Vapreotide-mediated hierarchical mineralized Ag/Au nanoshells for photothermal anti-tumor therapy

RGD Peptide-Conjugated Selenium Nanocomposite Inhibits Human Glioma Growth by Triggering Mitochondrial Dysfunction and ROS-Dependent MAPKs Activation

Chemotherapy is still one of the most common ways to treat human glioblastoma in clinic. However, severe side effects limited its clinic application. Design of cancer-targeted drugs with high efficiency and low side effect is urgently needed. Herein, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and nano-selenium (Se NPs) conjugated with RGD peptides (Ag@Se@RGD NPs) to target integrin high-expressed glioma were designed. The results found that Ag@Se@RGD NPs displayed stable particle size and morphology in physiological condition, and induced significant integrin-targeted intracellular uptake. Ag@Se@RGD NPs in vitro dose-dependently inhibited U251 human glioma cells growth by induction of cells apoptosis through triggering the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and MAPKs activation. However, ROS inhibition dramatically attenuated Ag@Se@RGD NPs-induced MAPKs activation, indicating the significant role of ROS as an early apoptotic event. Importantly, Ag@Se@RGD NPs administration in vivov effectively inhibited U251 tumor xenografts growth by induction of apoptosis through regulation MAPKs activation. Taken together, our findings validated the rational design that Ag-Se NPs conjugated with RGD peptides was a promising strategy to combat human glioma by induction of apoptosis through triggering mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS-dependent MAPKs activation.

Targeting SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 15 endoribonuclease: an in silico perspective

The newly emerged human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, had begun to spread last year and sparked worldwide. In this study, molecular docking is utilized to test some previously approved drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 15 (Nsp15). We screened 23 drugs, from which three (saquinavir, valrubicin and aprepitant) show a paramount predicted binding affinity (-9.1, -9.6 and -9.2 kcal/mol, respectively) against SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15. Moreover, saquinavir and aprepitant make nonbonded interactions with Leu201 in the active site cavity of Nsp15, while the drug valrubicin interacts with Arg199 and Leu201. This binding pattern may be effective against the targeted protein, leading to Nsp15 blockage and virus abolition. Additionally, the pharmacological properties of the screened drugs are known since they have been approved against different viruses.

Noble Metals Based Bimetallic and Trimetallic Nanoparticles: Controlled Synthesis, Antimicrobial and Anticancer Applications

Noble bimetallic and trimetallic nanoparticles (NBT-NPs) have superior biomedical applications as compared to their monometallic counterparts. The performance of these nanomaterials depends on their composition, shape and size. Hence, the controlled-synthesis of these nanomaterials is a hot area of research. Till date, no review article in the literature accounts regarding the controlled-synthesis and biomedical applications related to morphology, optimum composition, biocompatibility and versatile chemistry of NBT-NPs. Taking this into contemplation, an effort was made to provide a clear insight into the morphology-controlled synthesis and size/shape-dependent anticancer and bactericidal applications of NBT-NPs. Chemical reduction method for the controlled-synthesis of NBT-NPs is reviewed critically. Furthermore, the potential role of various reaction parameters such as time, reducing agents, stabilizing/capping agents, nature/concentration of precursors, temperature and pH in the shape/size-controlled synthesis of these nanomaterials are discussed. In the second part of this article, anticancer and bactericidal applications of the NBT-NPs are reviewed and the influences of optimum composition, size, surface structure, versatile chemistry and synergism are studied. Finally, the current challenges in the controlled-synthesis and biomedical applications of these nanomaterials, and prospects to resolve related issues are discussed. HighlightsChemical reduction method for the synthesis of NBT-NPs is reviewed.The influences of parameters on the control synthesis of NBT-NPs are discussed.Antibacterial and anticancer applications and cytotoxicity of NBT-NPs are reviewed.Possible solutions for the key challenges are discussed.Outlooks about the synthesis and biomedical applications of NBT-NPs are discussed.

Novel Multifunctional Nanoagent for Visual Chemo/Photothermal Therapy of Metastatic Lymph Nodes via Lymphatic Delivery

Breast cancer is one of the major diseases that threaten women's health. Lymph node (LN) metastasis is the most common metastatic path of breast cancer. Finding a simple, effective, and safe strategy to eliminate metastatic tumors in LNs is highly desired for clinical use. Carbon nanoparticles (CNs), as an LN tracer, have been widely used in the clinical setting. In addition, previous experiments have confirmed that CNs have good photoacoustic imaging and photothermal effects. In this study, we used CNs as a photothermal conversion material and drug carrier, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) as a film-forming material, and docetaxel as a chemotherapy drug to prepare multifunctional nanoparticles (DOC-CNPs). The prepared DOC-CNPs present as a black solution, which shows smooth spherical particles under light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and they have a good ability for liquid-gas phase transition, good dispersibility, high drug-loading capacity, and low cytotoxicity. In vitro, they can release drugs and inhibit tumor cells after laser irradiation. The photoacoustic (PA) signal intensity and the photothermal conversion efficiency increased with an increase in the concentration of DOC-CNPs. In vivo, after administration, the DOC-CNPs reached the LNs. After laser irradiation, the DOC-CNPs absorbed laser energy, and the temperature of the LNs increased high enough to achieve photothermal therapy under PA and ultrasound monitoring. Fracture of the DOC-CNPs was caused by the liquid-gas phase transition with the increased temperature, and the ruptured DOC-CNPs released docetaxel to achieve targeted chemotherapy. These findings suggested that DOC-CNPs can achieve precise treatment for metastatic LNs of breast cancer with PA and ultrasound visualization.

Investigation of biodistribution and tissue penetration of PEGylated gold nanostars and their application for photothermal cancer treatment in tumor-bearing mice

PEGylated gold nanostars (pAuNSs) and their radioactive surrogate (¹¹¹In–DTPA–pAuNS), with unique physiochemical properties, are thought to be a promising agent for image-guided photothermal therapy (PTT).