New frontier radioiodinated probe based on in silico resveratrol repositioning for microtubules dynamic targeting

pH-Sensitive doxorubicin delivery using zinc oxide nanoparticles as a rectified theranostic platform: in vitro anti-proliferative, apoptotic, cell cycle arrest and in vivo radio-distribution studies

Despite enormous advancements in its management, cancer is the world's primary cause of mortality. Therefore, tremendous strides were made to produce intelligent theranostics with mitigated side effects and improved specificity and efficiency. Thus, we developed a pH-sensitive theranostic platform composed of dextran immobilized zinc oxide nanoparticles, loaded with doxorubicin and radiolabeled with the technetium-99m radionuclide (99mTc-labelled DOX-loaded ZnO@dextran). The platform measured 11.5 nm in diameter with -12 mV zeta potential, 88% DOX loading efficiency and 98.5% radiolabeling efficiency. It showed DOX release in a pH-responsive manner, releasing 93.1% cumulatively at pH 5 but just 7% at pH 7.4. It showed improved intracellular uptake, which resulted in a high growth suppressive effect against MCF-7 cancer cells as compared to the free DOX. It boasted a 4 times lower IC50 than DOX, indicating its significant anti-proliferative potential (0.14 and 0.55 μg ml-1, respectively). The in vitro biological evaluation revealed that its molecular mode of anti-proliferative action included downregulating Cdk-2, which provoked G1/S cell cycle arrest, and upregulating both the intracellular ROS level and caspase-3, which induced apoptosis and necrosis. The in vivo experiments in Ehrlich-ascites carcinoma bearing mice demonstrated that DOX-loaded ZnO@dextran showed a considerable 4-fold increase in anti-tumor efficacy compared to DOX. Moreover, by utilizing the diagnostic radionuclide (99mTc), the radiolabeled platform (99mTc-labelled DOX-loaded ZnO@dextran) was in vivo monitored in tumor-bearing mice, revealing high tumor accumulation (14% ID g-1 at 1 h p.i.) and reduced uptake in non-target organs with a 17.5 T/NT ratio at 1 h p.i. Hence, 99mTc-labelled DOX-loaded ZnO@dextran could be recommended as a rectified tumor-targeted theranostic platform.

Pristine/folate-functionalized graphene oxide as two intrinsically radioiodinated nano-theranostics: self/dual in vivo targeting comparative study

Background

Nanomedicine offers great potentials for theranostic studies via providing higher efficacy and safety levels. This work aimed to develop and evaluate a new nanoplatform as a tumor theranostic probe.

Results

Carboxyl-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets (FGO) was well synthesized from graphite powder and then conjugated with folic acid to act as a targeted nano-probe. Full characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation were conducted; besides, in vivo bio-evaluation was attained via intrinsic radioiodination approach in both normal and tumor-bearing Albino mice. The results indicated that FGO as well as conjugated graphene oxide nanosheets (CGO) are comparatively non-toxic to normal cells even at higher concentrations. Pharmacokinetics of FGO and CGO showed intensive and selective uptake in the tumor sites where CGO showed high T/NT of 7.27 that was 4 folds of FGO at 1 h post injection. Additionally, radioiodinated-CGO (ICGO) had declared a superior prominence over the previously published tumor targeted GO radiotracers regarding the physicochemical properties pertaining ability and tumor accumulation behavior.

Conclusions

In conclusion, ICGO can be used as a selective tumor targeting agent for cancer theranosis with aid of I-131 that has a maximum beta and gamma energies of 606.3 and 364.5 keV, respectively.

New 5-Aryl-1,3,4-Thiadiazole-Based Anticancer Agents: Design, Synthesis, In Vitro Biological Evaluation and In Vivo Radioactive Tracing Studies

A new series of 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-based compounds featuring pyridinium (3), substituted piperazines (4a-g), benzyl piperidine (4i), and aryl aminothiazoles (5a-e) heterocycles were synthesized. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity potential of the new compounds against MCF-7 and HepG2 cancer cell lines indicated that compounds 4e and 4i displayed the highest activity toward the tested cancer cells. A selectivity study demonstrated the high selective cytotoxicity of 4e and 4i towards cancerous cells over normal mammalian Vero cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that treatment with either compound 4e or 4i induced cell cycle arrest at the S and G2/M phases in HepG2 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Moreover, the significant increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase 9 levels in HepG2 and MCF-7 cells treated with either 4e or 4i indicated that their cytotoxic effect is attributed to the ability to induce apoptotic cell death. Finally, an in vivo radioactive tracing study of compound 4i proved its targeting ability to sarcoma cells in a tumor-bearing mice model.