Inflammation targeted nanomedicines: patents and applications in cancer therapy

Mitochondrial SO2-Activated NIR Photodiagnostic Agent Harnessing Hydroxyl Radicals for Efficient Inflammation Eradication and Tumor Suppression

At present, some progress has been made in developing NIR light-responsive free radical generators. However, the efficacy of theranostics continues to be hindered by tumor-associated inflammatory reactions. Hence, fulfilling the in situ release of free radicals upon NIR light excitation specifically activated by the inflammation microenvironment would be an ideal strategy for efficient inflammation eradication and tumor suppression but remains a challenge. Herein, a SO2 (overexpressed reactive sulfur species in inflamed site)-stimulated phototheranostic agent (CVS) is successfully developed. Through a specific response to both endogenous and exogenous SO2 with a low LOD (31.7 nM), CVS demonstrates the "switch on" two-photon activity as well as efficient OH· generation. Remarkably, in CVS-treated H22-tumor-bearing mice, the NIR light-activated accurate inflammation eradication and tumor suppression are accomplished. This reactive phototheranostic platform not only facilitates the quantification of SO2 during inflammation but also renders it a potent NIR antihypoxic tumor agent.

Approved natural products-derived nanomedicines for disease treatment

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on exploring innovative drug delivery approaches due to the limitations of conventional therapeutic strategies, such as inadequate drug targeting, insufficient therapeutic efficacy, and significant adverse effects. Nanomedicines have emerged as a promising solution with notable advantages, including extended drug circulation, targeted delivery, and improved bioavailability, potentially enhancing the clinical treatment of various diseases. Natural products/materials-derived nanomedicines, characterized by their natural therapeutic efficacy, superior biocompatibility, and safety profile, play a crucial role in nanomedicine-based treatments. This review provides a comprehensive overview of currently approved natural products-derived nanomedicines, emphasizing the essential properties of natural products-derived drug carriers, their applications in clinical diagnosis and treatment, and the current therapeutic potential and challenges. The aim is to offer guidance for the application and further development of these innovative therapeutic approaches.

Targeting Breast Cancer Signaling via Phytomedicine and Nanomedicine

BACKGROUND

The development of breast cancer (BC) and how it responds to treatment have both been linked to the involvement of inflammation. Chronic inflammation is critical in carcinogenesis, leading to elevated DNA damage, impaired DNA repair machinery, cell growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and invasion. Studies have found several targets that selectively modulate inflammation in cancer, limit BC's growth, and boost treatment effectiveness. Drug resistance and the absence of efficient therapeutics for metastatic and triple-negative BC contribute to the poor outlook of BC patients.

SUMMARY

To treat BC, small-molecule inhibitors, phytomedicines, and nanoparticles are conjugated to attenuate BC signaling pathways. Due to their numerous target mechanisms and strong safety records, phytomedicines and nanomedicines have received much attention in studies examining their prospects as anti-BC agents by such unfulfilled demands.

KEY MESSAGES

The processes involved in the affiliation across the progression of tumors and the spread of inflammation are highlighted in this review. Furthermore, we included many drugs now undergoing clinical trials that target cancer-mediated inflammatory pathways, cutting-edge nanotechnology-derived delivery systems, and a variety of phytomedicines that presently address BC.

Regulation of Carcinogenesis by Sensory Neurons and Neuromediators

Interactions between the immune system and the nervous system are crucial in maintaining homeostasis, and disturbances of these neuro-immune interactions may participate in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Nerve endings have been identified within solid tumors in humans and experimental animals. Although the involvement of the efferent sympathetic and parasympathetic innervation in carcinogenesis has been extensively investigated, the role of the afferent sensory neurons and the neuropeptides in tumor development, growth, and progression is recently appreciated. Similarly, current findings point to the significant role of Schwann cells as part of neuro-immune interactions. Hence, in this review, we mainly focus on local and systemic effects of sensory nerve activity as well as Schwann cells in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Specific denervation of vagal sensory nerve fibers, or vagotomy, in animal models, has been reported to markedly increase lung metastases of breast carcinoma as well as pancreatic and gastric tumor growth, with the formation of liver metastases demonstrating the protective role of vagal sensory fibers against cancer. Clinical studies have revealed that patients with gastric ulcers who have undergone a vagotomy have a greater risk of stomach, colorectal, biliary tract, and lung cancers. Protective effects of vagal activity have also been documented by epidemiological studies demonstrating that high vagal activity predicts longer survival rates in patients with colon, non-small cell lung, prostate, and breast cancers. However, several studies have reported that inhibition of sensory neuronal activity reduces the development of solid tumors, including prostate, gastric, pancreatic, head and neck, cervical, ovarian, and skin cancers. These contradictory findings are likely to be due to the post-nerve injury-induced activation of systemic sensory fibers, the level of aggressiveness of the tumor model used, and the local heterogeneity of sensory fibers. As the aggressiveness of the tumor model and the level of the inflammatory response increase, the protective role of sensory nerve fibers is apparent and might be mostly due to systemic alterations in the neuro-immune response. Hence, more insights into inductive and permissive mechanisms, such as systemic, cellular neuro-immunological mechanisms of carcinogenesis and metastasis formation, are needed to understand the role of sensory neurons in tumor growth and spread.