Reversing tumor stemness via orally targeted nanoparticles achieves efficient colon cancer treatment

Fabrication of hyaluronic acid-inulin coated Enterococcus faecium for colon-targeted delivery to fight Fusobacterium nucleatum

The abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is highly associated with the development and poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is regarded as a promising target for CRC. However, until now, the novel strategy to clear F. nucleatum in the colon and CRC has not been well proposed. Herein, a probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium, EF47) is verified to secrete various organic acids and bacteriocins to exert superior antimicrobial activity towards F. nucleatum. However, the oral delivery of EF47 is affected by the complex digestive tract environment, so we design the hyaluronic acid-inulin (HA-IN) coated EF47 for colon-targeted delivery to fight F. nucleatum. IN can protect EF47 from the harsh gastrointestinal tract environment and is degraded specifically in the colon, acting as prebiotics to further promote the proliferation of EF47. The exposed HA can also enhance the targeting effect to the tumor area via the interaction with the CD44 receptor on the tumor cells, which is confirmed to increase the adhesive ability in tumor tissues and inhibit the growth of F. nucleatum. Therefore, this colon-targeted delivery system provides a novel platform to realize high-activity and adhesive delivery of probiotics to assist the therapeutic efficiency of CRC.

Transient Mild Photothermia Improves Therapeutic Performance of Oral Nanomedicines with Enhanced Accumulation in the Colitis Mucosa

The treatment outcomes of oral medications against ulcerative colitis (UC) have long been restricted by low drug accumulation in the colitis mucosa and subsequent unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy. Here, high-performance pluronic F127 (P127)-modified gold shell (AuS)-polymeric core nanotherapeutics loading with curcumin (CUR) is constructed. Under near-infrared irradiation, the resultant P127-AuS@CURs generate transient mild photothermia (TMP; ≈42 °C, 10 min), which facilitates their penetration through colonic mucus and favors multiple cellular processes, including cell internalization, lysosomal escape, and controlled CUR release. This strategy relieves intracellular oxidative stress, improves wound healing, and reduces immune responses by polarizing the proinflammatory M1-type macrophages to the anti-inflammatory M2-type. Upon oral administration of hydrogel-encapsulating P127-AuS@CURs plus intestinal intralumen TMP, their therapeutic effects against acute and chronic UC are demonstrated to be superior to those of a widely used clinical drug, dexamethasone. The treatment of P127-AuS@CURs (+ TMP) elevates the proportions of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae), whose metabolites can also mitigate colitis symptoms by regulating genes associated with antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and wound healing. Overall, the intestinal intralumen TMP offers a promising approach to enhance the therapeutic outcomes of noninvasive medicines against UC.

Sorafenib and tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin assembled nanoparticles for synergistic targeted chemotherapy and sonodynamic therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a high degree of malignancy and mortality. Sorafenib (SOR), a multi-kinase inhibitor, is clinically used in the treatment of HCC. However, SOR suffers from serious side effects and drug resistance. The development of novel therapeutic strategies for HCC therapy is urgently needed. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has unique advantages in treating deep tumors due to the merits of deep tissue penetration, low side effects, and the absence of drug resistance. Here, we developed multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) termed SOR-TCPP@PEG-FA by assembling SOR, tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP), and folic acid (FA)-modified DSPE-PEG. The FA group enhances the tumor targeting capability of these NPs, while TCPP generates ROS under ultrasound (US) irradiation, which are toxic to tumor cells, and SOR with chemotherapeutic effects is released, thus realizing the synergistic SDT and chemotherapy of tumors.

Nanobiomaterials: exploring mechanistic roles in combating microbial infections and cancer

The initiation of the "nanotechnology era" within the past decade has been prominently marked by advancements in biomaterials. This intersection has opened up numerous possibilities for enhancing the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of various illnesses by leveraging the synergy between biomaterials and nanotechnology. The term "nano biomaterials" referring to biomaterials featuring constituent or surface feature sizes below 100 nm, presents a realm of extraordinary materials endowed with unique structures and properties. Beyond addressing common biomedical challenges, these nano biomaterials contribute unprecedented insights and principles that enrich our understanding of biology, medicine, and materials science. A critical evaluation of recent technological progress in employing biomaterials in medicine is essential, along with an exploration of potential future trends. Nanotechnology breakthroughs have yielded novel surfaces, materials, and configurations with notable applications in the biomedical domain. The integration of nanotechnology has already begun to enhance traditional biomedical practices across diverse fields such as tissue engineering, intelligent systems, the utilization of nanocomposites in implant design, controlled release systems, biosensors, and more. This mini review encapsulates insights into biomaterials, encompassing their types, synthesis methods, and the roles of organic and inorganic nanoparticles, elucidating their mechanisms of action. Furthermore, the focus is squarely placed on nano biomaterials and their versatile applications, with a particular emphasis on their roles in anticancer and antimicrobial interventions. This review underscores the dynamic landscape of nanotechnology, envisioning a future where nano biomaterials play a pivotal role in advancing medical applications, particularly in combating cancer and microbial infections.

Recent progress of targeted nanocarriers in diagnostic, therapeutic, and theranostic applications in colorectal cancer

Cancer at the lower end of the digestive tract, colorectal cancer (CRC), starts with asymptomatic polyps, which can be diagnosed as cancer at a later stage. It is the fourth leading cause of malignancy-associated mortality worldwide. Despite progress in conventional treatment strategies, the possibility to overcome the mortality and morbidity issues with the enhancement of the lifespan of CRC patients is limited. With the advent of nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems, a promising revolution has been made in diagnosis, treatment, and theranostic purposes for cancer management. Herein, we reviewed the progress of miniaturized nanocarriers, such as liposomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles, employed in passive and active targeting and their role in theranostic applications in CRC. With this novel scope, the diagnosis and treatment of CRC have proceeded to the forefront of innovation, where specific characteristics of the nanocarriers, such as processability, flexibility in developing precise architecture, improved circulation, site-specific delivery, and rapid response, facilitate the management of cancer patients. Furthermore, surface-engineered technologies for the nanocarriers could involve receptor-mediated deliveries towards the overexpressed receptors on the CRC microenvironment. Moreover, the potential of clinical translation of these targeted miniaturized formulations as well as the possible limitations and barriers that could impact this translation into clinical practice were highlighted. The advancement of these newest developments in clinical research and progress into the commercialization stage gives hope for a better tomorrow.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies a highly replicating Cd168+ skeletal stem/progenitor cell population in mouse long bones

Skeletal stem/progenitor cells (SSPCs) are tissue-specific stem/progenitor cells localized within skeletons and contribute to bone development, homeostasis, and regeneration. However, the heterogeneity of SSPC populations in mouse long bones and their respective regenerative capacity remain to be further clarified. In this study, we perform integrated analysis using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets of mouse hindlimb buds, postnatal long bones, and fractured long bones. Our analyses reveal the heterogeneity of osteochondrogenic lineage cells and recapitulate the developmental trajectories during mouse long bone growth. In addition, we identify a novel Cd168+ SSPC population with highly replicating capacity and osteochondrogenic potential in embryonic and postnatal long bones. Moreover, the Cd168+ SSPCs can contribute to newly formed skeletal tissues during fracture healing. Furthermore, the results of multicolor immunofluorescence show that Cd168+ SSPCs reside in the superficial zone of articular cartilage as well as in growth plates of postnatal mouse long bones. In summary, we identify a novel Cd168+ SSPC population with regenerative potential in mouse long bones, which adds to the knowledge of the tissue-specific stem cells in skeletons.

Codelivery of Que and BCL-2 siRNA with Lipid-Copolymer Hybrid Nanocomplexes for Efficient Tumor Regression

The efficacy of chemotherapy is often reduced due to the chemotherapy resistance of tumor cells, which is usually caused by abnormal gene overexpression. Herein, multifunctional nanocomplexes (Que/siBCL2@BioMICs) were developed to deliver quercetin (Que) and BCL-2 siRNA (siBCL2) to synergistically inhibit tumor growth. The nanocomplexes were composed of an amphiphilic triblock copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-poly[2-(dimethylamino) ethyl acrylate]-polycaprolactone (PEGMA-PDMAEA-PCL) and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-poly(ethylene glycol)-biotin (DSPE-PEG-biotin). Que was encapsulated into the cores through hydrophobic interactions, while negatively charged siBCL2 was loaded through electrostatic interactions. The nanocomplexes could effectively facilitate cellular uptake via biotin-mediated active targeting and cytosolic release of cargos by the "proton sponge effect" of PDMAEA. Que/siBCL2@BioMICs achieved enhanced cytotoxicity and anti-metastasis activity due to a synergistic effect of Que and siBCL2 in vitro. More importantly, superior anti-tumor efficacy was observed in orthotopic 4T1 tumor-bearing mice with reduced primary tumor burden and lung metastatic nodules, while no obvious side effects to major organs were observed. In conclusion, the biotin-targeted nanocomplexes with chemotherapeutic and nucleotide agent entrapment provide a promising strategy for efficient triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) therapy.

Therapeutic applications of nanobiotechnology

Nanobiotechnology, as a novel and more specialized branch of science, has provided a number of nanostructures such as nanoparticles, by utilizing the methods, techniques, and protocols of other branches of science. Due to the unique features and physiobiological characteristics, these nanostructures or nanocarriers have provided vast methods and therapeutic techniques, against microbial infections and cancers and for tissue regeneration, tissue engineering, and immunotherapies, and for gene therapies, through drug delivery systems. However, reduced carrying capacity, abrupt and non-targeted delivery, and solubility of therapeutic agents, can affect the therapeutic applications of these biotechnological products. In this article, we explored and discussed the prominent nanobiotechnological methods and products such as nanocarriers, highlighted the features and challenges associated with these products, and attempted to conclude if available nanostructures offer any scope of improvement or enhancement. We aimed to identify and emphasize the nanobiotechnological methods and products, with greater prospect and capacity for therapeutic improvements and enhancements. We found that novel nanocarriers and nanostructures, such as nanocomposites, micelles, hydrogels, microneedles, and artificial cells, can address the associated challenges and inherited drawbacks, with help of conjugations, sustained and stimuli-responsive release, ligand binding, and targeted delivery. We recommend that nanobiotechnology, despite having few challenges and drawbacks, offers immense opportunities that can be harnessed in delivering quality therapeutics with precision and prediction. We also recommend that, by exploring the branched domains more rigorously, bottlenecks and obstacles can also be addressed and resolved in return.

Lactoferrin-Based Ternary Composite Nanoparticles with Enhanced Dispersibility and Stability for Curcumin Delivery

Curcumin has been reported to exhibit free radical antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, which are beneficial for nutraceutical applications. However, its application for this purpose is limited by its poor water solubility, stability, and bioavailability. These problems can be overcome using food-grade colloidal particles that encapsulate, protect, and deliver curcumin. These colloidal particles can be assembled from structure-forming food components that may also exhibit protective effects, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and polyphenols. In this study, lactoferrin (LF), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and hyaluronic acid (HA) were used to fabricate composite nanoparticles using a simple pH-shift method. We showed that curcumin could be successfully loaded into these LF-EGCG-HA nanoparticles (d = 145 nm). The encapsulation efficiency (86%) and loading capacity (5.8%) of curcumin within these nanoparticles were relatively high. Encapsulation improved the thermal, light, and storage stabilities of the curcumin. Moreover, the curcumin-loaded nanoparticles exhibited good redispersibility after dehydration. The in vitro digestion properties, cellular uptake, and anticancer effects of the curcumin-loaded nanoparticles were then explored. Compared to free curcumin, the bioaccessibility and cellular uptake of the curcumin were significantly improved after encapsulation in the nanoparticles. Furthermore, the nanoparticles significantly promoted the apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells. This study suggests that food-grade biopolymer nanoparticles can be used to improve the bioavailability and bioactivity of an important nutraceutical.

Colon-targeted bacterial hydrogel for tumor vascular normalization and improved chemotherapy

The endogenous H₂S plays an important role in the occurrence and development of colon cancer, and is related to the abnormal blood vessels. Here, we reported on a sulfhydryl hyaluronid-based hydrogel (HA-SH) synthesized by amide reaction and further obtained a bacterial hydrogel by loading Thiobacillus denitrificans to the hydrogel for targeting adhesion to the colon. It was found that the loaded bacteria in HA-SH hydrogel can scavenge excess H₂S in colon cancer, then promote tumor vascular normalization and improve the delivery of chemotherapy drug CPT to inhibit tumor progression. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments show that the self-crosslinked bacterial hydrogel has satisfactory effects in inhibiting tumor progression and promoting tumor vascular normalization in colon cancer. This study presents an efficient method to target the colon and consume overexpressed H₂S in colon cancer to inhabit tumor progression, providing a new way for oral drug treatment of colon cancer.

PLK1 inhibition promotes apoptosis and DNA damage in glioma stem cells by regulating the nuclear translocation of YBX1

Glioma stem cells (GSCs) are the important cause of tumorigenesis, recurrence, and chemo(radio)resistance in glioma. Targeting GSCs helps improve the outcomes of glioma treatment. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a member of the serine/threonine protein kinase family, which is highly conserved. In recent years, it has been suggested that increased levels of PLK1 and its activity are associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. We aimed to identify whether PLK1 plays a critical role in stemness maintenance and apoptosis regulation in GSCs. Here we identify that PLK1 inhibition can induce apoptosis and DNA damage of GSCs, we have also delineat the possible underlying molecular mechanisms: PLK1 interacts with YBX1 and directly phosphorylates serine 174 and serine 176 of YBX1. Inhibition of PLK1 reduces the phosphorylation level of YBX1, and decreased phosphorylation of YBX1 prevents its nuclear translocation, thereby inducing apoptosis and DNA damage of GSCs. We confirmed that YBX1 knockdown resulted in the apoptosis and DNA damage of GSCs. These findings uncover that PLK1 inhibition induces cell apoptosis and DNA damage in GSCs through YBX1 phosphorylation, providing new insights into the mechanism by which PLK1 inhibition contributes to the apoptosis of and DNA damage in gliomas.

Potential use of gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles derived from Garcinia mangostana peel for anticancer compound, protocatechuic acid delivery

Colorectal cancer is one of the most killing cancers and this has become a global problem. Current treatment and anticancer drugs cannot specifically target the cancerous cells, thus causing toxicity towards surrounding non-cancer cells. Hence, there is an urgent need to discover a more target-specific therapeutic agent to overcome this problem. Core-shell nanoparticles have emerged as good candidate for anticancer treatment. This study aimed to synthesize core-shell nanoparticles via green method which utilised crude peels extract of Garcinia mangostana as reducing and stabilising agents for drug delivery. Gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles (Au-AgNPs) were synthesized through seed germination process in which gold nanoparticles acted as the seed. A complete coating was observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) when the ratio of AuNPs and AgNPs was 1:9. The size of Au-AgNPs was 38.22 ± 8.41 nm and was mostly spherical in shape. Plant-based drug, protocatechuic acid (PCA) was loaded on the Au-AgNPs to investigate their anticancer activity. In HCT116 colon cancer cells, PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs (IC₅₀ = 10.78 μg/ml) showed higher inhibitory action than the free PCA (IC₅₀= 148.09 μg/ml) and Au-AgNPs alone (IC₅₀= 24.36 μg/ml). Up to 80% inhibition of HCT116 cells was observed after the treatment of PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs at 15.63 μg/ml. The PCA-loaded Au-AgNPs also showed a better selectivity towards HCT116 compared to CCD112 colon normal cells when tested at the same concentrations. These findings suggest that Au-AgNPs system can be used as a potent nanocarrier to combat cancerous cells by offering additional anticancer properties to the loaded drug.

Targeting cancer stem cells with polymer nanoparticles for gastrointestinal cancer treatment

Nanomaterials are developing rapidly in the medical field, bringing new hope for treating various refractory diseases. Among them, polymer nanomaterials, with their excellent properties, have been used to treat various diseases, such as malignant tumors, diabetes, and nervous system diseases. Gastrointestinal cancer is among the cancers with the highest morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cancer stem cells are believed to play an important role in the occurrence and development of tumors. This article summarizes the characteristics of gastrointestinal cancer stem cells and reviews the latest research progress in treating gastrointestinal malignant tumors using polymer nanoparticles to target cancer stem cells. In addition, the review article highlights the potential of polymer nanoparticles in targeting gastrointestinal cancer stem cells.

Integrated Platform of Oxygen Self-enriched Nanovesicles: SP94 Peptide-directed Chemo/sonodynamic Therapy for Liver Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a most common primary liver cancer among the most deadly malignancies. Selectively killing the cancer cells within the liver urgently requires the novel treatment strategies. The combination of sonodynamic therapy (SDT) and chemotherapy based on the nanotechnology have achieved some achievements in the HCC treatments. However, off-targeting drug delivery to healthy cells and the hypoxic microenvironment in the solid tumors frustrate the efforts to the combined strategy. The hypoxic microenvironment restrains the generation of ROS, leading to the decreased effects of SDT. To improve the clinical outcomes of chemo/SDT strategy, we created a novel oxygen self-enriched active targeted nanovesicle (ICG-DOX NPs/PFH@SP94-Lip). SP94 peptide could enhance the selectivity of the nanovesicles to liver tumor cells rather than normal liver cells. Besides, an oxygen carrier, perfluorohexanes (PFH), was co-loaded into liposomes to increase the oxygen level in tumor tissue, thus improving the effects of SDT. The in vivo studies showed that the ICG-DOX NPs/PFH@SP94-Lip combined with the external US stimulation significantly inhibited effects on tumor growth. Therefore, this novel oxygen self-enriched chemo/SDT nanocomposites represents a proof-of-concept liver tumor treatment strategy.

Design of Diselenide-Bridged Hyaluronic Acid Nano-antioxidant for Efficient ROS Scavenging to Relieve Colitis

Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a key characteristic of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is responsible for dysregulation of signal transduction, inflammatory response, and DNA damage, which ultimately leads to disease progression and deterioration. Thus, ROS scavenging has become a promising strategy to navigate IBD. Inspired by the targeting capability of hyaluronic acid (HA) to CD44-overexpressed inflammatory cells together with the redox regulation capacity of diselenide compounds, we developed an oral nanoformulation, i.e., diselenide-bridged hyaluronic acid nanogel (SeNG), with a view to treat colitis through a ROS scavenging mechanism. Our data demonstrated that SeNG specifically accumulated in colitis tissue that was mediated by highly efficient CD44-HA interaction. This has allowed us to demonstrate a significant anti-inflammatory effect in an acute colitis mouse model induced by dextran sulfate sodium and trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. Mechanistically, we continued to show SeNG reduced the ROS level via both direct elimination and up-regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signal pathway. Collectively, our work provides proof-of-principle evidence for a SeNG-mediated nano-antioxidant strategy, by which colitis could be effectively managed.

The Crucial Roles of Bmi-1 in Cancer: Implications in Pathogenesis, Metastasis, Drug Resistance, and Targeted Therapies

B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration region 1 (Bmi-1, also known as RNF51 or PCGF4) is one of the important members of the PcG gene family, and is involved in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation and senescence, and maintaining the self-renewal of stem cells. Many studies in recent years have emphasized the role of Bmi-1 in the occurrence and development of tumors. In fact, Bmi-1 has multiple functions in cancer biology and is closely related to many classical molecules, including Akt, c-MYC, Pten, etc. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of Bmi-1 in multiple pathways, and the interaction of Bmi-1 with noncoding RNAs. In particular, we focus on the pathological processes of Bmi-1 in cancer, and explore the clinical relevance of Bmi-1 in cancer biomarkers and prognosis, as well as its implications for chemoresistance and radioresistance. In conclusion, we summarize the role of Bmi-1 in tumor progression, reveal the pathophysiological process and molecular mechanism of Bmi-1 in tumors, and provide useful information for tumor diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Oral administration of turmeric-derived exosome-like nanovesicles with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving bioactions for murine colitis therapy

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by diffuse inflammation of the colonic mucosa and a relapsing and remitting course. The current therapeutics are only modestly effective and carry risks for unacceptable adverse events, and thus more effective approaches to treat UC is clinically needed.

RESULTS

For this purpose, turmeric-derived nanoparticles with a specific population (TDNPs 2) were characterized, and their targeting ability and therapeutic effects against colitis were investigated systematically. The hydrodynamic size of TDNPs 2 was around 178 nm, and the zeta potential was negative (- 21.7 mV). Mass spectrometry identified TDNPs 2 containing high levels of lipids and proteins. Notably, curcumin, the bioactive constituent of turmeric, was evidenced in TDNPs 2. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute inflammation, TDNPs 2 showed excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In mice colitis models, we demonstrated that orally administrated of TDNPs 2 could ameliorate mice colitis and accelerate colitis resolution via regulating the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, and antioxidant gene, HO-1. Results obtained from transgenic mice with NF-κB-RE-Luc indicated that TDNPs 2-mediated inactivation of the NF-κB pathway might partially contribute to the protective effect of these particles against colitis.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that TDNPs 2 from edible turmeric represent a novel, natural colon-targeting therapeutics that may prevent colitis and promote wound repair in colitis while outperforming artificial nanoparticles in terms of low toxicity and ease of large-scale production.

Nanodiamond-based multifunctional platform for oral chemo-photothermal combinational therapy of orthotopic colon cancer

Combination therapy system has become a promising strategy for achieving favorable antitumor efficacy. Herein, a novel oral drug delivery system with colon localization and tumor targeting functions was designed for orthotopic colon cancer chemotherapy and photothermal combinational therapy. The polydopamine coated nanodiamond (PND) was used as the photothermal carrier, through the coupling of sulfhydryl-polyethylene glycol-folate (SH-PEG-FA) on the surface of PND to achieve systematic colon tumor targeting, curcumin (CUR) was loaded as the model drug, and then coated with chitosan (CS) to achieve the long gastrointestinal tract retention and colon localization functions to obtain PND-PEG-FA/CUR@CS nanoparticles. It has high photothermal conversion efficiency and good photothermal stability and exhibited near-infrared (NIR) laser-responsive drug release behavior. Folate (FA) modification effectively promotes the intracellular uptake of nanoparticles by CT26 cells, and the combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (CT/PTT) can enhance cytotoxicity. Compared with free CUR group, nanoparticles prolonged the gastrointestinal tract retention time, accumulated more in colon tumor tissues, and exhibited good photothermal effect in vivo. More importantly, the CT/PTT group exhibited satisfactory tumor growth inhibition effects with good biocompatibility in vivo. In summary, this oral drug delivery system is an efficient platform for chemotherapy and photothermal combinational therapy of orthotopic colon cancer.

Computational study, synthesis and evaluation of active peptides derived from Parasporin-2 and spike protein from Alphacoronavirus against colorectal cancer cells

Parasporin-2Aa1 (PS2Aa1) is a toxic protein of 37 KDa (30 kDa, activated form produced by proteolysis) that was shown to be cytotoxic against specific human cancer cells, although its mechanism of action has not been elucidated yet. In order to study the role of some native peptide fragments of proteins on anticancer activity, here we investigated the cytotoxic effect of peptide fragments from domain-1 of PS2Aa1 and one of the loops present in the binding region of the virus spike protein from Alphacoronavirus (HCoV-229E), the latter according to scientific reports, who showed interaction with the human APN (h-APN) receptor, evidence corroborated through computational simulations, and thus being possible active against colon cancer cells. Peptides namely P264-G274, Loop1-PS2Aa, and Loop2-PS2Aa were synthesized using the Fmoc solid-phase synthesis and characterized by mass spectrometry (MS). Additionally, one region from loop 1 of HCoV-229E, Loop1-HCoV-229E, was also synthesized and characterized. The A4W-GGN5 anticancer peptide and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were taken as a control in all experiments. Circular dichroism revealed an α-helix structure for the peptides derived from PS2Aa1 (P264-G274, Loop1-PS2Aa, and Loop2-PS2Aa) and β-laminar structure for the peptide derived from Alphacoronavirus spike protein Loop1-HCoV-229E. Peptides showed a hemolysis percentage of less than 20% at 100 µM concentration. Besides, peptides exhibited stronger anticancer activity against SW480 and SW620 cells after exposure for 48 h. Likewise, these compounds showed significantly lower toxicity against normal cells CHO-K1. The results suggest that native peptide fragments from Ps2Aa1 may be optimized as a novel potential cancer-therapeutic agents.

Nanomedicine for increasing the oral bioavailability of cancer treatments

Abstract

Oral administration is an appealing route of delivering cancer treatments. However, the gastrointestinal tract is characterized by specific and efficient physical, chemical, and biological barriers that decrease the bioavailability of medications, including chemotherapeutics. In recent decades, the fields of material science and nanomedicine have generated several delivery platforms with high potential for overcoming multiple barriers associated to oral administration. This review describes the properties of several nanodelivery systems that improve the bioavailability of orally administered therapeutics, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages in generating successful anticancer oral nanomedicines.

Graphical Abstract

Gene augmented nuclear-targeting sonodynamic therapy via Nrf2 pathway-based redox balance adjustment boosts peptide-based anti-PD-L1 therapy on colorectal cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer is known to be resistant to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) has been reported to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) of cancer. However, the SDT efficacy is extremely limited by Nrf2-based natural redox balance regulation pathway in cancer cells in response to the increased contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nuclear-targeting strategy has shown unique advantages in tumor therapy by directly destroying the DNA. Thus it can be seen that Nrf2-siRNA augmented nuclear-targeting SDT could boost ICB therapy against colorectal cancer.

Results

The nuclear-targeting delivery system TIR@siRNA (TIR was the abbreviation of assembled TAT-IR780) with great gene carrier capacity and smaller diameter (< 60 nm) was designed to achieve the gene augmented nuclear-targeting SDT facilitating the anti-PD-L1 (programmed cell death-ligand-1) therapy against colorectal cancer. In CT26 cells, TIR@siRNA successfully delivered IR780 (the fluorescent dye used as sonosensitizer) into cell nucleus and Nrf2-siRNA into cytoplasm. Under US (utrasound) irradiation, TIR@siRNA notably increased the cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activity of SDT through down-regulating the Nrf2, directly damaging the DNA, activating mitochondrial apoptotic pathway while remarkably inducing ICD of CT26 cells. In CT26 tumor-bearing mice, TIR@siRNA mediated gene enhanced nuclear-targeting SDT greatly inhibited tumor growth, noticeably increased the T cell infiltration and boosted ^DPPA-1 peptide-based anti-PD-L1 therapy to ablate the primary CT26 tumors and suppress the intestinal metastases.

Conclusions

All results demonstrate that TIR@siRNA under US irradiation can efficiently inhibit the tumor progression toward colorectal CT26 cancer in vitro and in vivo by its mediated gene augmented nuclear-targeting sonodynamic therapy. Through fully relieving the immunosuppressive microenvironment of colorectal cancer by this treatment, this nanoplatform provides a new synergistic strategy for enhancing the anti-PD-L1 therapy to ablate colorectal cancer and inhibit its metastasis.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-021-01094-x.

Therapeutic efficacy and gastrointestinal biodistribution of polycationic nanoparticles for oral camptothecin delivery in early and late-stage colorectal tumor-bearing animal model

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world and is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths. New cases are increasingly diagnosed every day, but current therapeutic options are still insufficient for an effective treatment. In CRC treatment, there is a significant need for alternative treatment approaches that can both prevent relapse and provide strong antimetastatic effects as the intestines and colon are prone to metastasis to neighboring organs and tissues as well as the liver and the lung. In this study, optimized polycationic cyclodextrin (CD) nanoparticles for oral Camptothecin (CPT) delivery were comprehensively examined for in vivo performance in early and late stage tumor bearing mouse model in terms of antitumoral and antimetastatic efficacy of CPT bound to polycationic CD nanoparticles in comparison to free CPT. In addition, the gastrointestinal localization of a single administration of fluorescent dye loaded polycationic CD nanoparticles in the gastrointestinal tract at the end of 24 hours after oral administration was also imaged and evaluated by in vivo imaging system against fluorescent dye intensity. Results showed that survival percentage was significantly improved in CRC-bearing mice compared to oral CPT solution, with significantly reduced colorectal tumor masses and number of liver metastatic foci (p<0.05). It was also possible to differentiate between the effectiveness of nanoparticles in early or late stages of CRC. In vivo imaging studies have also confirmed that polycationic CD nanoparticles are able to deliver the therapeutic load up to the colon and tend to accumulate especially in tumor foci, indicating an effective local treatment strategy. In addition number of liver metastases were significantly decreased with the CPT-loaded polycationic CD nanoparticle formulation in both early and late stage tumor models. These findings indicated that CPT-loaded polycationic CD nanoparticles could be an efficient oral nanocarrier formulation for anticancer molecules that have limited application because of oral bioavailability and stability problems.

Self-assembled fluorescent hybrid nanoparticles-mediated collaborative lncRNA CCAT1 silencing and curcumin delivery for synchronous colorectal cancer theranostics

Background

Cancer synergistic therapy strategy in combination with therapeutic gene and small molecule drug offers the possibility to amplify anticancer efficiency. Colon cancer-associated transcript-1 (CCAT1) is a well identified oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) exerting tumorigenic effects in a variety of cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC).

Results

In the present work, curcumin (Cur) and small interfering RNA targeting lncRNA CCAT1(siCCAT1) were co-incorporated into polymeric hybrid nanoparticles (CSNP), which was constructed by self-assembling method with two amphiphilic copolymers, polyethyleneimine-poly (d, l-lactide) (PEI-PDLLA) and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol) (DSPE-mPEG). Owing to the multicolor fluorescence characteristics of PEI-PDLLA, the constructed CSNP could be served as a theranostic nanomedicine for synchronous therapy and imaging both in vitro and in vivo. Resultantly, proliferation and migration of HT-29 cells were efficiently inhibited, and the highest apoptosis ratio was induced by CSNP with coordination patterns. Effective knockdown of lncRNA CCAT1 and concurrent regulation of relevant downstream genes could be observed. Furthermore, CSNP triggered conspicuous anti-tumor efficacy in the HT-29 subcutaneous xenografts model with good biosafety and biocompatibility during the treatment.

Conclusion

On the whole, our studies demonstrated that the collaborative lncRNA CCAT1 silencing and Cur delivery based on CSNP might emerge as a preferable and promising strategy for synergetic anti-CRC therapy.

Graphic abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-021-00981-7.

Orally Administrable Therapeutic Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common and lethal human malignancies worldwide; however, the therapeutic outcomes in the clinic still are unsatisfactory due to the lack of effective and safe therapeutic regimens. Orally administrable and CRC-targetable drug delivery is an attractive approach for CRC therapy as it improves the efficacy by local drug delivery and reduces systemic toxicity. Currently, chemotherapy remains the mainstay modality for CRC therapy; however, most of chemo drugs have low water solubility and are unstable in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), poor intestinal permeability, and are susceptible to P-glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux, resulting in limited therapeutic outcomes. Orally administrable nanoformulations hold the great potential for improving the bioavailability of poorly permeable and poorly soluble therapeutics, but there are still limitations associated with these regimes. This review focuses on the barriers for oral drug delivery and various oral therapeutic nanoparticles for the management of CRC.

Oral delivery of micro/nanoparticulate systems based on natural polysaccharides for intestinal diseases therapy: Challenges, advances and future perspectives

Colon-targeted oral delivery of drugs remains as an appealing and promising approach for the treatment of prevalent intestinal diseases (ID), such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Notwithstanding, there are numerous challenges to effective drug delivery to the colon, which requires the design of advanced strategies. Micro- and nanoparticles have received great attention as colon-targeted delivery platforms due to their reduced size and structural composition that favors the accumulation and/or residence time of drugs at the site of action and/or absorption, contributing to localized therapy. The choice by natural polysaccharides imparts key properties and advantages to the nano-in-microparticulate systems to effective colon-specific oral delivery. This review proposes to discuss the physiological barriers imposed by the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) against oral administration of drugs, as well as pathological factors and challenges of the ID for oral delivery of colon-targeted systems. We then provide an updated progress about polysaccharides-based colon-targeted drug delivery systems, including microparticulate, nanoparticulate and nano-in-microparticulate systems, highlighting their key properties, advantages and limitations to achieving targeted delivery and efficacious therapy within the colon. Lastly, we provide future perspectives, towards advances in the field and clinical translation of colon-targeted oral delivery systems for ID therapy.

Synthesis of novel polymeric nanoparticles (methoxy-polyethylene glycol-chitosan/hyaluronic acid) containing 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin for colon cancer therapy: in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo investigation

The goal of the current study was to target 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) orally to colon tumours by synthesizing a targeting polymer. To achieve the optimum delivery for SN38, initially methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG)-chitosan was synthesized and then nanoparticles were developed through ionic gelation between mPEG-chitosan and hyaluronic acid as a ligand for cell-surface glycoprotein CD44 receptor. The SN38 was loaded in nanoparticles (SN38-NPs) using the non-covalent physical adsorption method. The size of the optimized SN38-NPs was 226.7 nm, encapsulation efficiency was 89.23% and drug content was 7.98 ± 0.54% in the optimum formulation. The attachment of mPEG to chitosan was confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance. The results of differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transforms infra-red analysis indicated that SN38 existed in amorphous form and functional groups of SN38 protected in the formulations which could be a sign of suitable encapsulation of SN38 in SN38-NPs. In vitro study indicated that SN38-NPs were more potent against the cancer cells than free SN38. The cellular uptake of SN38-NPs improved up to 1.6-fold against human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells. Moreover, SN38-NPs remarkably demonstrated superior anti-tumor efficacy in contrary to pure SN38. This suggests the advantage of SN38-NPs as a potent oral drug carrier which could be further explored for clinical investigations.

Multifunctional biomolecule nanostructures for cancer therapy

Biomolecule-based nanostructures are inherently multifunctional and harbour diverse biological activities, which can be explored for cancer nanomedicine. The supramolecular properties of biomolecules can be precisely programmed for the design of smart drug delivery vehicles, enabling efficient transport in vivo, targeted drug delivery and combinatorial therapy within a single design. In this Review, we discuss biomolecule-based nanostructures, including polysaccharides, nucleic acids, peptides and proteins, and highlight their enormous design space for multifunctional nanomedicines. We identify key challenges in cancer nanomedicine that can be addressed by biomolecule-based nanostructures and survey the distinct biological activities, programmability and in vivo behaviour of biomolecule-based nanostructures. Finally, we discuss challenges in the rational design, characterization and fabrication of biomolecule-based nanostructures, and identify obstacles that need to be overcome to enable clinical translation.

Prebiotics-Encapsulated Probiotic Spores Regulate Gut Microbiota and Suppress Colon Cancer

While microbial-based therapy has been considered as an effective strategy for treating diseases such as colon cancer, its safety remains the biggest challenge. Here, probiotics and prebiotics, which possess ideal biocompatibility and are extensively used as additives in food and pharmaceutical products, are combined to construct a safe microbiota-modulating material. Through the host-guest chemistry between commercial Clostridium butyricum and chemically modified prebiotic dextran, prebiotics-encapsulated probiotic spores (spores-dex) are prepared. It is found that spores-dex can specifically enrich in colon cancers after oral administration. In the lesion, dextran is fermented by C. butyricum, and thereby produces anti-cancer short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Additionally, spores-dex regulate the gut microbiota, augment the abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria (e.g., Eubacterium and Roseburia), and markedly increase the overall richness of microbiota. In subcutaneous and orthotopic tumor models, drug-loaded spores-dex inhibit tumor growth up to 89% and 65%, respectively. Importantly, no obvious adverse effect is found. The work sheds light on the possibility of using a highly safe strategy to regulate gut microbiota, and provides a promising avenue for treating various gastrointestinal diseases.

LINC00665/miR-9-5p/ATF1 is a novel axis involved in the progression of colorectal cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abnormally expressed in many malignant tumors and involved in regulating the malignant phenotypes of cancer cells. However, the role of LINC00665 in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its regulatory mechanism remain unclear. In this study, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expressions of LINC00665, miR-9-5p and activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) mRNA in CRC tissues. The expression of ATF1 in CRC tissues was also detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. CCK-8 and colony formation assays were employed to detect cell proliferation. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry analysis. Scratch healing assay and Transwell test were exploited to detect cell migration and invasion. The targeting relationships between LINC00665 and miR-9-5p, and miR-9-5p and ATF1 were validated by dual luciferase reporter assay. We found that LINC00665 was significantly overexpressed in CRC tissues, and it was also negatively correlated with the expression of miR-9-5p and positively associated with the expression of ATF1. Besides, LINC00665 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells, and inhibited cell apoptosis by sponging miR-9-5p. ATF1 was proved to be the downstream target of miR-9-5p and was indirectly regulated by LINC00665. Collectively, it is concluded that LINC00665 contributes to the progression of CRC by regulating miR-9-5p/ATF1 axis.

Orally delivered targeted nanotherapeutics for the treatment of colorectal cancer

INTRODUCTION

Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third-most common malignancy, has high morbidity and mortality. Oral nanotherapeutics have emerged as a promising strategy to improve the therapeutic outcomes and alleviate the adverse effects of drugs in CRC treatment.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we introduce the beneficial features of oral drug administration for CRC therapy, and further address the three basic elements of nanotherapeutics, namely, therapeutic agents, carrier materials, and targeting ligands. In addition, we also discuss the potentials of the new emerging technologies (e.g., immunotherapy, gene editing and microbiota manipulation) in the treatment of CRC.

EXPERT OPINION

Orally delivered targeted nanotherapeutics represent a promising strategy toward the efficient treatment of CRC. Although the current oral nanotherapeutics exert better therapeutic outcomes than the traditional drug formulations, their application has been restricted by drug resistance, tumor metastasis, and biosafety. Therefore, it is necessary to exploit new nanotherapeutics in the aspects of their three basic elements, and combine the new emerging technologies to those nanotherapeutics for CRC treatment.

The Association Between Inflammation, Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition and Stemness in Colorectal Carcinoma

Background

Inflammation plays an important albeit dual role in carcinogenesis. Survival studies have highlighted the prognostic significance of peritumorous inflammation. Currently, the theoretical background allows inflammation, epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the closely associated stem cell differentiation in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) to be linked. However, there is scarce direct morphological evidence.

Purpose and methods

The aim of our study was to investigate the role of inflammation in cancer growth and invasion by analyzing the association between inflammation and known morphological prognostic features of colorectal cancer, EMT, stemness and mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression. The study was designed as a retrospective morphological and immunohistochemical assessment of 553 consecutive cases of surgically treated primary CRC.

Results

There were statistically significant associations between high-grade inflammation and lower pT (p = 0.002), absence of lymph node metastases (p < 0.001) and less frequent lymphatic (p = 0.003), venous (p = 0.017), arterial (p = 0.012), perineural (p = 0.001) and intraneural (p = 0.01) invasion. In contrast, Crohn's like reaction (CLR) by density of lymphoid follicles in the invasive front lacked significant differences in regard to pT, pN, tumor invasion into surrounding structures (blood or lymphatic vessels, nerves), grade or necrosis (all p > 0.05). The expression of E-cadherin, CD44 and MMR proteins yielded no statistically significant associations with peritumorous inflammation by Klintrup-Mäkinen score or the density of lymphoid follicles. Nevertheless, E-cadherin levels were significantly associated with the density of eosinophils (p = 0.007).

Conclusion

High-grade peritumorous inflammation is associated with beneficial morphologic CRC features, including less frequent manifestations of invasion, and is not secondary to tissue damage and necrosis. CLR is not associated with cancer spread by pTN; this finding indirectly suggests an independent role of CLR in carcinogenesis. Further, inflammation by Klintrup-Mäkinen grade and CLR is not dependent on epithelial-mesenchymal transition and stem cell differentiation. Our study highlights the complex associations between inflammation, tumor morphology, EMT, stemness and MMR protein expression in human CRC tissues.