Photoinduced Mild Hyperthermia and Synergistic Chemotherapy by One-Pot-Synthesized Docetaxel-Loaded Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/Polypyrrole Nanocomposites

Composite Nanomaterials of Conjugated Polymers and Upconversion Nanoparticles for NIR-Triggered Photodynamic/Photothermal Synergistic Cancer Therapy

Phototherapies such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) have attracted great attention in the field of cancer treatment. However, the individual PDT or PTT makes it difficult to achieve optimal antitumor effects compared to the PDT/PTT combined therapy. Also, the effect of PDT is usually limited by the penetration depth of the UV-vis light source. Herein, we designed and synthesized novel composite nanoparticles UCNPs-CPs, which are constructed from two conjugated polymers and upconversion nanoparticles β-NaYF4:Yb,Tm (UCNPs) via a coordination reaction. By virtue of the excellent spectral overlap between absorption of conjugated polymers and emission of UCNPs, the UCNPs can absorb NIR light and effectively excite conjugated polymers by energy transfer to produce massive reactive oxygen species under 980 nm excitation and heat energy under 808 nm laser irradiation, achieving photodynamic/photothermal synergistic therapy. The in vitro cellular investigation proves that the dual modal phototherapy exhibits enhanced antitumor ability compared to single PDT or PTT. Furthermore, UCNPs-CPs inhibit tumor growth 100% in a 4T1 breast tumor mice model with both NIR laser irradiation, indicating that UCNPs-CPs is an excellent platform for synergistic PDT/PTT treatment. Thus, this study provides a promising strategy for NIR-triggered dual modal phototherapy.

Planted Graphene Quantum Dots for Targeted, Enhanced Tumor Imaging and Long-Term Visualization of Local Pharmacokinetics

While photoluminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have long been considered very suitable for bioimaging owing to their protein-like size, superhigh photostability and in vivo long-term biosafety, their unique and crucial bioimaging applications in vivo remain unreachable. Herein, planted GQDs are presented as an excellent tool for in vivo fluorescent, sustainable and multimodality tumor bioimaging in various scenarios. The GQDs are in situ planted in the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) layer of PEGylated nanoparticles via a bottom-up molecular approach to obtain the NPs-GQDs-PEG nanocomposite. The planted GQDs show more than four times prolonged blood circulation and 7-8 times increased tumor accumulation than typical GQDs in vivo. After accessible specificity modification, the multifunctional NPs-GQDs-PEG provides targeted, multimodal molecular imaging for various tumor models in vitro or in vivo. Moreover, the highly photostable GQDs enable long-term, real-time visualization of the local pharmacokinetics of NPs in vivo. Planting GQDs in PEGylated nanomedicine offers a new strategy for broad in vivo biomedical applications of GQDs.

Hyaluronic Acid-Modified Cisplatin-Encapsulated Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) Magnetic Nanoparticles for Dual-Targeted NIR-Responsive Chemo-Photothermal Combination Cancer Therapy

Combination chemo-photothermal therapy with nanomaterials can reduce the dose of chemotherapeutic drugs required for effective cancer treatment by minimizing toxic side effects while improving survival times. Toward this end, we prepare hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) for the CD44 receptor-mediated and magnetic field-guided dual-targeted delivery of cisplatin (CDDP). By co-encapsulating the CDDP and oleic acid-coated iron oxide MNP (IOMNP) in PLGA, the PMNPc was first prepared in a single emulsification/solvent evaporation step and successively surface modified with chitosan and HA to prepare the HA/PMNPc. Spherical HA/PMNPc nanoparticles of ~300 nm diameter can be prepared with 18 and 10% (w/w) loading content of CDDP and IOMNP and a pH-sensitive drug release to facilitate the endosomal release of the CDDP after intracellular uptake. This leads to the higher cytotoxicity of the HA/PMNPc toward the U87 glioblastoma cells than free CDDP with reduced IC50, a higher cell apoptosis rate, and the enhanced expression of cell apoptosis marker proteins. Furthermore, the nanoparticles show the hyperthermia effect toward U87 after short-term near-infrared (NIR) light exposure, which can further elevate the cell apoptosis/necrosis rate and upregulate the HSP70 protein expression due to the photothermal effects. The combined cancer therapeutic efficacy was studied in vivo using subcutaneously implanted U87 cells in nude mice. By using dual-targeted chemo-photothermal combination cancer therapy, the intravenously injected HA/PMNPc under magnetic field guidance and followed by NIR laser irradiation was demonstrated to be the most effective treatment modality by inhibiting the tumor growth and prolonging the survival time of the tumor-bearing nude mice.

PLGA-based nanoparticles for the treatment of cancer: current strategies and perspectives

Research on cancer treatment is always of great importance because of the extensive and difficult treatment options and side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Due to this, novel techniques for cancer treatment are the need of the day. Nowadays, nanotechnology is of great interest for its applications as diagnostic tools, theragnostic, contrasting agents, and vehicles for delivering drugs. Nanoparticles (NPs) are made up of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers that improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of drugs, reduce side effects, improve stability, prolong the release of drug, and reduce the dosing frequency. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is FDA-approved synthetic polymer which can be used to formulate NPs that can be targeted to a specific site for the safe and effective delivery of drugs. PLGA-based NPs can be used for a variety of cancer therapies including tumor-targeted drug delivery, gene therapy, hyperthermia, and photodynamic therapy. This article discusses the method of preparation, characterization, encapsulation of chemotherapeutic drugs, effect of physicochemical properties of PLGA- based NPs, and how we can exploit these aspects through various methods of preparation for drug loading, biodistribution, target specificity, and their use in cancer treatment. Along with these targeting strategies, gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy, and various applications have also been discussed. This article also aims to discuss the incorporation of diagnostic tools and therapeutic moiety in one versatile formulation of PLGA-NPs and the difficulties faced in translating this promising tool to clinical use.

DOX-loaded silver nanotriangles and photothermal therapy exert a synergistic antibreast cancer effect via ROS/ERK1/2 signaling pathway

The combination of multiple therapies has been proved to be more effective than a single therapy for many cancers. This study aimed to investigate the synergistic antibreast cancer effect of doxorubicin-loaded silver nanotriangles (DOX-AgNTs) combined with near-infrared (NIR) irradiation and explore the underlying mechanism. AgNTs were prepared by a chemical method and DOX was loaded via electrostatic adsorption. Characterization was performed by transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The viability of MDA-MB-231 cells was detected by using MTT assay to evaluate the synergistic anticancer effect of DOX-AgNTs combined with NIR irradiation. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was measured with fluorescence microscopy. The mechanism was further investigated with ROS scavenger N-acetylcysteine and specific inhibitors of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), C-jun N-terminal kinase and p38 pathways. Characterization results revealed that the prepared AgNTs were mostly triangular and the mean edge length was about 126 nm. The combination of DOX-AgNTs and NIR exhibited a superior synergistic anticancer effect over single DOX-AgNTs or photothermal therapy (PTT). N-acetylcysteine and ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 were found to significantly rescue the decreased cell viability, declined MMP and increased apoptosis induced by the combined treatment. Our results suggested that DOX-AgNTs combined with PTT performed a synergistic antibreast cancer effect. The synergy might be closely associated with the excessive production of ROS, changed MMP and the activation of ERK1/2 signaling pathway. These findings might provide a new perspective for the development of breast cancer treatments with excellent efficacy.

Nanomedicine potentiates mild photothermal therapy for tumor ablation

The booming photothermal therapy (PTT) has achieved great progress in non-invasive oncotherapy, and paves a novel way for clinical oncotherapy. Of note, mild temperature PTT (mPTT) of 42–45 °C could avoid treatment bottleneck of the traditional PTT, including nonspecific injury to normal tissues, vasculature and host antitumor immunity. However, cancer cells can resist mPTT via heat shock response and autophagy, thus leading to insufficient mPTT monotherapy to ablate tumor. To overcome the deficient antitumor efficacy caused by thermo-resistance of cancer cells and mono mPTT, synergistic therapies towards cancer cells have been conducted with mPTT. This review summarizes the recent advances in nanomedicine-potentiated mPTT for cancer treatment, including strategies for enhanced single-mode mPTT and mPTT plus synergistic therapies. Moreover, challenges and prospects for clinical translation of nanomedicine-potentiated mPTT are discussed.

Thermochemotherapy Meets Tissue Engineering for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that progresses from inflammation to cartilage destruction. Inspired by the similar characteristics of inflammatory granulation tissue to those of tumors, the newly emerged tumor therapy called thermochemotherapy is proposed to treat RA. Meanwhile, the repair of cartilage injury via tissue engineering is paid attention simultaneously. A first‐line antirheumatic drug (MTX; methotrexate) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) are loaded in nano‐Fe3O4 composite chitosan‐polyolefin to construct a multifunctional hydrogel (DN‐Fe‐MTX‐TGFβ1). The mechanical properties of the hydrogel are equivalent to that of articular cartilage to guarantee its role as a scaffold. A long‐term release ability and the magnetocaloric properties of the hydrogel assure its effect to provide sustained local thermochemotherapy. The effective ability of the hydrogel for both anti‐inflammation and cartilage repair is demonstrated. This work indicates a promising way to combine thermochemotherapy and tissue engineering for the effective treatment of RA for the first time.

Low-Temperature Photothermal Therapy: Strategies and Applications

Although photothermal therapy (PTT) with the assistance of nanotechnology has been considered as an indispensable strategy in the biomedical field, it still encounters some severe problems that need to be solved. Excessive heat can induce treated cells to develop thermal resistance, and thus, the efficacy of PTT may be dramatically decreased. In the meantime, the uncontrollable diffusion of heat can pose a threat to the surrounding healthy tissues. Recently, low-temperature PTT (also known as mild PTT or mild-temperature PTT) has demonstrated its remarkable capacity of conquering these obstacles and has shown excellent performance in bacterial elimination, wound healing, and cancer treatments. Herein, we summarize the recently proposed strategies for achieving low-temperature PTT based on nanomaterials and introduce the synthesis, characteristics, and applications of these nanoplatforms. Additionally, the combination of PTT and other therapeutic modalities for defeating cancers and the synergistic cancer therapeutic effect of the combined treatments are discussed. Finally, the current limitations and future directions are proposed for inspiring more researchers to make contributions to promoting low-temperature PTT toward more successful preclinical and clinical disease treatments.

Synergy of hypoxia relief and heat shock protein inhibition for phototherapy enhancement

BACKGROUND

Phototherapy is a promising strategy for cancer therapy by reactive oxygen species (ROS) of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and hyperthermia of photothermal therapy (PTT). However, the therapeutic efficacy was restricted by tumor hypoxia and thermal resistance of increased expression of heat shock protein (Hsp). In this study, we developed albumin nanoparticles to combine hypoxia relief and heat shock protein inhibition to overcome these limitations for phototherapy enhancement.

RESULTS

Near-infrared photosensitizer (IR780) and gambogic acid (GA, Hsp90 inhibitor) were encapsulated into albumin nanoparticles via hydrophobic interaction, which was further deposited MnO2 on the surface to form IGM nanoparticles. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that IGM could catalyze overexpress of hydrogen peroxide to relive hypoxic tumor microenvironment. With near infrared irradiation, the ROS generation was significantly increase for PDT enhancement. In addition, the release of GA was promoted by irradiation to bind with Hsp90, which could reduce cell tolerance to heat for PTT enhancement. As a result, IGM could achieve better antitumor efficacy with enhanced PDT and PTT.

CONCLUSION

This study develops a facile approach to co-deliver IR780 and GA with self-assembled albumin nanoparticles, which could relive hypoxia and suppress Hsp for clinical application of cancer phototherapy.

Biodegradable Mesoporous Organosilica Nanosheets for Chemotherapy/Mild Thermotherapy of Cancer: Fast Internalization, High Cellular Uptake, and High Drug Loading

The choice of nanocarriers is crucial to fabricate ideal therapeutic nanoplatform in the treatment of cancer. Considering the advantages brought by the two-dimensional (2D) materials with atomic thickness in drug loading and cellular uptake, herein, novel 2D biodegradable mesoporous organosilica nanosheets (MONSs) are presented, and their application in chemotherapy/mild thermotherapy of cancer is studied by loading chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) and conjugating ultrasmall CuS nanoparticles. It is found that the loading of DOX in MONSs is as high as 859 μg/mg due to their large surface area and intermediate void structure. The release of DOX from MONSs is intelligently controlled by pH value, glutathione (GSH) concentration, and laser irradiation. Excitingly, in comparison with traditional spherical mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles, as-prepared MONSs not only show more rapid degradation but also exhibit faster internalization and higher cellular uptake efficiency due to their larger aspect ratios and unique cellular internalization approach of 2D materials. A mild thermotherapy induced by ultrasmall CuS nanoparticles can further promote the cellular uptake and improve chemotherapy efficacy. The in vitro and in vivo experimental results reveal that the theranostic nanoplatform based on degradable MONSs has excellent biocompatibility and anticancer effects. Therefore, MONSs are expected to be a competitive alternative to existing silica-based nanomaterials in antitumor treatment.

Tailored Black Phosphorus for Erythrocyte Membrane Nanocloaking with Interleukin-1α siRNA and Paclitaxel for Targeted, Durable, and Mild Combination Cancer Therapy

Several therapeutic nanosystems have been engineered to remedy the shortcomings of cancer monotherapies, including immunotherapy (stimulating the host immune system to eradicate cancer), to improve therapeutic efficacy with minimizing off-target effects and tumor-induced immunosuppression. Light-activated components in nanosystems confer additional phototherapeutic effects as combinatorial modalities; however, systemic and thermal toxicities with unfavorable accumulation and excretion of nanoystem components now hamper their practical applications. Thus, there remains a need for optimal multifunctional nanosystems to enhance targeted, durable, and mild combination therapies for efficient cancer treatment without notable side effects.

Methods: A nanosystem constructed with a base core (poly-L-histidine [H]-grafted black phosphorus [BP]) and a shell (erythrocyte membrane [EM]) is developed to offer a mild photoresponsive (near-infrared) activity with erythrocyte mimicry. In-flight electrostatic tailoring to extract uniform BP nanoparticles maintains a hydrodynamic size of <200 nm (enabling enhanced permeability and retention) after EM cloaking and enhances their biocompatibility.

Results: Ephrin-A2 receptor-specific peptide (YSA, targeting cancer cells), interleukin-1α silencing small interfering RNA (ILsi, restricting regulatory T cell trafficking), and paclitaxel (X, inducing durable chemotherapeutics) are incorporated within the base core@shell constructs to create BP-H-ILsi-X@EM-YSA architectures, which provide a more intelligent nanosystem for combination cancer therapies.

Conclusion: The in-flight tailoring of BP particles provides a promising base core for fabricating <200 nm EM-mimicking multifunctional nanosystems, which could be beneficial for constructing smarter nanoarchitectures to use in combination cancer therapies.

Mesoporous gold nanoparticles for photothermal controlled anticancer drug delivery

Aim: To realize the transit and release of cancer drug exactly as well as high drug loading ratio, we reported a biocompatible and temperature responsive controlled drug delivery system based on 3D mesoporous structured Au networks. Materials & methods: Here, we filled the hollow interiors of Au networks with a phase-change material so that the drug release was easily regulated by controlling the temperature only. Results: Thanks to the high near-infrared reflectance absorbance and mesoporous structure, the Au–PEG + lauric acid/doxorubicin system showed a strong photothermal conversion efficiency, high drug-loading ratio (54.2% for doxorubicin) and controlled drug release. Conclusion: This system revealed great advantages in photothermal therapy and chemotherapy, offering an obvious synergistic effect in cancer treatment.

Hyaluronic acid and polydopamine functionalized phase change nanoparticles for ultrasound imaging-guided photothermal-chemotherapy

Hyaluronic acid and polydopamine functionalized phase change nanoparticles for ultrasound imaging-guided photothermal-chemotherapy.

PLGA-Based Nanoparticles in Cancer Treatment

Nanomedicines can be used for a variety of cancer therapies including tumor-targeted drug delivery, hyperthermia, and photodynamic therapy. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based materials are frequently used in such setups. This review article gives an overview of the properties of previously reported PLGA nanoparticles (NPs), their behavior in biological systems, and their use for cancer therapy. Strategies are emphasized to target PLGA NPs to the tumor site passively and actively. Furthermore, combination therapies are introduced that enhance the accumulation of NPs and, thereby, their therapeutic efficacy. In this context, the huge number of reports on PLGA NPs used as drug delivery systems in cancer treatment highlight the potential of PLGA NPs as drug carriers for cancer therapeutics and encourage further translational research.

One-Step Synthesis of Iodinated Polypyrrole Nanoparticles for CT Imaging Guided Photothermal Therapy of Tumors

Theranostic materials are of great significance to a personalized precise medicine. However, conventional theranostic agents are mainly fabricated by combining presynthesized independent imaging probes and therapeutic agents, suffering from multiple synthesis procedures, poor morphological control, and time/reagent-consuming process. Herein, iodinated polypyrrole (I-PPy) nanoparticles are fabricated via a one-step synthesis strategy combining chemical oxidation and iodination for computed tomography (CT) imaging-guided photothermal therapy. Iodic acid with a high standard electrode potential enables the chemical oxidation polymerization of pyrrole monomers. Meanwhile, the iodination of PPy induced by the corresponding reduction product I₂ takes place during the polymerization process to generate I-PPy nanoparticles. The prepared I-PPy nanoparticles possess a uniform size, excellent colloidal stability, intense near-infrared absorption, strong X-ray attenuation ability, and favorable biocompatibility. The as-synthesized I-PPy nanoparticles not only guarantee remarkable contrast-enhanced CT imaging of blood pool and tumors, but also realize effective tumor suppression in vitro and in vivo by I-PPy nanoparticles-mediated CT imaging-guided photothermal therapy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first time that multifunctional PPy nanoparticles are fabricated through a one-step synthesis process. The proposed strategy opens up a new way for the fabrication of high-performance theranostic agents via a one-step strategy under mild conditions.

Gold-nanobranched-shell based drug vehicles with ultrahigh photothermal efficiency for chemo-photothermal therapy

Development of combined chemo-photothermal nanoplatform is of great interest for enhancing antitumor efficacy. Herein, a multifunctional drug delivery system was synthesized based on gold-nanobranched coated betulinic acid liposomes (GNBS-BA-Lips) for chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy. In this system, GNBS-BA-Lips exhibited broad near-infrared (NIR) absorption, preferable photothermal response and good photostability under NIR irradiation. Importantly, the gold-nanobranched nanostructure possessed high photothermal conversion efficiency (η = 55.7%), and the temperature change (ΔT) reached 43.2 °C after laser irradiation for 5 min. Upon NIR irradiation, the nanocarriers apparently endowed higher cell uptake, resulting in an enhanced intracellular drug accumulation. Furthermore, the tumor growth inhibition ratio achieved from chemo-photothermal therapy of GNBS-BA-Lips was 86.9 ± 1.1%, which was higher than that of the chemotherapy or photothermal therapy alone, showing an outstanding synergistic anticancer effect. Our data suggested that the nanoplatform should be considered as a critical platform in the development of cancer multi-mode therapies.

Multifunctional melanin-like nanoparticles for bone-targeted chemo-photothermal therapy of malignant bone tumors and osteolysis

Malignant bone tumors associated with aggressive osteolysis are currently hard to be cured by the clinical strategies. Nevertheless, nanomedicine might provide a promising therapeutic opportunity. Here, we developed a multifunctional melanin-like nanoparticle for bone-targeted chemo-photothermal treatment of malignant bone tumors. The particle was originally fabricated from alendronate-conjugated polydopamine nanoparticle (PDA-ALN) that exhibited excellent photothermal effect and high affinity to hydroxyapatite. PDA/Fe-ALN significantly enhanced the magnetic resonance contrast of the bone tumors in vivo, suggesting that more PDA-ALN accumulated at the osteolytic bone lesions in the tumors compared with the non-targeting PDA. Chemodrug SN38 was efficiently loaded on PDA-ALN, and the drug release could be triggered by near-infrared irradiation and acidic stimulus. Finally, the combined chemo-photothermal therapy efficiently suppressed the growth of bone tumors and reduced the osteolytic damage of bones at a mild temperature around 43 °C. This study provides an efficient and robust nanotherapeutics for the treatment of malignant bone tumors.

Magnetic field-inducible drug-eluting nanoparticles for image-guided thermo-chemotherapy

Multifunctional nanoparticles integrating cancer cell imaging and treatment modalities into a single platform are recognized as a promising approach; however, their development currently remains a challenge. In this study, we synthesized magnetic field-inducible drug-eluting nanoparticles (MIDENs) by embedding superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄; SPIONs) and cancer therapeutic drugs (doxorubicin; DOX) in a temperature-responsive poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanomatrix. Application of an external alternating magnetic field (AMF) generated heat above 42 °C and subsequent transition of the PLGA polymer matrix (T_g = 42-45 °C) from the glassy to the rubbery state, facilitating the controlled release of the loaded DOX, ultimately allowing for simultaneous hyperthermia and local heat-triggered chemotherapy for efficient dual cancer treatment. The average size of the synthesized MIDENs was 172.1 ± 3.20 nm in diameter. In vitro studies showed that the MIDENs were cytocompatible and especially effective in destroying CT26 colon cancer cells with AMF application. In vivo studies revealed that the MIDENs enabled enhanced T₂ contrast magnetic resonance imaging and a significant suppression of malignant tumor growth under an AMF. Our multifunctional MIDENs, composed of biocompatible substances and therapeutic/imaging modalities, will be greatly beneficial for cancer image-guided thermo-chemotherapy applications.

Evans Blue Derivative-Functionalized Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Therapy-Enhanced Tumor Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a standard care for cancer management, but the lack of tumor targeting and high dose-induced side effects still limit its utility in patients. Here, we report a chemotherapy combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) for enhanced cancer ablation by functionalization of gold nanorods (GNRs) with a novel small molecule named truncated Evans blue (tEB). On the basis of the high binding affinity of tEB with albumin, an Abraxane-like nanodrug, human serum albumin/hydroxycamptothecin (HSA/HCPT), was further complexed with GNR-tEB. This formed an HCPT/HSA/tEB-GNR (HHEG) with excellent biostability and biocompatibility. With photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging, we observed HHEG tumor targeting, which is mediated by enhanced permeability retention effect. The accumulation of HHEG peaked in tumor at 12 h postinjection. Moreover, HHEG can effectively ablate tumor growth with laser illumination via chemo/thermal therapy after intravenous administration into SCC7 tumor. This combination is much better than chemotherapy or PTT alone. Collectively, we constructed a chemo/thermal therapy nanostructure based on a tEB-modified GNR for better tumor treatment effect. The use of tEB in gold nanoparticles can facilitate many new approaches to design hybrid nanoparticles.

Melatonin potentiates "inside-out" nano-thermotherapy in human breast cancer cells: a potential cancer target multimodality treatment based on melatonin-loaded nanocomposite particles

Purpose

With the wide recognition of oncostatic effect of melatonin, the current study proposes a potential breast cancer target multimodality treatment based on melatonin-loaded magnetic nanocomposite particles (Melatonin-MNPs).

Methods

Melatonin-MNPs were fabricated by the single emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation method.

Results

Based on the facilitated transport of melatonin by the GLUT overexpressed on the cell membrane, such Melatonin-MNPs can be more favorably uptaken by MCF-7 cells compared with the melatonin-free nanocomposite particles, which indicates the cancer targeting ability of melatonin molecule. Inductive heating can be generated by exposure to the Melatonin-MNPs internalized within cancer cells under alternative magnetic field, so as to achieve the “inside-out” magnetic nano-thermotherapy. In addition to demonstrating the superior cytotoxic effect of such nano-thermotherapy over the conventional exogenous heating by metal bath, more importantly, the sustainable release of melatonin from the Melatonin-MNPs can be greatly promoted upon responsive to the magnetic heating. The multimodality treatment based on Melatonin-MNPs can lead to more significant decrease in cell viability than any single treatment, suggesting the potentiated effect of melatonin on the cytotoxic response to nano-thermotherapy.

Conclusion

This study is the first to fabricate the precisely engineered melatonin-loaded multifunctional nanocomposite particles and demonstrate the potential in breast cancer target multimodality treatment.

Injectable and Self-Healing Thermosensitive Magnetic Hydrogel for Asynchronous Control Release of Doxorubicin and Docetaxel to Treat Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Integration of two or more drugs into a multiagent delivery system has been considered to have profound impact on both in vitro and in vivo cancer treatment due to their efficient synergistic effect. This study presents a cheap and simple chitosan hydrogel cross-linked with telechelic difunctional poly(ethylene glycol) (DF-PEG-DF) for synthesis of an injectable and self-healing thermosensitive dual-drug-loaded magnetic hydrogel (DDMH), which contains both doxorubicin (DOX) and docetaxel (DTX) for chemotherapy and iron oxide for magnetic hyperthermia induced stimuli responsive drug release. The as-prepared DDMH not only have good biocompatibility but also exhibit unique self-healing, injectable, asynchronous control release properties. Meanwhile, it shows an excellent magnetic field responsive heat-inducing property, which means that DDMH will produce a large amount of heat to control the surrounding temperature under the alternative magnetic field (AMF). A remarkably improved synergistic effect to triple negative breast cancer cell line is obtained by comparing the therapeutic effect of codelivery of DOX and DTX/PLGA nanoparticles (DTX/PLGA NPs) with DOX or DTX/PLGA NPs alone. In vivo results showed that DDMH exhibited significant higher antitumor efficacy of reducing tumor size compared to single drug-loaded hydrogel. Meanwhile, the AMF-trigger control release of drugs in codelivery system has a more efficient antitumor effect of cancer chemotherapy, indicating that DDMH was a promising multiagent codelivery system for synergistic chemotherapy in the cancer treatment field.

cRGD-installed docetaxel-loaded mertansine prodrug micelles: redox-triggered ratiometric dual drug release and targeted synergistic treatment of B16F10 melanoma

Combinatorial chemotherapy, which has emerged as a promising treatment modality for intractable cancers, is challenged by a lack of tumor-targeting, robust and ratiometric dual drug release systems. Here, docetaxel-loaded cRGD peptide-decorated redox-activable micellar mertansine prodrug (DTX-cRGD-MMP) was developed for targeted and synergistic treatment of B16F10 melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice. DTX-cRGD-MMP exhibited a small size of ca. 49 nm, high DTX and DM1 loading, low drug leakage under physiological conditions, with rapid release of both DTX and DM1 under a cytoplasmic reductive environment. Notably, MTT and flow cytometry assays showed that DTX-cRGD-MMP brought about a synergistic antitumor effect to B16F10 cancer cells, with a combination index of 0.37 and an IC₅₀ over 3- and 13-fold lower than cRGD-MMP (w/o DTX) and DTX-cRGD-Ms (w/o DM1) controls, respectively. In vivo studies revealed that DTX-cRGD-MMP had a long circulation time and a markedly improved accumulation in the B16F10 tumor compared with the non-targeting DTX-MMP control (9.15 versus 3.13% ID/g at 12 h post-injection). Interestingly, mice treated with DTX-cRGD-MMP showed almost complete growth inhibition of B16F10 melanoma, with tumor inhibition efficacy following an order of DTX-cRGD-MMP > DTX-MMP (w/o cRGD) > cRGD-MMP (w/o DTX) > DTX-cRGD-Ms (w/o DM1) > free DTX. Consequently, DTX-cRGD-MMP significantly improved the survival rates of B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice. Importantly, DTX-cRGD-MMP caused little adverse effects as revealed by mice body weights and histological analyses. The combination of two mitotic inhibitors, DTX and DM1, appears to be an interesting approach for effective cancer therapy.

Bio-inspired synthesis of PEGylated polypyrrole@polydopamine nanocomposites as theranostic agents for T1-weighted MR imaging guided photothermal therapy

Polypyrrole nanoparticle (PPy) based theranostic agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided photothermal therapy (PTT) have received increasing attention in recent years.