Polymeric nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery system for cancer therapy

Electrosprayed Ultra-Thin Coating of Ethyl Cellulose on Drug Nanoparticles for Improved Sustained Release

In nanopharmaceutics, polymeric coating is a popular strategy for modifying the drug release kinetics and, thus, new methods for implementing the nanocoating processes are highly desired. In the present study, a modified coaxial electrospraying process was developed to formulate an ultra-thin layer of ethyl cellulose (EC) on a medicated composite core consisting of tamoxifen citrate (TAM) and EC. A traditional single-fluid blending electrospraying and its monolithic EC-TAM nanoparticles (NPs) were exploited to compare. The modified coaxial processes were demonstrated to be more continuous and robust. The created NPs with EC coating had a higher quality than the monolithic ones in terms of the shape, surface smoothness, and the uniform size distribution, as verified by the SEM and TEM results. XRD patterns suggested that TAM presented in all the NPs in an amorphous state thanks to the fine compatibility between EC and TAM, as indicated by the attenuated total reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectra. In vitro dissolution tests demonstrated that the NPs with EC coating required a time period of 7.58 h, 12.79 h, and 28.74 h for an accumulative release of 30%, 50%, and 90% of the loaded drug, respectively. The protocols reported here open a new way for developing novel medicated nanoparticles with functional coating.

Cancer Therapy; Prospects for Application of Nanoparticles for Magnetic-Based Hyperthermia

Hyperthermic therapy is defined as increasing the temperature of tumor tissues to 40-43 °C that has been effective approach for destroying malignant cells in the field of cancer therapy. Recent line of research has applied different approaches along with hyperthermic treatment to obtain high efficiency and little side effects. Magnetic nanoparticle-based hyperthermia has demonstrated an improved functionality in targeting malignant cells and implement their therapeutic role by heating the tumor cells. Here in this review article, we clarify the diverse aspects of magnetic nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer.

An On-Demand pH-Sensitive Nanocluster for Cancer Treatment by Combining Photothermal Therapy and Chemotherapy

Combination therapy is considered to be a promising strategy for improving the therapeutic efficiency of cancer treatment. In this study, an on-demand pH-sensitive nanocluster (NC) system was prepared by the encapsulation of gold nanorods (AuNR) and doxorubicin (DOX) by a pH-sensitive polymer, poly(aspartic acid-graft-imidazole)-PEG, to enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. At pH 6.5, the NC systems formed aggregated structures and released higher drug amounts while sustaining a stable nano-assembly, structured with less systemic toxicity at pH 7.4. The NC could also increase antitumor efficacy as a result of improved accumulation and release of DOX from the NC system at pHex and pHen with locally applied near-infrared light. Therefore, an NC system would be a potent strategy for on-demand combination treatment to target tumors with less systemic toxicity and an improved therapeutic effect.

Preparation and characterization of lutein loaded folate conjugated polymeric nanoparticles

AIM

To prepare and characterise lutein-loaded polylactide-co-glycolide-polyethylene glycol-folate (PLGA-PEG-FOLATE) nanoparticles and evaluate enhanced uptake in SK-N-BE(2) cells.

METHODS

Nanoparticles were prepared using O/W emulsion solvent evaporation and characterised using DLS, SEM, DSC, FTIR and in-vitro release. Lutein-uptake in SK-N-BE(2) cells was determined using flow-cytometry, confocal-microscopy and HPLC. Control was lutein PLGA nanoparticles.

RESULTS

The size of lutein-loaded PLGA and PLGA-PEG-FOLATE nanoparticles were 189.6 ± 18.79 nm and 188.0 ± 4.06 nm, respectively. Lutein entrapment was ∼61%(w/w) and ∼73%(w/w) for PLGA and PLGA-PEG-FOLATE nanoparticles, respectively. DSC and FTIR confirmed encapsulation of lutein into nanoparticles. Cellular uptake studies showed ∼1.6 and ∼2-fold enhanced uptake of lutein from PLGA-PEG-FOLATE nanoparticles compared to PLGA nanoparticles and lutein, respectively. Cumulative release of lutein was higher in PLGA nanoparticles (100% (w/w) within 24 h) compared to PLGA-PEG-FOLATE nanoparticles (∼80% (w/w) in 48 h).

CONCLUSION

Lutein-loaded PLGA-PEG-FOLATE nanoparticles could be a potential treatment for hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.

Development and characterization of chitosan nanoparticles containing an indanonic tricyclic spiroisoxazoline derivative using ion-gelation method: an in vitro study

Biodegradable nanoparticulate carriers are potentially applicable compounds in the administration of therapeutic agents and drug delivery. They have received much attention due to their biological characteristics such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bioadhesive. The objectives of this work are first, investigating the impact of two important parameters (i.e. chitosan or sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) solution concentration and chitosan to TPP mass ratio) on the chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) formation by ionic-gelation method and then, the synthesis and characterization of chitosan-based, biodegradable drug-loaded nanoparticles in the encapsulation of novel 4'-(4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl)-3'-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-4'H-spiro[indene-2,5'-isoxazol]-1(3H)-one (MTS) indanonic tricyclic spiroisoxazoline, which is a potent anticancer drug. The particle size, shape, zeta potential, drug loading capacity, in vitro release characteristics, and stability of the formulated drug-loaded nanoparticles of the different drug:carrier ratio has been studied. The results indicated that the particle size increased at the higher chitosan or TPP concentration while the mass ratio did not appear to be a significant parameter during the cross-linking process. The particle diameter and zeta potential of CNPs including MTS were approximately in the range of 256-350 nm and 24.08-38.70 mV, respectively. The entrapment efficiency steadily increased with increasing the concentration of the polymer in formulizations. Throughout 24 h, the in vitro release behavior was provided a sustained release from all the drug-loaded formulizations. The optimal formulization of CNPs based on drug content with a drug:carrier ratio of 1:2 did not change appreciably during 60-day storage at either 4 °C or the ambient temperature.

Phthalyl starch nanoparticles as prebiotics enhanced nisin production in Lactococcus lactis through the induction of mild stress in probiotics

AIM OF THE STUDY

Effect of internalized phthalyl starch nanoparticles (PSNs) on the antimicrobial ability of Lactococcus lactis (LL) KCTC 2013.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Phthalyl starch nanoparticles were prepared by self-assembly of phthalyl starch and the amount of the hydrophobic phthalic moieties were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance: PSN1 (DS: 14·3 mol.%), PSN2 (DS: 17·8 mol.%) and PSN3 (DS: 30·4 mol.%). The sizes of PSN1, PSN2 and PSN3 measured by dynamic light scattering were 364·7, 248·4 and 213·4 nm, respectively, and the surface charges of PSNs measured by electrophoretic light scattering were negative charges and PSNs were spherical in shape according to scanning electron microscope. It was found that when PSNs were treated with LL, the PSNs were internalized into LL through nanoparticle size-, energy- and glucose transporter-dependent mechanisms. The internalization was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Nisin was isolated and identified by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Also, more nisin was produced from PSNs-treated LL than untreated- or starch-treated LL. Co-culture assay and agar diffusion test were performed to test the antimicrobial ability. Antimicrobial ability against Gram-negative Escherichia coli k88, Salmonella gallinarum and Gram-positive Listeria monocytogenes of LL treated with PSNs was higher than that of untreated or starch-treated group. Finally, it was found that the expression level of stress response genes dnaK, dnaJ and groES was significantly higher in PSNs-treated groups compared with starch-treated group or LL alone.

CONCLUSION

The internalization of PSNs into LL enhanced the production of nisin through mild intracellular stimulation, resulting in enhanced antimicrobial ability.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study shows the promising potential of PSNs as new prebiotics for increasing the production of nisin, thus demonstrating a new method for the biological production of such antimicrobial peptides.

Nanoparticle Therapy Is a Promising Approach in the Management and Prevention of Many Diseases: Does It Help in Curing Alzheimer Disease?

Treatment of brain diseases is always limited by the physiological nature of the highly selective blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the electrostatic charge of the nanoporous extracellular matrix. Nanomedical application provides a promising drug delivery revolution for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). It depends on improving the pharmacokinetic distribution of drugs through the central nervous system. Nanotechnology offers various forms of nanoparticles, and these nanoparticles have brain-targeted and long-acting properties with minimal systemic adverse effects and motor complications. Gene delivery vehicles and nanocarriers including neurotrophic factors are promising therapeutics for many NDDs, and they can modulate neuronal survival and synaptic connectivity. Neurotrophic factors when integrated with the nanotechnological approaches can pass the BBB merely, representing a significant challenging track. Clinical trials proved that levodopa nanoparticles cause little motor complications which is a considerable drawback in treating Parkinson’s disease with levodopa. Recently, nanotechnology had patented new formulations and achieved various advanced procedures for management, and even prevention, of NDDs. Nanotechnology can be integrated into neuroscience to fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Primary research studies in using nanoparticles to cure Alzheimer disease (AD) are promising but are still in need for more investigations. The present paper aims to review, outline, and summarize various efforts done in the field of using nanoparticles in the management of Alzheimer.

Near-infrared photoresponsive drug delivery nanosystems for cancer photo-chemotherapy

Drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on nanomaterials have shown a promise for cancer chemotherapy; however, it remains a great challenge to localize on-demand release of anticancer drugs in tumor tissues to improve therapeutic effects and minimize the side effects. In this regard, photoresponsive DDSs that employ light as an external stimulus can offer a precise spatiotemporal control of drug release at desired sites of interest. Most photoresponsive DDSs are only responsive to ultraviolet-visible light that shows phototoxicity and/or shallow tissue penetration depth, and thereby their applications are greatly restricted. To address these issues, near-infrared (NIR) photoresponsive DDSs have been developed. In this review, the development of NIR photoresponsive DDSs in last several years for cancer photo-chemotherapy are summarized. They can achieve on-demand release of drugs into tumors of living animals through photothermal, photodynamic, and photoconversion mechanisms, affording obviously amplified therapeutic effects in synergy with phototherapy. Finally, the existing challenges and further perspectives on the development of NIR photoresponsive DDSs and their clinical translation are discussed.

Poly‐3‐hydroxybutyrate‐based constructs with novel characteristics for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications—A review

Herein, we reviewed polymeric constructs of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) at large and poly‐3‐hydroxybutyrate (P3HB), in particular, for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Polymeric constructs that can efficiently respond to numerous variations in their surroundings have gained notable attention from different industrial sectors such as biomedical, clinical, pharmaceutical, and cosmeceutical. Among them, considerable importance is given to their drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. PHAs with peculiar reference to P3HB are gaining prominence attention as candidate materials with such requisite potentialities. The unique structural and functional characteristics of PHAs and P3HB are of supreme interest and being used to engineer novel constructs for efficient drug delivery and tissue regeneration purposes. So far, an array of methodological approaches, such as in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo techniques have been exploited though using different materials with different geometries for a said purpose. However, a low‐level production majorly limits their proper exploitation. Various physiochemical characteristics and production strategies have been introduced in this review. The data have been summarized on PHAs production by several microorganisms aiming to cover the scope of the last 10 years. The present review highlights the recent applications of PHAs and P3HB‐based constructs, such as micro/nanoparticles, biocomposite, nanofibers, and hydrogels as novel drug carries for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In summary, drug delivery and tissue engineering potentialities of PHAs and P3HB‐based constructs are discussed with suitable examples and envisioned directions of future developments.

Chitosan based pH-responsive polymeric prodrug vector for enhanced tumor targeted co-delivery of doxorubicin and siRNA

The co-delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and siRNA has gained increasing attentions owing to the enhanced antitumor efficacy over single administration. In this work, a chitosan-based pH-responsive prodrug vector was developed for the co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and Bcl-2 siRNA. The accumulation of fabricated nanoparticles in hepatoma cells was enhanced by glycyrrhetinic acid receptor-mediated endocytosis. The cumulative release amount of the encapsulated DOX and siRNA reached 90.2 % and 81.3 % in 10 h, respectively. More strikingly, this nanoplatform can efficiently integrate gene- and chemo-therapies with a dramatically enhanced tumor inhibitory rate (88.0 %) in vivo. This co-delivery system may provide the latest strategy to meet the needs of combination therapies for tumors, offering safe and efficient improvements to the synergistic antitumor efficacy of gene-chemotherapies.

Dimeric prodrug-based nanomedicines for cancer therapy

With the rapid development of conjugation chemistry and biomedical nanotechnology, prodrug-based nanosystems (PNS) have emerged as promising drug delivery nanoplatforms. Dimeric prodrug, as an emerging branch of prodrug, has been widely investigated by covalently conjugating two same or different drug molecules. In recent years, great progress has been made in dimeric prodrug-based nanosystems (DPNS) for cancer therapy. Many advantages offered by DPNS have significantly facilitated the delivery efficiency of anticancer drugs, such as high drug loading capacity, favorable pharmacokinetics, tumor stimuli-sensitive drug release and facile combination theranostics. Given the rapid developments in this field, we here outline the latest updates of DPNS in cancer treatment, focusing on dimeric prodrug-encapsulated nanosystems, dimeric prodrug-nanoassemblies and tumor stimuli-responsive DPNS. Moreover, the design principle, advantages and challenges of DPNS for clinical cancer therapy are also highlighted.

Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Doxycycline Polymeric Nanoparticles: Effect on Tumor Apoptosis in Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma

Objectives: The aim of this study was to prepare doxycycline polymeric nanoparticles (DOXY-PNPs) with hope to enhance its chemotherapeutic potential against solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC). Methods: Three DOXY-PNPs were formulated by nanoprecipitation method using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) as a polymer. The prepared DOXY-PNPs were evaluated for the encapsulation efficiency (EE%), the drug loading capacity, particle size, zeta potential (ZP) and the in-vitro release for selection of the best formulation. PNP number 3 was selected for further biological testing based on the best pharmaceutical characters. PNP3 (5 and 10 mg/kg) was evaluated for the antitumor potential against SEC grown in female mice by measuring the tumor mass as well as the expression and immunohistochemical staining for the apoptosis markers; caspase 3 and BAX. Results: The biological study documented the greatest reduction in tumor mass in mice treated with PNP3. Importantly, treatment with 5 mg/kg of DOXY-PNPs produced a similar chemotherapeutic effect to that produced by 10 mg/kg of free DOXY. Further, a significant elevation in mRNA expression and immunostaining for caspase 3 and BAX was detected in mice group treated with DOXY-PNPs. Conclusions: The DOXY-PNPs showed greater antitumor potential against SEC grown in mice and greater values for Spearman’s correlation coefficients were detected when correlation with tumor mass or apoptosis markers was examined; this is in comparison to free DOXY. Hence, DOXY-PNPs should be tested in other tumor types to further determine the utility of the current technique in preparing chemotherapeutic agents and enhancing their properties.

Fast processes of nanoparticle blood clearance: Comprehensive study

Blood circulation is the key parameter that determines the in vivo efficiency of nanoagents. Despite clinical success of the stealth liposomal agents with their inert and shielded surfaces, a great number of non-stealth nanomaterials is being developed due to their potential of enhanced functionality. By harnessing surface phenomena, such agents can offer advanced control over drug release through intricately designed nanopores, catalysis-propelled motion, computer-like analysis of several disease markers for precise target identification, etc. However, investigation of pharmacokinetic behavior of these agents becomes a great challenge due to ultra-short circulation (usually around several minutes) and impossibility to use the invasive blood-sampling techniques. Accordingly, the data on circulation of such agents has been scarce and irregular. Here, we demonstrate high-throughput capabilities of the developed magnetic particle quantification technique for nanoparticle circulation measurements and present a comprehensive investigation of factors that affect blood circulation of the non-stealth nanoparticles. Namely, we studied the following 9 factors: particle size, zeta-potential, coating, injection dose, repetitive administration, induction of anesthesia, mice strain, absence/presence of tumors, tumor size. Our fundamental findings demonstrate potential ways to extend the half-life of the agents in blood thereby giving them a better chance of achieving their goal in the organism. The study will be valuable for design of the next generation nanomaterials with advanced biomedical functionality.

All-Trans Retinoic Acid Grafted Poly Beta-Amino Ester Nanoparticles: A Novel Anti-angiogenic Drug Delivery System

Purpose: Developing chemotherapy with nanoplatforms offers a promising strategy for effective cancer treatment. In the present study, we propose a novel all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) grafted poly beta-amino ester (PBAE) copolymer for preparing nanoparticles (NPs). Methods: ATRA grafted PBAE (ATRA-g-PBAE) copolymer was synthesized by grafting ATRA to PBAE; it was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and thermogravimetric analysis. ATRA-g-PBAE NPs were prepared by the solvent displacement method. Design-Expert software was employed to optimize size of NPs. The morphology was evaluated by transmission electron microscope, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy was applied for drug release. Cytotoxicity was evaluated toward HUVEC cell line, and the 3D collagencytodex model was used to evaluate anti-angiogenic property of PBAE, ATRA, and NPs. Results: The optimum size of the NPs was 139.4 ± 1.41 nm. After 21 days, 66.09% ± 1.39 and 42.14% ± 1.07 of ATRA were released from NPs at pH 5.8 and 7.4, respectively. Cell culture studies demonstrated antiangiogenic effects of ATRA-g-PBAE NPs. Anti-angiogenesis IC50 was 0.007 mg/mL for NPs (equal to 0.002 mg/mL of ATRA) and 0.005 mg/mL for free ATRA. Conclusion: This study proposes the ATRA-g-PBAE NPs with inherent anti-angiogenic effects as promising carrier for anticancer drugs with purpose of dual drug delivery.

Formulation, Characterization and Biological Activity Screening of Sodium Alginate-Gum Arabic Nanoparticles Loaded with Curcumin

The approach of drug delivery systems emphasizes the use of nanoparticles as a vehicle, offering the optional property of delivering drugs as a single dose rather than in multiple doses. The current study aims to improve antioxidant and drug release properties of curcumin loaded gum Arabic-sodium alginate nanoparticles (Cur/ALG-GANPs). The Cur/ALG-GANPs were prepared using the ionotropic gelation technique and further subjected to physico-chemical characterization using attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), size distribution, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The size of Cur/ALG-GANPs ranged between 10 ± 0.3 nm and 190 ± 0.1 nm and the zeta potential was –15 ± 0.2 mV. The antioxidant study of Cur/ALG-GANPs exhibited effective radical scavenging capacity for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) at concentrations that ranged between 30 and 500µg/mL. Cytotoxicity was performed using MTT assay to measure their potential in inhibiting the cell growth and the result demonstrated a significant anticancer activity of Cur/ALG-GANPs against human liver cancer cells (HepG2) than in colon cancer (HT29), lung cancer (A549) and breast cancer (MCF7) cells. Thus, this study indicates that Cur/ALG-GANPs have promising anticancer properties that might aid in future cancer therapy.

Polymer nanoparticle-assisted chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease characterized by highly dense stroma fibrosis. Only 15-20% of patients with pancreatic cancer have resectable tumors, and only around 20% of them survive to 5 years. Traditional cancer treatments have little effect on their prognosis, and successful surgical resection combined with effective perioperative therapy is the main method for maximizing long-term survival. For this reason, chemotherapy is an adjunct treatment for resectable cancer and is the main therapy for incurable pancreatic cancer, including metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. However, there are various side effects of chemotherapeutic medicine and low drug penetration because the complex tumor microenvironment limits the application of chemotherapy. As a novel strategy, polymer nanoparticles make it possible to target the tumor microenvironment, release cytotoxic agents through various responsive reactions, and thus overcome the treatment barrier. As drug carriers, polymer nanoparticles show marked advantages, such as increased drug delivery and efficiency, controlled drug release, decreased side effects, prolonged half-life, and evasion of immunogenic blockade. In this review, we discuss the factors that cause chemotherapy obstacles in pancreatic cancer, and introduce the application of polymer nanoparticles to treat pancreatic cancer.

Modified gaphene oxide (GO) particles in peptide hydrogels: a hybrid system enabling scheduled delivery of synergistic combinations of chemotherapeutics

The scheduled delivery of synergistic drug combinations is increasingly recognized as highly effective against advanced solid tumors. Of particular interest are composite systems that release a sequence of drugs with defined kinetics and molar ratios to enhance therapeutic effect, while minimizing the dose to patients. In this work, we developed a homogeneous composite comprising modified graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles embedded in a Max8 peptide hydrogel, which provides controlled kinetics and molar ratios of release of doxorubicin (DOX) and gemcitabine (GEM). First, modified GO nanoparticles (tGO) were designed to afford high DOX loading and sustained release (18.9% over 72 h and 31.4% over 4 weeks). Molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to model the mechanism of DOX loading as a function of surface modification. In parallel, a Max8 hydrogel was developed to release GEM with faster kinetics and achieve a 10-fold molar ratio to DOX. The selected DOX/tGO nanoparticles were suspended in a GEM/Max8 hydrogel matrix, and the resulting composite was tested against a triple negative breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231. Notably, the composite formulation afforded a combination index of 0.093 ± 0.001, indicating a much stronger synergism compared to the DOX-GEM combination co-administered in solution (CI = 0.396 ± 0.034).

Naturally derived DNA nanogels as pH- and glutathione-triggered anticancer drug carriers

Conventional chemotherapeutic drugs are nonselective and harmful toward normal tissues, causing severe side effects. Therefore, the development of chemotherapeutics that can target cancer cells and improve therapeutic efficacy is of high priority. Biomolecules isolated from nature serve as green solutions for biomedical use, solving biocompatibility and cytotoxicity issues in human bodies. Herein, we use kiwifruit-derived DNA to encapsulate doxorubicin (DOX) using crosslinkers, eventually forming DNA-DOX nanogels (NGs). Drug releasing assays, cell viability and anticancer effects were analyzed to evaluate the DNA NGs' applications. The amount of DOX released by the DOX-loaded DNA (DNA-DOX) NGs at acidic pH was higher than that of neutral pH, and high glutathione (GSH) concentration also triggered more DOX to release in cancer cells, demonstrating pH- and GSH-triggered drug release characteristics of the DNA NGs. The IC₅₀ of DNA-DOX NGs in cancer cells was lower than that of free DOX. Moreover, DOX uptake of cancer cells and apoptotic death were enhanced by the DNA-DOX NGs compared to free DOX. The results suggest that the DNA NGs cross-linked via nitrogen bases of the nucleotides in DNA and presenting pH- and GSH-dependent drug releasing behavior can be alternative biocompatible drug delivery systems for anticancer strategies and other biomedical applications.

Lignin-graft-PLGA drug-delivery system improves efficacy of MEK1/2 inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer cell line

Aim: Few targeted therapies are available for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Here, we propose a novel alkaline-lignin-conjugated-poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) (L-PLGA) nanoparticle drug delivery system to improve the efficacy of targeted therapies. Materials & methods: L-PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with the MEK1/2 inhibitor GDC-0623 were characterized, tested in vitro on MDA-MB-231 TNBC cell line and compared with loaded PLGA NPs. Results: Loaded L-PLGA NPs were less than half the size of PLGA NPs, had slower drug release and improved the efficacy of GDC-0623 when tested in vitro. We demonstrated that GDC-0623 reversed epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in TNBC. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that L-PLGA NPs are superior to PLGA NPs in delivering GDC-0623 to cancer cells for improved efficacy in vitro.

pH-sensitive small molecule nanodrug self-assembled from amphiphilic vitamin B6-E analogue conjugate for targeted synergistic cancer therapy

To promote the targeted cancer therapy, the pH-sensitive small molecule nanodrug self-assembled from amphiphilic vitamin B6-E analogue conjugate was successfully constructed. Herein, water-soluble vitamin B6 with pKa (5.6) was chemically conjugated to lipid-soluble vitamin E succinate (α-TOS), which showed selective cancer cell killing ability and this amphiphilic small molecule vitamin conjugate could self-assemble to be free nanoparticles (NPs) and doxorubicin-loaded NPs (α-TOS-B6-NPs-DOX). The small molecule nanodrugs could perform the following characteristic: (i) stability in the sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) solution and long-term storage stability in PBS via surface negative charge; (ii) tumor accumulation by enhanced penetration and retention (EPR) effect; (iii) improved cellular internalization by means of vitamin B6 transporting membrane carrier (VTC); and (iv) facilitating endosomal escape and rapid drug release for synergistic toxicity to tumor cells via charge reversal and ester hydrolysis at intracellular pH and/or esterase. Moreover, α-TOS-B6-NPs-DOX exhibited long blood circulation stability and significant tumor accumulation and inhibition with the decreased side effects in vivo. Thus, the pH-sensitive small molecule nanodrug self-assembled from amphiphilic vitamin B6-E analogue conjugate could be the potential drug carriers in targeted synergistic cancer therapy.

Sorafenib Loaded Inhalable Polymeric Nanocarriers against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE

This exploration is aimed at developing sorafenib (SF)-loaded cationically-modified polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) as inhalable carriers for improving the therapeutic efficacy of SF against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

The NPs were prepared using a solvent evaporation technique while incorporating cationic agents. The optimized NPs were characterized by various physicochemical parameters and evaluated for their aerosolization properties. Several in-vitro evaluation studies were performed to determine the efficacy of our delivery carriers against NSCLC cells.

RESULTS

Optimized nanoparticles exhibited an entrapment efficiency of ~40%, <200 nm particle size and a narrow poly-dispersity index. Cationically-modified nanoparticles exhibited enhanced cellular internalization and cytotoxicity (~5-fold IC₅₀ reduction vs SF) in various lung cancer cell types. The inhalable nanoparticles displayed efficient aerodynamic properties (MMAD ~ 4 μM and FPF >80%). In-vitro evaluation also resulted in a superior ability to inhibit cancer metastasis. 3D-tumor simulation studies further established the anti-cancer efficacy of NPs as compared to just SF.

CONCLUSION

The localized delivery of SF-loaded nanoparticles resulted in improved anti-tumor activity as compared to SF alone. Therefore, this strategy displays great potential as a novel treatment approach against certain lung cancers.

Nanocarrier-Based Therapeutics and Theranostics Drug Delivery Systems for Next Generation of Liver Cancer Nanodrug Modalities

The development of therapeutics and theranostic nanodrug delivery systems have posed a challenging task for the current researchers due to the requirement of having various nanocarriers and active agents for better therapy, imaging, and controlled release of drugs efficiently in one platform. The conventional liver cancer chemotherapy has many negative effects such as multiple drug resistance (MDR), high clearance rate, severe side effects, unwanted drug distribution to the specific site of liver cancer and low concentration of drug that finally reaches liver cancer cells. Therefore, it is necessary to develop novel strategies and novel nanocarriers that will carry the drug molecules specific to the affected cancerous hepatocytes in an adequate amount and duration within the therapeutic window. Therapeutics and theranostic systems have advantages over conventional chemotherapy due to the high efficacy of drug loading or drug encapsulation efficiency, high cellular uptake, high drug release, and minimum side effects. These nanocarriers possess high drug accumulation in the tumor area while minimizing toxic effects on healthy tissues. This review focuses on the current research on nanocarrier-based therapeutics and theranostic drug delivery systems excluding the negative consequences of nanotechnology in the field of drug delivery systems. However, clinical developments of theranostics nanocarriers for liver cancer are considered outside of the scope of this article. This review discusses only the recent developments of nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems for liver cancer therapy and diagnosis. The negative consequences of individual nanocarrier in the drug delivery system will also not be covered in this review.

Anti-tumor effect of PEG-coated PLGA nanoparticles of febuxostat on A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells

In the present study, febuxostat (FBX)-loaded PEG-coated PLGA nanoparticles (FBX-PLGA-PEG) were developed and its anticancer activity on lung cancer cells was evaluated. FBX-PLGA-PEG were prepared by nanoprecipitation technique and characterized for particle size, size distribution, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release study. The optimized formulations were used to evaluate cell viability, apoptosis, cell cycle, and caspase activity in A549 lung cancer cells. The optimized formulation showed spherical particle with average particle size of 180 ± 4.72 nm, particle-size distribution 0.223 ± 0.003, entrapment efficiency (70 ± 2.56%), and drug release (99.1 ± 2.33%) at 12 h. MTT cytotoxicity assay showed better cytotoxic potential of FBX-NPs than FBX solution against NSCLC A549 cells. The lower IC50 of FBX-NP (52.62 ± 2.52 µg/mL) compared to FBX (68.0 ± 4.12 µg/mL) are suggestive of a potential cytotoxic effect of nano-formulation compared to the drug itself. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed significantly higher percentage of total apoptotic cells in FBX-NPs (10.38 ± 1.57%) as compared to FBX solution (2.76 ± 0.17%) showed strong proapoptotic potential of FBX nano-formulation. The increased caspase activity and percent of cells at G2/M phase of cell cycle increased for FBX nanoparticles were more effective than FBX solution in increasing caspase activity and percent of cells at G2/M phase of cell cycle. Our studies with FBX nanoparticles exhibited promising outcome which could be used as a strategies to combat lung cancer.

Polymeric nanocarriers as stimuli-responsive systems for targeted tumor (cancer) therapy: Recent advances in drug delivery

In the last decade, considerable attention has been devoted to the use of biodegradable polymeric materials as potential drug delivery carriers. However, bioavailability and drug release at the disease site remain uncontrollable even with the use of polymeric nanocarriers. To address this issue, successful methodologies have been developed to synthesize polymeric nanocarriers incorporated with regions exhibiting a response to stimuli such as redox potential, temperature, pH, and light. The resultant stimuli-responsive polymeric nanocarriers have shown tremendous promise in drug delivery applications, owing to their ability to enhance the bioavailability of drugs at the disease site. In such systems, drug release is controlled in response to specific stimuli, either exogenous or endogenous. This review reports recent advances in the design of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery in cancer therapy. In particular, the synthetic methodologies investigated to date to introduce different types of stimuli-responsive elements within the biomaterials are described. The sufficient understanding of these stimuli-responsive nanocarriers will allow the development of a better drug delivery system that will allow us to solve the challenges encountered in targeted cancer therapy.

Self-assembly of Organic Nanomaterials and Biomaterials: The Bottom-Up Approach for Functional Nanostructures Formation and Advanced Applications

In this paper, we survey recent advances in the self-assembly processes of novel functional platforms for nanomaterials and biomaterials applications. We provide an organized overview, by analyzing the main factors that influence the formation of organic nanostructured systems, while putting into evidence the main challenges, limitations and emerging approaches in the various fields of nanotechology and biotechnology. We outline how the building blocks properties, the mutual and cooperative interactions, as well as the initial spatial configuration (and environment conditions) play a fundamental role in the construction of efficient nanostructured materials with desired functional properties. The insertion of functional endgroups (such as polymers, peptides or DNA) within the nanostructured units has enormously increased the complexity of morphologies and functions that can be designed in the fabrication of bio-inspired materials capable of mimicking biological activity. However, unwanted or uncontrollable effects originating from unexpected thermodynamic perturbations or complex cooperative interactions interfere at the molecular level with the designed assembly process. Correction and harmonization of unwanted processes is one of the major challenges of the next decades and requires a deeper knowledge and understanding of the key factors that drive the formation of nanomaterials. Self-assembly of nanomaterials still remains a central topic of current research located at the interface between material science and engineering, biotechnology and nanomedicine, and it will continue to stimulate the renewed interest of biologist, physicists and materials engineers by combining the principles of molecular self-assembly with the concept of supramolecular chemistry.

Cyclodextrin Based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Theranostics

Colloidal nanoparticulate technology has been described in the literature as a versatile drug delivery system. But it possesses some inherent lacunae in their formulation. Cyclodextrins (CDs) have been extensively reported for the solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs. The CDs can cause intervention in aspects related to nanoparticles (NPs) that include improving drug loading in nano-system, improving stability, site-specific/targeted drug delivery, improving solubility profile and absorption of the drug in nanosystem with consequent improvement in bioavailability, with the possibility of controlled release, safety and efficacy. They find application in for simultaneous diagnosis and therapeutics for better treatment procedures. The current communication is focused on the application of CDs to overcome troubles in nanoparticulate formulation and enhancement of their performance. It also envisages the theranostic aspects of CDs.

Enhanced anti-tumor and anti-metastasis therapy for triple negative breast cancer by CD44 receptor-targeted hybrid self-delivery micelles

Tumor growth and metastasis are multistep processes regulated by multiple signaling pathways. The successful treatment of cancer largely depends on the ability to inhibit metastatic process. Multiphase inhibition of metastasis is a promising approach. Here, we described a targeting delivery system which was constructed by mixing hyaluronic acid-d-α-tocopheryl succinate (HA-TOS, HT) and low molecular weight heparin-TOS (LMWH-TOS, LT) to form a stable hybrid micelle (HT-LT), encapsulating chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). The prepared HT-LT NPs was about 125 nm in diameter with high drug encapsulation rate and continuous drug release behavior. We confirmed that HT-LT NPs exhibited an effective targeting ability both in vitro and in vivo using a 4T1 model that was attributed to HA binding to CD44 receptors. In addition, HT-LT NPs acted on different phases of the invasion-metastasis cascade and inhibited tumor cell migration and invasion, thus inhibiting tumor metastasis. This combinatorial strategy provided an alternative approach for triple negative breast cancer therapy.

PLGA nanoparticle preparations by emulsification and nanoprecipitation techniques: effects of formulation parameters

This study presents the influence of the primary formulation parameters on the formation of poly-dl-lactic-co-glycolic nanoparticles by the emulsification-solvent evaporation, and the nanoprecipitation techniques. In the emulsification-solvent evaporation technique, the polymer and tensoactive concentrations, the organic solvent fraction, and the sonication amplitude effects were analyzed. Similarly, in the nanoprecipitation technique the polymer and tensoactive concentrations, the organic solvent fraction and the injection speed were varied. Additionally, the agitation speed during solvent evaporation, the centrifugation speeds and the use of cryoprotectants in the freeze-drying process were analyzed. Nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering, laser Doppler electrophoresis, and scanning electron microscopy, and the results were evaluated by statistical analysis. Nanoparticle physicochemical characteristics can be adjusted by varying the formulation parameters to obtain specific sizes and stable nanoparticles. Also, by adjusting these parameters, the nanoparticle preparation processes have the potential to be tuned to yield nanoparticles with specific characteristics while maintaining reproducible results.