Nanocarriers for delivery of siRNA as gene silencing mediator

Role of long non-coding RNAs and natural products in prostate cancer: insights into key signaling pathways

Prostate cancer (PC) ranks among the most prevalent cancers in males. Recent studies have highlighted intricate connections between long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), natural products, and cellular signaling in PC development. LncRNAs, which are RNA transcripts without protein-coding function, influence cell growth, programmed cell death, metastasis, and resistance to treatments through pathways like PI3K/AKT, WNT/β-catenin, and androgen receptor signaling. Certain lncRNAs, including HOTAIR and PCA3, are associated with PC progression, with potential as diagnostic markers. Natural compounds, such as curcumin and resveratrol, demonstrate anticancer effects by targeting these pathways, reducing tumor growth, and modulating lncRNA expression. For instance, curcumin suppresses HOTAIR levels, hindering PC cell proliferation and invasion. The interaction between lncRNAs and natural compounds may open new avenues for therapy, as these substances can simultaneously impact multiple signaling pathways. These complex interactions offer promising directions for developing innovative PC treatments, enhancing diagnostics, and identifying new biomarkers for improved prevention and targeted therapy. This review aims to map the multifaceted relationship among natural products, lncRNAs, and signaling pathways in PC pathogenesis, focusing on key pathways such as AR, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, WNT/β-catenin, and MAPK, which are crucial in PC progression and therapy resistance. Regulation of these pathways by natural products and lncRNAs could lead to new insights into biomarker identification, preventive measures, and targeted PC therapies.

Investigational gene expression inhibitors for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

INTRODUCTION

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease of unknown cause that occurs primarily in older adults and is associated with poor quality of life and substantial healthcare utilization. IPF has a dismal prognosis. Indeed, first-line therapy, which includes nintedanib and pirfenidone, does not stop disease progression and is often associated with tolerability issues. Therefore, there remains a high medical need for more efficacious and better tolerated treatments.

AREAS COVERED

Gene therapy is a relatively unexplored field of research in IPF that has the potential to mitigate a range of profibrotic pathways by introducing genetic material into cells. Here, we summarize and critically discuss publications that have explored the safety and efficacy of gene therapy in experimentally-induced pulmonary fibrosis in animals, as clinical studies in humans have not been published yet.

EXPERT OPINION

The application of gene therapy in pulmonary fibrosis requires further investigation to address several technical and biological hurdles, improve vectors' design, drug delivery, and target selection, mitigate off-target effects and develop markers of gene penetration into target cells. Long-term clinical data are needed to bring gene therapy in IPF one step closer to practice.

Naturally Occurring Phytochemicals to Target Breast Cancer Cell Signaling

Almost 70% of clinically used antineoplastic drugs are originated from natural products such as plants, marine organism, and microorganisms and some of them are also structurally modified natural products. The naturally occurring drugs may specifically act as inducers of selective cytotoxicity, anti-metastatic, anti-mutagenic, anti-angiogenesis, antioxidant accelerators, apoptosis inducers, autophagy inducers, and cell cycle inhibitors in cancer therapy. Precisely, several reports have demonstrated the involvement of naturally occurring anti-breast cancer drugs in regulating the expression of oncogenic and tumor suppressors associated with carcinogen metabolism and signaling pathways. Anticancer therapies based on nanotechnology have the potential to improve patient outcomes through targeted therapy, improved drug delivery, and combination therapies. This paper has reviewed the current treatment for breast cancer and the potential disadvantages of those therapies, besides the various mechanism used by naturally occurring phytochemicals to induce apoptosis in different types of breast cancer. Along with this, the contribution of nanotechnology in improving the effectiveness of anticancer drugs was also reviewed. With the development of sciences and technologies, phytochemicals derived from natural products are continuously discovered; however, the search for novel natural products as chemoprevention drugs is still ongoing, especially for the advanced stage of breast cancer. Continued research and development in this field hold great promise for advancing cancer care and improving patient outcomes.

Nucleic acids based integrated macromolecular complexes for SiRNA delivery: Recent advancements

The therapeutic potential of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is monumental, offering a pathway to silence disease-causing genes with precision. However, the delivery of siRNA to target cells in-vivo remains a formidable challenge, owing to degradation by nucleases, poor cellular uptake and immunogenicity. This overview examines recent advancements in the design and application of nucleic acid-based integrated macromolecular complexes for the efficient delivery of siRNA. We dissect the innovative delivery vectors developed in recent years, including lipid-based nanoparticles, polymeric carriers, dendrimer complexes and hybrid systems that incorporate stimuli-responsive elements for targeted and controlled release. Advancements in bioconjugation techniques, active targeting strategies and nanotechnology-enabled delivery platforms are evaluated for their contribution to enhancing siRNA delivery. It also addresses the complex interplay between delivery system design and biological barriers, highlighting the dynamic progress and remaining hurdles in translating siRNA therapies from bench to bedside. By offering a comprehensive overview of current strategies and emerging technologies, we underscore the future directions and potential impact of siRNA delivery systems in personalized medicine.

Which Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) Designs Work? A Simple Kinetic Model Linking LNP Chemical Structure to In Vivo Delivery Performance

Although lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the predominant nanocarriers for short-interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery, most therapies use nearly identical formulations that have taken 30 years to design but lack the diverse property ranges necessary for versatile application. This dearth in variety and the extended timeline for implementation are attributed to a limited understanding of how LNP properties facilitate overcoming biological barriers. Herein, a simple kinetic model was developed by using major rate-limiting steps for siRNA delivery, and this model enabled the identification of a critical parameter to predict LNP efficacy without extensive experimental testing. A volume-averaged log D, the "solubility" of charged molecules as a function of pH weighted by component volume fractions, resulted in a good correlation between LNP composition and siRNA delivery. Both the effects of modifying the structures of ionizable lipids and LNP composition on gene silencing were easily captured in the model predictions. Thus, this approach provides a robust LNP structure-activity relationship to dramatically accelerate the realization of effective LNP formulations.

Emerging role of nanotechnology in treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevailing health challenge that requires urgent innovative interventions. This review explores the role of nanotechnology as a promising potential in the treatment of NAFLD. It delineates the limitations of the current management strategies for NAFLD and highlights the new nanotechnology-based treatments including nanoemulsions, liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, nanogels, inorganic nanoparticles, and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Despite the optimism surrounding the nanotechnological approach, the review underscores the need to address the limitations such as technical challenges, potential toxicity, and ethical considerations that impede the practical application of nanotechnology in NAFLD management. It advocates for collaborative efforts from researchers, clinicians, ethicists, and policymakers to achieve safe, effective, and equitable nanotechnology-based treatments for NAFLD. See also Figure 1(Fig. 1).

Remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment via siRNA therapy for precision cancer treatment

How to effectively transform the pro-oncogenic tumor microenvironments (TME) surrounding a tumor into an anti-tumoral never fails to attract people to study. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is considered one of the most noteworthy research directions that can regulate gene expression following a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). The research about siRNA delivery targeting tumor cells and TME has been on the rise in recent years. Using siRNA drugs to silence critical proteins in TME was one of the most efficient solutions. However, the manufacture of a siRNA delivery system faces three major obstacles, i.e., appropriate cargo protection, accurately targeted delivery, and site-specific cargo release. In the following review, we summarized the pharmacological actions of siRNA drugs in remolding TME. In addition, the delivery strategies of siRNA drugs and combination therapy with siRNA drugs to remodel TME are thoroughly discussed. In the meanwhile, the most recent advancements in the development of all clinically investigated and commercialized siRNA delivery technologies are also presented. Ultimately, we propose that nanoparticle drug delivery siRNA may be the future research focus of oncogene therapy. This summary offers a thorough analysis and roadmap for general readers working in the field.

Chemical Modifications Influence the Number of siRNA Molecules Adsorbed on Gold Nanoparticles and the Efficiency of Downregulation of a Target Protein

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a powerful tool for specific suppression of protein synthesis in the cell, and this determines the attractiveness of siRNAs as a drug. Low resistance of siRNA to nucleases and inability to enter into target cells are the most crucial issues in developing siRNA-based therapy. To face this challenge, we designed multilayer nanoconstruct (MLNC) with AuNP core bearing chemically modified siRNAs. We applied chemical modifications 2'-OMe and 2'-F substitutions as well as their combinations with phosphoryl guanidine group in the internucleotide phosphate. The effect of modification on the efficiency of siRNA loading into nanocarriers was examined. The introduction of the internucleotide modifications into at least one of the strands raised the efficiency of siRNA adsorption on the surface of gold core. We also tested the stability of modified siRNA adsorbed on gold core in the presence of serum. Based on loading efficiency and stability, MLNCs with the most siRNA effective cargo were selected, and they showed an increase in biological activity compared to control MLNCs. Our study demonstrated the effect of chemical modifications of siRNA on its binding to the AuNP-based carrier, which directly affects the efficiency of target protein expression inhibition.