Integrating Epigenetic Modulators in Nanofibers for Synergistic Gastric Cancer Therapy via Epigenetic Reprogramming

Polydopamine-based nano-protectant for prolonged boar semen preservation by eliminating ROS and regulating protein phosphorylation via D2DR-mediated cAMP/PKA signaling pathway

INTRODUCTION

Preservation of porcine semen is essential for artificial insemination and genetic improvement in pig breeding programs. However, the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lower levels of protein phosphorylation emerge as two challenges during semen preservation. Inspired by the innate ligand-receptor binding biofunction of dopamine, herein, a dual-task nano-protectant that combines ROS-scavenging and protein phosphorylation-regulating properties via incorporating the natural antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) into polydopamine nanoparticles (EGCG@PDA NPs) was proposed to enhance the quality of pig semen during storage at 4 ℃. The results suggested that EGCG@PDA NPs significantly maintained sperm motility, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial membrane potential, extending semen storage time from 3 days to 10 days. Furthermore, EGCG@PDA NPs effectively scavenged excess ROS and inhibited ROS-mediated sperm apoptosis through the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway. Intriguingly, EGCG@PDA NPs could degrade into ultrasmall particles (< 10 nm) in the semen or H2O2 systems. These particles could target and activate the dopamine D2 receptor (D2DR) on membrane surface of sperm midpiece, thereby enhancing protein phosphorylation via the downstream cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) signaling pathway, ultimately improving sperm motility parameters. This study presents a novel nano-strategy to boost the quality of pig semen, offering significant implications for the pig industry.

Amino-Acid-Encoded Supramolecular Nanostructures for Persistent Bioluminescence Imaging of Tumor

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a powerful technique for noninvasive monitoring of biological processes and cell transplantation. Nonetheless, the application of D-luciferin, which is widely employed as a bioluminescent probe, is restricted in long-term in vivo tracking due to its short half-life. This study presents a novel approach using amino acid-encoded building blocks to accumulate and preserve luciferin within tumor cells, through a supramolecular self-assembly strategy. The building block platform called Cys(SEt)-X-CBT (CXCBT, with X representing any amino acid) utilizes a covalent-noncovalent hybrid self-assembly mechanism to generate diverse luciferin-containing nanostructures in tumor cells after glutathione reduction. These nanostructures exhibit efficient tumor-targeted delivery as well as sequence-dependent well-designed morphologies and prolonged bioluminescence performance. Among the selected amino acids (X = Glu, Lys, Leu, Phe), Cys(SEt)-Lys-CBT (CKCBT) exhibits the superior long-lasting bioluminescence signal (up to 72 h) and good biocompatibility. This study demonstrates the potential of amino-acid-encoded supramolecular self-assembly as a convenient and effective method for developing BLI probes for long-term biological tracking and disease imaging.

Mapping the intellectual structure and emerging trends for the application of nanomaterials in gastric cancer: A bibliometric study

BACKGROUND

Recent reviews have outlined the main nanomaterials used in relation to gastrointestinal tumors and described the basic properties of these materials. However, the research hotspots and trends in the application of nanomaterials in gastric cancer (GC) remain obscure.

AIM

To demonstrate the knowledge structure and evolutionary trends of research into the application of nanomaterials in GC.

METHODS

Publications related to the application of nanomaterials in GC were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection for this systematic review and bibliometric study. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used for bibliometric and visualization analyses.

RESULTS

From 2000 to 2022, the application of nanomaterials in GC developed rapidly. The keyword co-occurrence analysis showed that the related research topics were divided into three clusters: (1) The application of nanomaterials in GC treatment; (2) The application and toxicity of nanomaterials in GC diagnosis; and (3) The effects of nanomaterials on the biological behavior of GC cells. Complexes, silver nanoparticles, and green synthesis are the latest high-frequency keywords that represent promising future research directions.

CONCLUSION

The application of nanomaterials in GC diagnosis and treatment and the mechanisms of their effects on GC cells have been major themes in this field over the past 23 years.

Improving therapeutic potential in breast cancer via histone deacetylase inhibitor loaded nanofibrils

Epigenetic modifications play a significant role in cancer progression, making them potential targets for therapy. Histone deacetylase inhibitors have shown promise in inhibiting cancer cell growth, including in breast cancer (BC). In this research, we examined the potential of using suberoyl anilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA)-loaded β-lg nanofibrils as a drug delivery system for triple-negative BC cell lines. We assessed their impact on cell cycle progression, apoptosis, levels of reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial membrane potential in cancer cells. The combination of SAHA and β-lg nanofibrils demonstrated enhanced efficacy in inhibiting cell growth, inducing cell cycle arrest, and promoting apoptosis (43.78%) compared to SAHA alone (40.09%). Moreover, it effectively targeted cancer cells without promoting drug resistance while using a low concentration of the nanofibrils. These findings underscore the promising potential of nanofibril-based drug delivery systems for BC treatment.

Advances in the Delivery and Development of Epigenetic Therapeutics for the Treatment of Cancer

Gene expression at the transcriptional level is altered by epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone methylation, and acetylation, which can upregulate, downregulate, or entirely silence genes. Pathological dysregulation of epigenetic processes can result in the development of cancer, neurological problems, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. It is of promising therapeutic interest to find medications that target these epigenetic alterations. Despite the enormous amount of work that has been done in this area, very few molecules have been approved for clinical purposes. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent advances in epigenetic therapeutics for cancer, with a specific focus on emerging delivery and development strategies. Various delivery systems, including pro-drugs, conjugated molecules, nanoparticles (NPs), and liposomes, as well as remedial strategies such as combination therapies, and epigenetic editing, are being investigated to improve the efficacy and specificity of epigenetic drugs (epi-drugs). Furthermore, the challenges associated with available epi-drugs and the limitations of their translation into clinics have been discussed. Target selection, isoform selectivity, physiochemical properties of synthesized molecules, drug screening, and scalability of epi-drugs from preclinical to clinical fields are the major shortcomings that are addressed. This Review discusses novel strategies for the identification of new biomarkers, exploration of the medicinal chemistry of epigenetic modifiers, optimization of the dosage regimen, and design of proper clinical trials that will lead to better utilization of epigenetic modifiers over conventional therapies. The integration of these approaches holds great potential for improving the efficacy and precision of epigenetic treatments, ultimately benefiting cancer patients.

Developing a Ruthenium(III) Complex to Trigger Gasdermin E-Mediated Pyroptosis and an Immune Response Based on Decitabine and Liposomes: Targeting Inhibition of Gastric Tumor Growth and Metastasis

To develop next-generation metal drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity for targeting inhibition of gastric tumor growth and metastasis, we not only optimized a series of ruthenium (Ru, III) 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde thiosemicarbazone complexes to obtain a Ru(III) complex (4b) with remarkable cytotoxicity in vitro but also constructed a 4b-decitabine (DCT)/liposome (Lip) delivery system (4b-DCT-Lip). The in vivo results showed that 4b-DCT-Lip not only had a stronger capacity to inhibit gastric tumor growth and metastasis than 4b-DCT but also addressed the co-delivery problems of 4b-DCT and improved their targeting ability. Furthermore, we confirmed the mechanism of 4b-DCT/4b-DCT-Lip inhibiting the growth and metastasis of a gastric tumor. DCT-upregulated gasdermin E (GSDME) was cleaved by 4b-activated caspase-3 to afford GSDME-N terminal and then was aggregated to form nonselective pores on the cell membrane of a gastric tumor, thereby inducing pyroptosis and a pyroptosis-induced immune response.

Artificial intelligence in theranostics of gastric cancer, a review

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the commonest cancers with high morbidity and mortality in the world. How to realize precise diagnosis and therapy of GC owns great clinical requirement. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been actively explored to apply to early diagnosis and treatment and prognosis of gastric carcinoma. Herein, we review recent advance of AI in early screening, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of stomach carcinoma. Especially AI combined with breath screening early GC system improved 97.4 % of early GC diagnosis ratio, AI model on stomach cancer diagnosis system of saliva biomarkers obtained an overall accuracy of 97.18 %, specificity of 97.44 %, and sensitivity of 96.88 %. We also discuss concept, issues, approaches and challenges of AI applied in stomach cancer. This review provides a comprehensive view and roadmap for readers working in this field, with the aim of pushing application of AI in theranostics of stomach cancer to increase the early discovery ratio and curative ratio of GC patients.

Emerging Epigenetic-Based Nanotechnology for Cancer Therapy: Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment

Dysregulated epigenetic modifications dynamically drive the abnormal transcription process to affect the tumor microenvironment; thus, promoting cancer progression, drug resistance, and metastasis. Nowadays, therapies targeting epigenetic dysregulation of tumor cells and immune cells in the tumor microenvironment appear to be promising adjuncts to other cancer therapies. However, the clinical results of combination therapies containing epigenetic agents are disappointing due to systemic toxicities and limited curative effects. Here, the role of epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, post-translational modification of histones, and noncoding RNAs is discussed, followed by detailed descriptions of epigenetic regulation of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the application of epigenetic modulators in antitumor therapy, with an emphasis on the epigenetic-based advanced drug delivery system in targeting the tumor microenvironment.

Piperine-loaded electrospun nanofibers, an implantable anticancer controlled delivery system for postsurgical breast cancer treatment

Tumorectomy followed by radiotherapy, hormone, and chemotherapy, are the current mainstays for breast cancer treatment. However, these strategies have systemic toxicities and limited treatment outcomes. Hence, there is a crucial need for a novel controlled release delivery system for implantation following tumor resection to effectively prevent recurrence. Here, we fabricated polycaprolactone (PCL)-based electrospun nanofibers containing piperine (PIP), known for chemopreventive and anticancer activities, and also evaluated the impact of collagen (Coll) incorporation into the matrices. In addition to physicochemical characterization such as morphology, hydrophilicity, drug content, release properties, and mechanical behaviors, fabricated nanofibers were investigated in terms of cytotoxicity and involved mechanisms in MCF-7 and 4T1 breast tumor cell lines. In vivo antitumor study was performed in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. PIP-PCL⁷⁵-Coll²⁵ nanofiber was chosen as the optimum formulation due to sustained PIP release, good mechanical performance, and superior cytotoxicity. Demonstrating no organ toxicity, animal studies confirmed the superiority of locally administered PIP-PCL⁷⁵-Coll²⁵ nanofiber in terms of inhibition of growth tumor, induction of apoptosis, and reduction of cell proliferation compared to PIP suspension, blank nanofiber, and the control. Taken together, we concluded that PIP-loaded nanofibers can be introduced as a promising treatment for implantation upon breast tumorectomy.

Current Strategies in Breast Cancer Therapy: Role of Epigenetics and Nanomedicine

Breast cancer (BC), the most common cancer in women, is incurable due to metastatic spread to distant organs. The existence of epigenetic dysregulation has been shown to contribute to the progression and even metastasize through the transition from epithelial to mesenchymal. Behind failure strategies of conventional treatments, fruitful outcomes of epigenetic drugs have provided the hope of solid tumor management where the reversal of acquired resistance of the cancer cells is possible by epigenome regulation. Several agents have been identified to target epigenetic regulators in the cancer cells exhibiting remarkable potential against solid tumors, including BC. However, unnecessary systemic exposure, solubility issues, and unsuitability for diseased conditions using conventional delivery systems limit their use as cancer therapeutics. The progression of nanotechnology in pharmaceutical delivery has revolutionized cancer therapy, where specific, targeted and efficient delivery of epigenetic agents for alteration of cancerous conditions are ensured. In this review, a focus is made on epigenetic alteration in BC condition with the deliverable potential of the nanocarriers toward the breast tumor microenvironment for proper management. The significance of targeting and controlled release of therapeutics in the improved targeting of cancer cells is highlighted.

Antitumor Effect of Simvastatin in Combination With DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitor on Gastric Cancer via GSDME-Mediated Pyroptosis

Gasdermin E (GSDME) is one of the executors of pyroptosis, a type of programmed lytic cell death, which can be triggered by caspase-3 activation upon stimulation. Silenced GSDME expression due to promoter hypermethylation is associated with gastric cancer (GC), which is confirmed in the present study by bioinformatics analysis and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) test of GC cell lines and clinical samples. GC cell lines and mouse xenograft models were used to investigate the pyroptosis-inducing effect of the common cholesterol-depleting, drug simvastatin (SIM), allied with upregulating GSDME expression by doxycycline (DOX)- inducible Tet-on system or DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR). Cell viability assessment and xenograft tumour growth demonstrated that the tumour inhibition effects of SIM can be enhanced by elevated GSDME expression. Morphological examinations and assays measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and caspase-3/GSDME protein cleavage underlined the stimulation of pyroptosis as an important mechanism. Using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown of caspase-3 or GSDME, and caspase-3-specific inhibitors, we provided evidence of the requirement of caspase-3/GSDME in the pyroptosis process triggered by SIM. We conclude that reactivating GSDME expression and thereby inducing cancer cell-specific pyroptosis could be a potential therapeutic strategy against GC.

Two-Photon Nanoprobe for NIR-II Imaging of Tumour and Biosafety Evaluation

How to develop near-infrared second window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) fluorescent nanoprobes with a uniform size, strong fluorescence signal and good biosafety owns great clinical requirement. Herein we reported that a two photon fluorescent nanoprobe was developed via encapsulating NIR-II-fluorescent molecules into DSPE-PEG, which was effectively endocytosized by cancer cells, and achieved strong NIR-II fluorescence imaging in cancer cells and cancer cell-beard mice models. Prepared NIR-II-fluorescent nanoprobe exhibited rapid metabolism and excellent biocompatibility. In conclusion, the prepared two photon nanoprobe owns good biosafety, and clinical translational prospect in NIR-II fluorescent imaging of tumour in vivo in near future.

Combining histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) with other therapies for cancer therapy

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play an important role in regulating the expression of genes involved in tumorigenesis and tumor maintenance, and hence they have been considered as key targets in cancer therapy. As a novel category of antitumor agents, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) can induce cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation in cancer cells, ultimately combating cancer. Although in the United States, the use of HDACis for the treatment of certain cancers has been approved, the therapeutic efficacy of HDACis as a single therapeutic agent in solid tumorshas been unsatisfactory and drug resistance may yet occur. To enhance therapeutic efficacy and limit drug resistance, numerous combination therapies involving HDACis in synergy with other antitumor therapies have been studied. In this review, we describe the classification of HDACs. Moreover, we summarize the antitumor mechanism of the HDACis for targeting key cellular processes of cancers (cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, DNA repair, and immune response). In addition, we outline the major developments of other antitumor therapies in combination with HDACis, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, phototherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss the current state and challenges of HDACis-drugs combinations in future clinical studies, with the aim of optimizing the antitumor effect of such combinations.

Inhibiting PP2Acα Promotes the Malignant Phenotype of Gastric Cancer Cells through the ATM/METTL3 Axis

This article is aimed at exploring the relationship between the phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit Cα (PP2Acα, encoded by PPP2CA) and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in the malignant progression of gastric cancer (GC). Through analyzing the bioinformatics database and clinical tissue immunohistochemistry results, we found that abnormal PP2Acα and METTL3 levels were closely related to the malignant progression of GC. To explore the internal connection between PP2Acα and METTL3 in the progression of GC, we carried out cellular and molecular experiments and finally proved that PP2Acα inhibition can upregulate METTL3 levels by activating ATM activity, thereby promoting the malignant progression of GC.