Near-Infrared Light Responsive Folate Targeted Gold Nanorods for Combined Photothermal-Chemotherapy of Osteosarcoma

A switch-on chemo-photothermal nanotherapy impairs glioblastoma

Judiciously combined modality approaches have proved highly effective for treating most forms of cancer, including glioblastoma. This study introduces a hybrid nanoparticle-based treatment designed to induce a synergistic effect. It employs repurposed celecoxib-loaded hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) that are thermally activated by near-infrared laser irradiation to damage glioblastoma cells. The HNPs are constructed by covalently binding organic (ultra-small nanostructured lipid carriers, usNLCs) and inorganic nanoparticles (gold nanorods, AuNRs, with photothermal therapy capability), using c(RGDfK) that serves the dual purpose of a biolinker and a tumor-targeting peptide. The HNPs are further functionalized with transferrin (Tf) as a blood-brain barrier ligand denoted as HNPsTf. Our comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies have unveiled the remarkable capability of HNPsTf to safely and specifically increase blood-brain barrier permeability through transferrin receptor interactions, facilitating precise nanoparticle accumulation in the tumor region within orthotopic tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the orchestrated combination of chemo- and photothermal therapy has exhibited a substantial therapeutic impact on glioblastoma, showcasing a noteworthy 78% inhibition in tumor volume growth and an impressive 98% delay in tumor growth. Notably, this treatment approach has resulted in prolonged survival rates among tumor-bearing mice, accompanied by a favorable side effect profile. Overall, our findings unequivocally demonstrate that celecoxib-loaded HNPsTf offer a game-changing, chemo-photothermal combination, unleashing a synergistic effect that significantly enhances both brain drug delivery and the efficacy of anti-glioblastoma treatments.

Redox/NIR dual-responsive glutathione extended polyurethane urea electrospun membranes for synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy

Despite advancements in cancer treatments, therapies frequently exhibit high cytotoxicity, and surgery remains the predominant method for treating most solid tumors, often with limited success in preventing post-surgical recurrence. Implantable biomaterials, designed to release drugs at a localised site in response to specific stimuli, represent a promising approach for enhancing tumour therapy. In this study, a redox-responsive glutathione extended polyurethane urea (PolyCEGS) was used to produce paclitaxel (PTX) and gold nanorods (AuNRs) loaded electrospun membranes for combined redox/near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive release chemotherapy and hyperthermic effect. Electrospinning conditions were optimized to fabricate AuNR-loaded scaffolds, at three different AuNRs concentrations. The obtained membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses and photothermal profiles were evaluated by a thermocamera, showing a temperature increase, up to 42.5 °C, when exposed to NIR light (810 nm) at 3 W/cm2. The AuNRs/PTX loaded scaffolds exhibited sustained PTX release, with 15 % released over 30 days and almost 1.8 times more in a simulated reductive environment. Moreover, their excellent photothermal effects and NIR light-triggered release led to significant synergic cytotoxicity in human colon cancer (HCT-116) and human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. This system potentially enables controllable locoregional PTX release at the tumour site post-surgery, preventing recurrence and enhancing cytotoxicity through combined drug and PTT effects, highlighting its potential for future anticancer treatments.

Injectable hyaluronate-L- cysteine gel potentiates photothermal therapy in osteosarcoma via vorinostat-copper cell death

The prognosis for osteosarcoma patients, a devastating malignancy affecting young individuals, remains grim despite multimodal therapeutic advances. Recently, the advent of cuproptosis, a novel programmed cell death, offers hope in fighting osteosarcoma. In this study, we introduce SAHAm@{[Cu(HA-Cys)2]Cl2}n, an injectable hyaluronate-L-cysteine hydrogel that integrates both copper ions (Cu2+) and vorinostat (SAHA) for the possible therapeutic effect. The Cu2+ targets the TCA cycle, inducing cuproptosis in osteosarcoma cells. While SAHA acts as both a histone deacetylase inhibitor and an ROS generator for eliminating tumor cells. The mechanism involves amplifying FDX-1 expression via SAHA modulation of the TCA cycle, which was an original discovery. Critically, the combined mechanisms and localized injection enables the hydrogel partially eradicating osteosarcoma without metastasis in rats. Therefore, this study advances cuproptosis induced photothermal therapy for promising clinical translations, shedding light on favorable prognosis for osteosarcoma.

Photothermal induction of pyroptosis in malignant glioma spheroids using (16-mercaptohexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide-modified cationic gold nanorods

Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) employing plasmonic gold nanorods (GNRs) presents a potent strategy for eradication of tumors including aggressive brain gliomas. Despite its promise, there is a pressing need for a more comprehensive evaluation of PPTT using sophisticated in vitro models that closely resemble tumor tissues, thereby facilitating the elucidation of therapeutic mechanisms. In this study, we exposed 3D glioma spheroids (tumoroids) to (16-mercaptohexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide-functionalized gold nanorods (MTAB-GNRs) and a near-infrared (NIR) laser. We demonstrate that the photothermal effect can be fine-tuned by adjusting the nanoparticle concentration and laser power. Depending on the selected parameters, the laser can trigger either regulated or non-regulated cell death (necrosis) in both mouse GL261 and human U-87 MG glioma cell lines, accompanied by translocation of phosphatidylserine in the membrane. Our investigation into the mechanism of regulated cell death induced by PPTT revealed an absence of markers associated with classical apoptosis pathways, such as cleaved caspase 3. Instead, we observed the presence of cleaved caspase 1, gasdermin D, and elevated levels of NLRP3 in NIR-irradiated tumoroids, indicating the activation of pyroptosis. This finding correlates with previous observations of lysosomal accumulation of MTAB-GNRs and the known lysosomal pathway of pyroptosis activation. We further confirmed the absence of toxic breakdown products of GNRs using electron microscopy, which showed no melting or fragmentation of gold nanoparticles under the conditions causing regulated cell death. In conclusion, PPTT using coated gold nanorods offers significant potential for glioma cell elimination occurring through the activation of pyroptosis rather than classical apoptosis pathways.

Hydrogel Coatings of Implants for Pathological Bone Repair

Hydrogels are well-suited for biomedical applications due to their numerous advantages, such as excellent bioactivity, versatile physical and chemical properties, and effective drug delivery capabilities. Recently, hydrogel coatings have developed to functionalize bone implants which are biologically inert and cannot withstand the complex bone tissue repair microenvironment. These coatings have shown promise in addressing unique and pressing medical needs. This review begins with the major functionalized performance and interfacial bonding strategy of hydrogel coatings, with a focus on the novel external field response properties of the hydrogel. Recent advances in the fabrication strategies of hydrogel coatings and their use in the treatment of pathologic bone regeneration are highlighted. Finally, challenges and emerging trends in the evolution and application of physiological environment-responsive and external electric field-responsive hydrogel coatings for bone implants are discussed.

Two-pronged reversal of chemotherapy resistance by gold nanorods induced mild photothermal effect

Chemotherapy treatment outcomes are severely restricted by multidrug resistance (MDR), in which tumors develop a multiple cross-resistance toward drug involving the pump and nonpump resistance mechanisms, resulting in drug efflux and defending against drug toxicity. Herein, we constructed a pH and near infrared (NIR) light responsive nanomedicine DOX@FG based on gold nanorods (GNRs) that demonstrated the potential to improve chemotherapy outcomes by overcoming MDR. DOX@FG was constructed by conjugating folic acid (FA) and doxorubicin (DOX) derivatives onto GNRs, where the DOX derivatives possessed an acid-labile hydrazone bond. Stimulated by the acidic media in endocytic organelles, DOX@FG exhibited a responsive dissociation for the controlled release of chemotherapeutic DOX. Surprisingly, we found the mild photothermal effect elicited by GNRs under NIR irradiation simultaneously inhibited the pump and nonpump resistance mechanisms, enhancing the intracellular DOX accumulation and sensitizing the cancer cells to DOX, collectively amplify the chemotherapy efficacy and delay the MCF-7/ADR breast tumor growth. This intelligent DOX@FG nanomedicine with the potential for two-pronged reversal of MDR may provide a prospective way to encourage chemotherapy efficacy.

Emerging 2D Nanomaterials-Integrated Hydrogels: Advancements in Designing Theragenerative Materials for Bone Regeneration and Disease Therapy

This review highlights recent advancements in the synthesis, processing, properties, and applications of 2D-material integrated hydrogels, with a focus on their performance in bone-related applications. Various synthesis methods and types of 2D nanomaterials, including graphene, graphene oxide, transition metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, and MXene are discussed, along with strategies for their incorporation into hydrogel matrices. These composite hydrogels exhibit tunable mechanical properties, high surface area, strong near-infrared (NIR) photon absorption and controlled release capabilities, making them suitable for a range of regeneration and therapeutic applications. In cancer therapy, 2D-material-based hydrogels show promise for photothermal and photodynamic therapies, and drug delivery (chemotherapy). The photothermal properties of these materials enable selective tumor ablation upon NIR irradiation, while their high drug-loading capacity facilitates targeted and controlled release of chemotherapeutic agents. Additionally, 2D-materials -infused hydrogels exhibit potent antibacterial activity, making them effective against multidrug-resistant infections and disruption of biofilm generated on implant surface. Moreover, their synergistic therapy approach combines multiple treatment modalities such as photothermal, chemo, and immunotherapy to enhance therapeutic outcomes. In bio-imaging, these materials serve as versatile contrast agents and imaging probes, enabling their real-time monitoring during tumor imaging. Furthermore, in bone regeneration, most 2D-materials incorporated hydrogels promote osteogenesis and tissue regeneration, offering potential solutions for bone defects repair. Overall, the integration of 2D materials into hydrogels presents a promising platform for developing multifunctional theragenerative biomaterials.

Osteosarcoma-targeted Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform for NIR II fluorescence/magnetic resonance dual-mode imaging and ros cascade amplification along with immunotherapy

BACKGROUND

As the lethal bone tumor, osteosarcoma often frequently occurs in children and adolescents with locally destructive and high metastasis. Distinctive kinds of nanoplatform with high therapeutical effect and precise diagnosis for osteosarcoma are urgently required. Multimodal optical imaging and programmed treatment, including synergistic photothermal-chemodynamic therapy (PTT-CDT) elicits immunogenetic cell death (ICD) is a promising strategy that possesses high bio-imaging sensitivity for accurate osteosarcoma delineating as well as appreciable therapeutic efficacy with ignorable side-effects.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In this study, mesoporous Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) anchoring is designed and successfully constructed. After loading with indocyanine green, this nanoplatform can be utilized for precisely targeting and efficaciously ablating against osteosarcoma via PTT boosted CDT and the closely following ICD stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, it provides off-peak fluorescence bio-imaging in the second window of near-infrared region (NIR II, 1000-1700 nm) and Magnetic resonance signal, serves as the dual-mode contrast agents for osteosarcoma tissue discrimination.

CONCLUSION

Tumor targeted Cu&Ce based mesoporous nanoplatform permits efficient osteosarcoma suppression and dual-mode bio-imaging that opens new possibility for effectively diagnosing and inhibiting the clinical malignant osteosarcoma.

Enhanced Biomimetics of Three-Dimensional Osteosarcoma Models: A Scoping Review

This scoping review evaluated 3D osteosarcoma (OS) models' biomimicry, examining their ability to mimic the tumour microenvironment (TME) and their drug sensitivity. Adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the systematic search revealed 293 studies, with 70 selected for final analysis. Overall, 64% of 3D OS models were scaffold-based, compared to self-generated spheroid models. Scaffolds generated using native matrix were most common (42%) with collagen I/hydroxyapatite predominating. Both scaffold-based and scaffold-free models were used equally for drug screening. The sensitivity of cancer cells in 3D was reported to be lower than that of cells in 2D in ~90% of the drug screening studies. This correlates with the observed upregulation of drug resistance. OS cells cultured in extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimetic scaffolds and native biomaterials were more resistant than cells in 2D. Co-cultures of OS and stromal cells in 3D models enhanced osteogenic differentiation, ECM remodelling, mineralisation, and angiogenesis, suggesting that tumour-stroma crosstalk promotes disease progression. Seven studies demonstrated selective toxicity of chemotherapeutics towards OS cells while sparing stromal cells, providing useful evidence for developing biomimetic tumour-stroma models to test selective drug toxicity. In conclusion, this review highlights the need to enhance biomimicry in 3D OS models for TME recapitulation, especially in testing novel therapeutics. Future research should explore innovative 3D biomimetic models, biomaterials, and advancements in personalised medicine.

PDA-BPs integrated mussel-inspired multifunctional hydrogel coating on PPENK implants for anti-tumor therapy, antibacterial infection and bone regeneration

Currently, many cancer patients with bone defects are still threatened by tumor recurrence, postoperative bacterial infection, and massive bone loss. Many methods have been studied to endow bone implants with biocompatibility, but it is difficult to find an implant material that can simultaneously solve the problems of anticancer, antibacterial and bone promotion. Here, a multifunctional gelatin methacrylate/dopamine methacrylate adhesive hydrogel coating containing 2D black phosphorus (BP) nanoparticle protected by polydopamine (pBP) is prepared by photocrosslinking to modify the surface of poly (aryl ether nitrile ketone) containing phthalazinone (PPENK) implant. The multifunctional hydrogel coating works in conjunction with pBP, which can deliver drug through photothermal mediation and kill bacteria through photodynamic therapy at the initial phase followed by promotion of osteointegration. In this design, photothermal effect of pBP control the release of doxorubicin hydrochloride loaded via electrostatic attraction. Meanwhile, pBP can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to eliminate bacterial infection under 808 nm laser. In the slow degradation process, pBP not only effectively consumes excess ROS and avoid apoptosis induced by ROS in normal cells, but also degrade into PO₄^3- to promote osteogenesis. In summary, nanocomposite hydrogel coatings provide a promising strategy for treatment of cancer patients with bone defects.

A bifunctional bortezomib-loaded porous nano-hydroxyapatite/alginate scaffold for simultaneous tumor inhibition and bone regeneration

Treatments of osteolytic lesions due to malignant metastasis remain one of the major clinical challenges. The residual tumor cells after surgical resections and an acidic tumor microenvironment are unfavorable for osteogenic induction. Bortezomib (BTZ), a proteasome inhibitor used in chemotherapy, also has an osteogenic potential in concentration- and Ca²⁺-dependent manners. In this study, controlled delivery of BTZ in a novel bifunctional scaffold based on nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) and sodium alginate (SA) nanocomposite, namely BTZ/nHA@SA, has been explored. By smartly adjusting microenvironments, a sustainable release of Ca²⁺ from nHA could be achieved, which was not only able to cross-link SA but also to regulate the switch between the dual functions of tumor inhibition and bone regeneration of BTZ to promote the osteogenic pathway. The freeze-dried BTZ/nHA@SA scaffold has excellent interconnectivity, is capable to promote the attachment and proliferation of mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cells, as well as effectively induces breast cancer cell death in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo, studies using a mouse tumor model and a rabbit femoral defect model showed that the BTZ/nHA@SA scaffold could promote tumor ablation, and also enhance bone repair. Therefore, the BTZ/nHA@SA scaffold has unique dual functions of inhibiting tumor recurrence and promoting bone tissue regeneration simultaneously. This smart bi-functional scaffold offers a promising novel approach for oncological treatments by synchronously orchestrating tumor inhibition and tissue regeneration for the repair of neoplastic bone defects.

Active targeting schemes for nano-drug delivery systems in osteosarcoma therapeutics

Osteosarcoma, the most common malignant tumor of the bone, seriously influences people's lives and increases their economic burden. Conventional chemotherapy drugs achieve limited therapeutic effects owing to poor targeting and severe systemic toxicity. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems can significantly enhance the utilization efficiency of chemotherapeutic drugs through targeting ligand modifications and reduce the occurrence of systemic adverse effects. A variety of ligand-modified nano-drug delivery systems have been developed for different targeting schemes. Here we review the biological characteristics and the main challenges of current drug therapy of OS, and further elaborate on different targeting schemes and ligand selection for nano-drug delivery systems of osteosarcoma, which may provide new horizons for the development of advanced targeted drug delivery systems in the future.

"Smart" drug delivery: A window to future of translational medicine

Chemotherapy is the mainstay of cancer treatment today. Chemotherapeutic drugs are non-selective and can harm both cancer and healthy cells, causing a variety of adverse effects such as lack of specificity, cytotoxicity, short half-life, poor solubility, multidrug resistance, and acquiring cancer stem-like characteristics. There is a paradigm shift in drug delivery systems (DDS) with the advent of smarter ways of targeted cancer treatment. Smart Drug Delivery Systems (SDDSs) are stimuli responsive and can be modified in chemical structure in response to light, pH, redox, magnetic fields, and enzyme degradation can be future of translational medicine. Therefore, SDDSs have the potential to be used as a viable cancer treatment alternative to traditional chemotherapy. This review focuses mostly on stimuli responsive drug delivery, inorganic nanocarriers (Carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, Meso-porous silica nanoparticles, quantum dots etc.), organic nanocarriers (Dendrimers, liposomes, micelles), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) and small molecule drug conjugates (SMDC) based SDDSs for targeted cancer therapy and strategies of targeted drug delivery systems in cancer cells.

Recent advances in hydrogels-based osteosarcoma therapy

Osteosarcoma (OS), as a typical kind of bone tumors, has a high incidence among adolescents. Traditional tumor eradication avenues for OS such as chemotherapy, surgical therapy and radiation therapy usually have their own drawbacks including recurrence and metastasis. In addition, another serious issue in the treatment of OS is bone repair because the bone after tumor invasion usually has difficulty in repairing itself. Hydrogels, as a synthetic or natural platform with a porous three-dimensional structure, can be applied as desirable platforms for OS treatment. They can not only be used as carriers for tumor therapeutic drugs but mimic the extracellular matrix for the growth and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), thus providing tumor treatment and enhancing bone regeneration at the same time. This review focuses the application of hydrogels in OS suppression and bone regeneration, and give some suggests on future development.

In vivo efficacy of verteporfin loaded gold nanorods for combined photothermal/photodynamic colon cancer therapy

The high incidence of cancer recurrences and the frequent occurrence of multidrug resistance often stem from a poorly selective and inefficient antineoplastic therapy, responsible for the onset of undesired side effects as well. A combination of minimal-invasive approaches could thus be a useful strategy to surmount these shortcomings, achieving a safe and solid cancer therapy. Herein, a multi-therapeutic nanotool was designed by merging the photothermal properties of gold nanorods (AuNRs) with the photodynamic activity of the photosensitizer verteporfin. AuNRs were coated with the natural materials lipoic acid and gellan gum (AuNRs_LA,GG) and subsequently loaded with verteporfin (AuNRs_LA,GG/Vert) producing stable colloidal dispersions. AuNRs_LA,GG/Vert were characterized in terms of stability, size and morphology. The hyperthermia exhibited after NIR excitation (810 nm) was also evaluated to highlight the effect on increasing the drug released profile in intra-tumoral mimicking media, as well as cytotoxicity on human colon cancer cell line (HCT116). In vivo studies on HCT116 murine xenograft models were carried out to prove the ability of AuNRs_LA,GG to arrest the tumor growth via NIR laser-triggered hyperthermia. Furthermore, the complete xenograft depletion was demonstrated upon AuNRs_LA,GG/Vert administration by combined photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) effects.

All-In-One Second Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Drug Delivery System for Synergistic Chemo-Photothermal Therapy

Light-responsive nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs), due to their unique advantages such as safety, minimal cross-reaction, and spatiotemporal precision, have received wide attention. Notably, second near-infrared (NIR-II) light, which has a high penetration depth for manipulating NDDSs to release drugs, is in high demand. Herein, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified hollow Cu_xS nanoparticles (NPs) are developed as an all-in-one NIR-II light-responsive NDDS for synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy. First, Cu_xS-PEG NPs were prepared under mild conditions by using Cu₂O NPs as sacrificial templates. The morphology, photothermal effect, drug loading/releasing abilities, and synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy of Cu_xS-PEG NPs have been investigated. The Cu_xS-PEG NPs with hollow structures showed a high drug loading capacity (∼255 μg Dox per mg of Cu_xS NPs) and stimuli-responsive drug release triggered by NIR-II laser irradiation. The synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy based on the Dox/Cu_xS-PEG NPs showed 98.5% tumor elimination. Our study emphasizes the great potential of Cu_xS-PEG NPs as an all-in-one NIR-II light-responsive NDDS for applications in biomedicine.

Bioinspired soft nanovesicles for site-selective cancer imaging and targeted therapies

Cell-to-cell communication within the heterogeneous solid tumor environment plays a significant role in the uncontrolled metastasis of cancer. To inhibit the metastasis and growth of cancer cells, various chemically designed and biologically derived nanosized biomaterials have been applied for targeted cancer therapeutics applications. Over the years, bioinspired soft nanovesicles have gained tremendous attention for targeted cancer therapeutics due to their easy binding with tumor microenvironment, natural targeting ability, bio-responsive nature, better biocompatibility, high cargo capacity for multiple therapeutics agents, and long circulation time. These cell-derived nanovesicles guard their loaded cargo molecules from immune clearance and make them site-selective to cancer cells due to their natural binding and delivery abilities. Furthermore, bioinspired soft nanovesicles prevent cell-to-cell communication and secretion of cancer cell markers by delivering the therapeutics agents predominantly. Cell-derived vesicles, namely, exosomes, extracellular vesicles, and so forth have been recognized as versatile carriers for therapeutic biomolecules. However, low product yield, poor reproducibility, and uncontrolled particle size distribution have remained as major challenges of these soft nanovesicles. Furthermore, the surface biomarkers and molecular contents of these vesicles change with respect to the stage of disease and types. Here in this review, we have discussed numerous examples of bioinspired soft vesicles for targeted imaging and cancer therapeutic applications with their advantages and limitations. Importance of bioengineered soft nanovesicles for localized therapies with their clinical relevance has also been addressed in this article. Overall, cell-derived nanovesicles could be considered as clinically relevant platforms for cancer therapeutics. This article is categorized under: Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Nucleic Acid-Based Structures Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Multi-Modal Optical Imaging and Combined Phototherapy of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Based on a Nanoplatform

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck with a high incidence rate worldwide, especially in southern China. Phototheranostics in combination with nanoparticles is an integrated strategy for enabling simultaneous diagnosis, real-time monitoring, and administration of precision therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). It has shown great potential in the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment owing to its unique noninvasive advantages. Many Chinese and international research teams have applied nano-targeted drugs to optical diagnosis and treatment technology to conduct multimodal imaging and collaborative treatment of NPC, which has become a hot research topic. In this review, we aimed to introduce the recent developments in phototheranostics of NPC based on a nanoplatform. This study aimed to elaborate on the applications of nanoplatform-based optical imaging strategies and treatment modalities, including fluorescence imaging, photoacoustic imaging, Raman spectroscopy imaging, photodynamic therapy, and photothermal therapy. This study is expected to provide a scientific basis for further research and development of NPC diagnosis and treatment.

Targeted Delivery of Chemotherapeutic Agents for Osteosarcoma Treatment

Since osteosarcoma (OS) is an aggressive bone cancer with unknown molecular pathways of etiology and pathophysiology, improving patient survival has long been a challenge. The conventional therapy is a complex multidisciplinary management that include radiotherapy, chemotherapy which followed by surgery and then post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy. However, they have severe side effects because the majority of the medicines used have just a minor selectivity for malignant tissue. As a result, treating tumor cells specifically without damaging healthy tissue is currently a primary goal in OS therapy. The coupling of chemotherapeutic drugs with targeting ligands is a unique therapy method for OS that, by active targeting, can overcome the aforementioned hurdles. This review focuses on advances in ligands and chemotherapeutic agents employed in targeted delivery to improve the capacity of active targeting and provide some insight into future therapeutic research for OS.

Multi-stimuli-responsive photonics films based on chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystals

Multiple-stimuli-responsive bio-based materials have received considerable attention for intelligent packaging and anti-counterfeiting applications. Herein, we present a unique biobased photonics film with multi-stimuli responsive behavior based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), sorbitol (S) and anthocyanin (Anth). The resulting photonics film exhibits multi-stimuli responsive behavior to humidity, solvent and pH stimuli. Notably, the photonics film showed dramatic invertible color from blue to fuchsia and high sensitivity at a relative humidity from 50% to 100%. Moreover, the photonics film exhibited fast response and good reversibility under different ethanol concentrations. Significant color changes of the photonics film were also observed in response to pH change in the range of 2 to 12. Particularly, the humidity, solvent and pH responsiveness of the photonics film did not interfere with each other.

Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses in Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy: Stimuli-Responsive, Toxicity, Immunogenicity, and Clinical Translation

Cancer is one of the top life-threatening dangers to the human survival, accounting for over 10 million deaths per year. Bioactive glasses have developed dramatically since their discovery 50 years ago, with applications that include therapeutics as well as diagnostics. A new system within the bioactive glass family, mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs), has evolved into a multifunctional platform, thanks to MBGs easy-to-functionalize nature and tailorable textural properties-surface area, pore size, and pore volume. Although MBGs have yet to meet their potential in tumor treatment and imaging in practice, recently research has shed light on the distinguished MBGs capabilities as promising theranostic systems for cancer imaging and therapy. This review presents research progress in the field of MBG applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy, including synthesis of MBGs, mechanistic overview of MBGs application in tumor diagnosis and drug monitoring, applications of MBGs in cancer therapy ( particularly, targeted delivery and stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms), and immunological profile of MBG-based nanodevices in reference to the development of novel cancer therapeutics.

Advances in photothermal nanomaterials for biomedical, environmental and energy applications

Materials that exhibit photothermal effect have attracted enormous research interests due to their ability to strongly absorb light and effectively transform it into heat for a wide range of applications in biomedical, environmental and energy related fields. The past decade has witnessed significant advances in the preparation of a variety of photothermal materials, mainly due to the emergence of many nano-enabled new materials, such as plasmonic metals, stoichiometric/non-stoichiometric semiconductors, and the newly emerging MXenes. These photothermal nanomaterials can be hybridized with other constituents to form functional hybrids or composites for achieving enhanced photothermal performance. In this review, we present the fundamental insight of inorganic photothermal materials, including their photothermal conversion mechanisms/properties as well as their potential applications in various fields. Emphasis is placed on strategic approaches for improving their light harvesting and photothermal conversion capabilities through engineering their nanostructured size, shape, composition, bandgap and so on. Lastly, the underlying challenges and perspectives for future development of photothermal nanomaterials are proposed.

Broadening the biocompatibility of gold nanorods from rat to Macaca fascicularis: advancing clinical potential

BACKGROUND

The biomedical field has used gold nanorods (GNRs) for decades; however, clinical trials and translation is limited except gold nanoshells. The preparation of gold nanoshells is more complex than that of polyethylene glycol-modified GNRs (PEG-GNRs), and it is difficult to ensure uniform thickness. It is important to encourage and broaden the use of the star member (PEG-GNRs) of gold nanoparticles family for clinical translation. Existing studies on PEG-GNRs are limited with no relevant systematic progression in non-human primates. Herein, we assessed the systematic biocompatibility of PEG-GNRs in rats and clinically relevant Macaca fascicularis.

RESULTS

In this small animal study, we administrated multiple doses of PEG-GNRs to rats and observed good biocompatibility. In the non-human primate study, PEG-GNRs had a longer blood half-life and produced a negligible immune response. Histological analysis revealed no significant abnormality.

CONCLUSIONS

PEG-GNRs were well-tolerated with good biocompatibility in both small animals and large non-human primates. The information gained from the comprehensive systemic toxicity assessment of PEG-GNRs in M. fascicularis will be helpful for translation to clinical trials.

Recent Advances in pH- or/and Photo-Responsive Nanovehicles

The combination of nanotechnology and chemotherapy has resulted in more effective drug design via the development of nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) for tumor targeting. Stimulus-responsive DDSs in response to internal or external signals can offer precisely controlled delivery of preloaded therapeutics. Among the various DDSs, the photo-triggered system improves the efficacy and safety of treatment through spatiotemporal manipulation of light. Additionally, pH-induced delivery is one of the most widely studied strategies for targeting the acidic micro-environment of solid tumors. Accordingly, in this review, we discuss representative strategies for designing DDSs using light as an exogenous signal or pH as an endogenous trigger.

A Near-Infrared Laser-Triggered Size-Shrinkable Nanosystem with In Situ Drug Release for Deep Tumor Penetration

The development of smart size-tunable drug delivery nanoplatform enables the solving of the paradox of inconsistent size-dependence of high tumor accumulation and deep penetration during its delivery process, thus achieving superior cancer treatment efficacy. Herein, we report a size-shrinkable nanomicelle complex system with an initial size of 101 nm enabling effective retention around the tumor periphery and could destruct to ultrasmall nanomicelles triggered by a near-infrared (NIR) laser to realize the deep tumor penetration. The nanomicelle system is consisted of an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type block copolymer poly(acrylamide-acrylonitrile)-polyethylene glycol-lipoic acid (p(AAm-co-AN)-g-PEG-LA) encapsulating gold nanorods. Upon the irradiation of the NIR laser at the tumor site, gold nanorods could convert the light energy to heat energy, realizing the photothermal ablation of superficial tumor tissue. Concurrently, the large micelles split into a cascade of ultrasmall micelles (∼7 nm), which could easily penetrate into the deep site of the tumor and achieve the in situ "on-demand" release of the loaded drug to exert superior combined photothermal-chemotherapy of cancer. By the precise manipulation of laser, the micelle complex system realized the hierarchical killing from the superficial-to-deep tumor and achieved almost complete tumor growth inhibition on the established xenograft liver tumor mice model.

Review of a new bone tumor therapy strategy based on bifunctional biomaterials

Bone tumors, especially those in osteosarcoma, usually occur in adolescents. The standard clinical treatment includes chemotherapy, surgical therapy, and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, surgical resection often fails to completely remove the tumor, which is the main cause of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, resulting in a high mortality rate. Moreover, bone tumors often invade large areas of bone, which cannot repair itself, and causes a serious effect on the quality of life of patients. Thus, bone tumor therapy and bone regeneration are challenging in the clinic. Herein, this review presents the recent developments in bifunctional biomaterials to achieve a new strategy for bone tumor therapy. The selected bifunctional materials include 3D-printed scaffolds, nano/microparticle-containing scaffolds, hydrogels, and bone-targeting nanomaterials. Numerous related studies on bifunctional biomaterials combining tumor photothermal therapy with enhanced bone regeneration were reviewed. Finally, a perspective on the future development of biomaterials for tumor therapy and bone tissue engineering is discussed. This review will provide a useful reference for bone tumor-related disease and the field of complex diseases to combine tumor therapy and tissue engineering.

Construction of a pH- and near-infrared irradiation-responsive nanoplatform for chemo-photothermal therapy

Au nanoclusters, decorated with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), were obtained through photocatalytic reduction of AuCl₄^3- by UV irradiation, and then cytarabine (Cyt) was loaded to the Au/GQDs via charge-dipole interactions. Mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was anchored to the Cyt-loaded Au/GQDs through the formation of Au-S bond, which was further encapsulated by polyethyleneimine (PEI) via charge-dipole interactions. The delivery of Cyt from the quaternary complex (Au/GQDs/MPA/PEI) is pH-sensitive and can be modulated by near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The results of cell viability test indicate that the developed nanoplatform can be used for chemo-photothermal combination therapy of cancer cells, and the efficacy of chemo-photothermal combination therapy is significantly higher than that of the single mode of photothermal therapy (PTT) or chemotherapy.

MXene-Based Hydrogels Endow Polyetheretherketone with Effective Osteogenicity and Combined Treatment of Osteosarcoma and Bacterial Infection

After an osteosarcoma resection, the risks of cancer recurrence, postoperative infection, and large bone loss still threaten patients' health. Conventional treatment relies on implanting orthopedic materials to fill bone defects after surgery, but it has no ability of destroying residual tumor cells and preventing bacterial invasion. To tackle this challenge, here, we develop a novel multifunctional implant (SP@MX/GelMA) that mainly consists of MXene nanosheets, gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels, and bioinert sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SP) with the purpose of facilitating tumor cell death, combating pathogenic bacteria, and promoting osteogenicity. Because of the synergistic photothermal effects of MXene and polydopamine (pDA), osteosarcoma cells are effectively killed on the multifunctional coatings under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation through thermal ablation. After loading tobramycin (TOB), the SP@MX-TOB/GelMA implants display robust antibacterial properties against Gram-negative/Gram-positive bacteria. More importantly, the multifunctional implants are demonstrated to have superior cytocompatibility and osteogenesis-promoting capability in terms of cell replication, spreading, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium matrix mineralization, and in vivo osseointegration. Accordingly, such photothermally controlled multifunctional implants not only defeat osteosarcoma cells and bacteria but also intensify osteogenicity, which hold a greatly promising countermeasure for curing postoperative tissue lesion from an osteosarcoma excision.

Targeted gold nanorods combined with low-intensity nsPEFs enhance antimelanoma efficacy in vitro

High-intensity nanosecond pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) are a novel treatment with promising applications for cell stimulation and tissue ablation, and many research studies have shown that gold nanorods (GNRs) are high-conductivity nanomaterials that can enhance electroporation for biomedical applications. In addition, the folic acid (FA) receptor has been demonstrated as a valuable therapeutic target that is highly expressed in a variety of cancers. To reduce the electric field strength required to treat tumors by nsPEFs, for the first time, gold nanorods with folic acid were proposed to achieve higher antimelanoma efficacy at lower electric field intensity in this study. The surface of polyethylene glycol-gold nanorods with good biocompatibility was further modified by folic acid (FA) to provide modified gold nanorods (GNR-PEG-FA) with specific targeted recognition of A375 melanoma cells. The binding of GNRs to A375 melanoma cells was observed by dark field microscopy. After combined treatment with nsPEFs and GNRs, cell viability was evaluated by a CCK-8 assay. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate apoptosis and the cell cycle. And active caspase 3 was also detected after treatment. The antimelanoma efficacy was enhanced in a pulsed electric field-dependent manner. More importantly, compared with the group of nsPEFs alone and gold nanorods without FA, treating cells with nsPEFs combined with GNR-PEG-FA resulted in a lower percentage of viable cells, higher percentages of necrosis and apoptosis and higher concentration of active caspase 3 and induced cell cycle arrest in S phase, effectively inhibiting the proliferation of A375 melanoma cells. nsPEFs combined with GNR-PEG-FA showed the best antimelanoma efficacy in vitro and effectively killed melanoma cells with low-intensity nsPEFs. The combined treatment of cells with nsPEFs and GNR-PEG-FA is expected to become a safer and more efficient physical treatment of melanomas.

Effect of actively targeted copolymer coating on solid tumors eradication by gold nanorods-induced hyperthermia

Efforts in the field of anticancer therapy are increasingly focusing on the development of localized and selective treatments. Photothermal therapy (PTT) can lead to a spatially confined death of cancer cells, exploiting an increasing in temperature generated after UV-NIR irradiation of peculiar materials. Herein, a new actively targeted gold-based drug delivery system, named PHEA-LA-Fol-AuNRs/Iri, was explored for hyperthermia and chemotherapy colon cancer treatment. Gold nanorods were stabilized using a folate-derivative of α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-D,L-aspartamide (PHEA-LA-PEG-FA) as coating agent and then loaded with the antineoplastic drug irinotecan (Iri). The efficacy of empty and irinotecan-bearing systems was investigated in vitro on human colon cancer (HCT116) cell line, as well as in vivo, employing a xenograft mouse model of colon cancer. After laser treatment, both nanostructures tested induced a considerable deceleration in tumor growth overtime, achieving the total eradication of the cancer when the nanosystems produced were intratumorally administered. Biodistribution data showed that the polymer coated nanorods were able to preferentially accumulate in the tumor site. Considering the excellent stability in aqueous media, the capacity to reach the tumor site and, finally, the in vivo efficacy, PHEA-LA-Fol-AuNRs/Iri might be recommended as an effective tool in the chemotherapy and PTT of colon cancer.

Magnetic targeting cobalt nanowire-based multifunctional therapeutic system for anticancer treatment and angiogenesis

In order to improve the anticancer therapeutic efficacy and postoperative recovery efficacy, the novel anticancer therapeutic system should have the ability to promote angiogenesis after anticancer therapy besides the excellent anticancer therapeutic efficacy. We present herein a magnetic targeting multifunctional anticancer therapeutic system based on cobalt nanowires (CoNWs) for anticancer therapy and angiogenesis. Magnetic characterization shows that the CoNWs can be concentrated in desired locations under the external magnetic field, which is favorable for anticancer target therapy. Besides, drug loading/release characterization reveals that the CoNWs interact with doxorubicin (DOX) by electrostatic interaction, and accordingly form a composite which can release DOX with temperature increase under near-infrared light (NIR) treatment. And anticancer test reveals that the nanowires loaded with the DOX (CoNWs-DOX) can produce an effective chemo-photothermal synergistic therapeutic effect against murine breast cancer cell lines (4T1) and human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG63) under NIR treatment. Furthermore, angiogenesis assessment reveals that the released cobalt ion from the nanowires can significantly enhance the angiogenesis efficacy after cancer treatment. These results suggest that the constructed anticancer therapeutic system provides a promising multifunctional platform for cancer treatment and postoperative recovery.

Dual Response of Photonic Films with Chiral Nematic Cellulose Nanocrystals: Humidity and Formaldehyde

Manipulating functional stimuli-responsive materials has been a hot topic in the research of smart sensors and anticounterfeiting encryption. Here, a novel functional chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) film showing dual responsiveness to humidity and formaldehyde gas was fabricated. The chiral nematic CNC iridescent film could respond to environmental humidity and formaldehyde gas changes by reversible motion. Interestingly, the humidity sensitivity of the CNC iridescent film could be gated by exposing the film to formaldehyde gas. At the same time, the formaldehyde-responsive behavior is strongly affected by the relative humidity (RH), and the response range could be tuned by changing the RH over a wide range. Importantly, the formaldehyde-induced color change could be altered from invisible to visible by the naked eye when the film was exposed to a humid environment. The mechanism of this dual response of the CNC iridescent film is ascribed to the synergistic effect of cooperation and competition between water and formaldehyde molecules by constructing physical cross-linking networks by hydrogen bonds among water, formaldehyde, and CNCs. Furthermore, the "RH-concentration of formaldehyde gas-color" ternary colorimetric system was simulated, which is thought to endow the CNC iridescent film with great potential to act as a sensor in the convenient visible detection of gaseous formaldehyde. Furthermore, this work provided a promising strategy to design multi-gas-sensitive devices with convenient detection, good stability, and excellent reversibility.

3D cultures for modeling nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is one of the most promising techniques for cancer tumor ablation. Nanoparticles are increasingly being investigated for use with PTT and can serve as theranostic agents. Based on the ability of near-infrared nano-photo-absorbers to generate heat under laser irradiation, PTT could prove advantageous in certain situations over more classical cancer therapies. To analyze the efficacy of nanoparticle-based PTT, preclinical in vitro studies typically use 2D cultures, but this method cannot completely mimic the complex tumor organization, bioactivity, and physiology that all control the complex penetration depth, biodistribution, and tissue diffusion parameters of nanomaterials in vivo. To fill this knowledge gap, 3D culture systems have been explored for PTT analysis. These models provide more realistic microenvironments that allow spatiotemporal oxygen gradients and cancer cell adaptations to be considered. This review highlights the work that has been done to advance 3D models for cancer microenvironment modeling, specifically in the context of advanced, functionalized nanoparticle-directed PTT.

Surface engineering of nanoparticles with ligands for targeted delivery to osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is one of the most common malignant bone tumors which affect adolescents. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by operation has become recommended for osteosarcoma treatment. Whereas, the effects of conventional chemotherapy are unsatisfactory because of multidrug resistance, fast clearance rate, nontargeted delivery, side effects and so on. Accordingly, Nanoparticle-mediated targeted drug delivery system (NTDDS) is recommended to be a novel treatment strategy for osteosarcoma. NTDDS can overcome the above obstacles by enhanced permeability and retention effect and active targeting. The active targeting of the delivery system is mainly based on ligands. In this study, we investigate and summarize the most common ligands used in the latest NTDDS for osteosarcoma. It might provide new insights into nanomedicine for osteosarcoma treatment.

Principles and applications of nanomaterial-based hyperthermia in cancer therapy

Over the past few decades, hyperthermia therapy (HTT) has become one of the most promising strategies to treat cancer. HTT has been applied with nanotechnology to overcome drawbacks such as non-selectivity and invasiveness and to maximize therapeutic efficacy. The high temperature of HTT induces protein denaturation that leads to apoptosis or necrosis. It can also enhance the effects of other cancer therapies because heat-damaged tissues reduce radioresistance and help accumulate anticancer drugs. Gold nanoparticles and superparamagnetic iron oxide with different energy sources are commonly used as hyperthermia agents. New types of nanoparticles such as those whose surface is coated with several polymers and those modified with targeting moieties have been studied as novel HTT agents. In this review, we introduce principles and applications of nanotechnology-based HTT using gold nanoparticles and superparamagnetic iron oxide.

Nanomedicine in osteosarcoma therapy: Micelleplexes for delivery of nucleic acids and drugs toward osteosarcoma-targeted therapies

Osteosarcoma(OS) represents the main cancer affecting bone tissue, and one of the most frequent in children. In this review we discuss the major pathological hallmarks of this pathology, its current therapeutics, new active biomolecules, as well as the nanotechnology outbreak applied to the development of innovative strategies for selective OS targeting. Small RNA molecules play a role as key-regulator molecules capable of orchestrate different responses in what concerns cancer initiation, proliferation, migration and invasiveness. Frequently associated with lung metastasis, new strategies are urgent to upgrade the therapeutic outcomes and the life-expectancy prospects. Hence, the prominent rise of micelleplexes as multifaceted and efficient structures for nucleic acid delivery and selective drug targeting is revisited here with special emphasis on ligand-mediated active targeting. Future landmarks toward the development of novel nanostrategies for both OS diagnosis and OS therapy improvements are also discussed.

Recent advances of drug delivery nanocarriers in osteosarcoma treatment

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor mainly occurred in children and adolescence, and chemotherapy is limited for the side effects and development of drug resistance. Advances in nanotechnology and knowledge of cancer biology have led to significant improvements in developing tumor-targeted drug delivery nanocarriers, and some have even entered clinically application. Delivery of chemotherapeutic agents by functionalized smart nanocarriers could protect the drugs from rapid clearance, prolong the circulating time, and increase the drug concentration at tumor sites, thus enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects. Various drug delivery nanocarriers have been designed and tested for osteosarcoma treatment, but most of them are still at experimental stage, and more further studies are needed before clinical application. In this present review, we briefly describe the types of commonly used nanocarriers in osteosarcoma treatment, and discuss the strategies for osteosarcoma-targeted delivery and controlled release of drugs. The application of nanoparticles in the management of metastatic osteosarcoma is also briefly discussed. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of recent progress of nanoscale drug delivery platforms in osteosarcoma, and inspire new ideas to develop more effective therapeutic options.

Inorganic nanomaterials for chemo/photothermal therapy: a promising horizon on effective cancer treatment

During the last few decades, nanotechnology has established many essential applications in the biomedical field and in particular for cancer therapy. Not only can nanodelivery systems address the shortcomings of conventional chemotherapy such as limited stability, non-specific biodistribution and targeting, poor water solubility, low therapeutic indices, and severe toxic side effects, but some of them can also provide simultaneous combination of therapies and diagnostics. Among the various therapies, the combination of chemo- and photothermal therapy (CT-PTT) has demonstrated synergistic therapeutic efficacies with minimal side effects in several preclinical studies. In this regard, inorganic nanostructures have been of special interest for CT-PTT, owing to their high thermal conversion efficiency, application in bio-imaging, versatility, and ease of synthesis and surface modification. In addition to being used as the first type of CT-PTT agents, they also include the most novel CT-PTT systems as the potentials of new inorganic nanomaterials are being more and more discovered. Considering the variety of inorganic nanostructures introduced for CT-PTT applications, enormous effort is needed to perform translational research on the most promising nanomaterials and to comprehensively evaluate the potentials of newly introduced ones in preclinical studies. This review provides an overview of most novel strategies used to employ inorganic nanostructures for cancer CT-PTT as well as cancer imaging and discusses current challenges and future perspectives in this area.

Adjuvant Biophysical Therapies in Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary bone sarcoma, manifesting as osteogenesis by malignant cells. Nowadays, patients’ quality of life has been improved, however continuing high rates of limb amputation, pulmonary metastasis and drug toxicity, remain unresolved issues. Thus, effective osteosarcoma therapies are still required. Recently, the potentialities of biophysical treatments in osteosarcoma have been evaluated and seem to offer a promising future, thanks in this field as they are less invasive. Several approaches have been investigated such as hyperthermia (HT), high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), low intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and sono- and photodynamic therapies (SDT, PDT). This review aims to summarize in vitro and in vivo studies and clinical trials employing biophysical stimuli in osteosarcoma treatment. The findings underscore how the technological development of biophysical therapies might represent an adjuvant role and, in some cases, alternative role to the surgery, radio and chemotherapy treatment of OS. Among them, the most promising are HIFU and HT, which are already employed in OS patient treatment, while LIPUS/SDT and PDT seem to be particularly interesting for their low toxicity.

A review of small molecules and drug delivery applications using gold and iron nanoparticles

Conventional cancer treatment techniques show several limitations including low or no specificity and consequently a low efficacy in discriminating between cancer cells and healthy cells. Recent nanotechnology developments have introduced smart and novel therapeutic nanomaterials that take advantage of various targeting approaches. The use of nanotechnology in medicine and, more specifically, drug delivery is set to spread even more rapidly than it has over the past two decades. Currently, many nanoparticles (NPs) are under investigation for drug delivery including those for cancer therapy. Targeted nanomaterials bind selectively to cancer cells and greatly affect them with only a minor effect on healthy cells. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs), specifically, have been identified as significant candidates for new cancer therapeutic modalities because of their biocompatibility, easy functionalization and fabrication, optical tunable characteristics, and chemophysical stability. In the last decade, there has been significant research on Au-NPs and their biomedical applications. Functionalized Au-NPs represent highly attractive and promising candidates for drug delivery, owing to their unique dimensions, tunable surface functionalities, and controllable drug release. Further, iron oxide NPs due to their "superparamagnetic" properties have been studied and have demonstrated successful employment in numerous applications. In targeted drug delivery systems, drug-loaded iron oxide NPs can accumulate at the tumor site with the aid of an external magnetic field. This can lead to incremental effectiveness in drug release to the tumor site and vanquish cancer cells without harming healthy cells. In order for the application of iron oxide NPs in the human body to be realized, they should be biodegradable and biocompatible to minimize toxicity. This review illustrates recent advances in the field drug and small molecule delivery such as fluorouracil, folic acid, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and daunorubicin, specifically when using gold and iron oxide NPs as carriers of anticancer therapeutic agents.

Mesoporous NiS2 nanospheres as a hydrophobic anticancer drug delivery vehicle for synergistic photothermal–chemotherapy

Monodispersed mesoporous NiS₂ nanospheres (mNiS₂ NSs) have been successfully developed here through a facile solvothermal method to act as a hydrophobic drug delivery vehicle for synergistic photothermal–chemo treatment of cancer.

Intracellular Delivery of Gold Nanocolloids Promoted by a Chemically Conjugated Anticancer Peptide

We report on the ability of a chemically synthesized anticancer peptide, SVS-1, to promote the rapid uptake of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by live HeLa cells. For this, AuNPs and AuNRs, surface ligated with a multicoordinating polymer that presents several amine groups per ligand, are simultaneously reacted with SVS-1 and Texas-Red dye; the latter allows fluorescence visualization of the nanocrystals. Using epifluorescence microscopy, we find that incubation of the SVS-1-conjugated AuNPs and AuNRs with a model cancer cell line yields extended staining throughout the cell cytoplasm, even at low conjugate concentrations (∼0.1 nM). Furthermore, uptake is specific to the SVS-1-conjugated nanocrystals. Additional endocytosis inhibition experiments, where cells have been incubated with the conjugates at 4 °C or in the presence of endocytic inhibitors, show that significant levels of conjugate uptake persist. These results combined indicate an uptake mechanism that does not necessarily rely on endocytosis, a promising finding with implications for the use of nanomaterials in the field of biology and nanomedicine.

Anisotropic Gold Nanoparticles in Biomedical Applications

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) play a crucial role in the development of nanomedicine, principally due to their unique photophysical properties and high biocompatibility. The possibility to tune and customize the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) toward near-infrared region by modulating the AuNP shape is one of the reasons for the huge widespread use of AuNPs. The controlled synthesis of no-symmetrical nanoparticles, named anisotropic, is an exciting goal achieved by the scientific community which explains the exponential increase of the number of publications related to the synthesis and use of such type of AuNPs. Even with such steps forward and the AuNP translation in clinic being done, some key issues are still remain and they are related to a reliable and scalable production, a full characterization, and to the development of nanotoxicology studies on the long run. In this review we highlight the very recent advances on the synthesis of the main classes of anisotropic AuNPs (nanorods, nanourchins and nanocages) and their use in the biomedical fields, in terms of diagnosis and therapeutics.

Investigating the photo-thermo-radiosensitization effects of folate-conjugated gold nanorods on KB nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

In this article, we report a targeted cancer treatment strategy using nano-photo-thermal therapy (NPTT) and radiotherapy (RT) methods. Gold nanorods (AuNRs) without and with folic acid (FA) conjugation were firstly synthesized and then characterized. Cytotoxicity of various methods; NPTT (nanoparticles; 808 nm laser; 2 W/cm²) or RT (6 MV X-ray; 2 Gy) or combination of NPTT and RT; was separately investigated on KB nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. The effects of different treatments were studies using MTT assay, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both TEM and ICP-MS confirmed the internalization of nanoparticles into the KB cells. ICP-MS analysis revealed that AuNR-FA cell uptake was higher than AuNRs. Viability of the cells received NPTT was lower than those cells received laser or nanoparticles alone. Furthermore, it was found that combination of NPTT and RT notably decreased the viability of KB cells. Following such a combinatorial treatment (NPTT + RT), intensive damages were identified in TEM images obtained from treated cells. It may be concluded that AuNR-FA nanoconjugate is a good candidate to be used as a targeted sensitizer agent for nano-photo-thermo-radiotherapy of head and neck cancer cells.