferrite‐encapsulated nanoparticles (PFH@PLGA/MnFe2O4‐Ram)	Ramucirumab (Ram)	Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) on endothelial cells	Inhibit angiogenesis and promote plaque stability	MRI/Photoacoustic (PA)/Ultrasound (US)	[80]
	Magnetic hyperthermia	SPIONs	/	/	Plaque Abrasion	MRI	[81]
	Magnetic hyperthermia; Atorvastatin	pH‐responsive magnetic nanoplatforms (MMNS@AT‐CS‐DS)	Dextran sulfate (DS)	Class A scavenger receptors (SR‐A) on macrophage	Increase protective autophagy and regulate lipid metabolism	MRI	[82]
	Ultrasound therapy, perfluorohexane (PFH)	SR‐A‐targeted phase‐transition nanoparticles (Fe‐PFH‐PLGA/CS‐DS NP)	Dextran sulfate	SR‐A on macrophage	Macrophage apoptosis	MRI/US	[65]
	Ultrasound therapy, perfluorohexane	LIFU‐responsive nanomedicine (FPD@CD)	Dextran sulfate	SR‐A on macrophage	Macrophage apoptosis and stabilize and reduce plaque	MRI/NIRF	[83]
Physical stimulation therapy	Ultrasound therapy, perfluorohexane	Multifunctional pathology‐mapping theranostic nanoplatform (MPmTN)	PP1, cRGD peptide	SR‐A on macrophage, glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa on activated platelets	Macrophage apoptosis and destroy thrombus	MRI/US	[35]
	Sonodynamic therapy, hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME)	Ultrasound‐Responsive Ferrite‐Encapsulated Nanoparticles (PFP–HMME@PLGA/MnFe2O4–Ram)	Ramucirumab	VEGFR2 on endothelial cells	Inhibit angiogenesis and promote plaque stability	MRI/PA/US	[69]
Biologic therapy	High‐Density‐Lipoprotein (HDL)‐mimics	High‐Density Lipoprotein‐like Magnetic Nanostructures (HDL‐MNS)	Apolipoprotein A1	Macrophage	Reverse cholesterol transport	MRI	[84]
	HDL‐mimics	Dual‐targeted HDL‐mimicking nanoparticles	Mannose, triphenyl‐phosphonium	Macrophage, mitochondria	Lipid Removal	MRI	[61]
	Gene therapy	LV / MNPs	/	Native endothelium	Overexpression of therapeutic genes eNOS and VEGF, improve vascular function	MRI	[71]
	Gene therapy	PEI‐SPION/siRNA	/	Macrophage	Induce siRNA‐mediated target gene silencing	MRI	[85]
	Interleukin 10 (IL10)	IL 10/IONP‐loaded cRGD	cRGD peptide	αvβ3‐integrin	Anti‐inflammatory	MRI	[72]
	Cell transplantation	USPION‐labeled EPCs	/	/	Repair endothelial damage and prevent atherosclerosis	MRI	[86]
	Phosphatidylserine	Phosphatidylserine‐presenting liposomes	Phosphatidylserine	Macrophage	Anti‐inflammatory	MRI	[87]