Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Resveratrol Are Used for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy

Emerging phytochemical-based nanocarriers: redefining the perspectives of breast cancer therapy

Breast cancer is recognized as the most prevalent condition impacting women globally, despite several advancements in diagnosis and treatment. Existing therapeutic interventions including surgical procedures, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy often produce harmful effects on healthy tissues, trigger chemo-resistance, and augment the risk of relapse. In response to several unmet challenges, substantial research has been conducted to explore the therapeutic potential of natural compounds for breast cancer therapy. Progress in phytochemistry and pharmacology has facilitated the identification of diverse herbal bioactives with favorable safety profiles and multi-target mechanisms of action against breast cancer cells. Several phytochemicals like flavonoids and tannins have shown significant anticancer potential against breast cancer in diverse preclinical models. However, challenges like limited cellular absorption, low water solubility, and high molecular weight hinder their effective translation into clinical applications. Therefore, the development of novel therapies is imperative for overcoming these hurdles in breast cancer treatment effectively. Nanotechnology has reflected considerable perspective in tackling diverse challenges by encapsulating phytoconstituents within various nanocarriers including polymeric nanoparticles, lipidic nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, nanogels, gold nanoparticles, and silver nanoparticles. This manuscript emphasizes the recent advancements in phytochemical-loaded nanocarriers efficiently tailored for breast cancer therapy along with patents, current challenges, and future perspectives in this avenue.

Resveratrol-A Promising Therapeutic Agent with Problematic Properties

Resveratrol is a natural polyphenol (stilbenoid), which can be found in grape skin, red wine, blueberries, peanuts and others. The biological properties of resveratrol, in particular antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, estrogenic, vasorelaxant and cardioprotective activity, are the main reason for its importance in medicine and pharmacy. Despite all of its advantages, however, there are many problems related to this polyphenolic substance, such as low stability, water insolubility, poor bioavailability and fast metabolism. For this reason, scientists are currently searching for different approaches to dealing with these problematic properties and improving the therapeutic usage of resveratrol. This review summarizes the mechanisms of the biological effects of resveratrol, determined in vitro and in vivo, and the main limitations of the drug. The article emphasizes new approaches for the improvement of resveratrol delivery, in particular nanoencapsulation, formation of nanocrystals, prodrugs and structure analogues.

Targeting the pancreatic tumor microenvironment by plant-derived products and their nanoformulations

Pancreatic cancer remains a significant health issue with limited treatment options. The tumor stroma, a complex environment made up of different cells and proteins, plays a crucial role in tumor growth and chemoresistance. Targeting tumor stroma, consisting of diverse non-tumor cells such as fibroblasts, extracellular matrix (ECM), immune cells, and also pre-vascular cells is encouraging for remodeling solid cancers, such as pancreatic cancer. Remodeling the stroma of pancreas tumors can be suggested as a strategy for reducing resistance to chemo/immunotherapy. Several studies have shown that phytochemicals from plants can affect the tumor environment and have anti-cancer properties. By targeting key pathways involved in stromal activation, phytochemicals may disrupt communication between the tumor and stroma and make tumor cells more sensitive to different treatments. Additionally, phytochemicals have immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic properties, all of which contribute to their potential in treating pancreatic cancer. This review will provide a detailed look at how phytochemicals impact the tumor stroma and their effects on pancreatic tumor growth, spread, and response to treatment. It will also explore the potential of combining phytochemicals with other treatment options like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation.

Magnetically modified-mitoxantrone mesoporous organosilica drugs: an emergent multimodal nanochemotherapy for breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy, the mainstay treatment for metastatic cancer, presents serious side effects due to off-target exposure. In addition to the negative impact on patients' quality of life, side effects limit the dose that can be administered and thus the efficacy of the drug. Encapsulation of chemotherapeutic drugs in nanocarriers is a promising strategy to mitigate these issues. However, avoiding premature drug release from the nanocarriers and selectively targeting the tumour remains a challenge.

RESULTS

In this study, we present a pioneering method for drug integration into nanoparticles known as mesoporous organosilica drugs (MODs), a distinctive variant of periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (PMOs) in which the drug is an inherent component of the silica nanoparticle structure. This groundbreaking approach involves the chemical modification of drugs to produce bis-organosilane prodrugs, which act as silica precursors for MOD synthesis. Mitoxantrone (MTO), a drug used to treat metastatic breast cancer, was selected for the development of MTO@MOD nanomedicines, which demonstrated a significant reduction in breast cancer cell viability. Several MODs with different amounts of MTO were synthesised and found to be efficient nanoplatforms for the sustained delivery of MTO after biodegradation. In addition, Fe3O4 NPs were incorporated into the MODs to generate magnetic MODs to actively target the tumour and further enhance drug efficacy. Importantly, magnetic MTO@MODs underwent a Fenton reaction, which increased cancer cell death twofold compared to non-magnetic MODs.

CONCLUSIONS

A new PMO-based material, MOD nanomedicines, was synthesised using the chemotherapeutic drug MTO as a silica precursor. MTO@MOD nanomedicines demonstrated their efficacy in significantly reducing the viability of breast cancer cells. In addition, we incorporated Fe3O4 into MODs to generate magnetic MODs for active tumour targeting and enhanced drug efficacy by ROS generation. These findings pave the way for the designing of silica-based multitherapeutic nanomedicines for cancer treatment with improved drug delivery, reduced side effects and enhanced efficacy.

Exploring the multimodal health-promoting properties of resveratrol: A comprehensive review

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol in various plants, has gained significant attention for its potential health-promoting properties. It has been demonstrated, after reviewing various clinical and in vitro studies, that resveratrol possesses potent antioxidant potential. Resveratrol demonstrates cellular component protection by directly neutralizing free radicals (FRs) and enhancing the expression of natural antioxidant enzymes, thereby mitigating oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Clinical trials have shown promising results, indicating that resveratrol supplementation can enhance antioxidant defenses and reduce oxidative damage markers in various populations. In addition to its antioxidant effects, resveratrol exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties. It can modulate key inflammatory pathways, such as nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), thereby suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Furthermore, resveratrol's multimodal effects extend beyond its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been discovered to exert regulatory effects on various cellular processes, including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, angiogenesis, and immunological responses. The primary aim of this review paper is to provide a thorough overview of the current knowledge on resveratrol, including its chemical composition, bioaccessibility, clinical effectiveness, and utilization in nanotechnology to enhance its bioavailability. From future perspectives, revising the administration methods for certain contexts and understanding the underlying systems responsible for resveratrol's effects will require further inquiry. For the highest potential health results, advanced trial-based research is necessary for combinational nano-delivery of resveratrol.

Recent Developments in Nanoparticle Formulations for Resveratrol Encapsulation as an Anticancer Agent

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound that has gained considerable attention in the past decade due to its multifaceted therapeutic potential, including anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. However, its anticancer efficacy is impeded by low water solubility, dose-limiting toxicity, low bioavailability, and rapid hepatic metabolism. To overcome these hurdles, various nanoparticles such as organic and inorganic nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, solid lipid nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, carbon nanotubes, bioactive glass nanoparticles, and mesoporous nanoparticles were employed to deliver resveratrol, enhancing its water solubility, bioavailability, and efficacy against various types of cancer. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticle or resveratrol-conjugated nanoparticle administration exhibits excellent anticancer potency compared to free resveratrol. This review highlights the latest developments in nanoparticle-based delivery systems for resveratrol, focusing on the potential to overcome limitations associated with the compound's bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness.

Nanomedicine-Based Drug-Targeting in Breast Cancer: Pharmacokinetics, Clinical Progress, and Challenges

Breast cancer (BC) is a malignant neoplasm that begins in the breast tissue. After skin cancer, BC is the second most common type of cancer in women. At the end of 2040, the number of newly diagnosed BC cases is projected to increase by over 40%, reaching approximately 3 million worldwide annually. The hormonal and chemotherapeutic approaches based on conventional formulations have inappropriate therapeutic effects and suboptimal pharmacokinetic responses with nonspecific targeting actions. To overcome such issues, the use of nanomedicines, including liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles, hybrid nanoparticles, etc., has gained wider attention in the treatment of BC. Smaller dimensional nanomedicine (especially 50-200 nm) exhibited improved in vivo effectiveness, such as better tissue penetration and more effective tumor suppression through enhanced retention and permeation, as well as active targeting of the drug. Additionally, nanotechnology, which further extended and developed theranostic nanomedicine by incorporating diagnostic and imaging agents in one platform, has been applied to BC. Furthermore, hybrid and theranostic nanomedicine has also been explored for gene delivery as anticancer therapeutics in BC. Moreover, the nanocarriers' size, shape, surface charge, chemical compositions, and surface area play an important role in the nanocarriers' stability, cellular absorption, cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and toxicity. Additionally, nanomedicine clinical translation for managing BC remains a slow process. However, a few cases are being used clinically, and their progress with the current challenges is addressed in this Review. Therefore, this Review extensively discusses recent advancements in nanomedicine and its clinical challenges in BC.

Stimuli-responsive (nano)architectures for phytochemical delivery in cancer therapy

The use of phytochemicals for purpose of cancer therapy has been accelerated due to resistance of tumor cells to conventional chemotherapy drugs and therefore, monotherapy does not cause significant improvement in the prognosis and survival of patients. Therefore, administration of natural products alone or in combination with chemotherapy drugs due to various mechanisms of action has been suggested. However, cancer therapy using phytochemicals requires more attention because of poor bioavailability of compounds and lack of specific accumulation at tumor site. Hence, nanocarriers for specific delivery of phytochemicals in tumor therapy has been suggested. The pharmacokinetic profile of natural products and their therapeutic indices can be improved. The nanocarriers can improve potential of natural products in crossing over BBB and also, promote internalization in cancer cells through endocytosis. Moreover, (nano)platforms can deliver both natural and synthetic anti-cancer drugs in combination cancer therapy. The surface functionalization of nanostructures with ligands improves ability in internalization in tumor cells and improving cytotoxicity of natural compounds. Interestingly, stimuli-responsive nanostructures that respond to endogenous and exogenous stimuli have been employed for delivery of natural compounds in cancer therapy. The decrease in pH in tumor microenvironment causes degradation of bonds in nanostructures to release cargo and when changes in GSH levels occur, it also mediates drug release from nanocarriers. Moreover, enzymes in the tumor microenvironment such as MMP-2 can mediate drug release from nanocarriers and more progresses in targeted drug delivery obtained by application of nanoparticles that are responsive to exogenous stimulus including light.

Key Parameters for the Rational Design, Synthesis, and Functionalization of Biocompatible Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Over the last few years, research on silica nanoparticles has rapidly increased. Particularly on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), as nanocarriers for the treatment of various diseases because of their physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. The use of MSNs combined with therapeutic agents can provide better encapsulation and effective delivery. MSNs as nanocarriers might also be a promising tool to lower the therapeutic dosage levels and thereby to reduce undesired side effects. Researchers have explored several routes to conjugate both imaging and therapeutic agents onto MSNs, thus expanding their potential as theranostic platforms, in order to allow for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This review introduces a general overview of recent advances in the field of silica nanoparticles. In particular, the review tackles the fundamental aspects of silicate materials, including a historical presentation to new silicates and then focusing on the key parameters that govern the tailored synthesis of functional MSNs. Finally, the biomedical applications of MSNs are briefly revised, along with their biocompatibility, biodistribution and degradation. This review aims to provide the reader with the tools for a rational design of biocompatible MSNs for their application in the biomedical field. Particular attention is paid to the role that the synthesis conditions have on the physicochemical properties of the resulting MSNs, which, in turn, will determine their pharmacological behavior. Several recent examples are highlighted to stress the potential that MSNs hold as drug delivery systems, for biomedical imaging, as vaccine adjuvants and as theragnostic agents.