Biodegradable micelles enhance the antiglioma activity of curcumin in vitro and in vivo

An Updated Insight into Phytomolecules and Novel Approaches used in the Management of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a widespread condition that kills more women from cancer-related causes than any other type of cancer globally. Women who have estrogen-dependent, initial metastatic breast cancer frequently receive treatment with surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. They may also get more specialized treatments like tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole or letrozole). The World Health Organisation reported in 2012 that by 2030, breast cancer will be more common worldwide. There are several phytochemicals, such as isoflavones, coumestans, lignans, and prenylflavonoides. Isoflavones have been shown in studies to prevent the spread of breast cancer and to trigger apoptosis. Targeting BCs in metastatic breast cancer may be made possible by combining well-formulated phytochemicals in nanoparticles or other novel drug delivery agents with currently accepted endocrine and/or conventional chemotherapies. Cell signaling, regulation of cell cycles, oxidative stress action, and inflammation could be positively impacted by phytoconstituents. They have the ability to alter non-coding RNAs, to prevent the proliferation and regeneration of cancer cells. The availability of novel approaches helps in disease targeting, safety, effectiveness and efficacy. The current literature helps to know the available drugs i.e. phytoconstituents or novel drug delivery like nanoparticle, microsphere, micelles, liposomes and neosomes. The literature has been taken from PubMed, Google Scholar, SciFinder, or other internet sites.

Enhancement of Radio-Thermo-Sensitivity of 5-Iodo-2-Deoxyuridine-Loaded Polymeric-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles Triggers Apoptosis in U87MG Human Glioblastoma Cancer Cell Line

Introduction

With an emphasis on the radioresistant nature of glioblastoma cells, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the radio-thermo-sensitizing effects of PCL-PEG-coated Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a carrier of 5-iodo-2-deoxyuridine (IUdR) in monolayer culture of U87MG human glioma cell line.

Methods

Following monolayer culture of U87MG cells, nanoparticle uptake was assessed using Prussian blue staining and ICP-OES method. The U87MG cells were treated with an appropriate concentration of free IUdR and PCL-PEG-coated SPIONs (MNPs) loaded with IUdR (IUdR/MNPs) for 24 h, subjected to hyperthermia (water bath and alternating magnetic field (AMF)) at 43 °C, and exposed to X-ray (2 Gy, 6 MV). The combined effects of hyperthermia with or without magnetic nanoparticles on radiosensitivity of the U87MG cells were evaluated using colony formation assay (CFA) and Flowcytometry.

Results

Prussian blue staining and ICP-OES showed that the nanoparticles were able to enter the cells. The results also indicated that IUdR/MNPs combined with X-ray radiation and hyperthermia significantly decreased the colony formation ability of monolayer cells (1.11, 1.41 fold) and increased the percentage of apoptotic (2.47, 4.1 fold) and necrotic cells (12.28, 29.34 fold), when compared to IUdR combined with X-ray and hyperthermia or IUdR/MNPs + X-ray. MTT results revealed that the presence of IUdR/MNPs significantly increased the toxicity of AMF hyperthermia compared to the water bath method.

Conclusions

Our study showed that SPIONs/PCL-PEG, as a carrier of IUdR, can enhance the cytotoxic effects of radiotherapy and hyperthermia and act as a radio-thermo-sensitizing agent.

Graphic Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12195-021-00675-y.

Polymeric micelles loading with ursolic acid enhancing anti-tumor effect on hepatocellular carcinoma

Ursolic acid (UA) is widely found in many dietary plants, which has been proved to be effective in cancer therapy. But unfortunately its hydrophobic property limits its clinical application. Polymer micelles (PMs) are constructed from amphiphilic block copolymers that tend to self-assemble and form the unique core-shell structure consisting of a hydrophilic corona outside and a hydrophobic inner core. PMs could entrap the hydrophobic substance into its hydrophobic inner core for solubilizing these poorly water-soluble drugs and it is widely applied as a novel nano-sized drug delivery system. This study aimed to develop the drug delivery system of UA-loaded polymer micelles (UA-PMs) to overcome the disadvantages of UA in clinical application thus enhancing antitumor effect on hepatocellular carcinoma. UA-PMs was prepared and characterized for the physicochemical properties. It was investigated the cell-growth inhibition effect of UA-PMs against the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 and human normal liver cell line L-02. UA-PMs was evaluated about the in vivo toxicity and the antitumor activity. We took a diblock copolymer of methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-poly(L-lactic acid) (mPEG-PLA) as carrier material to prepare UA-PMs by the thin-film dispersion method. MTT assay and wound-healing assay were investigated to assess the inhibition effect of UA-PMs against HepG2 cells on cell-growth and cell-migration. Further, we chose KM mice for the acute toxicity experiment and assessed the antitumor effect of UA-PMs on the H22 tumor xenograft. UA-PMs could markedly inhibit the proliferation and migration of HepG2 cells. In vivo study showed that UA-PMs could significantly inhibit the growth of H22 xenograft and prolong the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. It demonstrated that UA-PMs possess great potential in liver cancer therapy and may enlarge the application of UA in clinical therapy.

Mitochondrial dysfunction mediated apoptosis of HT-29 cells through CS-PAC-AgNPs and investigation of genotoxic effects in zebra (Danio rerio) fish model for drug delivery

The present study reports the validation of cancer nanotherapy using proanthocyanidin (PAC). Nowadays, in vitro and in vivo deliveries of nanoparticle (NPs) drugs have been paid more attention, intensively. Moreover, the current chemotherapeutic drugs have few first rate drawbacks including lack of specificity and requirement of excessive drug doses. To overcome this problem of chemotherapy, the attainment of high drug loading in combination with degradable polymer nanoparticles (for instance,chitosan) is a trending research in cancer biology. Hence, in this study, the synthesized PAC-AgNPs were successfully crosslinked with chitosan nanoparticles (CS-PAC-AgNPs), which were found to be spherical or polygonal in shape with a median size of 70.68 nm and 52.16 nm as observed by FTIR, FESEM and TEM analysis; thus, being suitable for drug delivery. CS-PAC-AgNPs were taken up via endocytosis by cancer cells and enabled the release cytochrome-C from mitochondria, followed by dysregulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 family, inducing the apoptotic mediated activation of caspase 9 and 3. To identify the genotoxicity of the synthesized CS-PAC-AgNPs, the mortality, hatching rate, malformation and abnormalities of embryo/larvae of the vertebrate zebra fish model (Danio rerio) were observed in a dose-time-dependent manner. This improved cancer nanotherapy can thus be utilized as a novel nanocombination for inducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Preventive Effect of Curcumin Against Chemotherapy-Induced Side-Effects

Cancer is still a severe threat to the health of people worldwide. Chemotherapy is one of main therapeutic approaches to combat cancer. However, chemotherapy only has a limited success with severe side effects, especially causing damage to normal tissues such as bone marrow, gastrointestine, heart, liver, renal, neuron, and auditory tissues, etc. The side-effects limit clinical outcome of chemotherapy and lower patients’ quality of life, and even make many patients discontinue the chemotherapy. Thus, there is a need to explore effective adjuvant strategies to prevent and reduce the chemotherapy-induced side effects. Naturally occurring products provide a rich source for exploring effective adjuvant agents to prevent and reduce the side effects in anticancer chemotherapy. Curcumin is an active compound from natural plant Curcuma longa L., which is widely used as a coloring and flavoring agent in food industry and a herbal medicine in Asian countries for thousands of years to treat vomiting, headache, diarrhea, etc. Modern pharmacological studies have revealed that curcumin has strong antioxidative, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. Growing evidence shows that curcumin is able to prevent carcinogenesis, sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy, and protect normal cells from chemotherapy-induced damages. In the present article, we review the preventive effect of curcumin against chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, gastrointestinal toxicity, cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, and genotoxicity, and discuss its action mechanisms.

Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-Polylactide Micelles for Cancer Therapy

For the treatment of malignancy, many therapeutic agents, including small molecules, photosensitizers, immunomodulators, proteins and genes, and so forth, have been loaded into nanocarriers for controllable cancer therapy. Among these nanocarriers, polymeric micelles have been considered as one of the most promising nanocarriers, some of which have already been applied in different stages of clinical trials. The successful advantages of polymeric micelles from bench to bedside are due to their special core/shell structures, which can carry specific drugs in certain disease conditions. Particularly, poly(ethylene glycol)–polylactide (PEG–PLA) micelles have been considered as one of the most promising platforms for drug delivery. The PEG shell effectively prevents the adsorption of proteins and phagocytes, thereby evidently extending the blood circulation period. Meanwhile, the hydrophobic PLA core can effectively encapsulate many therapeutic agents. This review summarizes recent advances in PEG–PLA micelles for the treatment of malignancy. In addition, future perspectives for the development of PEG–PLA micelles as drug delivery systems are also presented.

Curcumin and Curcumin-Loaded Nanogel Induce Apoptosis Activity in K562 Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cells

Background:

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a hematological cancer of stem cells, is caused by the activation of oncogenic factors alone or/with inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol and the main compound of turmeric, which has been used in daily diets for many years. It is also a safe drug. Nanogels and nanobiotechnology have important roles in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and drug delivery.

Materials and Methods:

To prepare the nanodrug, chitosan nanogels were prepared in 1% acetic acid and cross-linked with stearate by 1- ethyl- 3 (3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Subsequently, curcumin was loaded in the chitosan-stearate nanogel. Physical and morphological characteristics of the nanodrug were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Different nanodrug concentrations were prepared and evaluated on the K562 CML cell line. The apoptotic activities of curcumin and nanodrug on the cells were detected by flow cytometry, MTT assay, and trypan blue staining.

Results:

DLS revealed that the size of the nanodrug was 150 nm, which was confirmed by TEM. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of curcumin and nanodrug were 50 and 25 μg/ ml, respectively P < 0.05). Apoptosis of the K562 cell line occurred at 48 h post-treatment with 25 μg/ml curcumin and 12.5 μg/ml nanodrug.

Conclusion:

The increase in the cytotoxicity of curcumin and nanodrug was directly related to the drug concentration and time. The nanodrug exhibited more cytotoxic effects on the vital capacity of the cells and stimulated more apoptosis compared with curcumin alone.

Effective improvement of the neuroprotective activity after spinal cord injury by synergistic effect of glucocorticoid with biodegradable amphipathic nanomicelles

Dexamethasone acetate (DA) produces neuroprotective effects by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and inflammation by reducing cytokine release and expression. However, its clinical application is limited by its hydrophobicity, low biocompatibility and numerous side effects when using large dosage. Therefore, improving DA's water solubility, biocompatibility and reducing its side effects are important goals that will improve its clinical utility. The objective of this study is to use a biodegradable polymer as the delivery vehicle for DA to achieve the synergism between inhibiting lipid peroxidation and inflammation effects of the hydrophobic-loaded drugs and the amphipathic delivery vehicle. We successfully prepared DA-loaded polymeric micelles (DA/MPEG-PCL micelles) with monodispersed and approximately 25 nm in diameter, and released DA over an extended period in vitro. Additionally, in the hemisection spinal cord injury (SCI) model, DA micelles were more effective in promoting hindlimb functional recover, reducing glial scar and cyst formation in injured site, decreasing neuron lose and promoting axon regeneration. Therefore, our data suggest that DA/MPEG-PCL micelles have the potential to be applied clinically in SCI therapy.

Zonisamide-loaded triblock copolymer nanomicelles as a novel drug delivery system for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) commonly leads to lifelong disability due to the limited regenerative capacity of the adult central nervous system. Nanomicelles can be used as therapeutic systems to provide effective treatments for SCI. In this study, a novel triblock monomethyl poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(l-lactide)-poly(trimethylene carbonate) copolymer was successfully synthesized. Next, polymeric nanomicelles loaded with zonisamide (ZNS), a Food and Drug Administration-approved antiepileptic drug, were prepared and characterized. The ZNS-loaded micelles (ZNS-M) were further utilized for the treatment of SCI in vitro and in vivo. The obtained ZNS-M were ~50 nm in diameter with good solubility and dispersibility. Additionally, these controlled-release micelles showed significant antioxidative and neuron-protective effects in vitro. Finally, our results indicated that ZNS-M treatment could promote motor function recovery and could increase neuron and axon density in a hemisection SCI model. In summary, these results may provide an experimental basis for the use of ZNS-M as a clinically applicable therapeutic drug for the treatment of SCI in the future.

A Glycyrrhetinic Acid-Modified Curcumin Supramolecular Hydrogel for liver tumor targeting therapy

Curcumin (Cur), a phenolic anti-oxidant compound obtained from Curcuma longa plant, possesses a variety of therapeutic properties. However, it is suffered from its low water solubility and low bioavailability property, which seriously restricts its clinical application. In this study, we developed a glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) modified curcumin supramolecular pro-gelator (GA-Cur) and a control compound Nap-Cur by replacing GA with the naphthylacetic acid (Nap). Both compounds showed good water solubility and could form supramolecular gels by disulfide bond reduction triggered by glutathione (GSH) in vitro. Both formed gels could sustainedly release Cur in buffer solutions. We also investigated the cytotoxicity of pro-gelators to HepG2 cells by a MTT assay and determined the cellular uptake behaviours of them by fluorescence microscopy and LC-MS. Due to the over expression of GA receptor in liver cancer cells, our pro-gelator of GA-Cur showed an enhanced cellular uptake and better inhibition capacity to liver tumor cells than Nap-Cur. Therefore, the GA-Cur could significantly inhibit HepG2 cell growth. Our study provides a novel nanomaterial for liver tumor chemotherapy.

Delivery of curcumin by directed self-assembled micelles enhances therapeutic treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

It has been widely reported that curcumin (CUR) exhibits anticancer activity and triggers the apoptosis of human A549 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. However, its application is limited owing to its poor solubility and bioavailability. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new CUR formulation with higher water solubility and better biocompatibility for clinical application in the future.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, CUR-loaded methoxy polyethylene glycol-polylactide (CUR/mPEG-PLA) polymeric micelles were prepared by a thin-film hydration method. Their characteristics and antitumor effects were evaluated subsequently.

RESULTS

The average size of CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles was 34.9±2.1 nm with its polydispersity index (PDI) in the range of 0.067-0.168. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were 90.2%±0.78% and 9.1%±0.07%, respectively. CUR was constantly released from the CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles, and its cellular uptake in A549 cells was significantly increased. It was also found that CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles inhibited A549 cell proliferation, increased the cell cytotoxicity, induced G2/M stage arrest and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, the CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles suppressed the migration and invasion of A549 cells more obviously than free CUR. Additionally, CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cells migration, invasion and corresponding tube formation, implying the antiangiogenesis ability. Its enhanced antitumor mechanism may be related to the reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9 and Bcl-2 as well as the increased expression of Bax.

CONCLUSION

The mPEG-PLA copolymer micelles can serve as an efficient carrier for CUR. The CUR/mPEG-PLA micelles have promising clinical potential in treating NSCLC.

Preparation and antitumor evaluation of self-assembling oleanolic acid-loaded Pluronic P105/d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate mixed micelles for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a triterpenoid found in various fruits and vegetables and used in traditional Chinese medicine. OA plays a crucial role in the treatment of several cancers, but poor water solubility, low permeability, and significant efflux have limited its widespread clinical use. Vitamin E-d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (vitamin E-TPGS) and Pluronic P105 were used to improve the solubility and permeability and to decrease the efflux of OA. OA-loaded mixed micelles were prepared by ethanol thin-film hydration. The physicochemical properties of the micelles, including zeta potential, morphology, particle size, solubility, drug loading, and drug entrapment efficiency were characterized. OA release from micelles was slower than that from the free drug system. OA uptake by A549 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells was enhanced by the micelles. A tumor model was established by injecting A549 cells into nude mice. In vivo imaging showed that OA-micelles could accumulate in the tumors of nude mice. Additionally, smaller tumor size and increased expression of pro-apoptotic proteins were observed in OA-micelle-treated mice, indicating that OA-micelles are more effective than free OA in treating cancer. In vitro experiments were performed using two NSCLC cell lines (A549 and PC-9). Cytotoxicity evaluations showed that the half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of free OA and OA-micelles were 36.8±4.8 and 20.9±3.7 μM, respectively, in A549 cells and 82.7±7.8 and 56.7±4.7 μM, respectively, in PC-9 cells. Apoptosis assays revealed that the apoptotic rate of OA-micelle-treated A549 and PC-9 cells was higher than that of cells treated with the same concentration of free OA. Wound healing and transwell assays showed that migration and invasion were significantly suppressed in OA-micelle-treated cells. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analyses confirmed that the epithelial–mesenchymal transition was reversed in OA-micelle-treated cells. Mixed micelles are a promising nano-drug delivery system for lung cancer treatment.