EGFR-Targeted Cationic Polymeric Mixed Micelles for Codelivery of Gemcitabine and miR-205 for Treating Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Advancements in molecular imaging for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant tumor characterized by poor overall patient survival and prognosis, largely due to challenges in early diagnosis, limited surgical options, and a high propensity for therapy resistance. The integration of various imaging modalities through molecular imaging techniques, particularly multimodal molecular imaging, offers the potential to provide more precise and comprehensive information about the lesion. With advances in nanomedicine, new imaging and drug delivery approaches that allow the development of multifunctional theranostic agents offer opportunities for improving pancreatic cancer treatment using precision oncology. Herein, we review the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of molecular imaging for PDAC and discuss the adoption of multimodal imaging approaches that combine the strengths of different imaging techniques to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy. We emphasize the significant role of nanomedicine technology in advancing multimodal molecular imaging and theranostics, and their potential impact on PDAC management. This comprehensive review aims to serve as a valuable reference for researchers and clinicians, offering insights into the current state of molecular imaging in PDAC and outlining future directions for improving early diagnosis, combination therapies, and prognostic evaluations.

Nanomedicine in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with increasing incidence and mortality rates, highlighting the urgent need for early diagnosis and treatment. However, early diagnosis of PDAC is extremely challenging due to the atypical early symptoms or the absence of noticeable symptoms. As a result, many patients are diagnosed with local metastasis, and even patients who are eligible for surgical resection have a high postoperative recurrence rate. Consequently, chemotherapy remains the primary treatment for PDAC. However, the unique biological characteristics of PDAC not only promote tumor progression and metastasis but also often lead to chemoresistance, a significant barrier to successful treatment. Recently, nanomaterials have garnered significant attention as promising materials for diagnosing and treating PDAC, showing great potential in cancer therapy, imaging, and drug delivery. Novel targeted nanomedicines, which encapsulate chemotherapy drugs and gene therapy products, offer significant advantages in overcoming resistance. These nanomedicines not only provide innovative solutions to the limitations of conventional chemotherapy but also improve the selectivity for cancer cells to enhance therapeutic outcomes. Current research is focused on the development of advanced nanomedicines, such as liposomes, nanotubes, and polymer-lipid hybrid systems, aimed at making chemotherapy more effective and longer lasting. This review provides a detailed overview of various nanomedicines utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of PDAC and outlines future directions for their development and key breakthroughs.

Extensive Review of Nanomedicine Strategies Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment in PDAC

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, mainly because of its powerful pro-connective tissue proliferation matrix and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), which promote tumor progression and metastasis. In addition, the extracellular matrix leads to vascular collapse, increased interstitial fluid pressure, and obstruction of lymphatic return, thereby hindering effective drug delivery, deep penetration, and immune cell infiltration. Therefore, reshaping the TME to enhance tumor perfusion, increase deep drug penetration, and reverse immune suppression has become a key therapeutic strategy. Traditional therapies for PDAC, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, face significant limitations. Surgery is challenging due to tumor location and growth, while chemotherapy and radiation are hindered by the dense extracellular matrix and immunosuppressive TME. In recent years, the advancement of nanotechnology has provided new opportunities to improve drug efficacy. Nanoscale drug delivery systems (NDDSs) provide several advantages, including improved drug stability in vivo, enhanced tumor penetration, and reduced systemic toxicity. However, the clinical translation of nanotechnology in PDAC therapy faces several challenges. These include the need for precise targeting and control over drug release, potential immune responses to the nanocarriers, and the scalability and cost-effectiveness of production. This article provides an overview of the latest nanobased methods for achieving better therapeutic outcomes and overcoming drug resistance. We pay special attention to TME-targeted therapy in the context of PDAC, discuss the advantages and limitations of current strategies, and emphasize promising new developments. By emphasizing the enormous potential of NDDSs in improving the treatment outcomes of patients with PDAC, while critically discussing the limitations of traditional therapies and the challenges faced by nanotechnology in achieving clinical breakthroughs, our review paves the way for future research in this rapidly developing field.

Validation of ZIP4 as a tumour-associated antigen for nanotargeting

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains a highly aggressive and untreatable cancer. There is a need to develop a new PDAC-associated antigen-targeting drug delivery system to tackle this disease. We validated choosing ZIP4 as a putative target in PDAC theranostics. We developed a nanosystem composed of a fluorescent polystyrene core coated with gold nanoparticles onto which a ZIP4-specific polyclonal antibody is attached. The polystyrene core's fluorescence properties allow the nanosystem tracking by intravital imaging. We also developed two ZIP4-expressing cell lines by stably transfecting HEK293 and RWP1 cells with a ZIP4-coding plasmid that simultaneously provides cells with puromycin resistance. We studied the cell internalisation of the as-synthesised nanoparticles and demonstrated that ZIP4-expressing HEK293 and ZIP4-expressing RWP1 cells tended to take up more ZIP4-targeting nanoparticles. Moreover, we observed that ZIP4-targeting nanoparticles accumulated more in ZIP4-expressing HEK293 and RWP1 tumours when injected intravenously in a subcutaneous xenograft and an orthotopic in vivo model, respectively. Furthermore, the administration of these nanoparticles did not induce any significant systemic toxicity as determined by histological analysis of all organs. Altogether, these results provide the first evidence of the feasibility of using a ZIP4-targeting nanosystem further to design efficient therapeutic and diagnostic tools for PDAC.

Naphthoquinone Derivatives from the Endophytic Fungus Fusarium solani Induce Pancreatic Cancer Cells Apoptosis via Targeting EGFR-Mediated PI3K/Akt Pathway

Seven new polyketide compounds, four naphthoquinone derivatives, neofusarubins A-D (1, 3, 5, and 18) and three graminin-like compounds, fusofuranones A-C (19-21), together with 14 known naphthoquinone derivatives, were isolated from the solid fermentation of Fusarium solani, an endophytic fungus obtained from medicinal plant as tea, Camellia chrysantha. The structures of new compounds were elucidated based on chemical evidence and spectral data analysis (1D and 2D-NMR, HR-ESI-MS, ECD, SC-XRD). Among the isolated compounds tested, 2-acetonyl-3-methyl-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-naphthazarin (11) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against pancreatic cancer in PANC-1, MiaPaCa-2, and BxPC-3 cells. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that compound 11 inhibited cell proliferation and promotion of apoptosis by targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which were confirmed by cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), microscale thermophoresis (MST) and EGFR stably knockdown cells model assay, respectively. In addition, molecular mechanism studies in vitro showed that 11 could suppress the growth of pancreatic cancer cells by targeting EGFR and effectively inhibit downstream PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Collectively, these findings provide a new EGFR targeting natural product for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Beyond Lipids: Exploring Advances in Polymeric Gene Delivery in the Lipid Nanoparticles Era

The recent success of gene therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of effective and safe delivery systems. Complementing lipid-based delivery systems, polymers present a promising alternative for gene delivery. Significant advances have been made in the recent past, with multiple clinical trials progressing beyond phase I and several companies actively working on polymeric delivery systems which provides assurance that polymeric carriers can soon achieve clinical translation. The massive advantage of structural tunability and vast chemical space of polymers is being actively leveraged to mitigate shortcomings of traditional polycationic polymers and improve the translatability of delivery systems. Tailored polymeric approaches for diverse nucleic acids and for specific subcellular targets are now being designed to improve therapeutic efficacy. This review describes the recent advances in polymer design for improved gene delivery by polyplexes and covalent polymer-nucleic acid conjugates. The review also offers a brief note on novel computational techniques for improved polymer design. The review concludes with an overview of the current state of polymeric gene therapies in the clinic as well as future directions on their translation to the clinic.

Theranostic nanoparticles for detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most recalcitrant cancers due to its late diagnosis, poor therapeutic response, and highly heterogeneous microenvironment. Nanotechnology has the potential to overcome some of the challenges to improve diagnostics and tumor-specific drug delivery but they have not been plausibly viable in clinical settings. The review focuses on active targeting strategies to enhance pancreatic tumor-specific uptake for nanoparticles. Additionally, this review highlights using actively targeted liposomes, micelles, gold nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, and iron oxide nanoparticles to improve pancreatic tumor targeting. Active targeting of nanoparticles toward either differentially expressed receptors or PDAC tumor microenvironment (TME) using peptides, antibodies, small molecules, polysaccharides, and hormones has been presented. We focus on microenvironment-based hallmarks of PDAC and the potential for actively targeted nanoparticles to overcome the challenges presented in PDAC. It describes the use of nanoparticles as contrast agents for improved diagnosis and the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents that target various aspects within the TME of PDAC. Additionally, we review emerging nano-contrast agents detected using imaging-based technologies and the role of nanoparticles in energy-based treatments of PDAC. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanoscale Tools and Techniques in Surgery Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging.

Polymeric Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

The recent emergence of nanomedicine has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape and necessitated the creation of more sophisticated drug delivery systems. Polymeric nanoparticles sit at the forefront of numerous promising drug delivery designs, due to their unmatched control over physiochemical properties such as size, shape, architecture, charge, and surface functionality. Furthermore, polymeric nanoparticles have the ability to navigate various biological barriers to precisely target specific sites within the body, encapsulate a diverse range of therapeutic cargo and efficiently release this cargo in response to internal and external stimuli. However, despite these remarkable advantages, the presence of polymeric nanoparticles in wider clinical application is minimal. This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of polymeric nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles. The biological barriers affecting drug delivery will be outlined first, followed by a comprehensive description of the various nanoparticle designs and preparation methods, beginning with the polymers on which they are based. The review will meticulously explore the current performance of polymeric nanoparticles against a myriad of diseases including cancer, viral and bacterial infections, before finally evaluating the advantages and crucial challenges that will determine their wider clinical potential in the decades to come.

Poly(Propylene Carbonate)-Based Biodegradable and Environment-Friendly Materials for Biomedical Applications

Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) is an emerging "carbon fixation" polymer that holds the potential to become a "biomaterial of choice" in healthcare owing to its good biocompatibility, tunable biodegradability and safe degradation products. However, the commercialization and wide application of PPC as a biomedical material are still hindered by its narrow processing temperature range, poor mechanical properties and hydrophobic nature. Over recent decades, several physical, chemical and biological modifications of PPC have been achieved by introducing biocompatible polymers, inorganic ions or small molecules, which can endow PPC with better cytocompatibility and desirable biodegradability, and thus enable various applications. Indeed, a variety of PPC-based degradable materials have been used in medical applications including medical masks, surgical gowns, drug carriers, wound dressings, implants and scaffolds. In this review, the molecular structure, catalysts for synthesis, properties and modifications of PPC are discussed. Recent biomedical applications of PPC-based biomaterials are highlighted and summarized.

Recent advances in drug delivery and targeting for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Despite significant treatment efforts, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the deadliest solid tumor, is still incurable in the preclinical stages due to multifacet stroma, dense desmoplasia, and immune regression. Additionally, tumor heterogeneity and metabolic changes are linked to low grade clinical translational outcomes, which has prompted the investigation of the mechanisms underlying chemoresistance and the creation of effective treatment approaches by selectively targeting genetic pathways. Since targeting upstream molecules in first-line oncogenic signaling pathways typically has little clinical impact, downstream signaling pathways have instead been targeted in both preclinical and clinical studies. In this review, we discuss how the complexity of various tumor microenvironment (TME) components and the oncogenic signaling pathways that they are connected to actively contribute to the development and spread of PDAC, as well as the ways that recent therapeutic approaches have been targeted to restore it. We also illustrate how many endogenous stimuli-responsive linker-based nanocarriers have recently been developed for the specific targeting of distinct oncogenes and their downstream signaling cascades as well as their ongoing clinical trials. We also discuss the present challenges, prospects, and difficulties in the development of first-line oncogene-targeting medicines for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.

Integrating a microRNA signature as a liquid biopsy-based tool for the early diagnosis and prediction of potential therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer

INTRODUCTION

Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive cancer, and early diagnosis significantly improves patient prognosis due to the early implementation of curative-intent surgery. Our study aimed to implement machine-learning algorithms to aid in early pancreatic cancer diagnosis based on minimally invasive liquid biopsies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The analysis data were derived from nine public pancreatic cancer miRNA datasets and two sequencing datasets from 26 pancreatic cancer patients treated in our medical center, featuring small RNAseq data for patient-matched tumor and non-tumor samples and serum. Upon batch-effect removal, systematic analyses for differences between paired tissue and serum samples were performed. The robust rank aggregation (RRA) algorithm was used to reveal feature markers that were co-expressed by both sample types. The repeatability and real-world significance of the enriched markers were then determined by validating their expression in our patients' serum. The top candidate markers were used to assess the accuracy of predicting pancreatic cancer through four machine learning methods. Notably, these markers were also applied for the identification of pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis. Finally, we explored the clinical prognostic value, candidate targets and predict possible regulatory cell biology mechanisms involved.

RESULTS

Our multicenter analysis identified hsa-miR-1246, hsa-miR-205-5p, and hsa-miR-191-5p as promising candidate serum biomarkers to identify pancreatic cancer. In the test dataset, the accuracy values of the prediction model applied via four methods were 94.4%, 84.9%, 82.3%, and 83.3%, respectively. In the real-world study, the accuracy values of this miRNA signatures were 82.3%, 83.5%, 79.0%, and 82.2. Moreover, elevated levels of these miRNAs were significant indicators of advanced disease stage and allowed the discrimination of pancreatitis from pancreatic cancer with an accuracy rate of 91.5%. Elevated expression of hsa-miR-205-5p, a previously undescribed blood marker for pancreatic cancer, is associated with negative clinical outcomes in patients.

CONCLUSION

A panel of three miRNAs was developed with satisfactory statistical and computational performance in real-world data. Circulating hsa-miRNA 205-5p serum levels serve as a minimally invasive, early detection tool for pancreatic cancer diagnosis and disease staging and might help monitor therapy success.

Acquired and intrinsic gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer therapy: Environmental factors, molecular profile and drug/nanotherapeutic approaches

A high number of cancer patients around the world rely on gemcitabine (GEM) for chemotherapy. During local metastasis of cancers, surgery is beneficial for therapy, but dissemination in distant organs leads to using chemotherapy alone or in combination with surgery to prevent cancer recurrence. Therapy failure can be observed as a result of GEM resistance, threatening life of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients. The mortality and morbidity of PC in contrast to other tumors are increasing. GEM chemotherapy is widely utilized for PC suppression, but resistance has encountered its therapeutic impacts. The purpose of current review is to bring a broad concept about role of biological mechanisms and pathways in the development of GEM resistance in PC and then, therapeutic strategies based on using drugs or nanostructures for overcoming chemoresistance. Dysregulation of the epigenetic factors especially non-coding RNA transcripts can cause development of GEM resistance in PC and miRNA transfection or using genetic tools such as siRNA for modulating expression level of these factors for changing GEM resistance are suggested. The overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins and survival genes can contribute to GEM resistance in PC. Moreover, supportive autophagy inhibits apoptosis and stimulates GEM resistance in PC cells. Increase in metabolism, glycolysis induction and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) stimulation are considered as other factors participating in GEM resistance in PC. Drugs can suppress tumorigenesis in PC and inhibit survival factors and pathways in increasing GEM sensitivity in PC. More importantly, nanoparticles can increase pharmacokinetic profile of GEM and promote its blood circulation and accumulation in cancer site. Nanoparticles mediate delivery of GEM with genes and drugs to suppress tumorigenesis in PC and increase drug sensitivity. The basic research displays significant connection among dysregulated pathways and GEM resistance, but the lack of clinical application is a drawback that can be responded in future.

High-Load Gemcitabine Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Nanoparticles as an Image-Guided Tumor-Selective Drug-Delivery System to Treat Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a devastating prognosis without effective treatment options. Thus, there is an urgent need for more effective and safe therapies. Here, inorganic-organic hybrid nanoparticles (GMP-IOH-NPs) are presented as a novel drug-delivery system for the selective delivery of extraordinarily high concentrations of gemcitabine monophosphate (GMP), not only to the primary tumor but also to metastatic sites. GMP-IOH-NPs have a composition of [ZrO]2+ [GMP]2 - with GMP as drug anion (76% of total IOH-NP mass). Multiscale fluorescence imaging confirms an efficient uptake in tumor cells, independent of the activity of the human-equilibrative-nucleoside transporter (hENT1), being responsible for gemcitabine (GEM) transport into cells and a key factor for GEM resistance. Delivering already phosphorylated GMP via GMP-IOH-NPs into tumor cells also allows the cellular resistance induced by the downregulation of deoxycytidine kinase to be overcome. GMP-IOH-NPs show high accumulation in tumor lesions and only minor liver trapping when given intraperitoneally. GMP-IOH-NPs result in a higher antitumor efficacy compared to free GEM, which is further enhanced applying cetuximab-functionalized GMP-CTX-IOH-NPs. By maximizing the therapeutic benefits with high drug load, tumor-specific delivery, minimizing undesired side effects, overcoming mechanisms of chemoresistance, and preventing systemic GEM inactivation, GMP-IOH-NPs are anticipated to have a high chance to significantly improve current PDAC-patient outcome.

Polymeric-Micelle-Based Delivery Systems for Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids can modulate gene expression specifically. They are increasingly being utilized and show huge potential for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. However, the clinical translation of nucleic acids faces many challenges due to their rapid clearance after administration, low stability in physiological fluids and limited cellular uptake, which is associated with an inability to reach the intracellular target site and poor efficacy. For many years, tremendous efforts have been made to design appropriate delivery systems that enable the safe and effective delivery of nucleic acids at the target site to achieve high therapeutic outcomes. Among the different delivery platforms investigated, polymeric micelles have emerged as suitable delivery vehicles due to the versatility of their structures and the possibility to tailor their composition for overcoming extracellular and intracellular barriers, thus enhancing therapeutic efficacy. Many strategies, such as the addition of stimuli-sensitive groups or specific ligands, can be used to facilitate the delivery of various nucleic acids and improve targeting and accumulation at the site of action while protecting nucleic acids from degradation and promoting their cellular uptake. Furthermore, polymeric micelles can be used to deliver both chemotherapeutic drugs and nucleic acid therapeutics simultaneously to achieve synergistic combination treatment. This review focuses on the design approaches and current developments in polymeric micelles for the delivery of nucleic acids. The different preparation methods and characteristic features of polymeric micelles are covered. The current state of the art of polymeric micelles as carriers for nucleic acids is discussed while highlighting the delivery challenges of nucleic acids and how to overcome them and how to improve the safety and efficacy of nucleic acids after local or systemic administration.

Targeted Bioluminescent Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Using Nanocarrier-Complexed EGFR-Binding Affibody-Gaussia Luciferase Fusion Protein

In vivo imaging has enabled impressive advances in biological research, both preclinical and clinical, and researchers have an arsenal of imaging methods available. Bioluminescence imaging is an advantageous method for in vivo studies that allows for the simple acquisition of images with low background signals. Researchers have increasingly been looking for ways to improve bioluminescent imaging for in vivo applications, which we sought to achieve by developing a bioluminescent probe that could specifically target cells of interest. We chose pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as the disease model because it is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and has an extremely low survival rate. We targeted the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells, using an EGFR-specific affibody to selectively identify PDAC cells and delivered a Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) bioluminescent protein for imaging by engineering a fusion protein with both the affibody and the bioluminescent protein. This fusion protein was then complexed with a G5-PAMAM dendrimer nanocarrier. The dendrimer was used to improve the protein stability in vivo and increase signal strength. Our targeted bioluminescent complex had an enhanced uptake into PDAC cells in vitro and localized to PDAC tumors in vivo in pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. The bioluminescent complexes could delineate the tumor shape, identify multiple masses, and locate metastases. Through this work, an EGFR-targeted bioluminescent-dendrimer complex enabled the straightforward identification and imaging of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo in preclinical models. This argues for the targeted nanocarrier-mediated delivery of bioluminescent proteins as a way to improve in vivo bioluminescent imaging.

An EGFR/HER2-targeted conjugate sensitizes gemcitabine-sensitive and resistant pancreatic cancer through different SMAD4-mediated mechanisms

Chemoresistance limits its clinical implementation for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We previously generated an EGFR/HER2 targeted conjugate, dual-targeting ligand-based lidamycin (DTLL), which shows a highly potent antitumor effect. To overcome chemoresistance in PDAC, we aim to study DTLL efficacy when combined with gemcitabine and explore its mechanisms of action. DTLL in combination with gemcitabine show a superior inhibitory effect on the growth of gemcitabine-resistant/sensitive tumors. DTLL sensitizes gemcitabine efficacy via distinct action mechanisms mediated by mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4). It not only prevents neoplastic proliferation via ATK/mTOR blockade and NF-κB impaired function in SMAD4-sufficient PDACs, but also restores SMAD4 bioactivity to trigger downstream NF-κB-regulated signaling in SMAD4-deficient tumors and to overcome chemoresistance. DTLL seems to act as a SMAD4 module that normalizes its function in PDAC, having a synergistic effect in combination with gemcitabine. Our findings provide insight into a rational SMAD4-directed precision therapy in PDAC.

Nanoparticle-based therapeutic strategies targeting major clinical challenges in pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers due to its aggressiveness and the challenges for early diagnosis and treatment. Recently, nanotechnology has demonstrated relevant strategies to overcome some of the major clinical issues in the treatment of PDAC. This review is focused on the pathological hallmarks of PDAC and the impact of nanotechnology to find solutions. It describes the use of nanoparticle-based systems designed for the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and combinatorial alternatives that address the chemoresistance associated with PDAC, the development of combination therapies targeting the molecular heterogeneity in PDAC, the investigation of novel therapies dealing with the improvement of immunotherapy and handling the desmoplastic stroma in PDAC by remodeling the tumor microenvironment. A special section is dedicated to the design of nanoparticles for unique non-traditional modalities that could be promising in the future for the improvement in the dismal prognosis of PDAC.

MicroRNAs as potential therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies. The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients is mainly attributed to low diagnostic rate at the early stage, highly aggressive nature coupled with the inadequate efficacy of current chemotherapeutic regimens. Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for pancreatic cancer. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important regulatory role in key processes of cancer development. The aberrant expression of miRNAs is often involved in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. The discovery of tumor suppressor miRNAs provides prospects for the development of a novel treatment strategy for pancreatic cancer. We reviewed recent progress on the understanding of the role of miRNAs in pancreatic cancer, highlighted the efficient application of miRNAs-based therapies for pancreatic cancer in animal models and clinical trials, and proposed future prospects. This review focuses on the promise of integrating miRNAs into the treatment of pancreatic cancer and provides guidance for the development of precision medicine for pancreatic cancer.

CD34+ progenitor-derived NK cell and gemcitabine combination therapy increases killing of ovarian cancer cells in NOD/SCID/IL2Rgnull mice

Combining natural killer (NK) cell adoptive transfer with tumor-sensitizing chemotherapy is an attractive approach against recurrent ovarian cancer (OC), as OC is sensitive to NK cell-mediated immunity. Previously, we showed that CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC)-derived NK cells can kill OC cells in vitro and inhibit OC tumor growth in mice. Here, we investigated the potential of HPC-NK cell therapy combined with chemotherapeutic gemcitabine (used in recurrent OC patients) against OC. We examined the phenotypical, functional, and cytotoxic effects of gemcitabine on HPC-NK cells and/or OC cells in vitro and in OC-bearing mice. To this end, we treated OC cells and/or HPC-NK cells with or without gemcitabine and analyzed the phenotype, cytokine production, and anti-tumor reactivity. We found that gemcitabine did not affect the phenotype and functionality of HPC-NK cells, while on OC cells expression of NK cell activating ligands and death receptors was upregulated. Although gemcitabine pre-treatment of OC cells did not improve the functionality of HPC-NK cells, importantly, HPC-NK cells and gemcitabine additively killed OC cells in vitro. Similarly, combined HPC-NK cell and gemcitabine treatment additively decreased tumor growth in OC-bearing mice. Collectively, our results indicate that combination therapy of HPC-NK cells and gemcitabine results in augmented OC killing in vitro and in vivo. This provides a rationale for exploring this therapeutic strategy in patients with recurrent OC.

2,2-Bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid based cyclic carbonate monomers and their (co)polymers as advanced materials for biomedical applications

Designing grafted biodegradable polymers with tailored multi-functional properties is one of the most researched fields with extensive biomedical applications. Among many biodegradable polymers, polycarbonates have gained much attention due to their ease of synthesis, high drug loading, and excellent biocompatibility profiles. Among various monomers, 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid (bis-MPA) derived cyclic carbonate monomers have been extensively explored in terms of their synthesis as well as their polymerization. Since the late 90s, significant advancements have been made in the design of bis-MPA derived cyclic carbonate monomers as well as in their reaction schemes. Currently, bis-MPA derived polycarbonates have taken a form of an entire platform with a multitude of applications, the latest being in the field of nanotechnology, targeted drug, and nucleic acid delivery. The present review outlines an up to date developments that have taken place in the last two decades in the design, synthesis, and biomedical applications of bis-MPA derived cyclic carbonates and their (co)polymers.

Tailor-Made Nanomaterials for Diagnosis and Therapy of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide due to its aggressiveness and the challenge to early diagnosis and treatment. In recent decades, nanomaterials have received increasing attention for diagnosis and therapy of PDAC. However, these designs are mainly focused on the macroscopic tumor therapeutic effect, while the crucial nano-bio interactions in the heterogeneous microenvironment of PDAC remain poorly understood. As a result, the majority of potent nanomedicines show limited performance in ameliorating PDAC in clinical translation. Therefore, exploiting the unique nature of the PDAC by detecting potential biomarkers together with a deep understanding of nano-bio interactions that occur in the tumor microenvironment is pivotal to the design of PDAC-tailored effective nanomedicine. This review will introduce tailor-made nanomaterials-enabled laboratory tests and advanced noninvasive imaging technologies for early and accurate diagnosis of PDAC. Moreover, the fabrication of a myriad of tailor-made nanomaterials for various PDAC therapeutic modalities will be reviewed. Furthermore, much preferred theranostic multifunctional nanomaterials for imaging-guided therapies of PDAC will be elaborated. Lastly, the prospects of these nanomaterials in terms of clinical translation and potential breakthroughs will be briefly discussed.

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor: Key to Selective Intracellular Delivery

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an integral surface protein mediating cellular response to a number of growth factors. Its overexpression and increased activation due to mutations is one of the most common traits of many types of cancer. Development and clinical use of the agents, which block EGFR activation, became a prime example of the personalized targeted medicine. However, despite the obvious success in this area, cancer cure remains unattainable in most cases. Because of that, as well as the result of the search for possible ways to overcome the difficulties of treatment, a huge number of new treatment methods relying on the use of EGFR overexpression and its changes to destroy cancer cells. Modern data on the structure, functioning, and intracellular transport of EGFR, its natural ligands, as well as signaling cascades triggered by the EGFR activation, peculiarities of the EGFR expression and activation in oncological disorders, as well as applied therapeutic approaches aimed at blocking EGFR signaling pathway are summarized and analyzed in this review. Approaches to the targeted delivery of various chemotherapeutic agents, radionuclides, immunotoxins, photosensitizers, as well as the prospects for gene therapy aimed at cancer cells with EGFR overexpression are reviewed in detail. It should be noted that increasing attention is being paid nowadays to the development of multifunctional systems, either carrying several different active agents, or possessing several environment-dependent transport functions. Potentials of the systems based on receptor-mediated endocytosis of EGFR and their possible advantages and limitations are discussed.

miR-205 inhibits the development of hypertrophic scars by targeting THBS1

Increasing evidence shows that miRNAs are involved in the growth and development of hypertrophic scars. However, the specific mechanism of miR-205 is unclear. Here, we investigated the relationship between miR-205, thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) expression, and hypertrophic scars, and showed that miR-205 inhibits cell proliferation and migration and induces apoptosis. Double luciferase analysis, Western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that miR-205 downregulates THBS1 expression and activity. Compared to the control group, miR-205 inhibited hypertrophic scar development. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the miR-205-THBS1 pathway as a promising therapeutic target for reducing hypertrophic scars.

EGFR targeting for cancer therapy: Pharmacology and immunoconjugates with drugs and nanoparticles

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) belongs to the tyrosine kinase receptors family and is present in the epithelial cell membrane. Its endogenous activation occurs through the binding of different endogenous ligands, including the epidermal growth factor (EGF), leading to signaling cascades able to maintain normal cellular functions. Although involved in the development and maintenance of tissues in normal conditions, when EGFR is overexpressed, it stimulates the growth and progression of tumors, resulting in angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, through some main cascades such as Ras/Raf/MAPK, PIK-3/AKT, PLC-PKC and STAT. Besides, considering the limitations of conventional chemotherapy that result in high toxicity and low tumor specificity, EGFR is currently considered an important target. As a result, several monoclonal antibodies are currently approved for use in cancer treatment, such as cetuximab (CTX), panitumumab, nimotuzumab, necitumumab and others are in clinical trials. Aiming to combine the chemotherapeutic agent toxicity and specific targeting to EGFR overexpressing tumor tissues, two main strategies will be discussed in this review: antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and antibody-nanoparticle conjugates (ANCs). Briefly, ADCs consist of antibodies covalently linked through a spacer to the cytotoxic drug. Upon administration, binding to EGFR and endocytosis, ADCs suffer chemical and enzymatic reactions leading to the release and accumulation of the drug. Instead, ANCs consist of nanotechnology-based formulations, such as lipid, polymeric and inorganic nanoparticles able to protect the drug against inactivation, allowing controlled release and also passive accumulation in tumor tissues by the enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR). Furthermore, ANCs undergo active targeting through EGFR receptor-mediated endocytosis, leading to the formation of lysosomes and drug release into the cytosol. Herein, we will present and discuss some important aspects regarding EGFR structure, its role on internal signaling pathways and downregulation aspects. Then, considering that EGFR is a potential therapeutic target for cancer therapy, the monoclonal antibodies able to target this receptor will be presented and discussed. Finally, ADCs and ANCs state of the art will be reviewed and recent studies and clinical progresses will be highlighted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review paper to address specifically the EGFR target and its application on ADCs and ANCs.

Redox-responsive nanoplatform for codelivery of miR-519c and gemcitabine for pancreatic cancer therapy

Desmoplastic and hypoxic pancreatic cancer microenvironment induces aberrant expression of miRNAs and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) responsible for gemcitabine (GEM) resistance. We demonstrated that miR-519c was down-regulated in pancreatic cancer and transfection of miR-519c in GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer cells inhibited HIF-1α level under hypoxia. We synthesized redox-sensitive mPEG-co-P(Asp)-g-DC-g-S-S-GEM polymer, with GEM payload of 14% (w/w) and 90% GEM release upon incubation with l-glutathione. We synthesized mPEG-co-P(Asp)-g-TEPA-g-DC for complex formation with miRNA. Chemical modification of miR-519c with 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate (OMe-PS) at 3' end enhanced its stability and activity without being immunogenic. Epidermal growth factor receptor targeting peptide GE11 decoration increased tumor accumulation of micelles after systemic administration and significantly inhibited orthotopic desmoplastic pancreatic cancer growth in NSG mice by down-regulating HIF-1α and genes responsible for glucose uptake and cancer cell metabolism. Our multifunctional nanomedicine of GEM and OMe-PS-miR-519c offers a novel therapeutic strategy to treat desmoplasia and hypoxia-induced chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.

Downregulation of miR-205 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion in triple-negative breast cancer by targeting HMGB1-RAGE signaling pathway

Our aim was to study the regulatory molecule networks involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and thus promoting the early onset of metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Forty pairs of human TNBC and their adjacent normal breast tissues were analyzed by real-time PCR and immunochemistry to demonstrate the correlation between the miR-205 expression and clinicopathological characteristics. In vitro, 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide assay, cell migration, and invasion assay were used to detect the cell growth and invasive ability of TNBC cells after upregulation or downregulation of miR-205 expression. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the potential target directly influenced by miR-205. Our results showed that miR-205 abnormal expression may be involved and associated with the biological traits of TNBC. Ectopic expression of miR-205 not only inhibited cell growth, but also suppressed migration and invasion of mesenchymal-like TNBC cells. In addition, we found that overexpression of miR-205 significantly suppressed HMGB1 by binding its 3′-untranslated region, and that miR-205 was inversely correlated with the expression of HMGB1 and RAGE in cell lines and clinical samples. Our study illustrated that miR-205 was a tumor suppressor in TNBC, which attenuated the viability and the acquisition of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition phenotype TNBC cells at least partially exerted through targeting of HMGB1–RAGE signaling pathway.

miR-205: A Potential Biomedicine for Cancer Therapy

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of their target mRNAs post transcriptionally. miRNAs are known to regulate not just a gene but the whole gene network (signaling pathways). Accumulating evidence(s) suggests that miRNAs can work either as oncogenes or tumor suppressors, but some miRNAs have a dual nature since they can act as both. miRNA 205 (miR-205) is one such highly conserved miRNA that can act as both, oncomiRNA and tumor suppressor. However, most reports confirm its emerging role as a tumor suppressor in many cancers. This review focuses on the downregulated expression of miR-205 and discusses its dysregulation in breast, prostate, skin, liver, gliomas, pancreatic, colorectal and renal cancers. This review also confers its role in tumor initiation, progression, cell proliferation, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and tumor metastasis. Restoration of miR-205 makes cells more sensitive to drug treatments and mitigates drug resistance. Additionally, the importance of miR-205 in chemosensitization and its utilization as potential biomedicine and nanotherapy is described. Together, this review research article sheds a light on its application as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker, and as a biomedicine in cancer.

Four generations of EGFR TKIs associated with different pathogenic mutations in non-small cell lung carcinoma

Non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a malignant tumour with poor prognosis and high mortality. Platinum-based dual-agent chemotherapy is the main therapeutic regimen for this disease. In recent years, because of the introduction of molecular targeted therapy, various targeted therapeutic agents against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been rapidly developed, which has become a research hotspot for NSCLC treatment. Here, we review the latest studies describing the features and types of EGFR pathogenic mutations, currently established EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors from the first to fourth generation, including their action mechanisms, acquired resistance, and clinical applications, and potential challenges and perspectives that current researchers should address.

Multifunctional nanomedicines for targeting epidermal growth factor receptor in colorectal cancer

Systemic administration of chemotherapeutics by nanocarriers (NCs) functionalized with targeting agents provides a localized accumulation of drugs in the target tissues and cells. Advanced nanoscaled medicaments can enter into the tumor microenvironment (TME) and overcome the uniquely dysregulated biological settings of TME, including highly pressurized tumor interstitial fluid in an acidic milieu. Such multimodal nanomedicines seem to be one of the most effective treatment modalities against solid tumors such as colorectal cancer (CRC). To progress and invade, cancer cells overexpress various oncogenes and molecular markers such as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), which can be exploited for targeted delivery of nanoscaled drug delivery systems (DDSs). In fact, to develop effective personalized multimodal nanomedicines, the type of solid tumor and status of the disease in each patient should be taken into consideration. While the development of such multimodal-targeted nanomedicines is largely dependent on the expression level of oncomarkers, the type of NCs and homing/imaging agents play key roles in terms of their efficient applications. In this review, we provide deep insights into the development of EGFR-targeting nanomedicines and discuss various types of nanoscale DDSs (e.g., organic and inorganic nanoparticles) for targeting of the EGFR-positive solid tumors such as CRC.

Advances in the discovery of microRNA-based anticancer therapeutics: latest tools and developments

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous non-coding RNAs that repress the expression of their target genes by reducing mRNA stability and/or inhibiting translation. miRNAs are known to be aberrantly regulated in cancers. Modulators of miRNA (mimics and antagonists) have emerged as novel therapeutic tools for cancer treatment.Areas covered: This review summarizes the various strategies that have been applied to correct the dysregulated miRNA in cancer cells. The authors also discuss the recent advances in the technical development and preclinical/clinical evaluation of miRNA-based therapeutic agents.Expert opinion: Application of miRNA-based therapeutics for cancer treatment is appealing because they are able to modulate multiple dysregulated genes and/or signaling pathways in cancer cells. Major obstacles hindering their clinical development include drug delivery, off-target effects, efficacious dose determination, and safety. Tumor site-specific delivery of novel miRNA therapeutics may help to minimize off-target effects and toxicity. Combination of miRNA therapeutics with other anticancer treatment modalities could provide a synergistic effect, thus allowing the use of lower dose, minimizing off-target effects, and improving the overall safety profile in cancer patients. It is critical to identify individual miRNAs with cancer type-specific and context-specific regulation of oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes in order to facilitate the precise use of miRNA anticancer therapeutics.

MicroRNAs and Metastasis

Metastasis, the development of secondary malignant growths at a distance from the primary site of a cancer, is associated with almost 90% of all cancer deaths, and half of all cancer patients present with some form of metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Consequently, there is a clear clinical need for a better understanding of metastasis. The role of miRNAs in the metastatic process is beginning to be explored. However, much is still to be understood. In this review, we present the accumulating evidence for the importance of miRNAs in metastasis as key regulators of this hallmark of cancer.

Exosomal microRNA-205 is involved in proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells via regulating VEGFA

Background

Recently, the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) and exosome on ovarian cancer has been assessed in many studies. We aim to explore the mechanism of exosomes transferring miR-205 in ovarian cancer, and confirm its diagnostic value in ovarian cancer.

Methods

The expression of miR-205 of ovarian cancer patients and healthy people was detected by RT-qPCR, and the diagnostic value of miR-205 was evaluated. The exosomes derived from SKOV3 cells were identified. Ovarian cancer SKOV3 donor cells and receptor cells were used to measure the proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and cell cycle by a series of experiments. The binding site between miR-205 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) was evaluated by bioinformatics tool and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.

Results

MiR-205 was up-regulated in ovarian cancer, and up-regulated miR-205 could enhance the risk of ovarian cancer and was one of its risk factors. After SKOV3 cells-derived exosomes were transiently introduced with miR-205 mimics, the cell proliferation, migration and invasion in ovarian cancer were elevated, the apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells was attenuated, and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) protein E-cadherin was down-regulated, while Vimentin was elevated. VEGFA was identified to be a target gene of miR-205.

Conclusion

This study suggests that exosomes from donor ovarian cancer cell SKOV3 shuttled miR-205 could participate in the regulation of the proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis as well as EMT progression of receptor SKOV3 cells by targeting VEGFA.

Gemcitabine Combination Nano Therapies for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest causes of cancer-related death in the United States, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 6 to 8%. These statistics suggest that immediate medical attention is needed. Gemcitabine (GEM) is the gold standard first-line single chemotherapy agent for pancreatic cancer but, after a few months, cells develop chemoresistance. Multiple clinical and experimental investigations have demonstrated that a combination or co-administration of other drugs as chemotherapies with GEM lead to superior therapeutic benefits. However, such combination therapies often induce severe systemic toxicities. Thus, developing strategies to deliver a combination of chemotherapeutic agents more securely to patients is needed. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery can offer to load a cocktail of drugs, increase stability and availability, on-demand and tumor-specific delivery while minimizing chemotherapy-associated adverse effects. This review discusses the available drugs being co-administered with GEM and the limitations associated during the process of co-administration. This review also helps in providing knowledge of the significant number of delivery platforms being used to overcome problems related to gemcitabine-based co-delivery of other chemotherapeutic drugs, thereby focusing on how nanocarriers have been fabricated, considering the modes of action, targeting receptors, pharmacology of chemo drugs incorporated with GEM, and the differences in the physiological environment where the targeting is to be done. This review also documents the focus on novel mucin-targeted nanotechnology which is under development for pancreatic cancer therapy.

Enhanced Inhibition of Tumorigenesis Using Combinations of miRNA-Targeted Therapeutics

The search for effective strategies to inhibit tumorigenesis remains one of the most relevant scientific challenges. Among the most promising approaches is the direct modulation of the function of short non-coding RNAs, particularly miRNAs. These molecules are propitious targets for anticancer therapy, since they perform key regulatory roles in a variety of signaling cascades related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. The development of pathological states is often associated with deregulation of miRNA expression. The present review describes in detail the strategies aimed at modulating miRNA activity that invoke antisense oligonucleotide construction, such as small RNA zippers, miRNases (miRNA-targeted artificial ribonucleases), miRNA sponges, miRNA masks, anti-miRNA oligonucleotides, and synthetic miRNA mimics. The broad impact of developed miRNA-based therapeutics on the various events of tumorigenesis is also discussed. Above all, the focus of this review is to evaluate the results of the combined application of different miRNA-based agents and chemotherapeutic drugs for the inhibition of tumor development. Many studies indicate a considerable increase in the efficacy of anticancer therapy as a result of additive or synergistic effects of simultaneously applied therapies. Different drug combinations, such as a cocktail of antisense oligonucleotides or multipotent miRNA sponges directed at several oncogenic microRNAs belonging to the same/different miRNA families, a mixture of anti-miRNA oligonucleotides and cytostatic drugs, and a combination of synthetic miRNA mimics, have a more complex and profound effect on the various events of tumorigenesis as compared with treatment with a single miRNA-based agent or chemotherapeutic drug. These data provide strong evidence that the simultaneous application of several distinct strategies aimed at suppressing different cellular processes linked to tumorigenesis is a promising approach for cancer therapy.

The ambiguous role of microRNA-205 and its clinical potential in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Early treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is significantly delayed due to the lack of liquid biopsy markers for early diagnosis at surgically resectable tumor stages. Recent studies suggest that microRNA-205 (miR-205) is involved in PDAC progression by post-transcriptional regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the clinical potential of miR-205 as diagnostic and prognostic marker remains undefined and its exact role in PDAC is still ambiguous. This retrospective study is a substantial contribution to this on-going scientific discussion.

METHODS

Expression analysis of miR-205 and its molecular targets in PDAC cell lines (n = 5), human tissue (n = 73), and blood serum samples (n = 85) by qRT-PCR, tissue microarray immunohistochemistry, and western blot. Descriptive and explorative statistical analysis of miR-205's clinical potential for diagnosis and prognosis of PDAC.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-205 differs more than 2000-fold (p < 0.001) between epithelial and mesenchymal-like human PDAC cell lines correlating with EMT-marker expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, fibronectin, and ZEB-1. Expression of miR-205 is significantly upregulated in carcinoma tissue (eightfold, p = 0.028) and serum (2.3-fold, p = 0.023) of PDAC patients compared to age-matched healthy controls. In our patient collective circulating miR-205 in combination with CA.19-9 outperforms the diagnostic accuracy of CA.19-9 alone with an AUC of 0.890 (p < 0.001), sensitivity of 0.867, and specificity of 0.933. Though non-significant, low expression of circulating miR-205 is more frequent in advanced tumor stages combined with a worse overall survival (6.9 vs. 11.9 months, p = 0.176).

CONCLUSION

Besides its controversial role in carcinogenesis, miR-205 shows high potential as a solid and liquid biopsy marker in PDAC. This result is an urgent call for larger confirmatory multi-center studies.

Clinical Impact of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Regulating MicroRNAs in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive carcinoma entities worldwide with early and rapid dissemination. Recently, we discussed the role of microRNAs as epigenetic regulators of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in PDAC. In this study, we investigated their value as diagnostic and prognostic markers in tissue and blood samples of 185 patients including PDAC, non-malignant pancreatic disorders, and age-matched healthy controls. Expression of the microRNA-200-family (microRNAs -141, -200a, -200b, -200c, -429) and microRNA-148a was significantly downregulated in tissue of PDAC Union internationale contre le cancer (UICC) Stage II. Correspondingly, stromal PDAC tissue showed strong expression of Fibronectin, Vimentin, and ZEB-1 (Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox) versus low expression of E-cadherin. Transient transfection of microRNA-200b and microRNA-200c mimics resulted in the downregulation of their key target ZEB-1. Inversely, blood serum analyses of patients with PDAC UICC Stages II, III, and IV showed a significant over-expression of microRNA-200-family members, microRNA-148a, microRNA-10b, and microRNA-34a. Correspondingly, Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) analyses revealed a significant over-expression of soluble E-cadherin in serum samples of PDAC patients versus healthy controls. The best diagnostic accuracy to distinguish between PDAC and non-PDAC in this patient collective could be achieved in tissue by microRNA-148a with an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.885 and in blood serum by a panel of microRNA-141, -200b, -200c, and CA.19-9 with an AUC of 0.890. Both diagnostic tools outreach the diagnostic performance of the currently most common diagnostic biomarker CA.19-9 (AUC of 0.834). Kaplan Meier survival analysis of this patient collective revealed an improved overall survival in PDAC patients with high expression of tissue-related microRNA-34a, -141, -200b, -200c, and -429. In conclusion, EMT-regulating microRNAs have great potential as liquid and solid biopsy markers in PDAC patients. Their prognostic and therapeutic benefits remain important tasks for future studies.

LncRNA ADPGK-AS1 promotes pancreatic cancer progression through activating ZEB1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ADP dependent glucokinase antisense RNA 1 (ADPGK-AS1)/ miR-205-5p/ zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) on PC cells.

METHODS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs and miRNAs in pancreatic cancer (PC) were identified by microarray analysis. In silico ceRNA analysis was conducted to find out the interactions among lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was utilized to examine the expression of miR-205-5p and lncRNA ADPGK-AS1 in PC and non-cancerous cells. The association between miR-205-5p and ADPGK-AS1 as well as miR-205-5p and ZEB1 was determined by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. After manipulating the expression of ADPGK-AS1, mir-205-5p and ZEB1 in PANC-1 and SW-1990 cells, cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis were respectively confirmed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, transwell assay and TUNEL. Western blot was applied to examine the expression of Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition-related proteins. In vivo experiment was conducted to further determine the effect of miR-205-5p/ZEB1 on tumorigenic ability of PC cells.

RESULTS

MiR-205-5p was low-expressed while ZEB1 and ADPGK-AS1 were high-expressed in PC tissues and cells compared with the normal. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay proved that ADPGK-AS1 could directly target miR-205-5p and miR-205-5p could directly target ZEB1 3'UTR. The expression of MiR-205-5p was negatively correlated with proliferation, migration and invasion, and positively correlated with apoptosis rate of PC cells, while ZEB1 and ADPGK-AS1 had an inversed effect. Further in vitro and in vivo investigation indicated that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) could be restrained by miR-205-5p through targeting ZEB1. ADPGK-AS1 strongly promoted the tumorigenesis via downregulating miR-205-5p expression and induced the EMT process in vivo.

CONCLUSION

ADPGK-AS1 inhibited miR-205-5p and therefore promoted PC progression through activating ZEB1-induced EMT.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanocarriers for delivering cancer therapeutics

Cancer remained a major cause of death providing diversified challenges in terms of treatment including non-specific toxicity, chemoresistance and relapse. Nanotechnology- based delivery systems grabbed tremendous attention for delivering cancer therapeutics as they provide benefits including controlled drug release, improved biological half-life, reduced toxicity and targeted delivery. Majority of the nanocarriers consists of either a polymer or a lipid component along with other excipients to stabilize the colloidal system. Lipid-based systems provide advantages like better entrapment efficiency, scalability and low- cost raw materials, however, suffer from limitations including instability, a burst release of the drug, and limited surface functionalization. On the other hand, polymeric systems provide an excellent diversity of chemical modifications, stability, controlled release, however limited drug loading capacities and scale up limit their use. Hybrid nanocarriers consisting of lipid and polymer were able to overcome some of these disadvantages while retaining the advantages of both the systems. Designing a stable lipid-polymer hybrid system requires a thorough understanding of the material properties and their behavior in in vitro and in vivo environments. This review highlights the current status and future prospects of lipid-polymer hybrid systems with a particular focus on cancer nanotherapeutics.