Novel therapeutic regimens for urethane-induced early lung cancer in rats: Combined cisplatin nanoparticles with vitamin-D3

Myrtenol ameliorates inflammatory, oxidative, apoptotic, and hyperplasic effects of urethane-induced atypical adenomatous hyperplasia in the rat lung

Lung atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) is a forerunner of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The drugs being utilized in the remediation of this type of hyperplasia have some adverse impacts. The present research focused on the potential anti-hyperplasia effect of myrtenol, an herbal terpenoid, on urethane-induced lung AAH in rats. Rats were injected with urethane (1.5 g/kg) thrice at 48 h intervals, and 20 weeks later, the animals were treated with 50 mg/kg myrtenol intraperitoneally once a day for 1 week. The ELISA method was used to measure inflammatory cytokines and oxidative parameters in the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The expression of NFκB and apoptotic/antiapoptotic factors (P53/Bcl-2) was evaluated by western blot and immunohistochemistry, respectively. H&E staining was performed for histopathological investigation. Histopathology confirmed the anti-hyperplasia effect of myrtenol, which was evidenced by the reduction of bronchoalveolar wall thickness and inflammation score. It also decreased hyperplasia progression by reducing Bcl-2, IL-10, p53, and Ki67. Compared with the urethane group, myrtenol normalized the activity of the oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Moreover, it showed an anti-inflammatory effect by decreasing lung and BALF IL-1β levels and NFκB expression. Myrtenol may have a promising effect on lung cancer treatment by counteracting lung hyperplasia via modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Antiproliferative effect of indeno[1,2-d]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine analogues on IL-6 mediated STAT3 and role of the apoptotic pathway in albino Wistar rats of ethyl carbamate-induced lung carcinoma: In-silico, In-vitro, and In-vivo study

Lung cancer (LC) ranks second most prevalent cancer in females after breast cancer and second in males after prostate cancer. Based on the GLOBOCAN 2020 report, India represented 5.9% of LC cases and 8.1% of deaths caused by the disease. Several clinical studies have shown that LC occurs because of biological and morphological abnormalities and the involvement of altered level of antioxidants, cytokines, and apoptotic markers. In the present study, we explored the antiproliferative activity of indeno[1,2-d]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine analogues against LC using in-vitro, in-silico, and in-vivo models. In-vitro screening against A549 cells revealed compounds 9B (8-methoxy-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-5,6-dihydroindeno[1,2-d]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine) and 12B (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-5,6-dihydroindeno[1,2-d]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidine) as potential pyrimidine analogues against LC. Compounds 9B and 12B were docked with different molecular targets IL-6, Cyt-C, Caspase9, and Caspase3 using AutoDock Vina 4.1 to evaluate the binding affinity. Subsequently, in-vivo studies were conducted in albino Wistar rats through ethyl-carbamate (EC)- induced LC. 9B and 12B imparted significant effects on physiological (weight variation), and biochemical (anti-oxidant [TBAR's, SOD, ProC, and GSH), lipid (TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, and HDL)], and cytokine (IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-1β) markers in EC-induced LC in albino Wistar rats. Morphological examination (SEM and H&E) and western blotting (IL-6, STAT3, Cyt-C, BAX, Bcl-2, Caspase3, and caspase9) showed that compounds 9B and 12B had antiproliferative effects. Accordingly, from the in-vitro, in-silico, and in-vivo experimental findings, we concluded that 9B and 12B have significant antiproliferative potential and are potential candidates for further evaluation to meet the requirements of investigation of new drug application.

Relevance of Carcinogen-Induced Preclinical Cancer Models

Chemical agents can cause cancer in animals by damaging their DNA, mutating their genes, and modifying their epigenetic signatures. Carcinogen-induced preclinical cancer models are useful for understanding carcinogen-induced human cancers, as they can reproduce the diversity and complexity of tumor types, as well as the interactions with the host environment. However, these models also have some drawbacks that limit their applicability and validity. For instance, some chemicals may be more effective or toxic in animals than in humans, and the tumors may differ in their genetics and phenotypes. Some chemicals may also affect normal cells and tissues, such as by causing oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death, which may alter the tumor behavior and response to therapy. Furthermore, some chemicals may have variable effects depending on the exposure conditions, such as dose, route, and duration, as well as the animal characteristics, such as genetics and hormones. Therefore, these models should be carefully chosen, validated, and standardized, and the results should be cautiously interpreted and compared with other models. This review covers the main features of chemically induced cancer models, such as genetic and epigenetic changes, tumor environment, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, and immune response. We also address the pros and cons of these models and the current and future challenges for their improvement. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the state of the art of carcinogen-induced cancer models and provides new perspectives for cancer research.

The applications of functional materials-based nano-formulations in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic inflammation-related diseases

Chronic inflammation, in general, refers to systemic immune abnormalities most often caused by the environment or lifestyle, which is the basis for various skin diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, liver diseases, digestive diseases, cancer, and so on. Therapeutic strategies have focused on immunosuppression and anti-inflammation, but conventional approaches have been poor in enhancing the substantive therapeutic effect of drugs. Nanomaterials continue to attract attention for their high flexibility, durability and simplicity of preparation, as well as high profitability. Nanotechnology is used in various areas of clinical medicine, such as medical diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. However, some related problems cannot be ignored, including various cytotoxic and worsening inflammation caused by the nanomaterials themselves. This paper provides an overview of functional nanomaterial formulations for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic inflammation-related diseases, with the intention of providing some reference for the enhancement and optimization of existing therapeutic approaches.

RGD-decorated PLGA nanoparticles improved effectiveness and safety of cisplatin for lung cancer therapy

Upon extensive pharmaceutical and biomedical research to treat lung cancer indicates that lung cancer remains one of the deadliest diseases and the leading cause of death in men and women worldwide. Lung cancer remains untreated and has a high mortality rate due to the limited potential for effective treatment with existing therapies. This highlights the urgent need to develop an effective, precise and sustainable solutions to treat lung cancer. In this study, we developed RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles for the controlled and targeted co-delivery of cisplatin (CDDP) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) in lung cancer therapy. Pluronic F127-RGD conjugate was synthesized by carbodiimide chemistry method and the conjugation was confirmed by FTIR and ¹HNMR spectroscopy techniques. PLGA nanoparticles were developed by the double emulsification method, then the surface of the prepared nanoparticles was decorated with Pluronic F127-RGD conjugate. The prepared formulations were characterized for their particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, surface morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release and haemolysis studies. Pharmacokinetic studies and safety parameters in BAL fluid were assessed in rats. Histopathology of rat lung tissue was performed. The obtained results of particle sizes of the nanoparticle formulations were found 100-200 nm, indicating the homogeneity of dispersed colloidal nanoparticles formulations. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed the spherical shape of the prepared nanoparticles. The drug encapsulation efficiency of PLGA nanoparticles was found to range from 60% to 80% with different nanoparticles counterparts. RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles showed controlled drug release for up to 72 h. Further, RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles achieved higher cytotoxicity in compared to CFT, CFT, and Ciszest-50 (marketed CDDP injection). The pharmacokinetic study revealed that RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles were 4.6-fold more effective than Ciszest-50. Furthermore, RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles exhibited negligible damage to lung tissue, low systemic toxicity, and high biocompatible and safety in lung tissue. The results of RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles indicated that it is a promising anticancer system that could further exploited as a potent therapeutic approach for lung cancer.