Cancer Cytotoxicity of a Hybrid Hyaluronan-Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Material: An In-Vitro Evaluation

Silver-Sulfamethazine-Conjugated β-Cyclodextrin/Dextran-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles for Pathogen Inhibition

In the fight against antibiotic resistance, which is rising to dangerously high levels worldwide, new strategies based on antibiotic-conjugated biocompatible polymers bound to magnetic nanoparticles that allow the drug to be manipulated and delivered to a specific target are being proposed. Here, we report the direct surface engineering of nontoxic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) using biocompatible dextran (Dex) covalently linked to β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) with the ability to form non-covalent complexes with silver-sulfamethazine (SMT-Ag). To achieve a good interaction of β-CD-modified dextran with the surface of the nanoparticles, it was functionalized with diphosphonic acid (DPA) that provides strong binding to Fe atoms. The synthesized polymers and nanoparticles were characterized by various methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), etc. The resulting magnetic ION@DPA-Dex-β-CD-SMT-Ag nanoparticles were colloidally stable in water and contained 24 μg of antibiotic per mg of the particles. When tested for in vitro antimicrobial activity on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and fungi (yeast Candida albicans and mold Aspergillus niger), the particles showed promising potential.

Carbohydrate polymers-based surface modified nano delivery systems for enhanced target delivery to colon cancer - A review

Carbohydrate polymers-based surface-modified nano-delivery systems have gained significant attention in recent years for enhancing targeted delivery to colon cancer. These systems leverage carbohydrate polymers' unique properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and controlled release. These properties make them suitable candidates for drug delivery applications. Nano-delivery systems loaded with bioactive compounds are well-studied for targeted colorectal cancer delivery. However, those drugs' target reach is still limited in various nano-delivery systems. To overcome this limitation, surface modification of nanoparticles with carbohydrate polymers like chitosan, pectin, alginate, and guar gum showed enhanced target-reaching capacity along with enhanced anticancer efficacy. Recently, a chitosan-decorated PLGA nanoparticle was constructed with tannic acid and vitamin E and showed long-term release of specific targets along with higher anticancer efficacy. Similarly, Chitosan-conjugated glucuronic acid-coated silica nanoparticles loaded with capecitabine were studied against colon cancer and found to be the pH-responsive controlled release of capecitabine with higher anticancer efficacy. Surface-modified carbohydrate polymers have promising potential for improving colon cancer target delivery. By leveraging the unique properties of these polymers, such as surface modification, pH responsiveness, mucoadhesion, controlled drug release, and combination therapy, researchers are working toward developing more effective and targeted treatment strategies for colon cancer.

An Overview of Antitumour Activity of Polysaccharides

Cancer incidence and mortality are rapidly increasing worldwide; therefore, effective therapies are required in the current scenario of increasing cancer cases. Polysaccharides are a family of natural polymers that hold unique physicochemical and biological properties, and they have become the focus of current antitumour drug research owing to their significant antitumour effects. In addition to the direct antitumour activity of some natural polysaccharides, their structures offer versatility in synthesizing multifunctional nanocomposites, which could be chemically modified to achieve high stability and bioavailability for delivering therapeutics into tumor tissues. This review aims to highlight recent advances in natural polysaccharides and polysaccharide-based nanomedicines for cancer therapy.

Toxicologic Concerns with Current Medical Nanoparticles

Nanotechnology is one of the scientific advances in technology. Nanoparticles (NPs) are small materials ranging from 1 to 100 nm. When the shape of the supplied nanoparticles changes, the physiological response of the cells can be very different. Several characteristics of NPs such as the composition, surface chemistry, surface charge, and shape are also important parameters affecting the toxicity of nanomaterials. This review covered specific topics that address the effects of NPs on nanomedicine. Furthermore, mechanisms of different types of nanomaterial-induced cytotoxicities were described. The distributions of different NPs in organs and their adverse effects were also emphasized. This review provides insight into the scientific community interested in nano(bio)technology, nanomedicine, and nanotoxicology. The content may also be of interest to a broad range of scientists.

Using GPCRs as Molecular Beacons to Target Ovarian Cancer with Nanomedicines

The five-year survival rate for women with ovarian cancer is very poor despite radical cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy. Although most patients initially respond to platinum-based chemotherapy, the majority experience recurrence and ultimately develop chemoresistance, resulting in fatal outcomes. The current administration of cytotoxic compounds is hampered by dose-limiting severe adverse effects. There is an unmet clinical need for targeted drug delivery systems that transport chemotherapeutics selectively to tumor cells while minimizing off-target toxicity. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of membrane receptors, and many are overexpressed in solid tumors, including ovarian cancer. This review summarizes the progress in engineered nanoparticle research for drug delivery for ovarian cancer and discusses the potential use of GPCRs as molecular entry points to deliver anti-cancer compounds into ovarian cancer cells. A newly emerging treatment paradigm could be the personalized design of nanomedicines on a case-by-case basis.