Emerging IL-12-based nanomedicine for cancer therapy

Cytokine-based immunotherapy for gastric cancer: targeting inflammation for tumor control

Emerging cancer immunotherapy methods, notably cytokine-based ones that modify immune systems' inflammatory reactions to tumor cells, may help slow gastric cancer progression. Cytokines, tiny signaling proteins that communicate between immune cells, may help or hinder cancer growth. Pro-inflammatory cytokines encourage tumor development, whereas antitumor ones help the host reject cancer cells. This study considers cytokine-targeted methods for gastric cancer pro-inflammatory and antitumor immune responses. Researchers want to renew immune cells like cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and natural killer (NK) cells by delivering cytokines like interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferons (IFNs), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) to activate inflammatory pathways and combat tumors. Since cytokines have significant pleiotropic effects, their therapeutic use is difficult and may cause excessive systemic inflammation or immunological suppression. This review covers current advancements in synthetic cytokines, cytokine-conjugates, and local administration of these aimed to enhance the therapeutic index: increase the potential to kill cancer cells while minimizing off-target damage. The study examines the relationship between cytokines and tumor microenvironment (TME), revealing the role of immunosuppressive cytokines like IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in promoting an immune-evasive phenotype. These results suggest that inhibitory pathway targeting, and cytokine-based therapy may overcome resistance mechanisms. Cytokine-based immunotherapies combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors are predicted to change gastric cancer therapy and rebuild tumor-immune microenvironment dynamics, restoring antitumor immunity. Comprehensive data from current clinical studies will assist in establishing the position of these treatments in gastric cancer.

Transcriptome analysis unveils the mechanisms of oxidative stress, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity induced by benzotriazole UV stabilizer-328 in zebrafish embryos

As an emerging pollutant, ultraviolet stabilizer-328 (UV-328) has been frequently detected in aquatic environments and attracted great attention. Nevertheless, the toxicity and mechanisms of UV-328 to aquatic organisms are still not fully understood. In particular, the immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity of UV-328 to aquatic organisms and their mechanisms have not been reported yet. In this experiment, the developmental toxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryos exposed to UV-328 with concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 µg/L for 120 h were studied. By measuring the growth and developmental indices, production of ROS, enzyme activities, MDA content and expression of genes related to oxidative, immune and nerve, and histopathological analysis, it was found that UV-328 had developmental toxicity to zebrafish larvae, and could induce oxidative stress, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity to zebrafish larvae even at environmental concentrations with concentration-dependent effects. Moreover, the results of transcriptome analysis and qRT-PCR validation suggested that immune and nerve disorders were caused by UV-328 in zebrafish larvae through regulating the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, respectively. In addition, transcriptome analysis further revealed that UV-328 could mediate the RIG-I to induce oxidative stress through p38-MAPK/p53 signaling pathway, leading to apoptosis and oxidative damage. In addition, the p38-MAPK signaling pathway enhanced ROS production and activated inflammatory cytokines to induce immunotoxicity. The results of the present work provided important information for understanding the toxicity of UV-328 to aquatic organisms and evaluating its ecological risk in aquatic environment.

Intelligent responsive nanogels: New Horizons in cancer therapy

Biologically engineered nanogels formed through sophisticated intramolecular crosslinking processes represent the forefront of next-generation drug delivery systems. These innovative systems offer many advantages, like adjustable size, satisfactory biocompatibility, and minimal toxicity. Their unique attributes facilitate deep penetration and long-term retention of drugs in tumors, effectively enhancing the anti-tumor effects. Nonetheless, the rapid disintegration of nanogels and the subsequent triggering of drug release at the tumor site pose significant challenges in achieving more effective and precise tumor treatments. Therefore, increasing research has been dedicated to exploring stimulus-responsive nanogels for enhancing tumor therapy. This review aims to encapsulate the research advancements in emerging stimulus-responsive antitumor nanogels. Firstly, a detailed exposition is provided on various endogenous stimulus-responsive nanogels, encompassing factors such as pH, hypoxia, enzymes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and glutathione (GSH). Secondly, various nanogels triggered by exogenous stimuli such as light, ultrasound, temperature, and magnetic fields are elaborately presented. Furthermore, nanogels with multifaceted stimulus-responsive properties are also skillfully designed. Finally, the future directions, application prospects, and challenges of intelligent responsive nanogels in cancer treatment are highlighted.