Development of Indocyanine Green/Methyl-β-cyclodextrin Complex-Loaded Liposomes for Enhanced Photothermal Cancer Therapy

Prominent supramolecular systems for cancer Therapy: From structural design to tailored applications

Supramolecular materials represent a powerful class of platforms in cancer diagnosis and therapy, owing to their dynamic architectures, stimuli responsiveness, and high biocompatibility. This review focused on three representative categories-Pillarene-based systems, virus-mimetic nanoparticles (VMNs), and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-each offering unique structural and functional properties. Pillarene-based assemblies enable precise host-guest interactions, by being classified into amphiphilic, ionic, and chiral varieties, the robust drug loading and controlled release capabilities of the Pillarene family were emphasized. At the same time, the VMNs, including virus-like particles and virosomes, show power in cancer cell targeting and membrane penetration by emulating natural viral architectures. By discussing the fabrication and application of single-metallic, multi-metallic, and composite MOFs, their potential in multimodal diagnosis and therapy was revealed. In addition, other supramolecular categories, such as cyclodextrin and dendrimers, were introduced as well. We highlighted representative approaches and emerging methods, and comparative perspectives with traditional nanocarriers were included. A critical evaluation of pharmacokinetic behaviors, biosafety concerns, and translational limitations was also proposed, aiming to guide future research in supramolecular cancer nanomedicine. Through an integrative and forward-looking analysis, this review provided a comprehensive framework for understanding and designing supramolecular systems for precision oncology. These emerging nanotechnologies hold promise to reshape cancer medicine by enabling adaptive, targeted, and multifunctional therapeutic strategies.

Cyclodextrins as non-viral vectors in cancer theranostics: A review

Cancer ranks as the top cause of death following cardiovascular diseases. Identifying cancer patients at early stages presents significant challenges due to the asymptomatic nature of early-stage tumors. Conversely, the advancement of therapy resistance has led to a reduction in cancer treatment efficacy. Consequently, utilizing nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer can greatly enhance the prognosis and results for patients. CDs are recognized entities in the pharmaceutical domain and have been extensively used for therapeutic purposes in disease treatment. These non-viral vectors have shown efficacy in inhibiting both solid tumors and hematological malignancies through targeted drug delivery. CDs can enhance the administration of medications and genes in cancer treatment by ensuring their continuous release. The stimuli-responsive CDs have enhanced the targeted delivery of payloads at the tumor location, responding to the stimuli in TME such as pH, redox and light. CDs can serve as effective carriers that enhance the efficacy of phototherapy by improving the solubility and delivery of phototherapeutic agents, enabling integration with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The administration of immunomodulators through CDs can enhance cancer immunotherapy and boost the infiltration of immune cells. Ultimately, CDs can aid in cancer diagnosis and the identification of biomarkers.

Cationic Azobenzene Tag to Enhance Liposomal Prodrug Retention and Tumor-Targeting Prodrug Activation for Improved Antitumor Efficacy

In this study, we reported a cationic azobenzene (Azo) tag to increase the retention of camptothecin (CPT) prodrugs in liposomes driven by π-π stacking interaction between Azo. Compared with a cationic CPT prodrug without Azo, the liposome-encapsulating Azo-linked CPT prodrugs (AzoCPT-Lips) exhibited slower prodrug leakage in plasma and a longer blood circulation time in mice. The AzoCPT-Lips had a high encapsulation efficiency (95%), loading capacity (20%, by weight), and good storage stability. The AzoCPT was efficiently taken up by 4T1 tumor cells (100-fold higher than CPT) and readily converted into active CPT in the cytoplasm to exert 10-fold higher cytotoxicity than free CPT. More importantly, AzoCPT-Lips resulted in 5-20 times higher tumor distribution of active CPT than that of CPT solution or those in other tissues, which further led to more potent antitumor activity and lower toxicities in the 4T1 breast cancer xenograft. Such a cationic Azo tag represents an effective strategy for developing liposomal antitumor drugs with improved antitumor efficacy.

Preclinical advance in nanoliposome-mediated photothermal therapy in liver cancer

Liver cancer is a highly lethal malignant tumor with a high incidence worldwide. Therefore, its treatment has long been a focus of medical research. Although traditional treatment methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have increased the survival rate of patients, their efficacy remains unsatisfactory owing to the nonspecific distribution of drugs, high toxicity, and drug resistance of tumor tissues. In recent years, the application of nanotechnology in the medical field has opened a new avenue for the treatment of liver cancer. Among these treatment methods, photothermal therapy (PTT) based on nanoliposomes has attracted wide attention owing to its unique targeting and high efficiency. This article reviews the latest preclinical research progress of nanoliposome-based PTT for liver cancer and its metastasis, discusses the preclinical challenges in this field, and proposes directions for improvement, with the aim of improving the effectiveness of liver cancer treatment.

Emissive Lipid Nanoparticles as Biophotonic Contrast Agent for Site-Selective Solid Tumor Imaging in Pre-Clinical Models

Small organic dye-based fluorescent agents are highly potent in solid tumor imaging but face challenges such as poor photostability, nonspecific distribution, low circulation, and weak tumor binding. Nanocarriers overcome these issues with better physicochemical and biological performance, particularly in cancer imaging. Among the various nanosized carriers, lipid formulations are clinically approved but yet to be designed as bright nanocontrast agents for solid tumor diagnosis without affecting surrounding tissues. Herein, indocyanine green (ICG) encapsulated targetable lipid nanoparticles (698 ICG/LNPs) as safe contrast agents (∼200 nm) have been developed and tested for solid tumor imaging and biodistribution. Our findings reveal that nanoprecipitation produces ICG-LNPs with a unique assembly, which contributes to their high brightness with improved quantum yield (3.5%) in aqueous media. The bright, optically stable (30 days) biophotonic agents demonstrate rapid accumulation (within 1 h) and prolonged retention (for up to 168 h) at the primary tumor site, with better signal intensity following a one-time dose administration (17.7 × 109 LNP per dose). Incorporated folic acid (735 folic acid/LNPs) helps in selective tumor binding and the specific biodistribution of intravenously injected nanoparticles without affecting healthy tissues. Designed targetable ICG-LNP (634 MESF) demonstrates high-contrast fluorescence and resolution from the tumor area as compared to the targetable ICG-liposomal nanoparticles (532 MESF). Various in vitro and in vivo findings reveal that the cancer diagnostic efficacy elicited by designed bright lipid nanoparticles are comparable to reported clinically accepted imaging agents. Thus, such LNPs hold translational potential for cancer diagnosis at an early stage.

Targeted blood-brain barrier penetration and precise imaging of infiltrative glioblastoma margins using hybrid cell membrane-coated ICG liposomes

Surgical resection remains the primary treatment modality for glioblastoma (GBM); however, the infiltrative nature of GBM margins complicates achieving complete tumor removal. Additionally, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a formidable challenge to effective probe delivery, thereby hindering precise imaging-guided surgery. Here, we introduce hybrid cell membrane-coated indocyanine green (ICG) liposomes (HM-Lipo-ICG) as biomimetic near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes for targeted BBB penetration and accurate delineation of infiltrative GBM margins. HM-Lipo-ICG encapsulates clinically approved ICG within its core and utilizes a hybrid cell membrane exterior, enabling specific targeting and enhanced BBB permeation. Quantitative assessments demonstrate that HM-Lipo-ICG achieves BBB penetration efficiency 2.8 times higher than conventional ICG liposomes. Mechanistically, CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis facilitates BBB translocation of HM-Lipo-ICG. Furthermore, HM-Lipo-ICG enables high-contrast NIR imaging, achieving a signal-to-background ratio of 6.5 in GBM regions of an orthotopic glioma mouse model, thereby improving tumor margin detection accuracy fourfold (84.4% vs. 22.7%) compared to conventional ICG liposomes. Application of HM-Lipo-ICG facilitates fluorescence-guided precision surgery, resulting in complete resection of GBM cells. This study underscores the potential of hybrid cell membrane-coated liposomal probes in precisely visualizing and treating infiltrative GBM margins.