Controlled synthesis and size effects of multifunctional mesoporous silica nanosystem for precise cancer therapy

Maduramicin-guided nanotherapy: A polymeric micelles for targeted drug delivery in canine mammary tumors

Canine mammary tumors (CMT) can severely compromise the life quality of the affected dogs through local recurrence, distant metastases and ultimately succumb to death. Recently, more attention has been given to the potential antimetastatic effect of maduramicin (MAD) on breast cancer. However, its poor aqueous solubility and toxicity to normal tissues limit its clinical application. Therefore, to address the drawbacks of MAD and enhance its anticancer and antimetastatic effects, MAD-loaded TPGS polymeric micelles (MAD-TPGS) were prepared by a thin-film hydration technique. The optimized MAD-TPGS exhibited excellent size distribution, stability and improved water solubility. Cellular uptake assays showed that TPGS polymer micelles could enhance drug internalization. Moreover, TPGS synergistically improved the cytotoxicity of MAD by targeting mitochondrial organelles, improving reactive oxygen species levels and reducing the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. More importantly, MAD-TPGS significantly impeded the metastasis of tumor cells. In vivo results further confirmed that, in addition to exhibiting excellent biocompatibility, MAD-TPGS exhibited greater antitumor efficacy than free MAD. Interestingly, MAD-TPGS displayed superior suppression of CMT metastasis via tail vein injection compared to oral administration, indicating its suitability for intravenous delivery. Overall, MAD-TPGS could be applied as a potential antimetastatic cancer agent for CMT.

Piano-stool ruthenium(II) complexes with maleimide and phosphine or phosphite ligands: synthesis and activity against normal and cancer cells

In these studies, we designed and investigated cyto- and genotoxic potential of five ruthenium cyclopentadienyl complexes bearing different phosphine and phosphite ligands. All of the complexes were characterized with spectroscopic analysis (NMR, FT-IR, ESI-MS, UV-vis, fluorescence and XRD (for two compounds)). For biological studies, we used three types of cells - normal peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells, leukemic HL-60 cells and doxorubicin-resistance HL-60 cells (HL-60/DR). We compared the results obtained with those obtained for the complex with maleimide ligand CpRu(CO)₂(η¹-N-maleimidato) 1, which we had previously reported. We observed that the complexes CpRu(CO)(PPh₃)(η¹-N-maleimidato) 2a and CpRu(CO)(P(OEt)₃)(η¹-N-maleimidato) 3a were the most cytotoxic for HL-60 cells and non-cytotoxic for normal PBM cells. However, complex 1 was more cytotoxic for HL-60 cells than complexes 2a and 3a (IC₅₀ = 6.39 μM vs. IC₅₀ = 21.48 μM and IC₅₀ = 12.25 μM, respectively). The complex CpRu(CO)(P(OPh)₃)(η¹-N-maleimidato) 3b is the most cytotoxic for HL-60/DR cells (IC₅₀ = 104.35 μM). We found the genotoxic potential of complexes 2a and 3a only in HL-60 cells. These complexes also induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells. Docking studies showed that complexes 2a and CpRu(CO)(P(Fu)₃)(η¹-N-maleimidato) 2b have a small ability to degrade DNA, but they may cause a defect in DNA damage repair mechanisms leading to cell death. This hypothesis is corroborated with the results obtained in the plasmid relaxation assay in which ruthenium complexes bearing phosphine and phosphite ligands induce DNA breaks.

Elasticity of mesoporous nanocapsules regulates cellular uptake, blood circulation, and intratumoral distribution

The elasticity of nanoparticles plays a critical role in regulating nanoparticle-biosystem interactions. However, the elasticity of traditional organic-based carriers can only be regulated within a narrow range, and the effects of elasticity on in vivo biological processes have not been evaluated until now. Here, we construct hyaluronic acid modified mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (MONs-HA) with a wide range of elasticity by an interior preferential etching approach and investigate the impact of their elasticity on in vitro cellular uptake, in vivo blood circulation, and tumor accumulation. The Young's moduli of the prepared MONs-HA are 1.64, 0.93, 0.78, 0.4 and 0.29 GPa (denoted as rigid MONs₀-HA, semi-elastic MONs₂₀-HA and MONs₅₀-HA, elastic MONs₁₀₀-HA and MONs₂₀₀-HA), respectively. They all possess a similar hydrodynamic size (245-257 nm), similar surface electronegativity (-27 to -35 mV), and excellent dispersibility. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the elastic MONs₁₀₀-HA and MONs₂₀₀-HA (0.4 and 0.29 GPa) exhibit significantly greater cellular uptake relative to semi-elastic MONs₂₀-HA and MONs₅₀-HA (0.93 and 0.78 GPa) or rigid MONs₀-HA (1.64 GPa). Simultaneously, these elastic MONs₁₀₀-HA and MONs₂₀₀-HA show an efficiently prolonged circulation time. In vivo results revealed that the elastic MONs₁₀₀-HA show enhanced tumor accumulation compared to semi-elastic and rigid MONs-HA after intravenous administration. These desirable features of elasticity can direct the design of nanoplatforms, leading to an enhanced tumor delivery efficiency.

Conquering Cancer Multi-Drug Resistance Using Curcumin and Cisplatin Prodrug-Encapsulated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Synergistic Chemo- and Photodynamic Therapies

Recently, the development of anti-cancer approaches using different physical or chemical pathways has shifted from monotherapy to synergistic therapy, which can enhance therapeutic effects. As a result, enormous efforts have been devoted to developing various delivery systems encapsulated with dual agents for synergistic effects and to combat cancer cells acquired drug resistance. In this study, we show how to make Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN)-1-based mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for multifunctional drug delivery to overcome drug resistance cancer therapy. Initially, curcumin (Cur)-embedded IBN-1 nanocomposites (IBN-1-Cur) are synthesized in a simple one-pot co-condensation and then immobilized with the prodrug of Cisplatin (CP) on the carboxylate-modified surface (IBN-1-Cur-CP) to achieve photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy in one platform, respectively, in the fight against multidrug resistance (MDR) of MES-SA/DX5 cancer cells. The Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer, as the structure-directing agent, in nanoparticles acts as a p-glycoprotein (p-gp) inhibitor. These designed hybrid nanocomposites with excellent structural properties are efficiently internalized by the endocytosis and successfully deliver Cur and CP molecules into the cytosol. Furthermore, the presence of Cur photosensitizer in the nanochannels of MSNs resulted in increased levels of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light irradiation. Thus, IBN-1-Cur-CP showed excellent anti-cancer therapy in the face of MES-SA/DX5 resistance cancer cells, owing to the synergistic effects of chemo- and photodynamic treatment.

Engineering cancer cell membrane-camouflaged metal complex for efficient targeting therapy of breast cancer

Background

Cancer cell membrane-camouflaged nanotechnology for metal complex can enhance its biocompatibility and extend the effective circulation time in body. The ruthenium polypyridyl complex (RuPOP) has extensive antitumor activity, but it still has disadvantages such as poor biocompatibility, lack of targeting, and being easily metabolized by the organism. Cancer cell membranes retain a large number of surface antigens and tumor adhesion molecules CD47, which can be used to camouflage the metal complex and give it tumor homing ability and high biocompatibility.

Results

Therefore, this study provides an electrostatic adsorption method, which uses the electrostatic interaction of positive and negative charges between RuPOP and cell membranes to construct a cancer cell membrane-camouflaged nano-platform (RuPOP@CM). Interestingly, RuPOP@CM maintains the expression of surface antigens and tumor adhesion molecules, which can inhibit the phagocytosis of macrophage, reduce the clearance rate of RuPOP, and increase effective circulation time, thus enhancing the accumulation in tumor sites. Besides, RuPOP@CM can enhance the activity of cellular immune response and promote the production of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-12 and IL-6, which is of great significance in treatment of tumor. On the other hand, RuPOP@MCM can produce intracellular ROS overproduction, thereby accelerating the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of tumor cells to play an excellent antitumor effect in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusion

In brief, engineering cancer cell membrane-camouflaged metal complex is a potential strategy to improve its biocompatibility, biological safety and antitumor effects.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12951-022-01593-5.

Nanocarrier Drug Delivery Systems: Characterization, Limitations, Future Perspectives and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence

There has been an increasing demand for the development of nanocarriers targeting multiple diseases with a broad range of properties. Due to their tiny size, giant surface area and feasible targetability, nanocarriers have optimized efficacy, decreased side effects and improved stability over conventional drug dosage forms. There are diverse types of nanocarriers that have been synthesized for drug delivery, including dendrimers, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymersomes, polymer-drug conjugates, polymeric nanoparticles, peptide nanoparticles, micelles, nanoemulsions, nanospheres, nanocapsules, nanoshells, carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles, etc. Several characterization techniques have been proposed and used over the past few decades to control and predict the behavior of nanocarriers both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we describe some fundamental in vitro, ex vivo, in situ and in vivo characterization methods for most nanocarriers, emphasizing their advantages and limitations, as well as the safety, regulatory and manufacturing aspects that hinder the transfer of nanocarriers from the laboratory to the clinic. Moreover, integration of artificial intelligence with nanotechnology, as well as the advantages and problems of artificial intelligence in the development and optimization of nanocarriers, are also discussed, along with future perspectives.

Applications and Biocompatibility of Mesoporous Silica Nanocarriers in the Field of Medicine

Mesoporous silica nanocarrier (MSN) preparations have a wide range of medical applications. Studying the biocompatibility of MSN is an important part of clinical transformation. Scientists have developed different types of mesoporous silica nanocarriers (MSNs) for different applications to realize the great potential of MSNs in the field of biomedicine, especially in tumor treatment. MSNs have achieved good results in diagnostic bioimaging, tissue engineering, cancer treatment, vaccine development, biomaterial application and diagnostics. MSNs can improve the therapeutic efficiency of drugs, introduce new drug delivery strategies, and provide advantages that traditional drugs lack. It is necessary not only to innovate MSNs but also to comprehensively understand their biological distribution. In this review, we summarize the various medical uses of MSN preparations and explore the factors that affect their distribution and biocompatibility in the body based on metabolism. Designing more reasonable therapeutic nanomedicine is an important task for the further development of the potential clinical applications of MSNs.

Novel nanomedicines to overcome cancer multidrug resistance

Chemotherapy remains a powerful tool to eliminate malignant cells. However, the efficacy of chemotherapy is compromised by the frequent emergence of intrinsic and acquired multidrug resistance (MDR). These chemoresistance modalities are based on a multiplicity of molecular mechanisms of drug resistance, including : 1) Impaired drug uptake into cancer cells; 2) Increased expression of ATP-binding cassette efflux transporters; 3) Loss of function of pro-apoptotic factors; 4) Enhanced DNA repair capacity; 5) Qualitative or quantitative alterations of specific cellular targets; 6) Alterations that allow cancer cells to tolerate adverse or stressful conditions; 7) Increased biotransformation or metabolism of anticancer drugs to less active or completely inactive metabolites; and 8) Intracellular and intercellular drug sequestration in well-defined organelles away from the cellular target. Hence, one of the major aims of cancer research is to develop novel strategies to overcome cancer drug resistance. Over the last decades, nanomedicine, which focuses on targeted delivery of therapeutic drugs into tumor tissues using nano-sized formulations, has emerged as a promising tool for cancer treatment. Therefore, nanomedicine has been introduced as a reliable approach to improve treatment efficacy and minimize detrimental adverse effects as well as overcome cancer drug resistance. With rationally designed strategies including passively targeted delivery, actively targeted delivery, delivery of multidrug combinations, as well as multimodal combination therapy, nanomedicine paves the way towards efficacious cancer treatment and hold great promise in overcoming cancer drug resistance. Herein, we review the recent progress of nanomaterials used in medicine, including liposomal nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles and hybrid nanoparticles, to surmount cancer multidrug resistance. Finally, the future perspectives of the application of nanomedicine to reverse cancer drug resistance will be addressed.

Impact of macroporous silica nanoparticles at sub-50nm on bio-behaviors and biosafety in drug-resistant cancer models

The in vivo bio-behaviors and biosafety of nanoparticles were demonstrated to be closely correlated with particle sizes, which illustrated whether they could be used as the effective drug delivery carriers. Though tumor penetration capabilities of the small pore sized-mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were reported to be in a particle size-dependent manner, the size effects of large pore sized-MSNs on the safe and effective cancer resistance treatment, especially at sub-50 nm, were not explicitly evaluated. In this study, we fabricate the 20 nm and 50 nm MSNs, and aim at investigating their difference in tumor accumulation, penetration, retention and toxicity both in vitro and in vivo. Our results showed that these two particle sized-MSNs possessed the excellent tumor penetration capabilities both in resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cells-cultured spheroids and in the corresponding xenograft mice models, but the 50 nm MSNs seemed to have the better tumor accumulation and retention effects than the 20 nm MSNs. Moreover, the 50 nm MSNs displayed the lower toxicities than the 20 nm MSNs whatever on resistant cancer cell lines or on zebrafish embryos, indicating the greater systematic biosafety. In a word, our data provide the evidence that selection of the large pore-sized MSNs at the appropriate particle size (not the smaller the better) as bio-macromolecule nanocarriers will play a key role in the safe and effective treatment against cancer resistance.

Selenium-driven enhancement of synergistic cancer chemo-/radiotherapy by targeting nanotherapeutics

To overcome drug resistance in hypoxic tumors and the limitations of radiation impedance and radiation dose, we developed a nano-radiosensitizer to improve the efficacy of cancer radiotherapy. We used multifunctional mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as the carriers for a novel anticancer selenadiazole derivative (SeD) and modified its surface with folic acid (FA) to enhance its cervical cancer-targeting effects, forming the nanosystem named SeD@MSNs-FA. Upon radiation, SeD@MSNs-FA inhibits the growth of cervical cancer cells by inducing apoptosis through the death receptor-mediated apoptosis pathway and S phase arrest, significantly improving the sensitivity of cervical cancer cells to X-ray radiation. The combined activity of SeD@MSN-FA and radiation can promote excessive production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce cell apoptosis by affecting p53, protein kinase B (AKT), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Furthermore, SeD@MSNs-FA can effectively inhibit tumor growth of xenografted HeLa tumors in nude mice. The toxicity analysis of SeD@MSNs-FA nanoparticles in vivo and the histological analysis performed in the mouse model showed that under the current experimental conditions, the nanoparticles induced no significant damage to the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, or other major organs. Taken together, this study provides a translational nanomedicine-based strategy for the simultaneous chemo- and radiotherapy of cervical cancer and sheds light on potential mechanisms that can be used to overcome radiotherapeutic resistance.

pH-Responsive Release of Ruthenium Metallotherapeutics from Mesoporous Silica-Based Nanocarriers

Ruthenium complexes are attracting interest in cancer treatment due to their potent cytotoxic activity. However, as their high toxicity may also affect healthy tissues, efficient and selective drug delivery systems to tumour tissues are needed. Our study focuses on the construction of such drug delivery systems for the delivery of cytotoxic Ru(II) complexes upon exposure to a weakly acidic environment of tumours. As nanocarriers, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are utilized, whose surface is functionalized with two types of ligands, (2-thienylmethyl)hydrazine hydrochloride (H1) and (5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)hydrazine (H2), which were attached to MSN through a pH-responsive hydrazone linkage. Further coordination to ruthenium(II) center yielded two types of nanomaterials MSN-H1[Ru] and MSN-H2[Ru]. Spectrophotometric measurements of the drug release kinetics at different pH (5.0, 6.0 and 7.4) confirm the enhanced release of Ru(II) complexes at lower pH values, which is further supported by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurements. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity effect of the released metallotherapeutics is evaluated in vitro on metastatic B16F1 melanoma cells and enhanced cancer cell-killing efficacy is demonstrated upon exposure of the nanomaterials to weakly acidic conditions. The obtained results showcase the promising capabilities of the designed MSN nanocarriers for the pH-responsive delivery of metallotherapeutics and targeted treatment of cancer.

Intricately structured mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles: synthesis strategies and biomedical applications

Intricately structured mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (IMONs) are being increasingly studied from their synthesis strategies to their use in biomedical applications, because of their distinctive hierarchical structures, excellent physicochemical features and satisfactory biological properties. This minireview is the first to summarize recently developed IMONs, including yolk-shell-structured nanoparticles, multi-shelled hollow spheres, deformable nanocapsules, Janus nanostructures and virus-like bionic-structured nanocarriers, and describe the corresponding formation mechanisms and recent evolution of the strategies used to synthesize these kinds of IMONs. Structure-dependent biomedical applications, such as multidrug delivery, bioimaging, synergistic therapy and biocatalysis, are also discussed. Finally, we provide an outlook for IMONs ranging from their structural control to synthesis strategies and ending with their use in biomedical applications.

Synthesis and Optimization of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Ruthenium Polypyridyl Drug Delivery

The ruthenium polypyridyl complex [Ru(dppz)₂PIP]²⁺ (dppz: dipyridophenazine, PIP: (2-(phenyl)-imidazo[4,5-f ][1,10]phenanthroline), or Ru-PIP, is a potential anticancer drug that acts by inhibiting DNA replication. Due to the poor dissolution of Ru-PIP in aqueous media, a drug delivery agent would be a useful approach to overcome its limited bioavailability. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesized via a co-condensation method by using a phenanthrolinium salt with a 16 carbon length chain (Phen-C₁₆) as the template. Optimization of the synthesis conditions by Box–Behnken design (BBD) generated MSNs with high surface area response at 833.9 m²g⁻¹. Ru-PIP was effectively entrapped in MSNs at 18.84%. Drug release profile analysis showed that Ru-PIP is gradually released, with a cumulative release percentage of approximately 50% at 72 h. The release kinetic profile implied that Ru-PIP was released from MSN by diffusion. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Ru-PIP, both free and MSN-encapsulated, was studied in Hela, A549, and T24 cancer cell lines. While treatment of Ru-PIP alone is moderately cytotoxic, encapsulated Ru-PIP exerted significant cytotoxicity upon all the cell lines, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values determined by MTT (([3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dephenyltetrazolium bromide]) assay at 48 h exposure substantially decreasing from >30 µM to <10 µM as a result of MSN encapsulation. The mechanistic potential of cytotoxicity on cell cycle distribution showed an increase in G1/S phase populations in all three cell lines. The findings indicate that MSN is an ideal drug delivery agent, as it is able to sustainably release Ru-PIP by diffusion in a prolonged treatment period.

A cytotoxic nitrido-osmium(VI) complex induces caspase-mediated apoptosis in HepG2 cancer cells

The osmium(vi) nitrido complex [OsVI(N)(sap)(py)Cl] is a potential anti-cancer drug with promising in vitro antiproliferative activities toward a panel of cancer cell lines, including cisplatin-resistant cells (IC50 values of 2.8-13.8 μM). This drug targets DNA and changes its conformation via covalent binding and insertion. In vitro studies indicate that the drug induces HepG2 cells G2/M phase arrest, disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential and causes caspase-mediated apoptosis. Further in vivo studies using HepG2-bearing nude mice reveal that this drug not only shows good antitumor efficacy of inhibiting tumor growth, but also does not show the side effect of weight loss.

Nanoarchitectured Structure and Surface Biofunctionality of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), one of the important porous materials, have garnered interest owing to their highly attractive physicochemical features and advantageous morphological attributes. They are of particular importance for use in diverse fields including, but not limited to, adsorption, catalysis, and medicine. Despite their intrinsic stable siliceous frameworks, excellent mechanical strength, and optimal morphological attributes, pristine MSNs suffer from poor drug loading efficiency, as well as compatibility and degradability issues for therapeutic, diagnostic, and tissue engineering purposes. Collectively, the desirable and beneficial properties of MSNs have been harnessed by modifying the surface of the siliceous frameworks through incorporating supramolecular assemblies and various metal species, and through incorporating supramolecular assemblies and various metal species and their conjugates. Substantial advancements of these innovative colloidal inorganic nanocontainers drive researchers in promoting them toward innovative applications like stimuli (light/ultrasound/magnetic)-responsive delivery-associated therapies with exceptional performance in vivo. Here, a brief overview of the fabrication of siliceous frameworks, along with discussions on the significant advances in engineering of MSNs, is provided. The scope of the advancement in terms of structural and physicochemical attributes and their effects on biomedical applications with a particular focus on recent studies is emphasized. Finally, interesting perspectives are recapitulated, along with the scope toward clinical translation.

New Advances in In Vivo Applications of Gated Mesoporous Silica as Drug Delivery Nanocarriers

One appealing concept in the field of hybrid materials is related to the design of gated materials. These materials are prepared in such a way that the release of chemical or biochemical species from voids of porous supports to a solution is triggered upon the application of external stimuli. Such gated materials are mainly composed of two subunits: i) a porous inorganic scaffold in which a cargo is stored, and ii) certain molecular or supramolecular entities, grafted onto the external surface, that can control mass transport from the interior of the pores. On the basis of this concept, a large number of examples are developed in the past ten years. A comprehensive overview of gated materials used in drug delivery applications in in vivo models from 2016 to date is thus given here.

A Dynamic 3D Tumor Spheroid Chip Enables More Accurate Nanomedicine Uptake Evaluation

Nanomedicine has brought great advances for drug delivery by improving the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals. However, many nanomaterials showing good distribution property in vitro often display poor cellular uptake during in vivo administration. Current cellular uptake research models are mainly based on the traditional 2D culture system, which is a single layer and static system, thus the results cannot accurately reflect the distribution of nanoparticles (NPs) in vivo. In the present study, a multiple tumor culture chip (MTC-chip) is constructed to mimic solid tumor and dynamic fluid transport, in order to better study NPs penetration in vitro. Cellular uptake of mesoporous silica particles (MSNs) is evaluated using the 3D tumor spheroids on chip, and it is found that: 1) continuous administration results in larger MSNs penetration than transient administration at the same dose; 2) the size effect on cellular uptake is less significant than reported by previous in vitro studies; and 3) pretreatment with hyaluronidase (HAase) enhances the tumor penetration of large-size MSNs.

Design and Synthesis of 2-(5-Phenylindol-3-yl)benzimidazole Derivatives with Antiproliferative Effects towards Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells by Activation of ROS-Mediated Mitochondria Dysfunction

Benzimidazole derivatives are widely studied because of their broad-spectrum biological activity, such as antitumor properties and excellent fluorescence performance. Herein, two types of 2-(5-phenylindol-3-yl)benzimidazole derivatives (1 a-1 h and 2 a-2 e) were rationally designed and synthesized. When these compounds were investigated in vitro anti-screening assays, we found that all of them possessed antitumor effect, in particular compound 1 b, which showed an outstanding antiproliferative effect on MDA-MB-231 cells (IC₅₀ ≈2.6 μm). A study of the drug action mechanisms in cells showed that the antitumor activity of the compounds is proportional to their lipophilicity and cellular uptake; the tested compounds all entered the lysosome of MDA-MB-231 cells and caused changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and then caused mitochondrial damage. Apparent differences in the ROS levels for each compound suggest that the lethality of these compounds towards MDA-MB-231 cells is closely related to the ROS levels. Taken together, this study not only provides a theoretical basis for 2-(5-phenylindol-3-yl)benzimidazole anticarcinogens but also offers new thinking on the rational design of next-generation antitumor benzimidazole derivatives.

Size effect of mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles on tumor penetration and accumulation

The size effect of mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (MONs) on tumor penetration and accumulation remains poorly understood, which strongly affects the tumor therapeutic efficacy.

Sequentially Triggered Delivery System of Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots with Surface Charge-Switching Ability for Precise Tumor Radiosensitization

Cancer radiotherapy suffers from drawbacks such as radiation resistance of hypoxic cells, excessive radiation that causes damage of adjacent healthy tissues, and concomitant side effects. Hence, radiotherapy sensitizers with improved radiotherapeutic performance and requiring a relatively small radiation dose are highly desirable. In this study, a nanosystem based on poly(lactic- co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and ultrasmall black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) is designed and prepared to accomplish precise tumor radiosensitization. The PLGA nanoparticles act as carriers to package the BPQDs to avoid off-target release and rapid degradation during blood circulation. The nanosystem that targets the polypeptide peptide motif Arg-Gly-Asp-Gys actively accumulates in tumor tissues. The 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride shell decomposes in an acidic microenvironment, and the nanoparticles become positively charged, thereby favoring cellular uptake. Furthermore, glutathione (GSH) deoxidizes the disulfide bond of cystamine and sequentially triggers release of BPQDs, rendering tumor cells sensitive to radiotherapy. The treatment utilizing the PLGA_-SS-D@BPQDs nanosystem and X-ray induces cell apoptosis triggered by overproduction of reactive oxygen species. In the in vivo study, the nanosystem shows excellent radiotherapy sensitization efficiency but negligible histological damage of the major organs. This study provides insights into the design and fabrication of surface-charge-switching and pH-responsive nanosystems as potent radiosensitizers to achieve excellent radiotherapy sensitization efficacy and negligible toxic side effects.

Targeted delivery of paclitaxel by functionalized selenium nanoparticles for anticancer therapy through ROS-mediated signaling pathways

As a therapeutic anticancer agent, the clinical use of paclitaxel (PTX) is limited by its poor water solubility and serious adverse side effects. The targeted-specific intracellular delivery of an anticancer drug as a new therapeutic modality is promising for cancer treatment. The anticancer activity of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with low toxicity and excellent activity has attracted increasing attention for use in biomedical intervention in recent years. In this study, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-folate (FA)-modified selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) (Se@β-CD-FA@PTX) were successfully fabricated through a layer-by-layer method. The nanosystem is able to enter cancer cells through FA receptor-mediated endocytosis to achieve targeted-specific intracellular delivery. Se@β-CD-FA@PTX was found to increase the selectivity between normal and cancer cells. The viability in MCF-7 cells was remarkably lower than in MCF 10A cells, which may promote the specific targeted delivery of Se@β-CD-FA@PTX into MCF-7 cells. Moreover, Se@β-CD-FA@PTX was found to enhance the cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells via the induction of apoptosis activation of ROS-mediated p53 and AKT signaling pathways. The results demonstrate that Se@β-CD-FA@PTX nanoparticles provide a strategy for the design of cancer-targeted nanosystems for use in cancer therapy.

Cancer-targeted design of bioresponsive prodrug with enhanced cellular uptake to achieve precise cancer therapy

Chemical drug design based on the biochemical characteristics of cancer cells has become an important strategy for discovery of novel anticancer drugs to enhance the cancer targeting effects and biocompatibility, and decrease toxic side effects. Camptothecin (CPT) demonstrated strong anticancer activity in clinical trials but also notorious adverse effects. In this study, we presented a smart targeted delivery system (Biotin-ss-CPT) that consists of cancer-targeted moiety (biotin), a cleavable disulfide linker (S-S bond) and the active drug CPT. Biotin-ss-CPT was found to exhibit potent effects on the migration of cancer cells and induced apoptosis by induction of ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and perturbation of GSH/GPXs system, as well as activation of caspases. In vivo tumor suppression investigation including toxicity evaluation and pathology analysis, accompanied by MR images showed that Biotin-ss-CPT can be recognized specifically and selectively and taken up preferentially by cancers cells, followed by localization and accumulation effectively in tumor site, then released CPT by biological response to achieve high therapeutic effect and remarkably reduced the side effects that free CPT caused, such as liver damage, renal injury, and weight loss to realize precise cancer therapy. Taken together, our results suggest that biotinylation and bioresponsive functionalization of anticancer drugs could be a good way for the discovery of next-generation cancer therapeutics.

Designing multifunctional cancer-targeted nanosystem for magnetic resonance molecular imaging-guided theranostics of lung cancer

The integration of diagnosis and therapy is an effective way to improve therapeutic effects for cancer patients, which has acquired widely attentions from researchers. Herein, a multifunctional drug-loaded nanosystem (F/A-PLGA@DOX/SPIO) has been designed and synthesized to reduce the side effects of traditional chemotherapy drugs and realize simultaneous tumor diagnosis and treatment. The surface modification of folic acid (FA) and activatable cell-penetrating peptide (ACPP) endows the nanosystem with excellent cancer targeting capabilities, thus reducing toxicity to normal organs. Besides, the F/A-PLGA@DOX/SPIO nanosystem can serve as an excellent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2-negative contrast agent. More importantly, according to in vitro experiments, the F/A-PLGA@DOX/SPIO nanosystem can promote the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within A549 lung cancer cells, inducing cell apoptosis, greatly enhancing the antineoplastic effect. Furthermore, with the help of MRI technology, the targeting imaging of the F/A-PLGA@DOX/SPIO nanosystem within tumors and the dynamic monitoring of medicine efficacy can be realized. Therefore, this study provided a multifunctional drug-loaded F/A-PLGA@DOX/SPIO targeted nanosystem for magnetic resonance molecular imaging-guided theranostics, which has excellent potential for the application in tumor diagnosis and therapy.

Iron(II)-Polypyridyl Complexes Inhibit the Growth of Glioblastoma Tumor and Enhance TRAIL-Induced Cell Apoptosis

A promising cancer-targeting agent for the induction of apoptosis in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) proteins, the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) ligand, has found limited applications in the treatment of cancer cells, owing to its resistance by cancer cell lines. Therefore, the rational design of anticancer agents that could sensitize cancer cells towards TRAIL is of great significance. Herein, we report that synthetic iron(II)-polypyridyl complexes are capable of inhibiting the proliferation of glioblastoma cancer cells and efficiently enhancing TRAIL-induced cell apoptosis. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the synthesized complexes induced cancer-cell apoptosis through triggering the activation of p38 and p53 and inhibiting the activation of ERK. Moreover, uPA and MMP-2/MMP-9, among the most important metastatic regulatory proteins, were also found to be significantly alerted after the treatment. Furthermore, we also found that tumor growth in nude mice was significantly inhibited by iron complex Fe2 through the induction of apoptosis without clear systematic toxicity, as indicated by histological analysis. Taken together, this study provides evidence for the further development of metal-based anticancer agents and chemosensitizers of TRAIL for the treatment of human glioblastoma cancer cells.

Nutritionally Available Selenocysteine Derivative Antagonizes Cisplatin-Induced Toxicity in Renal Epithelial Cells through Inhibition of Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Signaling Pathways

Discovery of nutritionally available agents that could antagonize cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is of great significance and clinical application potential. 3,3'-Diselenodipropionic acid (DSePA) is a seleno-amino acid derivative that exhibits strong antioxidant activity. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the protective effects of DSePA on cisplatin-induced renal epithelial cells damage as well as the molecular mechanisms. The results revealed that DSePA effectively inhibited cell apoptosis induced by cisplatin through suppressing the caspase activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. In addition, DSePA blocked the cisplatin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, as evidenced by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and reduction of mitochondrial mass. The results of western blot analysis showed that DSePA reversed the expression level of Bcl-2 family proteins altered by cisplatin. The cisplatin-activated AKT pathway was also modulated by DSePA. Moreover, these results indicate that DSePA could protect HK-2 cells from cisplatin-induced toxicity in renal epithelial cells by inhibiting intracellular reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptosis while showing an unobvious effect on its anticancer efficacy. Taken together, this study demonstrates that selenocysteine could be further developed as novel nutritionally available agents to antagonize cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity during cancer therapy.

Tea regimen, a comprehensive assessment of antioxidant and antitumor activities of tea extract produced by Tie Guanyin hybridization

A comprehensive assessment was conducted in this study to examine the antioxidant and antitumor activities of tea extract produced by Tie Guanyin hybridization. Two radical-scavenging systems of assay in vitro, namely ABTS and DPPH assays, were used to investigate the antioxidant activity of the summer tea and autumn tea extract (STE and ATE) derived from the Jin Guanyin. The results indicated that the major active ingredients were catechins, and the theaflavin is rare in the STE and ATE. Moreover, STE and ATE could significantly suppress the growth of human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 in a dose-dependent manner, and wrecked the morphology of mitochondria, activated caspase families, leading to the cancer cell death by both apoptosis and cell cycle arrest pathways. Based on the results from an MDA-MB-231 xenograft nude mice model, STE could effectively prevent the tumor formation, and greatly improve the mice immunity and thus improve their living conditions. Taken together, ATE and STE could act as a healthy and prospective substitute for natural antioxidants and a promising prophylactic agent against cancer. This finding provides a great promising nutritional approach to treat diseases related with oxidative stress.

Herein we demonstrate that Jin Guanyin extracts shows antioxidative activity, thus inhibiting ROS generation, promoting mitochondrial fragmentations and caspase activations in cancer cells, finally leading cell apoptosis and cycle arrest.