Melanoma Cell Membrane Biomimetic Versatile CuS Nanoprobes for Homologous Targeting Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Chemotherapy

Near Infrared Biomimetic Hybrid Magnetic Nanocarrier for MRI-Guided Thermal Therapy

Cell-membrane hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are designed to improve drug delivery, thermal therapy, and immunotherapy for several diseases. Here, we report the development of distinct biomimetic magnetic nanocarriers containing magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in vesicles and IR780 near-infrared dyes incorporated in the membranes. Distinct cell membranes are investigated, red blood cell (RBC), melanoma (B16F10), and glioblastoma (GL261). Hybrid nanocarriers containing synthetic lipids and a cell membrane are designed. The biomedical applications of several systems are compared. The inorganic nanoparticle consisted of Mn-ferrite nanoparticles with a core diameter of 15 ± 4 nm. TEM images show many multicore nanostructures (∼40 nm), which correlate with the hydrodynamic size. Ultrahigh transverse relaxivity values are reported for the magnetic NPs, 746 mM-1s-1, decreasing respectively to 445 mM-1s-1 and 278 mM-1s-1 for the B16F10 and GL261 hybrid vesicles. The ratio of relaxivities r2/r1 decreased with the higher encapsulation of NPs and increased for the biomimetic liposomes. Therapeutic temperatures are achieved by both, magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia and photothermal therapy. Photothermal conversion efficiency ∼25-30% are reported. Cell culture revealed lower wrapping times for the biomimetic vesicles. In vivo experiments with distinct routes of nanoparticle administration were investigated. Intratumoral injection proved the nanoparticle-mediated PTT efficiency. MRI and near-infrared images showed that the nanoparticles accumulate in the tumor after intravenous or intraperitoneal administration. Both routes benefit from MRI-guided PTT and demonstrate the multimodal theranostic applications for cancer therapy.

Efficient Co-Delivery of Metformin and Ammonia Borane via a Hollow Mesoporous Polydopamine Nanogenerator for Enhanced Chemo-Photothermal Therapy against Melanoma

Melanoma, a highly aggressive skin cancer, poses significant challenges due to its rapid metastases and high mortality rates. While metformin (Met), a first-line medication for type 2 diabetes, has shown promise in inhibiting tumor growth and metastases, its clinical efficacy in cancer therapy is limited by low bioavailability, short half-life, and gastrointestinal adverse reactions associated with oral administration. In this study, we developed a hollow mesoporous polydopamine nanocomposite (HMPDA-PEG@Met@AB) coloaded with Met and ammonia borane (AB), designed to enable a combined gas-assisted, photothermal, and chemotherapeutic approach for melanoma treatment. This system releases Met and H2 in response to the acidic tumor microenvironment both in vitro and in vivo. The released H2 facilitates nanocomposites escape from lysosomes and inhibits heat shock protein expression in B16-F10 cells. Concurrently, Met and H2 disrupt the mitochondrial respiratory chain, reduce mitochondrial membrane potential, and inhibit ATP synthesis, ultimately activating AMPK signaling and suppressing mTOR activity. The system also elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, leading to tumor cell apoptosis. Under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, the photothermal effect of HMPDA enhances Met release, further inhibiting tumor growth. In vivo experiments demonstrated efficient Met delivery, achieving therapeutic levels that activated AMPK in tumors without inducing hypoglycemia. These findings suggest that this drug delivery system holds significant clinical potential for melanoma treatment.

A Multifunctional MIL-101-NH2(Fe) Nanoplatform for Synergistic Melanoma Therapy

Background

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer, and single-modality treatments often fail to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Combination therapy has emerged as an effective approach to improve treatment outcomes.

Methods

In this study, we developed a multifunctional nanoplatform, MIL@DOX@ICG, utilizing MIL-101-NH2(Fe) as a carrier to co-deliver the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) and the photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG). MIL-101-NH2(Fe) was synthesized via a hydrothermal method. Drug release was evaluated under different pH conditions, and the photothermal effect was tested under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Hydroxyl radical and reactive oxygen species generation capacities were quantified. Cellular studies using B16F10 cells assessed cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, migration inhibition, and colony formation suppression. In vivo experiments in melanoma-bearing mice evaluated antitumor efficacy and systemic safety through tumor growth inhibition, histological analyses, and toxicity assessments.

Results

MIL@DOX@ICG exhibited a uniform octahedral structure with a particle size of approximately 139 nm and high drug loading efficiencies for DOX (33.70%) and ICG (30.59%). The nanoplatform demonstrated pH-responsive drug release and potent photothermal effects. The generation of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction and reactive oxygen species production under NIR laser irradiation by MIL@DOX@ICG were confirmed. In vitro assessments revealed significant cytotoxicity of MIL@DOX@ICG against B16F10 cells under NIR laser irradiation, with improved efficacy in inhibiting cell proliferation and migration. In vivo studies confirmed the superior antitumor efficacy of MIL@DOX@ICG + NIR treatment, synergistically harnessing chemotherapy, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and chemodynamic therapy effects while maintaining excellent biocompatibility.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the potential of MIL-101-NH2(Fe) nanoparticles as a versatile and effective platform for synergistic melanoma therapy, offering a promising strategy for overcoming the limitations of conventional treatment modalities.

Biohybrid nano-platforms manifesting effective cancer therapy: Fabrication, characterization, challenges and clinical perspective

Nanotechnology-based delivery systems have brought a paradigm shift in the management of cancer. However, the main obstacles to nanocarrier-based delivery are their limited circulation duration, excessive immune clearance, inefficiency in interacting effectively in a biological context and overcoming biological barriers. This demands effective engineering of nanocarriers to achieve maximum efficacy. Nanocarriers can be maneuvered with biological components to acquire biological identity for further regulating their biodistribution and cell-to-cell cross-talk. Thus, the integration of synthetic and biological components to deliver therapeutic cargo is called a biohybrid delivery system. These delivery systems possess the advantage of synthetic nanocarriers, such as high drug loading, engineerable surface, reproducibility, adequate communication and immune evasion ability of biological constituents. The biohybrid delivery vectors offer an excellent opportunity to harness the synergistic properties of the best entities of the two worlds for improved therapeutic outputs. The major spotlights of this review are different biological components, synthetic counterparts of biohybrid nanocarriers, recent advances in hybridization techniques, and the design of biohybrid delivery systems for cancer therapy. Moreover, this review provides an overview of biohybrid systems with therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In a nutshell, this article summarizes the advantages and limitations of various biohybrid nano-platforms, their clinical potential and future directions for successful translation in cancer management.

Biomimetic Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles for Cancer Theranostics

Nanoparticles can enhance drugs accumulating at the tumor site and hold tremendous promise for achieving effective tumor treatment. However, due to the complexity of cancer heterogeneity and suppressive tumor microenvironment, the delivery of traditional nanoparticles has poor infiltration and off-target effects, making it difficult to control the drug release rate and causing off-target toxicity. In recent years, cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanoparticles have been developed, which have both the natural characteristics of biomembranes and the physical characteristics of traditional nanoparticles, thus improving the homologous targeting ability of nanoparticles to tumor cells and better biocompatibility. In this paper, we reviewed the application of single cell membrane and hybrid cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanoparticles in the integration for tumor diagnosis and treatment. We talked about the preparation methods of cell membrane-coated nanoparticles, the targeting mechanisms, and the effects of imaging and therapeutic outcomes of different cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanoparticles in detail. Finally, we discussed the existing problems and prospects of cell membrane-coated biomimetic nanomaterials.

Biomimetic siRNA nanogels for regulating macrophage polarization and promoting osteogenesis

Background

Bone fracture regeneration poses significant clinical challenges due to complications such as delayed healing, nonunion, and the limitations of current treatments.

Objective

This study introduces a novel therapeutic approach utilizing biomimetic nanogels to silence the Ccl4 gene, aiming to promote bone repair by regulating macrophage polarization.

Methods

The nanogels, composed of tannic acid (TA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA), were designed for targeted gene delivery.

Results

In vitro findings indicate that siRNA-mediated Ccl4 reduction significantly improves M2 macrophage polarization, which, in turn, promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Increased expression of osteogenic markers and enhanced mineral deposition were observed. The nanogels demonstrated optimal particle size, stability, and cellular uptake, and biocompatibility assays confirmed their non-toxicity.

Conclusion

This study underscores the potential of targeted siRNA delivery in modulating immune responses to enhance bone regeneration, offering promising treatment options for complex bone healing scenarios.

Agomir-122-loaded nanoparticles coated with cell membrane of activated fibroblasts to treat frozen shoulder based on homologous targeting

As a common musculoskeletal disorder, frozen shoulder is characterized by thickened joint capsule and limited range of motion, affecting 2-5% of the general population and more than 20% of patients with diabetes mellitus. Pathologically, joint capsule fibrosis resulting from fibroblast activation is the key event. The activated fibroblasts are proliferative and contractive, producing excessive collagen. Albeit high prevalence, effective anti-fibrosis modalities, especially fibroblast-targeting therapies, are still lacking. In this study, microRNA-122 was first identified from sequencing data as a potential therapeutic agent to antagonize fibroblast activation. Then, Agomir-122, an analog of microRNA-122, was loaded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (Agomir-122@NP), a carrier with excellent biocompatibility for the agent delivery. Moreover, relying on the homologous targeting effect, we coated Agomir-122@NP with the cell membrane derived from activated fibroblasts (Agomir-122@MNP), with an attempt to inhibit the proliferation, contraction, and collagen production of abnormally activated fibroblasts. After confirming the targeting effect of Agomir-122@MNP on activated fibroblasts in vitro, we proved that Agomir-122@MNP effectively curtailed fibroblasts activation, ameliorated joint capsule fibrosis, and restored range of motion in mouse models both prophylactically and therapeutically. Overall, an effective targeted delivery method was developed with promising translational value against frozen shoulder.

Cancer cell membrane-coated nanoparticles: a promising anti-tumor bionic platform

Nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems have shown promise in tumor therapy. However, limitations such as susceptibility to immune clearance and poor targeting in a complex intercellular environment still exist. Recently, cancer cell membrane-encapsulated nanoparticles (CCM-NPs) constructed using biomimetic nanotechnology have been developed to overcome these problems. Proteins on the membrane surface of cancer cells can provide a wide range of activities for CCM-NPs, including immune escape and homologous cell recognition properties. Meanwhile, the surface of the cancer cell membrane exhibits obvious antigen enrichment, so that CCM-NPs can transmit tumor-specific antigen, activate a downstream immune response, and produce an effective anti-tumor effect. In this review, we first provided an overview of the functions of cancer cell membranes and summarized the preparation techniques and characterization methods of CCM-NPs. Then, we focused on the application of CCM-NPs in tumor therapy. In addition, we summarized the functional modifications of cancer cell membranes and compiled the patent applications related to CCM-NPs in recent years. Finally, we proposed the future challenges and directions of this technology in order to provide guidance for researchers in this field.

Progress of cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles for cancer phototherapy

In recent years, considerable attention has been given to phototherapy, including photothermal and photodynamic therapy to kill tumor cells by producing heat or reactive oxygen species (ROS). It has the high merits of noninvasiveness and limited drug resistance. To fully utilize this therapy, an extraordinary nanovehicle is required to target phototherapeutic agents in the tumor cells. Nanovesicles embody an ideal strategy for drug delivery applications. Cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles represent a developing type of nanocarrier. Combining this technique with cancer phototherapy could enable a novel strategy. Herein, efforts are made to describe a comprehensive overview of cell membrane-derived biomimetic nanovesicles for cancer phototherapy. The description in this review is mainly based on representative examples of exosome-derived biomimetic nanomedicine research, ranging from their comparison with traditional nanocarriers to extensive applications in cancer phototherapy. Additionally, the challenges and future prospectives for translating these for clinical application are discussed.

Advances in Targeting Drug Biological Carriers for Enhancing Tumor Therapy Efficacy

Chemotherapy drugs continue to be the main component of oncology treatment research and have been proven to be the main treatment modality in tumor therapy. However, the poor delivery efficiency of cancer therapeutic drugs and their potential off-target toxicity significantly limit their effectiveness and extensive application. The recent integration of biological carriers and functional agents is expected to camouflage synthetic biomimetic nanoparticles for targeted delivery. The promising candidates, including but not limited to red blood cells and their membranes, platelets, tumor cell membrane, bacteria, immune cell membrane, and hybrid membrane are typical representatives of biological carriers because of their excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Biological carriers are widely used to deliver chemotherapy drugs to improve the effectiveness of drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy in vivo, and tremendous progress is made in this field. This review summarizes recent developments in biological vectors as targeted drug delivery systems based on microenvironmental stimuli-responsive release, thus highlighting the potential applications of target drug biological carriers. The review also discusses the possibility of clinical translation, as well as the exploitation trend of these target drug biological carriers.

Application of graphene oxide in tumor targeting and tumor therapy

Graphene oxide (GO), as a kind of two-dimensional sp2 carbon nanomaterials, has attracted great attention in many fields in the past decade. Due to its unique physical and chemical properties, GO is showing great promise in the field of biomedicine. For GO, all the atoms on its surface are exposed to the surface with ultra-high specific surface area, and a variety of groups on the surface, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl and epoxy groups, can effectively bind/load various biomolecules. Due to the availability of these groups, GO also possesses excellent hydrophilicity and biocompatibility for the modification of the desired biocompatible molecules or polymers on the surface of GO. The nano-network structure and hydrophobicity of GO enable it to load a large number of hydrophobic drugs containing benzene rings and it has been widely used as a multi-functional nano-carrier for chemotherapeutic drug or gene delivery. This review article will give an in-depth overview of the synthesis methods of GO, the advantages and disadvantages of GO used in nano-drug delivery system, the research progress of GO as a stimulus-responsive nano-drug carrier, and the application of these intelligent systems in cancer treatment.

Recent Advances in Biomimetic Nanocarrier-Based Photothermal Therapy for Cancer Treatment

Nanomedicine presents innovative solutions for cancer treatment, including photothermal therapy (PTT). PTT centers on the design of photoactivatable nanoparticles capable of absorbing non-toxic near-infrared light, generating heat within target cells to induce cell death. The successful transition from benchside to bedside application of PTT critically depends on the core properties of nanoparticles responsible for converting light into heat and the surface properties for precise cell-specific targeting. Precisely targeting the intended cells remains a primary challenge in PTT. In recent years, a groundbreaking approach has emerged to address this challenge by functionalizing nanocarriers and enhancing cell targeting. This strategy involves the creation of biomimetic nanoparticles that combine desired biocompatibility properties with the immune evasion mechanisms of natural materials. This review comprehensively outlines various strategies for designing biomimetic photoactivatable nanocarriers for PTT, with a primary focus on its application in cancer therapy. Additionally, we shed light on the hurdles involved in translating PTT from research to clinical practice, along with an overview of current clinical applications.

In vivo synergistic tumor therapies based on copper sulfide photothermal therapeutic nanoplatforms

Tumor cells may be eliminated by increasing their temperature. This is achieved via photothermal therapy (PTT) by penetrating the tumor tissue with near-infrared light and converting light energy into heat using photothermal agents. Copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) are commonly used as PTAs in PTT. In this review, we aimed to discuss the synergism between tumor PTT with CuS NPs and other therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, dynamic therapies (photodynamic, chemodynamic, and sonodynamic therapy), immunotherapy, gene therapy, gas therapy, and magnetic hyperthermia. Furthermore, we summarized the results obtained with a combination of two treatments and at least two therapies, with PTT as one of the included therapies. Finally, we summarized the benefits and drawbacks of various therapeutic options and state of the art CuS-based PTT and provided future directions for such therapies.

Recent progress on near-infrared fluorescence heptamethine cyanine dye-based molecules and nanoparticles for tumor imaging and treatment

Recenly, near-infrared fluorescence heptamethine cyanine dyes have shown satisfactory values in bioengineering, biology, and pharmacy especially in cancer diagnosis and treatment, owing to their excellent fluorescence property and biocompatibility. In order to achieve broad application prospects, diverse structures, and chemical properties of heptamethine cyanine dyes have been designed to develop novel functional molecules and nanoparticles over the past decade. For fluorescence and photoacoustic tumor imaging properties, heptamethine cyanine dyes are equipped with good photothermal performance and reactive oxygen species production properties under near-infrared light irradiation, thus holding great promise in photodynamic and/or photothermal cancer therapies. This review offers a comprehensive scope of the structures, comparisons, and applications of heptamethine cyanine dyes-based molecules as well as nanoparticles in tumor treatment and imaging in current years. Therefore, this review may drive the development and innovation of heptamethine cyanine dyes, significantly offering opportunities for improving tumor imaging and treatment in a precise noninvasive manner. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles carrying ISRIB for the sensitized photothermal therapy of breast cancer and brain metastases through inhibiting stress granule formation and reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages

As known, the benefits of photothermal therapy (PTT) are greatly limited by the heat tolerance of cancer cells resulting from overexpressed heat shock proteins (HSPs). Then HSPs further trigger the formation of stress granules (SGs) that regulate protein expression and cell viability under various stress conditions. Inhibition of SG formation can sensitize tumor cells to PTT. Herein, we developed PEGylated pH (low) insertion peptide (PEG-pHLIP)-modified hollow copper sulfide nanoparticles (HCuS NPs) encapsulating the SG inhibitor ISRIB, with the phase-change material lauric acid (LA) as a gate-keeper, to construct a pH-driven and NIR photo-responsive controlled smart drug delivery system (IL@H-PP). The nanomedicine could specifically target slightly acidic tumor sites. Upon irradiation, IL@H-PP realized PTT, and the light-controlled release of ISRIB could effectively inhibit the formation of PTT-induced SG to sensitize tumor cells to PTT, thereby increasing the antitumor effect and inducing potent immunogenic cell death (ICD). Moreover, IL@H-PP could promote the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), repolarizing them towards the M1 phenotype and remodeling the immunosuppressive microenvironment. In vitro/vivo results revealed the potential of PTT combined with SG inhibitors, which provides a new paradigm for antitumor and anti-metastases.

Biomimetic gene editing system for precise tumor cell reprogramming and augmented tumor therapy

The abnormal level of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is closely related to cancer metastasis and treatment resistance. CRISPR-Cas9-based gene editing technology has sparked profound hope to solve this issue by precise gene disruption, although the in vivo application remains hindered by the lack of a safe and efficient delivery strategy. Herein, we developed a cell membrane biomimetic core-shell system for light-controllable, precise gene editing. The inner core of the system comprises protamine for CRISPR-Cas9/sgRNA plasmid (pCas9) loading and calcium ions for efficient pCas9 transfection. The shell of the system is camouflaged by a cell membrane and modified with AS1411 aptamers for tumor targeting and photosensitizers to induce lysosomal escape and pCas9 release through reactive oxygen species production, thereby producing light-controllable enhanced gene editing. Neoplastic H1299 cells were reprogrammed using the biomimetic gene editing system upon laser irradiation with reduced VEGF and Vimentin expression, leading to enhanced antimetastatic effects. Genetic disruption of HIF-1α augmented the in vivo chemotherapeutic efficacy of paclitaxel. Our approach of using a membrane-camouflaged system combined with light augmentation provides a potential solution for the in vivo delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 as well as a feasible strategy for cancer therapy.

Multifunctional nanoparticle for cancer therapy

Cancer is a complex disease associated with a combination of abnormal physiological process and exhibiting dysfunctions in multiple systems. To provide effective treatment and diagnosis for cancer, current treatment strategies simultaneously focus on various tumor targets. Based on the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanocarriers have been shown to exhibit excellent potential for cancer therapy. Compared with nanoparticles with single functions, multifunctional nanoparticles are believed to be more aggressive and potent in the context of tumor targeting. However, the development of multifunctional nanoparticles is not simply an upgraded version of the original function, but involves a sophisticated system with a proper backbone, optimized modification sites, simple preparation method, and efficient function integration. Despite this, many well-designed multifunctional nanoparticles with promising therapeutic potential have emerged recently. Here, to give a detailed understanding and analyzation of the currently developed multifunctional nanoparticles, their platform structures with organic or inorganic backbones were systemically generalized. We emphasized on the functionalization and modification strategies, which provide additional functions to the nanoparticle. We also discussed the application combination strategies that were involved in the development of nanoformulations with functional crosstalk. This review thus provides an overview of the construction strategies and application advances of multifunctional nanoparticles.

Subcellular-Targeted Near-Infrared-Responsive Nanomedicine with Synergistic Chemo-photothermal Therapy against Multidrug Resistant Cancer

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major obstacle to effective cancer treatment. Therefore, developing effective approaches for overcoming the limitation of MDR in cancer therapy is very essential. Chemotherapy combined with photothermal therapy (PTT) is a potential therapeutic option against MDR. Herein, we developed a subcellular-targeted near-infrared (NIR)-responsive nanomedicine (Fe₃O₄@PDA-TPP/S₂-PEG-hyd-DOX, abbreviated as Fe₃O₄-ATSPD) as a new photothermal agent with improved photothermal stability and efficiency. This system demonstrates high stability in blood circulation and can be accumulated at the tumor site by magnetic targeting enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR). Near-infrared (NIR) irradiation at the tumor site generates a photothermal effect from the photosensitizer Fe₃O₄@PDA, leading to a dramatic decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Simultaneously, the conjugated drugs released under low pH condition in endosomes or lysosomes cause nucleus DNA damage and cell apoptosis. This subcellular-targeted NIR-responsive nanomedicine with efficient integration of diagnosis and therapy could significantly enhance MDR cancer treatment by combination of chemotherapy and PTT.

Progress of photoacoustic imaging combined with targeted photoacoustic contrast agents in tumor molecular imaging

Molecular imaging visualizes, characterizes, and measures biological processes at the molecular and cellular level. In oncology, molecular imaging is an important technology to guide integrated and precise diagnosis and treatment. Photoacoustic imaging is mainly divided into three categories: photoacoustic microscopy, photoacoustic tomography and photoacoustic endoscopy. Different from traditional imaging technology, which uses the physical properties of tissues to detect and identify diseases, photoacoustic imaging uses the photoacoustic effect to obtain the internal information of tissues. During imaging, lasers excite either endogenous or exogenous photoacoustic contrast agents, which then send out ultrasonic waves. Currently, photoacoustic imaging in conjunction with targeted photoacoustic contrast agents is frequently employed in the research of tumor molecular imaging. In this study, we will examine the latest advancements in photoacoustic imaging technology and targeted photoacoustic contrast agents, as well as the developments in tumor molecular imaging research.

High Drug-Loading Nanomedicines for Tumor Chemo-Photo Combination Therapy: Advances and Perspectives

The combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy (chemo−photo combination therapy) is an excellent attempt for tumor treatment. The key requirement of this technology is the high drug-loading nanomedicines, which can load either chemotherapy drugs or phototherapy agents at the same nanomedicines and simultaneously deliver them to tumors, and play a multimode therapeutic role for tumor treatment. These nanomedicines have high drug-loading efficiency (>30%) and good tumor combination therapeutic effect with important clinical application potential. Although there are many reports of high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor therapy at present, systematic analyses on those nanomedicines remain lacking and a comprehensive review is urgently needed. In this review, we systematically analyze the current status of developed high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy and summarize their types, methods, drug-loading properties, in vitro and in vivo applications. The shortcomings of the existing high drug-loading nanomedicines for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy and the possible prospective development direction are also discussed. We hope to attract more attention for researchers in different academic fields, provide new insights into the research of tumor therapy and drug delivery system and develop these nanomedicines as the useful tool for tumor chemo−photo combination therapy in the future.

Biomimetic Nanotherapeutics: Employing Nanoghosts to fight Melanoma

Melanoma is a cancer of melanocytes present at the basal layer of the skin. Nanomedicine has armed us with competent platform to manage such fatal neoplastic diseases. Nevertheless, it suffers from numerous pitfalls such as rapid clearance and opsonization of surface-functionalized carriers, biocompatibility and idiopathic reactions which could be difficult to predict in the patient. Biomimetic approach, a novel step towards personalized medicine bridges these drawbacks by employing endogenous cell membranes to traverse physiological barriers. Camouflaged carriers coated with natural cell membranes possess unique characteristics such as high circulatory periods, and the absence of allogenic and xenogenic responses. Proteins residing on the cell membranes render a diverse range of utilities to the coated nanoparticles including natural efficiency to identify cellular targets, homologous targeting, reticuloendothelial system evasion, biocompatibility and reduced adverse and idiopathic effects. In the present article, we have focused on cell membrane camouflaged nanocarriers for melanoma management. We have discussed various types of biomimetic systems, their processing and coating approaches, and their characterization. We have also enumerated novel avenues in melanoma treatment and the combination of biomimetic systems with smart nanoparticulate systems with the potential to bring breakthroughs in the near future. Additionally, immunotherapy-based biomimetic systems to combat melanoma have been highlighted. Hurdles towards clinical translation and ways to overcome them have been explained in detail.

Emerging Nanotherapeutic Approaches to Overcome Drug Resistance in Cancers with Update on Clinical Trials

A key issue with modern cancer treatments is the emergence of resistance to conventional chemotherapy and molecularly targeted medicines. Cancer nanotherapeutics were created in order to overcome the inherent limitations of traditional chemotherapeutics. Over the last few decades, cancer nanotherapeutics provided unparalleled opportunities to understand and overcome drug resistance through clinical assessment of rationally designed nanoparticulate delivery systems. In this context, various design strategies such as passive targeting, active targeting, nano-drug, and multimodal nano-drug combination therapy provided effective cancer treatment. Even though cancer nanotherapy has made great technological progress, tumor biology complexity and heterogeneity and a lack of comprehensive knowledge of nano-bio interactions remain important roadblocks to future clinical translation and commercialization. The current developments and advancements in cancer nanotherapeutics employing a wide variety of nanomaterial-based platforms to overcome cancer treatment resistance are discussed in this article. There is also a review of various nanotherapeutics-based approaches to cancer therapy, including targeting strategies for the tumor microenvironment and its components, advanced delivery systems for specific targeting of cancer stem cells (CSC), as well as exosomes for delivery strategies, and an update on clinical trials. Finally, challenges and the future perspective of the cancer nanotherapeutics to reverse cancer drug resistance are discussed.

Plasma Membrane-Derived Liposomes Exhibit Robust Antiviral Activity against HSV-1

Plasma membranes host a plethora of proteins and glycans on their outer surface that are exploited by viruses to enter the cells. In this study, we have utilized this property to limit a viral infection using plasma membrane-derived vesicles. We show that plasma membrane-derived liposomes are prophylactically and therapeutically competent at preventing herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) infection. Plasma membrane liposomes derived from human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells, which are natural targets of HSV-1 infection, as well as Vero and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were used in this study. Our study clearly demonstrates that HCE and Vero-derived cellular liposomes, which express the viral entry-specific cell surface protein receptors, exhibit robust antiviral activity especially when compared to CHO-derived liposomes, which lack the relevant HSV-1 entry receptors. Further experimentation of the plasma membrane-derived liposomes with HSV type-2 (HSV-2) and pseudorabies virus yielded similar results, indicating strong potential for the employment of these liposomes to study viral entry mechanisms in a cell free-environment.

Cell membrane camouflaged biomimetic nanoparticles: Focusing on tumor theranostics

Nanoparticles (NPs) modified by cell membranes represent an emerging biomimetic platform that can mimic the innate biological functions resulting from the various cell membranes in biological systems. researchers focus on constructing the cell membrane camouflaged NPs using a wide variety of cells, such as red blood cell membranes (RBC), macrophages and cancer cells. Cell membrane camouflaged NPs (CMNPs) inherit the composition of cell membranes, including specific receptors, antigens, proteins, for target delivering to the tumor, escaping immune from clearance, and prolonging the blood circulation time, etc. Combining cell membrane-derived biological functions and the NP cores acted cargo carriers to encapsulate the imaging agents, CMNPs are widely developed to apply in tumor imaging techniques, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorescence imaging (FL) and photoacoustic imaging (PA). Herein, in this review, we systematically summarize the superior functions of various CMNPs in tumor imaging, especially highlighting the advanced applications in different imaging techniques, which is to provide the theoretical supports for the development of precise guided imaging and tumor treatment.

Engineered Cell Membrane-Derived Nanocarriers: The Enhanced Delivery System for Therapeutic Applications

There has been a rapid development of biomimetic platforms using cell membranes as nanocarriers to camouflage nanoparticles for enhancing bio-interfacial capabilities. Various sources of cell membranes have been explored for natural functions such as circulation and targeting effect. Biomedical applications of cell membranes-based delivery systems are expanding from cancer to multiple diseases. However, the natural properties of cell membranes are still far from achieving desired functions and effects as a nanocarrier platform for various diseases. To obtain multi-functionality and multitasking in complex biological systems, various functionalized modifications of cell membranes are being developed based on physical, chemical, and biological methods. Notably, many research opportunities have been initiated at the interface of multi-technologies and cell membranes, opening a promising frontier in therapeutic applications. Herein, the current exploration of natural cell membrane functionality, the design principles for engineered cell membrane-based delivery systems, and the disease applications are reviewed, with a special focus on the emerging strategies in engineering approaches.

Recent advances in cell membrane camouflage-based biosensing application

Cell membrane, a semi-permeable membrane composed of phospholipid bilayers, is a natural barrier to prevent extracellular substances from freely entering the cell. Cell membrane with selective permeability and fluidity ensures the relative stability of the intracellular environment and enables various biochemical reactions to smoothly operate in an orderly manner. Inspired by the natural composition and transport process, various cell membranes and synthetic bionic films as the mimics of cell membranes have emerged as appealing camouflage materials for biosensing applications. The membranes are devoted to surface modification and substance delivery, and realize the detection or in situ analysis of multiple biomarkers, such as glucose, nucleic acids, virus, and circulating tumor cells. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in cell membrane camouflage-based biosensing applications, mainly focusing on the use of the membranes extracted from natural cells (e.g., blood cells and cancer cells) as well as biomimetic membranes. Materials and surfaces camouflaged with cell membranes are shown to have superior stability and biocompatibility as well as intrinsic properties of original cells, which greatly facilitate their use in biosensing. In specific, camouflage with blood cell membranes bestows low immunogenicity and prolonged blood circulation time, camouflage with cancer cell membranes provides homologous targeting ability, and camouflage with biomimetic membranes endows considerable plasticity for functionalization. Further research is expected to focus on the deeper understanding of cell-specific properties of membranes and the exploration of hybrid membranes, which might provide new development opportunities for cell membrane camouflage-based biosensing application.

Highly Transparent Eu-Doped 0.72PMN-0.28PT Ceramics with Excellent Piezoelectricity

The 0.975[0.72Pb(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-0.28PbTiO₃]-0.025Eu₂O₃ ceramics were prepared by a two-step sintering process including oxygen sintering and hot-pressing. An ultrahigh piezoelectric charge coefficient of 1400 pC/N and a superior optical transmittance up to 68% were simultaneously achieved. The underlying mechanism was discussed from a microstructural perspective, where the watermark domain configuration with a small domain size is responsible for the high optical transmission, while the large remanent polarization and dielectric constant and the introduced tetragonal phase with a parallel stripe domain structure are believed to synergistically contribute to the high piezoelectric coefficients. This work demonstrates that the rare-earth dopant in the PMN-PT ceramic system is conducive to enhanced transparency and piezoelectricity.

Unleashing the potential of cell membrane-based nanoparticles for COVID-19 treatment and vaccination

Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a particular coronavirus strain responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), accounting for more than 3.1 million deaths worldwide. Several health-related strategies have been successfully developed to contain the rapidly-spreading virus across the globe, toward reduction of both disease burden and infection rates. Particularly, attention has been focused on either the development of novel drugs and vaccines, or by adapting already-existing drugs for COVID-19 treatment, mobilizing huge efforts to block disease progression and to overcome the shortage of effective measures available at this point.Areas covered: This perspective covers the breakthrough of multifunctional biomimetic cell membrane-based nanoparticles as next-generation nanosystems for cutting-edge COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccination, specifically cell membrane-derived nanovesicles and cell membrane-coated nanoparticles, both tailorable cell membrane-based nanosystems enriched with the surface repertoire of native cell membranes, toward maximized biointerfacing, immune evasion, cell targeting and cell-mimicking properties.Expert opinion: Nano-based approaches have received widespread interest regarding enhanced antigen delivery, prolonged blood circulation half-life and controlled release of drugs. Cell membrane-based nanoparticles comprise interesting antiviral multifunctional nanoplatforms for blocking SARS-CoV-2 binding to host cells, reducing inflammation through cytokine neutralization and improving drug delivery toward COVID-19 treatment.

Metal-based nanoparticles, sensors, and their multifaceted application in food packaging

Due to the global rise of the human population, one of the top-most challenges for poor and developing nations is to use the food produces safely and sustainably. In this regard, the storage of surplus food (and derived products) without loss of freshness, nutrient stability, shelf life, and their parallel efficient utilization will surely boost the food production sector. One of the best technologies that have emerged within the last twenty years with applications in the packaging of food and industrial materials is the use of green mode-based synthesized nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs are stable, advantageous as well as eco-friendly. Over the several years, numerous publications have confirmed that these NPs exert antibacterial, antioxidant, and antifungal activity against a plethora of pathogens. The storage in metal-based NPs (M-NPs) does not hamper the food properties and packaging efficiency. Additionally, these M-NPs help in the improvement of properties including freshness indicators, mechanical properties, antibacterial and water vapor permeability during food packaging. As a result, the nano-technological application facilitates a simple, alternate, interactive as well as reliable technology. It even provides positive feedback to food industries and packaging markets. Taken together, the current review paper is an attempt to highlight the M-NPs for prominent applications of antimicrobial properties, nanosensors, and food packaging of food items. Additionally, some comparative reports associated with M-NPs mechanism of action, risks, toxicity, and overall future perspectives have also been made.

Nanotherapeutic approach to tackle chemotherapeutic resistance of cancer stem cells

Estimates indicate that cancer will become the leading cause of mortality worldwide in the future. Tumorigenesis is a complex process that involves self-sufficiency in signs of growth, insensitivity to anti-growth signals, prevention of apoptosis, unlimited replication, sustained angiogenesis, tissue invasion, and metastasis. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have an important role in tumor development and resistance. Here we will approach phenotypic plasticity capacity, highly efficient DNA repair systems, anti-apoptotic machinery, sustained stemness features, interaction with the tumor microenvironment, and Notch, Wnt, and Hedgehog signaling pathways. The researches about CSCs as a target in cancer treatment has been growing. Many different options have pointed beneficial results, such as pathways and CSC-surface markers targeting. Besides its limitations, nanotherapeutics have emerged as a potential strategy in this context since they aim to improve pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and reduce the side effects observed in traditional treatments. Nanoparticles have been studied in this field, mostly for drug delivery and a multitherapy approach. Another widely researched approaches in this area are related to heat therapy, such as photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy and magnetic hyperthermia, besides molecular targeting. This review will contemplate the most relevant studies that have shown the effects of nanotherapeutics. In conclusion, although the studies analyzed are mostly preclinical, we believe that there is strong evidence that nanoparticles can increase the chances of a better prognosis to cancer in the future. It is also essential to transpose these findings to the clinic to confirm and better understand the role of nanotherapeutics in this context.

Cell membrane-derived vesicles for delivery of therapeutic agents

Cell membranes have recently emerged as a new source of materials for molecular delivery systems. Cell membranes have been extruded or sonicated to make nanoscale vesicles. Unlike synthetic lipid or polymeric nanoparticles, cell membrane-derived vesicles have a unique multicomponent feature, comprising lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. Because cell membrane-derived vesicles contain the intrinsic functionalities and signaling networks of their parent cells, they can overcome various obstacles encountered in vivo. Moreover, the different natural combinations of membranes from various cell sources expand the range of cell membrane-derived vesicles, creating an entirely new category of drug-delivery systems. Cell membrane-derived vesicles can carry therapeutic agents within their interior or can coat the surfaces of drug-loaded core nanoparticles. Cell membranes typically come from single cell sources, including red blood cells, platelets, immune cells, stem cells, and cancer cells. However, recent studies have reported hybrid sources from two different types of cells. This review will summarize approaches for manufacturing cell membrane-derived vesicles and treatment applications of various types of cell membrane-derived drug-delivery systems, and discuss challenges and future directions.

Glucose oxidase-mediated tumor starvation therapy combined with photothermal therapy for colon cancer

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers with high mortality, and can easily spread and metastasize, remaining an urgent disease to be solved. Nanomaterial-associated starvation or photothermal therapy has been considered to be a promising strategy in tumor therapy. However, the therapeutic effect of a single regimen for cancer treatment still needs to be improved due to their respective limitations. Herein, a biomimetic multifunctional nanoreactor is developed by encapsulating glucose oxidase and gold nanorods (AuNRs) in an erythrocyte membrane camouflaged metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticle (ZGAM), which was exploited for synergistic treatment of colon cancer by combining glucose oxidase-based starvation with AuNR-based photothermal therapy (PTT). This biomimetic nanoreactor could not only exhaust endogenous glucose to suppress the growth of the tumor by the released glucose oxidase (GOx), but also enhance the effect of photothermal therapy via inhibiting the expression of heat shock protein (HSP). In vitro and in vivo investigations indicate that this biomimetic nanoreactor shows excellent therapeutic effects on tumors, resulting from the synergistic treatment of starvation therapy and PTT. Therefore, the proposed strategy may open a window to develop an intelligent therapeutic system for better therapeutic efficacy against cancer.

Dual-targeted and MRI-guided photothermal therapy via iron-based nanoparticles-incorporated neutrophils

Nanoparticle-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) has shown promising capability for tumor therapy through the high local temperature at the tumor site generated by a photothermal agent (PTA) under visible or near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. Improving the accumulation of PTA at the tumor site is crucial to achieving effective photothermal treatment. Here, we developed temperature-activatable engineered neutrophils (Ne) by combining indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded magnetic silica NIR-sensitive nanoparticles (NSNP), which provide the potential for dual-targeted photothermal therapy. The combined effect of neutrophil targeting and magnetic targeting increased the accumulation of PTA at the tumor site. According to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the retention of intravenous injected NSNP-incorporated neutrophils within the tumor site was markedly augmented as compared to free NSNP. Furthermore, when irradiated by NIR, NSNP could cause a high local temperature at the tumor site and the thermal stimulation of neutrophils. The heat can kill tumor cells directly, and also lead to the death of neutrophils, upon which active substances with tumor-killing efficacy will be released to kill residual tumor cells and thus reduce tumor recurrence. Thereby, our therapy achieved the elimination of malignancy in the mouse model of the pancreatic tumor without recurrence. Given that all materials used in this system have been approved for use in humans, the transition of this treatment method to clinical application is plausible.

Cell membrane cloaked nanomedicines for bio-imaging and immunotherapy of cancer: Improved pharmacokinetics, cell internalization and anticancer efficacy

Despite enormous advancements in the field of oncology, the innocuous and effectual treatment of various types of malignancies remained a colossal challenge. The conventional modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery have been remained the most viable options for cancer treatment, but lacking of target-specificity, optimum safety and efficacy, and pharmacokinetic disparities are their impliable shortcomings. Though, in recent decades, numerous encroachments in the field of onco-targeted drug delivery have been adapted but several limitations (i.e., short plasma half-life, early clearance by reticuloendothelial system, immunogenicity, inadequate internalization and localization into the onco-tissues, chemoresistance, and deficient therapeutic efficacy) associated with these onco-targeted delivery systems limits their clinical viability. To abolish the aforementioned inadequacies, a promising approach has been emerged in which stealthing of synthetic nanocarriers has been attained by cloaking them into the natural cell membranes. These biomimetic nanomedicines not only retain characteristics features of the synthetic nanocarriers but also inherit the cell-membrane intrinsic functionalities. In this review, we have summarized preparation methods, mechanism of cloaking, and pharmaceutical and therapeutic superiority of cell-membrane camouflaged nanomedicines in improving the bio-imaging and immunotherapy against various types of malignancies. These pliable adaptations have revolutionized the current drug delivery strategies by optimizing the plasma circulation time, improving the permeation into the cancerous microenvironment, escaping the immune evasion and rapid clearance from the systemic circulation, minimizing the immunogenicity, and enabling the cell-cell communication via cell membrane markers of biomimetic nanomedicines. Moreover, the preeminence of cell-membrane cloaked nanomedicines in improving the bio-imaging and theranostic applications, alone or in combination with phototherapy or radiotherapy, have also been pondered.

Orchestration of biomimetic membrane coating and nanotherapeutics in personalized anticancer therapy

Nanoparticle-based therapeutic and detectable modalities can augment anticancer efficiency, holding potential in capable target and suppressive metastases post administration. However, the individual discrepancies of the current "one-size-fits-all" strategies for anticancer nanotherapeutics have heralded the need for "personalized therapy". Benefiting from the special inherency of various cells, diverse cell membrane-coated nanoparticles (CMCNs) were established on a patient-by-patient basis, which would facilitate the personalized treatment of individual cancer patients. CMCNs in a complex microenvironment can evade the immune system and target homologous tumors with a suppressed immune response, as well as a prolonged circulation time, consequently increasing the drug accumulation at the tumor site and anticancer therapeutic efficacy. This review focuses on the emerging strategies and advances of CMCNs to synergistically integrate the merit of source cells with nanoparticulate delivery systems for the orchestration of personalized anticancer nanotherapeutics, thus discussing their rationalities in facilitating chemotherapy, imaging, immunotherapy, phototherapy, radiotherapy, sonodynamic, magnetocaloric, chemodynamic and gene therapy. Furthermore, the mechanism, challenges and opportunities of CMCNs in personalized anticancer therapy were highlighted to further boost cooperation from different fields, including materials science, chemistry, medicine, pharmacy and biology for the lab-to-clinic translation of CMCNs combined with the individual advantages of source cells and nanotherapeutics.

Carrier-free highly drug-loaded biomimetic nanosuspensions encapsulated by cancer cell membrane based on homology and active targeting for the treatment of glioma

Nanosuspensions, as a new drug delivery system for insoluble drugs, are only composed of a drug and a small amount of stabilizer, which is dispersed in an aqueous solution with high drug-loading, small particle size, high dispersion, and large specific surface area. It can significantly improve the dissolution, bioavailability, and efficacy of insoluble drugs. In this study, paclitaxel nanosuspensions ((PTX)NS) were prepared by an ultrasonic precipitation method, with the characteristics of simple preparation and easy repetition. With the help of a homologous targeting mechanism, a kind of glioma C6 cancer cell membrane (CCM)-coated (PTX)NS was developed and modified with ^DWSW peptide to obtain ^DWSW-CCM-(PTX)NS with the functions of BBB penetration and tumor targeting. The results showed that the cancer cell membrane could effectively camouflage the nanosuspensions so that it was not cleared by the immune system and could cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and selectively target tumor tissues. Cell uptake experiments and in vivo imaging confirmed that the uptake of ^DWSW-CCM-(PTX)NS by tumor cells and the distribution in intracranial gliomas increased. Cytotoxicity test and in vivo anti-glioma studies showed that ^DWSW-CCM-(PTX)NS could significantly inhibit the growth of glioma cells and significantly prolong the survival time of glioma-bearing mice. Finally, the cancer cell membrane coating endowed the nanosuspensions with the biological properties of homologous adhesion and immune escape. This study provides an integrated solution for improving the targeting of nanosuspensions and demonstrates the encouraging potential of biomimetic nanosuspensions applicable to tumor therapy.

•

Paclitaxel nanosuspensions with high drug-loading and without carrier.

•

Biomimetic nanosuspensions wrapped by peptide-modified cancer cell membranes.

•

Penetrate BBB and BBTB to transport drugs to glioma.

•

Dual effects of active and homology targeting improve therapeutic efficiency.

Intelligent phototriggered nanoparticles induce a domino effect for multimodal tumor therapy

Rationale: Integration of several monotherapies into a single nanosystem can produce remarkable synergistic antitumor effects compared with separate delivery of combination therapies. We developed near-infrared (NIR) light-triggered nanoparticles that induce a domino effect for multimodal tumor therapy. Methods: The designed intelligent phototriggered nanoparticles (IPNs) were composed of a copper sulfide-loaded upconversion nanoparticle core, a thermosensitive and photosensitive enaminitrile molecule (EM) organogel shell loaded with anticancer drugs, and a cancer cell membrane coating. Irradiation with an NIR laser activated a domino effect beginning with photothermal generation by copper sulfide for photothermal therapy that also resulted in phase transformation of the EM gel to release the anticancer drug. Meanwhile, the NIR light energy was converted to ultraviolet light by the upconversion core to excite the EM, which generated reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy. Results: IPNs achieved excellent antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo with little systemic toxicity, indicating that IPNs could serve as a safe and high-performance instrument for synergetic antitumor therapy. Conclusion: This intelligent drug delivery system induced a chain reaction generating multiple antitumor therapies after a single stimulus.

Bacteria-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

In the past decade, bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy has attracted much attention in the academic circle due to its unique mechanism and abundant applications in triggering the host anti-tumor immunity. One advantage of bacteria lies in their capability in targeting tumors and preferentially colonizing the core area of the tumor. Because bacteria are abundant in pathogen-associated molecular patterns that can effectively activate the immune cells even in the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment, they are capable of enhancing the specific immune recognition and elimination of tumor cells. More attractively, during the rapid development of synthetic biology, using gene technology to enable bacteria to be an efficient producer of immunotherapeutic agents has led to many creative immunotherapy paradigms. The combination of bacteria and nanomaterials also displays infinite imagination in the multifunctional endowment for cancer immunotherapy. The current progress report summarizes the recent advances in bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy with specific foci on the applications of naive bacteria-, engineered bacteria-, and bacterial components-based cancer immunotherapy, and at the same time discusses future directions in this field of research based on the present developments.

Polydopamine-Coated Laponite Nanoplatforms for Photoacoustic Imaging-Guided Chemo-Phototherapy of Breast Cancer

Theranostic nanoplatforms combining photosensitizers and anticancer drugs have aroused wide interest due to the real-time photoacoustic (PA) imaging capability and improved therapeutic efficacy by the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and phototherapy. In this study, polydopamine (PDA) coated laponite (LAP) nanoplatforms were synthesized to efficiently load indocyanine green (ICG) and doxorubicin (DOX), and modified with polyethylene glycol-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (PEG-RGD) for PA imaging-guided chemo-phototherapy of cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin. The formed ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms showed significantly higher photothermal conversion efficiency than ICG solution and excellent PA imaging capability, and could release DOX in a pH-sensitive and NIR laser-triggered way, which is highly desirable feature in precision chemotherapy. In addition, the ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms could be uptake by cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin with high specificity, and thus serve as a targeted contrast agent for in vivo PA imaging of cancer. In vivo experiments with 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model demonstrated that ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX nanoplatforms exhibited much stronger therapeutic effect and higher survival rate than monotherapy due to the synergetic chemo-phototherapy under NIR laser irradiation. Therefore, the reported ICG/LAP-PDA-PEG-RGD/DOX represents a promising theranostic nanoplatform for high effectiveness PA imaging-guided chemo-phototherapy of cancer cells overexpressing α_vβ₃ integrin.

Delicately Designed Cancer Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Nanoparticles for Targeted 19F MR/PA/FL Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy

Our exploration of multimodal nanoprobes aims to combine photoacoustic (PA) imaging, ¹⁹F magnetic resonance (MR), and fluorescence (FL) imaging, which offers complementary advantages such as high spatial resolution, unlimited penetration, and high sensitivity to enable more refined images for accurate tumor diagnoses. In this research, perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and indocyanine green (ICG) are encapsulated by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) for intravital ¹⁹F MR/FL/PA tri-modal imaging-guided photothermal therapy. Then, it is coated with an A549 cancer cell membrane (AM) to fabricate versatile theranostic nanoprobes (AM-PP@ICGNPs). After systemic administration, FLI reveals time-dependent tumor homing of NPs with high sensitivity, ¹⁹F MRI provides tumor localization of NPs without background signal interference, and PAI illustrates the detailed distribution of NPs inside the tumor with high spatial resolution. What is more, AM-PP@ICGNPs accumulated in the tumor area exhibit a prominent photothermal effect (48.4 °C) under near infrared (NIR) laser irradiation and realize an enhanced antitumor response in vivo. These benefits, in combination with the excellent biocompatibility, make AM-PP@ICGNPs a potential theranostic nanoagent for accurate tumor localization and ultimately achieve superior cancer therapy.

Tumor Exosome Mimicking Nanoparticles for Tumor Combinatorial Chemo-Photothermal Therapy

The development of biomimetic nanoparticles with functionalities of natural biomaterial remains a major challenge in cancer combination therapy. Herein, we developed a tumor-cell-derived exosome-camouflaged porous silicon nanoparticles (E-MSNs) as a drug delivery system for co-loading ICG and DOX (ID@E-MSNs), achieving the synergistic effects of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy against breast cancer. Compared with ID@MSNs, the biomimetic nanoparticles ID@E-MSNs can be effectively taken up by the tumor cell and enhance tumor accumulation with the help of the exosome membrane. ID@E-MSNs also retain the photothermal effect of ICG and cytotoxicity of DOX. Under 808 nm near infrared irradiation, ICG can produce hyperthermia to collapse E-MSNs nanovehicles, accelerate drug release, and induce tumor ablation, achieving effective chemo-photothermal therapy. In vivo results of 4T1 tumor-bearing BALB/c mice showed that ID@E-MSNs could accumulate tumor tissue and inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumor. Thus, tumor exosome-biomimetic nanoparticles indicate a proof-of-concept as a promising drug delivery system for efficient cancer combination therapy.

Physical triggering strategies for drug delivery

Physically triggered systems hold promise for improving drug delivery by enhancing the controllability of drug accumulation and release, lowering non-specific toxicity, and facilitating clinical translation. Several external physical stimuli including ultrasound, light, electric fields and magnetic fields have been used to control drug delivery and they share some common features such as spatial targeting, spatiotemporal control, and minimal invasiveness. At the same time, they possess several distinctive features in terms of interactions with biological entities and/or the extent of stimulus response. Here, we review the key advances of such systems with a focus on discussing their physical mechanisms, the design rationales, and translational challenges.

Construction of dendritic Janus nanomotors with H2O2 and NIR light dual-propulsion via a Pickering emulsion

Artificial micro/nanomotors with a dual-propulsion property have attracted considerable attention recently due to their attractive performances in complex fluidic environments. In this work, we successfully constructed Janus nanomotors with H₂O₂ and NIR light dual-propulsion by employing dendritic porous silica nanoparticles (DPSNs) as carriers via a Pickering emulsion and electrostatic self-assembly. The aminopropyl-modified DPSNs (DPSNs-NH₂) with positive charge were semiburied in paraffin wax microparticles in order to achieve electrostatic adsorption of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with negative charge on the exposed surface for H₂O₂ propulsion, followed by electrostatic adsorption of negatively charged CuS NPs with excellent NIR light absorption on the other exposed surface of the eluted DPSNs-NH₂@Pt for NIR light propulsion. Center-radial large mesopores facilitate the high density loading of Pt NPs and CuS NPs for efficient propulsion. Compared with the commonly used sputtering approach, this Pickering emulsion method can realize relatively large-scale fabrication of Janus NPs. DPSNs-NH₂@Pt@CuS Janus nanomotors can be effectively driven not only by self-diffusiophoresis, which results from the decomposition of H₂O₂ catalyzed by Pt NPs, but also by self-thermophoresis, which is generated from thermal gradients caused by the photothermal effect of CuS NPs. Moreover, the motion speed of the nanomotors can be conveniently modulated by regulating the H₂O₂ concentration and NIR light intensity. This work provides a novel exploration into the construction of dual-propulsion nanomotors, which are supposed to have significant potential in biomedical and intelligent device applications.