Current perspectives and trends in nanoparticle drug delivery systems in breast cancer: bibliometric analysis and review

Delving Into Nanoparticle Systems for Enhanced Drug Delivery Technologies

Nanotechnology, based on the utilization of nanoparticles, has revolutionized drug delivery techniques, offering groundbreaking methods for managing and diagnosing intricate ailments over the past four decades. This article aims to underscore how the use of these particles has been used to treat previously incurable diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease. Recently, the integration of diagnostic imaging and targeted therapy using theranostic nanoparticles has improved cancer treatment precision. Moreover, exosome-based drug delivery has demonstrated high in vivo biocompatibility and antigen-carrying ability during vaccine development. The unique properties of these tiny particles enable their transport to specific locations inaccessible to large drug molecules. The development of these nanodrugs by either encapsulation or adsorption of drugs on particles has allowed the loading of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Innovative engineering approaches have enabled the engineering of shear-sensitive nanoparticles for site-targeted drug release, which eliminates the requirement for frequent doses, which is common in conventional drug delivery. Factors such as size, shape as well as surface modification are considered during the top-down and bottom-up approaches for engineering nanoparticle-based systems. However, issues related to scaling up manufacturing, long-term safety, and regulatory approval for these techniques must be resolved. The use of these drug delivery systems offers many therapeutic advantages. This article examines the application of these systems across various medical domains including cancer treatment, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, central nervous system ailments, and ophthalmic conditions. This fusion of nanotechnology with drug delivery has the potential to elevate healthcare standards in the future by introducing innovative frameworks for revolutionizing therapeutic practices.

Efficacy and safety of first-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor in combination with CTLA-4 inhibitor in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

The combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor with CTLA-4 inhibitor for advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is presently a significant area of research, however its clinical application remains contentious. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of first-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor in combination with CTLA-4 inhibitor (CP) in the treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC.

Methods

A systemic search was conducted in four databases (PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, and Web of Science) from their establishment until January 17, 2024, for randomized controlled trials that investigated the use of the first-line PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor plus CTLA-4 inhibitor in patients with advanced NSCLC. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs) were subjected to meta-analyses.

Results

Totally 7 eligible randomized controlled trials including 4682 people were included. Two comparative analyses were performed: CP versus chemotherapy, CP versus PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor (P). Compared with the chemotherapy group, CP improved OS (HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94, p<0.05) but not PFS (HR: 0.94, 95%CI: 0.73-1.20, p = 0.63) or ORR (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.79-1.71, p = 0.45). In terms of toxicity, CP had slightly fewer any AEs compared to chemotherapy (RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.91-0.97; p<0.05). Compared to the P group, there was no significant difference in OS (MD: -0,25, 95% CI: -2.47-1.98, p = 0.83), PFS (MD: -0.91, 95% CI: -3.19-1.36, p = 0.43), and ORR (OR:1.05, 95% CI. 0.80-1.36, p = 0.73). Subgroup analysis revealed that CP provided superior OS compared with P in patients with PD-L1 expression < 1%.

Conclusion

CP was a feasible and safe first-line therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC. Specifically, CP may function as a therapeutic alternative for individuals with low or negative PD-L1 expression, resulting in enhanced long-term outcomes compared to chemotherapy or P. Further randomized controlled trials with prolonged follow-up periods are necessary to validate these results, particularly focusing on efficacy in patients with differing PD-L1 expression levels, to improve the stratified implementation of immunotherapy.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024621116, identifier CRD42024621116.

Vascularized tumor models for the evaluation of drug delivery systems: a paradigm shift

As the conversion rate of preclinical studies for cancer treatment is low, user-friendly models that mimic the pathological microenvironment and drug intake with high throughput are scarce. Animal models are key, but an alternative to reduce their use would be valuable. Vascularized tumor-on-chip models combine great versatility with scalable throughput and are easy to use. Several strategies to integrate both tumor and vascular compartments have been developed, but few have been used to assess drug delivery. Permeability, intra/extravasation, and free drug circulation are often evaluated, but imperfectly recapitulate the processes at stake. Indeed, tumor targeting and chemoresistance bypass must be investigated to design promising cancer therapeutics. In vitro models that would help the development of drug delivery systems (DDS) are thus needed. They would allow selecting good candidates before animal studies based on rational criteria such as drug accumulation, diffusion in the tumor, and potency, as well as absence of side damage. In this review, we focus on vascularized tumor models. First, we detail their fabrication, and especially the materials, cell types, and coculture used. Then, the different strategies of vascularization are described along with their classical applications in intra/extravasation or free drug assessment. Finally, current trends in DDS for cancer are discussed with an overview of the current efforts in the domain.

Development of an efficient liposomal DOX delivery formulation for HCC therapy by targeting CK2α

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a digestive tract cancer with high mortality and poor prognosis, especially in China. Current chemotherapeutic drugs lead to poor prognosis, low efficacy, and high side effects due to weak targeting specificity and rapidly formed multidrug resistance (MDR). Based on the previous studies on the doxorubicin (DOX) formulation for cancer targeting therapy, we developed a novel DOX delivery formulation for the targeting chemotherapy of HCC and DOX resistant HCC. HCSP4 was previously screened and casein kinase 2α (CK2α) was predicted as its specific target on HCC cells in our lab. In the study, miR125a-5p was firstly predicted as an MDR inhibiting miRNA, and then CK2α was validated as the target of HCSP4 and miR125a-5p using CK2α-/-HepG2 cells. Based on the above, an HCC targeting and MDR inhibiting DOX delivery liposomal formulation, HCSP4/Lipo-DOX/miR125a-5p was synthesized and tested for its HCC therapeutic efficacy in vitro. The results showed that the liposomal DOX delivery formulation targeted to HCC cells specifically and sensitively, and presented the satisfied therapeutic efficacy for HCC, particularly for DOX resistant HCC. The potential therapeutic mechanism of the DOX delivery formulation was explored, and the formulation inhibited the expression of MDR-relevant genes including ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1, also known as P-glycoprotein), ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 5 (ABCC5), enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and ATPase Na+/K+ transporting subunit beta 1 (ATP1B1). Our study presents a novel targeting chemotherapeutic drug formulation for the therapy of HCC, especially for drug resistant HCC, although it is primarily and needs further study in vivo, but provided a new strategy for the development of novel anticancer drugs.

Collision of herbal medicine and nanotechnology: a bibliometric analysis of herbal nanoparticles from 2004 to 2023

BACKGROUND

Herbal nanoparticles are made from natural herbs/medicinal plants, their extracts, or a combination with other nanoparticle carriers. Compared to traditional herbs, herbal nanoparticles lead to improved bioavailability, enhanced stability, and reduced toxicity. Previous research indicates that herbal medicine nanomaterials are rapidly advancing and making significant progress; however, bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping for herbal nanoparticles are currently lacking. We performed a bibliometric analysis by retrieving publications related to herbal nanoparticles from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database spanning from 2004 to 2023. Data processing was performed using the R package Bibliometrix, VOSviewers, and CiteSpace.

RESULTS

In total, 1876 articles related to herbal nanoparticles were identified, originating from various countries, with China being the primary contributing country. The number of publications in this field increases annually. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Saveetha University in India are prominent research institutions in this domain. The Journal "International Journal of Nanomedicine" has the highest number of publications. The number of authors of these publications reached 8234, with Yan Zhao, Yue Zhang, and Huihua Qu being the most prolific authors and Yan Zhao being the most frequently cited author. "Traditional Chinese medicine," "drug delivery," and "green synthesis" are the main research focal points. Themes such as "green synthesis," "curcumin," "wound healing," "drug delivery," and "carbon dots" may represent emerging research areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study findings assist in identifying the latest research frontiers and hot topics, providing valuable references for scholars investigating the role of nanotechnology in herbal medicine.

Cisplatin-based Liposomal Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery in Lung Cancer Therapy: Recent Progress and Future Outlooks

In order to improve the treatment of lung cancer, this paper looks at the development of cisplatinbased liposomal nanocarriers. It focuses on addressing the drawbacks of conventional cisplatin therapy, including systemic toxicity, inadequate tumor targeting, and drug resistance. Liposomes, or spherical lipid vesicles, offer a potentially effective way to encapsulate cisplatin, enhancing its transport and minimizing harmful effects on healthy tissues. The article discusses many liposomal cisplatin formulations, including pH-sensitive liposomes, sterically stabilized liposomes, and liposomes coupled with specific ligands like EGFR antibodies. These novel formulations show promise in reducing cisplatin resistance, optimizing pharmacokinetics, and boosting therapeutic results in the two in vitro and in vivo models. They also take advantage of the Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) effect in the direction of improved tumor accumulation. The study highlights the need for more investigation to move these liposomal formulations from experimental to clinical settings, highlighting their potential to offer less harmful and more effective cancer therapy alternatives.