Mucin-1 conjugated polyamidoamine-based nanoparticles for image-guided delivery of gefitinib to breast cancer

Dual-drug loaded hyaluronic acid conjugates coated polydopamine nanodrugs for synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy in triple negative breast cancer

Although combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) holds significant promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer, the existing delivery systems for achieving synergistic antitumor activity remains unsatisfactory. Herein, we developed of dual-drug loaded hyaluronic acid (HA) nanodrugs, which exhibited pH, glutathione (GSH), and thermal triple-responsiveness and CD44-targeting capabilities for chemo-PTT synergistic therapy in breast cancer. Gemcitabine (GCB) and metformin (MET) were conjugated to HA via amide and disulfide bonds to form dual-drug loaded prodrugs (HSGM), which were then coated onto the surface of polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) to self-assemble into HSGM/PDA NPs. These NPs selectively accumulated at the tumor site through HA receptors and released GCB and MET in response to low pH and high GSH concentrations. The NPs demonstrated excellent photothermal performance, with heat generated from near-infrared (NIR)-laser irradiation accelerating drug release within tumor. Additionally, MET inhibited the production of heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70), mitigating thermotolerance induced by PTT, thereby enhancing the PTT effect. The combination of chemotherapy and PTT synergistically improved anti-tumor efficacy (tumor inhibition ratio: 99.11 %) while showing negligible systemic toxicity, effectively preventing tumor metastasis and recurrence. This integrated approach offers valuable insights for the clinical treatment of breast cancer and other malignant tumors.

Advances in Dendritic Systems and Dendronized Nanoparticles: Paradigm Shifts in Cancer Targeted Therapy and Diagnostics

Cancer has emerged as a global health crisis, claiming millions of lives annually. Dendrimers and dendronized nanoparticles, a novel class of nanoscale molecules with highly branched three-dimensional macromolecular structures, have gained significant attention in cancer treatment and diagnosis due to their unique properties. These dendritic macromolecules offer a precisely controlled branching architecture, enabling functionalization with specific targeting molecules to enhance the selective delivery of therapeutic agents to tumor cells while minimizing systemic toxicity. Through surface modifications and the incorporation of various components, dendrimers demonstrate remarkable adaptability as nanocarriers for biomedical imaging and theranostic applications. Surface functionalization strategies, including PEGylation and ligand attachment (e.g., folic acid, RGD peptide, lactobionic acid), further enhance biocompatibility and facilitate targeted tumor cell imaging. Leveraging their improved biocompatibility and target specificity, dendritic nanosystems offer heightened sensitivity and precision in cancer diagnostics. Notably, the encapsulation of metal nanoparticles within dendrimers, such as gold nanoparticles, has shown promise in enhancing tumor imaging capabilities. Ongoing advancements in nanotechnology are poised to increase the sophistication and complexity of dendrimer-based systems, highlighting their potential as nanocarriers in drug delivery platforms, with a growing number of clinical trials on the horizon. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the potential and future prospects of dendrimers and dendrimer-based nanocarriers in targeted cancer therapy and diagnosis, exploring their ability to enhance biocompatibility, reduce toxicity, and improve therapeutic outcomes across various malignancies.

Radionuclide-labelled nanoparticles for cancer combination therapy: a review

Radionuclide therapy (RT) is widely used to advanced local cancers. However, its therapeutic efficacy is limited to the radiation resistance of cancer cells. Combination therapy aims to circumvent tumor resistance, and the combination of RT with photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), chemotherapy (CMT), and immunotherapy has shown promising treatment outcomes. Nanotechnology holds promise in advancing combination therapy by integrating multiple therapies on a nanostructure platform. This is due to the increased surface area, passive/active targeting capabilities, high payload capacity, and enriched surface of nanomedicines, offering significant advantages in treatment sensitivity and specificity. In the first part of this review, we categorize radionuclide therapy. The second part summarizes the latest developments in combination therapies, specifically focusing on the integration of RT with PTT, PDT, CMT and immunotherapy. The last part provides an overview of the challenges and potential opportunities related to radionuclide-labelled nanoparticles for cancer combination therapy.

Receptor mediated targeting of EGF-conjugated alginate-PAMAM nanoparticles to lung adenocarcinoma: 2D/3D in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Carboplatin (cis-diamine (1,1-cyclobutandicarboxylaso)‑platinum (II)) is a second-generation antineoplastic drug, which is widely used for chemotherapy of lung, colon, breast, cervix, testicular and digestive system cancers. Although preferred over cisplatin due to the lower incidence of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, efficient carboplatin delivery remains as a major challenge. In this study, carboplatin loaded alginate- poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) hybrid nanoparticles (CAPs) with mean sizes of 192.13 ± 4.15 nm were synthesized using a microfluidic platform, then EGF was conjugated to the surface of CAPs (EGF-CAPs) for the receptor-targeted delivery. Hence, increased FITC+ cell counts were observed in A549 spheroids after EGF-CAP treatment compared to CAP in the 3D cellular uptake study. As such, the cytotoxicity of EGF-CAP was approximately 2-fold higher with an IC50 value of 35.89 ± 10.37 μg/mL compared to the CAPs in A549 spheroids. Based on in vivo experimental animal model, anti-tumor activities of the group treated with CAP decreased by 61 %, whereas the group treated with EGF-CAP completely recovered. Additionally, EGF-CAP application was shown to induce apoptotic cell death. Our study provided a new strategy for designing a hybrid nanoparticle for EGFR targeted carboplatin delivery with improved efficacy both in vitro and in vivo applications.

Design, development, and evaluation of CDK-4/6 inhibitor loaded 4-carboxy phenyl boronic acid conjugated pH-sensitive chitosan lecithin nanoparticles in the management of breast cancer

Our main aim to design and develop a novel 4-carboxy phenyl boronic acid (4-CPBA) conjugated Palbociclib (PALB) loaded pH-sensitive chitosan lipid nanoparticles (PPCL) to enhance the anti-cancer efficacy of the PALB in in-vitro cell line studies by loading into 4-CPBA conjugated chitosan lipid nanoparticles. 4-CPBA was conjugated to chitosan by carbodiimide chemistry and formation of conjugate was confirmed by 1HNMR, ATR-FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Ionic-gelation method was used for the fabrication of PPCL and particles size, PDI, zeta potential were found to be 226.5 ± 4.3 nm, 0.271 ± 0.014 and 5.03 ± 0.42 mV. Presence of pH-sensitive biological macromolecule i.e. chitosan in the carrier system provides pH-sensitivity to PPCL and sustainedly released the drug upto 144 h. The PPCL exhibited approximately 7.2, 6.6, and 5-fold reduction in IC50 values than PALB in MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells. Receptor blocking assay concluded that the fabricated nanoparticles were internalized into MCF-7 cells might be through sialic acid-mediated endocytosis. PPCL caused extensive mitochondrial depolarization, enhanced ROS generation, apoptosis (DAPI nuclear staining, acridine orange/ ethidium bromide dual staining), and reduced % cell migration than pure PALB. It was concluded that the hybrid lipid-polymer nanoparticles provides an optimistic approach for the treatment of breast cancer.

Targeted therapy for HCC using dumbbell-like nanoparticles conjugated to monoclonal antibodies against VEGF and cancer stem cell receptors in mice

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Nanoparticles allow early detection of tumor and delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to the specific tumor site. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic role of dumbbell-like nanoparticles conjugated with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cluster of differentiation (CD) 90 (a cancer stem cell marker) in hepatocellular carcinoma experimental model. This study included 100 mice; HCC was induced chemically in 80 male Balb/c mice by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 20 mice served as normal control group. Mice were divided into four groups; pathological control group, mAbs-conjugated nanoparticles-treated group, nanoparticles (alone)-treated group and Avastin-treated group. Animals were sacrificed after one and two months of treatment for assessment of HCC response to treatment. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for alfa-feto protein (AFP), Caspase-3, VEGF-A by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) by automated analyzer. Liver sections of sacrificed animals were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) for histopathological assessment.

Results

There were highly significant and significant differences (p value < 0.1 and < 0.5) between mAbs-conjugated nanoparticles-treated group and Avastin group, respectively, in comparison to pathological group. Both groups showed a significant decrease in all serum parameters, but mAbs-conjugated nanoparticles-treated group had more potent improvement effect when compared with Avastin group. MAbs-conjugated nanoparticles-treated group also showed the best improvement in liver architecture.

Conclusion

Dumbbell-like nanoparticles conjugated to anti-CD90 and Avastin is a novel therapeutic tool for HCC to target cancer stem cells and endothelial cells in the niche of the tumor.

Theranostics in targeting fibroblast activation protein bearing cells: Progress and challenges

Cancer cells are surrounded by a complex and highly dynamic tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), a critical component of TME, contribute to cancer cell proliferation as well as metastatic spread. CAFs express a variety of biomarkers, which can be targeted for detection and therapy. Most importantly, CAFs express high levels of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) which contributes to progression of cancer, invasion, metastasis, migration, immunosuppression, and drug resistance. As a consequence, FAP is an attractive theranostic target. In this review, we discuss the latest advancement in targeting FAP in oncology using theranostic biomarkers and imaging modalities such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), fluorescence imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Spinal Reirradiation-Mediated Myelopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reirradiation of the spine is carried out in 42% of patients who do not respond to treatment or have recurrent pain. However, there are few studies and data on the effect of reirradiation of the spine and the occurrence of acute and chronic side-effects caused by reirradiation, such as myelopathy, in these patients. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the safe dose in terms of biological effective dose (BED), cumulative dose and dose interval between BED1 and BED2 to decrease or prevent myelopathy and pain control in patients undergoing radiation therapy in the spinal cord. A search was carried out using EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED, Google Scholar, Cochrane Collaboration library electronic databases, Magiran, and SID from 2000 to 2022 to recognise qualified studies. In total, 17 primary studies were applied to estimate the pooled effect size. The random effects model showed that the pooled BED in the first stage, the BED in the second stage and the cumulative BED1 and BED2 were estimated at 77.63, 58.35 and 115.34 Gy, respectively. Studies reported on dose interval. The results of a random effects model showed that the pooled interval was estimated at 13.86 months. The meta-analysis revealed that using appropriate BED1 and/or BED2 in a safe interval between the first and second phases of treatment can have an influential role in preventing or reducing the effects of myelopathy and regional control pain in spinal reirradiation.

Theranostic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells: Insight into recent trends and challenges in solid tumors

Cell therapy has reached significant milestones in various life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Cell therapy using fluorescent and radiolabeled chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell is a successful strategy for diagnosing or treating malignancies. Since cell therapy approaches have different results in cancers, the success of hematological cancers has yet to transfer to solid tumor therapy, leading to more casualties. Therefore, there are many areas for improvement in the cell therapy platform. Understanding the therapeutic barriers associated with solid cancers through cell tracking and molecular imaging may provide a platform for effectively delivering CAR-T cells into solid tumors. This review describes CAR-T cells' role in treating solid and non-solid tumors and recent advances. Furthermore, we discuss the main obstacles, mechanism of action, novel strategies and solutions to overcome the challenges from molecular imaging and cell tracking perspectives.

Advanced nanoscale drug delivery systems for bone cancer therapy

Bone tumors are relatively rare, which are complex cancers and mostly involve the long bones and pelvis. Bone cancer is mainly categorized into osteosarcoma (OS), chondrosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma. Of these, OS is the most intimidating cancer of the bone tissue, which is mostly found in the log bones in young children and older adults. Conspicuously, the current chemotherapy modalities used for the treatment of OS often fail mainly due to (i) the non-specific detrimental effects on normal healthy cells/tissues, (ii) the possible emergence of drug resistance mechanisms by cancer cells, and (iii) difficulty in the efficient delivery of anticancer drugs to the target cells. To impose the maximal therapeutic impacts on cancerous cells, it is of paramount necessity to specifically deliver chemotherapeutic agents to the tumor site and target the diseased cells using advanced nanoscale multifunctional drug delivery systems (DDSs) developed using organic and inorganic nanosystems. In this review, we provide deep insights into the development of various DDSs applied in targeting and eradicating OS. We elaborate on different DDSs developed using biomaterials, including chitosan, collagen, poly(lactic acid), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polycaprolactone, poly(ethylene glycol), polyvinyl alcohol, polyethyleneimine, quantum dots, polypeptide, lipid NPs, and exosomes. We also discuss DDSs established using inorganic nanoscale materials such as magnetic NPs, gold, zinc, titanium NPs, ceramic materials, silica, silver NPs, and platinum NPs. We further highlight anticancer drugs' role in bone cancer therapy and the biocompatibility of nanocarriers for OS treatment.

Osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a bisphosphonate-functionalized polycaprolactone/gelatin scaffold

Recent trends in bone tissue engineering have focused on the development of biomimetic constructs with appropriate mechanical and physiochemical properties. Here, we report the fabrication of an innovative biomaterial scaffold based on a new bisphosphonate-containing synthetic polymer combined with gelatin. To this end, zoledronate (ZA)-functionalized polycaprolactone (PCL-ZA) was synthesized by a chemical grafting reaction. After adding gelatin to the PCL-ZA polymer solution, the porous PCL-ZA/gelatin scaffold was fabricated by the freeze-casting method. A scaffold with aligned pores and a porosity of 82.04 % was obtained. During in vitro biodegradability test, 49 % of its initial weight lost after 5 weeks. The elastic modulus of the PCL-ZA/gelatin scaffold was 31.4 MPa, and its tensile strength was 4.2 MPa. Based on the results of MTT assay, the scaffold had good cytocompatibility with human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hADMSCs). Furthermore, cells grown in PCL-ZA/gelatin scaffold showed the highest mineralization and ALP activity compared to other test groups. Results of the RT-PCR test revealed that RUNX2, COL 1A1, and OCN genes were expressed in PCL-ZA/gelatin scaffold at the highest level, suggesting its good osteoinductive capacity. These results revealed that PCL-ZA/gelatin scaffold could be considered a proper biomimetic platform for bone tissue engineering.

Radiolabeled Dendrimer Coated Nanoparticles for Radionuclide Imaging and Therapy: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Dendrimers are nanoscale-size polymers with a globular structure. They are composed of an internal core and branching dendrons with surface active groups which can be functionalized for medical applications. Different complexes have been developed for imaging and therapeutic purposes. This systematic review aims to summarize the development of newer dendrimers for oncological applications in nuclear medicine.

METHODS

An online literature search was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, Medline, Cochrane Library, and Web Of Science databases selecting published studies from January 1999 to December 2022. The accepted studies considered the synthesis of dendrimer complexes for oncological nuclear medicine imaging and therapy.

RESULTS

111 articles were identified; 69 articles were excluded because they did not satisfy the selection criteria. Thus, nine duplicate records were removed. The remaining 33 articles were included and selected for quality assessment.

CONCLUSION

Nanomedicine has led researchers to create novel nanocarriers with high affinity for the target. Dendrimers represent feasible imaging probes and therapeutic agents since, through the functionalization of external chemical groups and thanks to the possibility to carry pharmaceuticals, it can be possible to exploit different therapeutic strategies and develop a useful weapon for oncological treatments.

Design and synthesis of Ag NPs/chitosan-starch nano-biocomposite as a modern anti-human malignant melanoma drug

In recent years, the unprecedented increase in various cancers such as melanoma has caused researchers to focus more on the formulation of newer drugs with less side effects. In this study, we herein indicate the biogenic nanoarchitechtonics of Ag NPs template over chitosan/starch mixed hydrogel having notable reducing potential and anti-malignant melanoma effects. The two biopolymers also could stabilize as-synthesized Ag NPs. Physicochemical features of the material were further characterized over a range of advanced methods like X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental mapping, dynamic light scattering (DLS), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). TEM analysis showed the spherical-shaped nanocomposite with the mean diameter in the range of 5-15 nm. Thereafter, the nanocomposite was exploited in the anti-malignant melanoma and cytotoxicity effects studies against various human malignant melanoma cell lines (HT144, RPMI7951, SKMEL2, UACC3074, WM266-4 and MUM2C) in situ. The bio-composite corresponding IC₅₀ values were 193, 102, 227, 250, 301, and 203 μg/mL against MUM2C, WM266-4, UACC3074, SKMEL2, RPMI7951, and HT144 cell lines, respectively. A significantly high IC₅₀ value offered an excellent antioxidant capacity of bio-composite. According to the above results, Ag NPs/CS-Starch nanomaterial can be utilized as an efficient drug to treat malignant melanoma in humans after doing clinical trial studies.

Recombinant mucin biotechnology and engineering

Mucins represent a largely untapped class of polymeric building block for biomaterials, therapeutics, and other biotechnology. Because the mucin polymer backbone is genetically encoded, sequence-specific mucins with defined physical and biochemical properties can be fabricated using recombinant technologies. The pendent O-glycans of mucins are increasingly implicated in immunomodulation, suppression of pathogen virulence, and other biochemical activities. Recent advances in engineered cell production systems are enabling the scalable synthesis of recombinant mucins with precisely tuned glycan side chains, offering exciting possibilities to tune the biological functionality of mucin-based products. New metabolic and chemoenzymatic strategies enable further tuning and functionalization of mucin O-glycans, opening new possibilities to expand the chemical diversity and functionality of mucin building blocks. In this review, we discuss these advances, and the opportunities for engineered mucins in biomedical applications ranging from in vitro models to therapeutics.

Multifunctional nanoparticle for cancer therapy

Cancer is a complex disease associated with a combination of abnormal physiological process and exhibiting dysfunctions in multiple systems. To provide effective treatment and diagnosis for cancer, current treatment strategies simultaneously focus on various tumor targets. Based on the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanocarriers have been shown to exhibit excellent potential for cancer therapy. Compared with nanoparticles with single functions, multifunctional nanoparticles are believed to be more aggressive and potent in the context of tumor targeting. However, the development of multifunctional nanoparticles is not simply an upgraded version of the original function, but involves a sophisticated system with a proper backbone, optimized modification sites, simple preparation method, and efficient function integration. Despite this, many well-designed multifunctional nanoparticles with promising therapeutic potential have emerged recently. Here, to give a detailed understanding and analyzation of the currently developed multifunctional nanoparticles, their platform structures with organic or inorganic backbones were systemically generalized. We emphasized on the functionalization and modification strategies, which provide additional functions to the nanoparticle. We also discussed the application combination strategies that were involved in the development of nanoformulations with functional crosstalk. This review thus provides an overview of the construction strategies and application advances of multifunctional nanoparticles.

Review of the Delivery Kinetics of Thermosensitive Liposomes

Thermosensitive liposomes (TSL) are triggered nanoparticles that release the encapsulated drug in response to hyperthermia. Combined with localized hyperthermia, TSL enabled loco-regional drug delivery to tumors with reduced systemic toxicities. More recent TSL formulations are based on intravascular triggered release, where drug release occurs within the microvasculature. Thus, this delivery strategy does not require enhanced permeability and retention (EPR). Compared to traditional nanoparticle drug delivery systems based on EPR with passive or active tumor targeting (typically <5%ID/g tumor), TSL can achieve superior tumor drug uptake (>10%ID/g tumor). Numerous TSL formulations have been combined with various drugs and hyperthermia devices in preclinical and clinical studies over the last four decades. Here, we review how the properties of TSL dictate delivery and discuss the advantages of rapid drug release from TSL. We show the benefits of selecting a drug with rapid extraction by tissue, and with quick cellular uptake. Furthermore, the optimal characteristics of hyperthermia devices are reviewed, and impact of tumor biology and cancer cell characteristics are discussed. Thus, this review provides guidelines on how to improve drug delivery with TSL by optimizing the combination of TSL, drug, and hyperthermia method. Many of the concepts discussed are applicable to a variety of other triggered drug delivery systems.

Recent Trends in Diagnostic Biomarkers of Tumor Microenvironment

The tumor microenvironment (TME) play critical roles in tumor survival, progression, and metastasis and can be considered potential targets for molecular imaging of cancer. The targeting agents for imaging of TME components (e.g., fibroblasts, mesenchymal stromal cells, immune cells, extracellular matrix, blood vessels) provide a promising strategy to target these biomarkers for the early diagnosis of cancers. Moreover, various cancer types have similar tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) features that targeting those biomarkers and offer clinically translatable molecular imaging of cancers. In this review, we categorize and summarize the components in TME which have been targeted for molecular imaging. Moreover, this review updated the recent progress in targeted imaging of TIME biological molecules by various modalities for the early detection of cancer.

Injectable Nano Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed type of cancer, with 2.26 million cases and 685,000 deaths recorded in 2020. If left untreated, this deadly disease can metastasize to distant organs, which is the reason behind its incurability and related deaths. Currently, conventional therapies are used to treat breast cancer, but they have numerous shortcomings such as low bioavailability, short circulation time, and off-target toxicity. To address these challenges, nanomedicines are preferred and are being extensively investigated for breast cancer treatment. Nanomedicines are novel drug delivery systems that can improve drug stability, aqueous solubility, blood circulation time, controlled release, and targeted delivery at the tumoral site and enhance therapeutic safety and effectiveness. Nanoparticles (NPs) can be administered through different routes. Although the injectable route is less preferred than the oral route for drug administration, it has its advantages: it helps tailor drugs with targeted moiety, boosts payload, avoids first-pass metabolism, and improves the pharmacokinetic parameters of the active pharmaceutical ingredients. Targeted delivery of nanomedicine, closer to organelles such as the mitochondria and nuclei in breast cancer, reduces the dosage requirements and the toxic effects of chemotherapeutics. This review aims to provide the current status of the recent advances in various injectable nanomedicines for targeted treatment of breast cancer.

Multi-Layered PLGA-PEI Nanoparticles Functionalized with TKD Peptide for Targeted Delivery of Pep5 to Breast Tumor Cells and Spheroids

PURPOSE

Peptide-based therapy is a promising strategy for cancer treatment because of its low drug resistance. However, the major challenge is their inability to target cancer cells specifically. So, a targeted nano-delivery system that could deliver therapeutic peptides selectively to cancer cells to stimulate their action is highly desirable. This study aims to deliver the antitumor peptide, Pep5, to breast tumor cells selectively using a targeting peptide functionalised multi-layered PLGA-PEI nanoparticles.

METHODS

In this study, Pep5 entrapped PLGA-PEI (Pep5-PPN) dual layered nanoparticles were developed. These nanoparticles were decorated with TKD (Pep5-TPPN) on their surface for site-specific delivery of Pep5 to breast tumor cells. The particles were then characterized using various instrumental analyses. In vitro cytotoxicity of the particles was evaluated in estrogen receptor positive (ER+ve) and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. An ex vivo tumor spheroid model was used to analyze the antitumor activity of the particles.

RESULTS

Uniformly round Pep5-TPPN particles were synthesized with an average diameter of 420.8 ± 14.72 nm. The conjugation of PEI over Pep5-PLGA nanoparticles shifted the zeta potential from -11.6 ± 2.16 mV to +20.01 ± 2.97 mV. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis proved that TKD conjugation to nanoparticles enhanced the antitumor activity of Pep5 in tested breast cancer cells. Pep5-TPPN induced cytoskeletal damage and apoptosis in the tested cells, which showed that the mechanism of action of Pep5 is conserved but potentiated. Active targeting of Pep5 suppressed the tumor growth in ex vivo spheroid models.

CONCLUSION

A multi-layered nanoparticle functionalized with dual peptide was fabricated for active tumor targeting, which stimulated Pep5 activity to reduce the tumor growth in vitro and ex vivo.

Multifunctional Magnetic Nanoparticles for MRI-guided Co-delivery of Erlotinib and L-Asparaginase to Ovarian Cancer

AIM(S)

The use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in biomedical applications has been wildly opted due to their unique properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of aptamer-armed MNPs in ovarian cancer treatment and as T2 weighted MRI contrast agent.

METHODS

Here, we designed MNPs loaded with erlotinib (ERL/SPION-Val-PEG) and conjugated them with anti-mucin16 (MUC16) aptamer to introduce new image-guided nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted drug delivery as well as non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Also, the combination of our nanosystem (NS) along with L-Asparaginase (L-ASPN) led to synergistic effects in terms of reducing cell viability in ovarian cancer cells, which could suggest a novel combination therapy.

RESULTS

The mean size of our NS was about 63.4 ± 3.4 nm evaluated by DLS analysis and its morphology was confirmed using TEM. Moreover, the functional groups, as well as magnetic properties of our NS, were examined by FT-IR and VSM tests, respectively. The loading efficacy of erlotinib on MNPs was about 80% and its release reached 70.85% over 7 days in the pH value of 5.4. The MR images and flow cytometry results revealed that the cellular uptake of ERL/SPION-Val-PEG-MUC16 NPs in cells with MUC16 overexpression was considerably higher than unarmed NPs. In addition, T2-weight MR images of ovarian cancer-bearing mice indicated significant signal intensity changes at the tumor site 4 h after intravenous injection compared to the non-target MNPs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest ERL/SPION-Val-PEG NPs as an image-guided co-drug delivery system for ovarian cancer.

Nanoparticles as Physically- and Biochemically-Tuned Drug Formulations for Cancers Therapy

Simple Summary

Conventional antitumor drugs have limitations, including poor water solubility and lack of targeting capability, with consequent non-specific distribution, systemic toxicity, and low therapeutic index. Nanotechnology promises to overcome these drawbacks by exploiting the physical properties of diverse nanocarriers that can be linked to moieties with binding selectivity for cancer cells. The use of nanoparticles as therapeutic formulations allows a targeted delivery and a slow, controlled release of the drug(s), making them tunable modules for applications in precision medicine. In addition, nanoparticles are also being developed as cancer vaccines, offering an opportunity to increase both cellular and humoral immunity, thus providing a new weapon to beat cancer.

Abstract

Malignant tumors originate from a combination of genetic alterations, which induce activation of oncogenes and inactivation of oncosuppressor genes, ultimately resulting in uncontrolled growth and neoplastic transformation. Chemotherapy prevents the abnormal proliferation of cancer cells, but it also affects the entire cellular network in the human body with heavy side effects. For this reason, the ultimate aim of cancer therapy remains to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing their normal counterparts. Nanoparticle formulations have the potential to achieve this aim by providing optimized drug delivery to a pathological site with minimal accumulation in healthy tissues. In this review, we will first describe the characteristics of recently developed nanoparticles and how their physical properties and targeting functionalization are exploited depending on their therapeutic payload, route of delivery, and tumor type. Second, we will analyze how nanoparticles can overcome multidrug resistance based on their ability to combine different therapies and targeting moieties within a single formulation. Finally, we will discuss how the implementation of these strategies has led to the generation of nanoparticle-based cancer vaccines as cutting-edge instruments for cancer immunotherapy.

Recent advances and trends in nanoparticles based photothermal and photodynamic therapy

Light-mediated therapies, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) have been exploited as minimally invasive techniques for ablation of various tumors., Both modalities may eradicate tumors with minimal side effects to normal tissues and organs. Moreover, developments of light-mediated approaches using nanoparticles (NPs) and photosensitizer (PS) as diagnostic and therapeutic agents may have a crucial role in achieving successful cancer treatment. In recent years, novel nanoplatforms and strategies have been investigated to boost the therapeutic effect.. In this regard, gold, iron oxide, graphene oxide nanoparticles and hybrid nanocomposites have attracted attention.. Moreover, the combination of these materials with PS, in the form of hybrid NPs, reduces in vitro and in vivo normal tissue cytotoxicity, improves their solubility property in the biological environment and enhances the therapeutic effects. In this review, we look into the basic principles of PTT and PDT with their strengths and limitations to treat cancers. We also will discuss light-based nanoparticles and their PTT and PDT applications in the preclinical and clinical translation. Also, recent advances and trends in this field will be discussed along with the clinical challenges of PTT and PDT.

A comprehensive review on immuno-nanomedicine for breast cancer therapy: Technical challenges and troubleshooting measures

Nanosized drug carriers have received a major attention in cancer therapeutics and theranostics. The immuno-nanomedicine is a combination of monoclonal antibody (mAb)/mAb-drug-nanoparticles. The immuno-nanomedicine offers a promising strategy to target cancer cells. However, the understating of nanotechnology, cancer biology, immunomedicine, and nanoparticle surface chemistry has provided a better clue to prepare the effective immuno-nanomedicine for cancer therapy. Moreover, the selection of nanoparticles type and its composition is essential for development of efficient drug delivery system (DDS) to target the cancer cell site. Immuno-nanomedicine works in the ligand-receptor binding mechanism through the interaction of mAb conjugated nanoparticles and specific antigen over expressed on target cancer cells. Therefore, the selection of specific receptors in the cancer cell and their ligand is important to prepare the active immuno-nanomedicines. Moreover, the factors such as drug loading, entrapment efficiency, size, shape, and ligand conjugation of a nanocarrier are considered as major factors for a better cancer cell, internalization, drug release, and cancer cell ablation. The target-based over-expression of antigen, mAb is engineered and conjugated with nanoparticles for successful targeting of the cancer cells without causing adverse effects to normal cells. Therefore, this review analyzed the fundamental factors in the immuno-nanomedicine for breast cancer and its technical challenges in the fabrication of the antibody alone/and drug conjugated nanoparticles.

Targeted combined therapy in 2D and 3D cultured MCF-7 cells using metformin and erlotinib-loaded mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles

AIM

This research aims to develop potential therapeutic nanostructures (NSs) encapsulating metformin (MET) and erlotinib (ER) for combinational therapy in breast cancer.

METHODS

The ER and MET, both were loaded on mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with polyethylene glycol and methotrexate to achieve targeted NSs. The developed NSs were characterised using SEM, DLS, and FTIR. Afterward, MTT, Trypan blue, and DNA extraction assays were operated for biological evaluations in the 2D and 3D MCF-7 cells.

RESULTS

Physicochemical approaches indicated the mean diameter of 69.4 nm ± 9.5 (PDI = 0.64), and neutral charge (2 mv) for the developed NSs. MET and ER-loaded NSs exhibited 62.56% ± 4.41 and 67.73% ± 3.03 drug release amount in pH = 5.4, respectively. MTT assay revealed that ER- and MET-loaded NSs had less metabolic activity (≈ 20%) in comparison with non-targeted NSs.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our combined ER and MET-loaded targeted NSs result in a synergistic inhibitory impact on MCF-7 cells.

Folate receptor-mediated delivery of 1-MDT-loaded mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles to target breast cancer cells

Aims: The efficiency of mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles (MSMNP) as a targeted drug-delivery system was investigated. Methods: The superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NP) were synthesized, coated with mesoporous silica and conjugated with polyethylene glycol and methotrexate. Next, 1-methyl-D-tryptophan was loaded into the prepared nanosystems (NS). They were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, vibrating sample magnetometer, x-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method and their biological impacts on breast cancer cells were evaluated. Results: The prepared NSs displayed suitable properties and showed enhanced internalization by folate-receptor-expressing cells, exerting efficient cytotoxicity, which was further enhanced by the near-infrared radiation irradiation. Conclusion: On the basis of our findings, the engineered NS is a promising multifunctional nanomedicine/theranostic for solid tumors.

Advances in antibody nanoconjugates for diagnosis and therapy: A review of recent studies and trends

Nowadays, the targeted imaging probe and drug delivery systems are the novel breakthrough area in the nanomedicine and treatment of various diseases. Conjugation of monoclonal antibodies and their fragments on nanoparticles (NPs) have a remarkable impact on personalized medicine, such that it provides specific internalization and accumulation in the tumor microenvironment. Targeted imaging and early detection of cancer is presumably the strong participant to a diminution in mortality and recurrence of cancer disease that will be the next generation of the imaging device in clinical application. These intelligent delivery systems can deliver therapeutic agents that target cancerous tissue with minimal side effects and a wide therapeutic window. Overall, the linkage between the antibody and NPs is a critical subject and requires precise design and development. The attachment of antibody nanoconjugates (Ab-NCs) on the antigen surface shouldn't affect the function of the antibody-antigen binding. Also, the stability of the antibody nanoconjugates in blood circulation is concerned to avoid the release of drug in non-targeted regions and the possible for specific toxicity while disposal to the desired site. Here, we update the recent progress of Ab-NCs to improve early detection and cancer therapy.

Progresses in polymeric nanoparticles for delivery of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), as an important class of chemotherapeutic drugs, induce apoptosis by altering the path of the cellular signal, resulting in cell death. However, some chemotherapeutic drugs have a limited therapeutic index and are usually destructive as well as unpredictable. In addition, the limitation of early diagnosis and inefficiency of some of the drugs in ordinary treatments lead to disease progression and decreases in the survival of cancer patients. For this purpose, various methods have been proposed, among them, nanomedicine has transpired as a modern approach for the treatment of multiple cancers. Over the last two decades, targeted therapy has been developed for cancer-specific cells/tissues and has rather restricted nonselective toxicities. In vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated nanoparticles (NPs), nano-scale drugs, and nano-carriers alone or in combination with other therapeutic, imaging, and theranostic agents would be applied as an effective approach targeting a diversity of malignant tissue. Therefore, using the latest advances in materials science and biomaterials, biology, it has happened that general diagnosis and treatment can be performed. In this review, we indicated the applications of theranostic nano-polymer and nano-liposome to TKIs delivery.

Mucin-16 targeted mesoporous nano-system for evaluation of cervical cancer via dual-modal computed tomography and ultrasonography

Mesoporous silica-coated bismuth nanoparticles (NPs) are dual-modal contrast agents that enable detection and quantification of cervical cancers at early stages using computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US).