Photothermal Properties of IR-780-Based Nanoparticles Depend on Nanocarrier Design: A Comparative Study on Synthetic Liposomes and Cell Membrane and Hybrid Biomimetic Vesicles

Near Infrared Biomimetic Hybrid Magnetic Nanocarrier for MRI-Guided Thermal Therapy

Cell-membrane hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are designed to improve drug delivery, thermal therapy, and immunotherapy for several diseases. Here, we report the development of distinct biomimetic magnetic nanocarriers containing magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated in vesicles and IR780 near-infrared dyes incorporated in the membranes. Distinct cell membranes are investigated, red blood cell (RBC), melanoma (B16F10), and glioblastoma (GL261). Hybrid nanocarriers containing synthetic lipids and a cell membrane are designed. The biomedical applications of several systems are compared. The inorganic nanoparticle consisted of Mn-ferrite nanoparticles with a core diameter of 15 ± 4 nm. TEM images show many multicore nanostructures (∼40 nm), which correlate with the hydrodynamic size. Ultrahigh transverse relaxivity values are reported for the magnetic NPs, 746 mM-1s-1, decreasing respectively to 445 mM-1s-1 and 278 mM-1s-1 for the B16F10 and GL261 hybrid vesicles. The ratio of relaxivities r2/r1 decreased with the higher encapsulation of NPs and increased for the biomimetic liposomes. Therapeutic temperatures are achieved by both, magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia and photothermal therapy. Photothermal conversion efficiency ∼25-30% are reported. Cell culture revealed lower wrapping times for the biomimetic vesicles. In vivo experiments with distinct routes of nanoparticle administration were investigated. Intratumoral injection proved the nanoparticle-mediated PTT efficiency. MRI and near-infrared images showed that the nanoparticles accumulate in the tumor after intravenous or intraperitoneal administration. Both routes benefit from MRI-guided PTT and demonstrate the multimodal theranostic applications for cancer therapy.

Biophysical stimuli for promoting bone repair and regeneration

Bone injuries and diseases are associated with profound changes in the biophysical properties of living bone tissues, particularly their electrical and mechanical properties. The biophysical properties of healthy bone are attributed to the complex network of interactions between its various cell types (i.e., osteocytes, osteoclast, immune cells and vascular endothelial cells) with the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) against the backdrop of a myriad of biomechanical and bioelectrical stimuli arising from daily physical activities. Understanding the pathophysiological changes in bone biophysical properties is critical to developing new therapeutic strategies and novel scaffold biomaterials for orthopedic surgery and tissue engineering, as well as provides a basis for the application of various biophysical stimuli as therapeutic agents to restore the physiological microenvironment of injured/diseased bone tissue, to facilitate its repair and regeneration. These include mechanical, electrical, magnetic, thermal and ultrasound stimuli, which will be critically examined in this review. A significant advantage of utilizing such biophysical stimuli to facilitate bone healing is that these may be applied non-invasively with minimal damage to surrounding tissues, unlike conventional orthopedic surgical procedures. Furthermore, the effects of such biophysical stimuli can be localized specifically at the bone defect site, unlike drugs or growth factors that tend to diffuse away after delivery, which may result in detrimental side effects at ectopic sites.

Baicalein and IR780 Coloaded Liposomes for Antifungal and Anticancer Therapy

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known for its aggressive nature, typically presenting as high-grade tumors that grow and spread quickly in all breast cancer types. Several studies have reported a strong correlation between cancer and microbial infections due to a compromised immune system. The most frequent infection associated with surface malignancies, including breast cancer, is Candidiasis, which is majorly caused by Candida albicans. This study reports the development and characterization of the drug Baicalein (B) and NIR dye IR780 (IR) coloaded liposomes (BIRLs) as a multifunctional nanoplatform for treating fungal infections and TNBC. BIRLs were prepared by using hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine as the lipid matrix, enhancing both the drug and dye solubility and therapeutic efficacy. The synthesized BIRLs-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) exhibited significant synergistic antifungal efficacy when tested against C. albicans. The biocompatibility of BIRLs was studied in fibroblast cell lines and zebrafish embryos. BIRLs demonstrated promising photothermal and photodynamic effects, synergistically enhancing tumor ablation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. In vitro studies revealed that BIRLs exhibit potent anticancer activity in two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures and three-dimensional (3D) tumor spheroids, significantly inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and migration. The dual therapeutic effect of BIRLs was additionally demonstrated by their ability to inhibit fungal growth, addressing common complications in cancer patients with compromised immune systems. Overall, the results highlighted the promising application of BIRLs as a versatile nanoplatform for synergistic cancer therapy and as an antifungal agent, with the potential to significantly improve outcomes for TNBC patients.

Nanoplatforms for Magnetic-Photo-Heating of Thermo-Resistant Tumor Cells: Singular Synergic Therapeutic Effects at Mild Temperature

A self-assemble amphiphilic diblock copolymer that can incorporate iron oxide nanocubes (IONCs) in chain-like assemblies as heat mediators for magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) and tuneable amounts of IR780 dye as agent for photothermal therapy (PTT) is developed. MHT-heating performance of photobeads in viscous media have the same heat performances in water at magnetic field conditions of clinical use. Thanks to IR780, the photobeads are activated by infrared laser light within the first biological window (808 nm) with a significant enhancement of photo-stability of IR780 enabling the raise of the temperature at therapeutic values during multiple PTT cycles and showing unchanged optical features up to 8 days. Moreover, the photobeads fluorescent signal is preserved once internalized by glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. Peculiarly, the photobeads are used as toxic agents to eradicate thermo-resistant GBM cells at mild heat, as low as 41 °C, with MHT and PTT both of clinical use. Indeed, a high U87 GBM cell mortality percentage is obtained only with dual MHT/PTT while each single treatment dose not provide the same cytotoxic effects. Only for the combined treatment, the cell death mechanism is assigned to clear sign of apoptosis as observed by structural/morphological cell studies and enhanced lysosome permeability.

Advancing gastric cancer treatment: nanotechnology innovations and future prospects

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide, particularly prevalent in Asia, especially in China, where both its incidence and mortality rates are significantly high. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has demonstrated great potential in the treatment of GC. In particular, nanodrug delivery systems have improved therapeutic efficacy and targeting through various functional modifications, such as targeting peptides, tumor microenvironment responsiveness, and instrument-based methods. For instance, silica (SiO2) has excellent biocompatibility and can be used as a drug carrier, with its porous structure enhancing drug loading capacity. Polymer nanoparticles regulate drug release rates and mechanisms by altering material composition and preparation methods. Lipid nanoparticles efficiently encapsulate hydrophilic drugs and promote cellular uptake, while carbon-based nanoparticles can be used in biosensors and drug delivery. Targets such as integrins, HER2 receptors, and the tumor microenvironment have been used to improve drug efficacy in GC treatment. Nanodrug delivery techniques not only enhance drug efficacy and delivery capabilities but also selectively target tumor cells. Currently, there is a lack of systematic summarization and synthesis regarding the relationship between nanodrug delivery systems and GC treatment, which to some extent hinders researchers and clinicians from efficiently searching for and referencing related studies, thereby reducing work efficiency. This study aims to systematically summarize the existing research on the relationship between nanodrug delivery systems and GC treatment, making it easier for professionals to search and reference, and thereby promoting further research on the role of nanodrug delivery systems and their clinical applications in GC. This review discusses the applications of functionalized nanocarriers in the treatment of GC in recent years, including surface modifications with targeted markers, the combination of phototherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, along with their advantages and challenges. It also examines the future prospects of targeted nanomaterials in GC treatment. The review particularly focuses on the combined application of nanocarriers in multiple treatment modalities, such as phototherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, demonstrating their potential in multimodal treatments. Furthermore, it thoroughly explores the specific challenges that nanocarriers face in GC treatment, such as biocompatibility, drug release control, and clinical translation issues, while providing a systematic outlook on future developments. Additionally, this study emphasizes the potential value and feasibility of nanocarriers in clinical applications, contrasting with most reviews that focus on basic research. Through these innovations, we offer new perspectives and directions for the development of nanotechnology in the treatment of GC.

Oral in vivo biodistribution of fluorescent labelled nano lipid carrier system of erlotinib using real time optical imaging technique

This study investigates the biodistribution of a nano lipid carrier system (NLCs) containing the hydrophobic drug erlotinib (ERL-NLCs). The system was labelled with the fluorescent dye IR-780 for real-time dynamic imaging. ERL-NLCs were initially developed using the ultrasonication method with oleic acid and stearic acid. In vitro and ex vivo studies were performed to confirm the formation and penetration of NLCs within the intestine. Subsequently, the biological distribution of ERL-NLCs was monitored using a fluorescent dye through the IVIS® fluorescent optical imaging technique in whole live animals. Mice were orally administered blank IR 780 dye solution, ERL suspension, and IR 780 labelled NLCs. Fluorescence images were acquired at different time intervals up to 24 h and then total radiant efficiency was calculated through the region of interest (ROI) of the whole animal at each interval of time for all three groups. To validate the results obtained from in vivo imaging, various organs including lungs, heart, liver, both kidneys, stomach, and intestine were subsequently extracted and examined after 24 h. The ROI was found to be higher in the blank IR 780 dye solution, followed by the drug suspension and IR 780 labelled NLCs. These results confirm that the plain ERL suspension distributes across the body, and its encapsulation in NLCs facilitates passage through the lymphatic intestinal pathway, effectively avoiding first-pass metabolism. The remarkable results indicated that the NLCs formulation effectively circumvents first-pass metabolism by adopting the intestinal lymphatic pathway, thereby enhancing the oral bioavailability of the drug. This observed behaviour underscores the potential of NLCs in optimizing drug delivery and minimizing adverse effects associated with gastrointestinal and metabolic processes.

Lipid-based nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers for cancer therapy

Cancer is a severe disease that results in death in all countries of the world. A nano-based drug delivery approach is the best alternative, directly targeting cancer tumor cells with improved drug cellular uptake. Different types of nanoparticle-based drug carriers are advanced for the treatment of cancer, and to increase the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of cancer therapy, many substances have been looked into as drug carriers. Lipid-based nanoparticles (LBNPs) have significantly attracted interest recently. These natural biomolecules that alternate to other polymers are frequently recycled in medicine due to their amphipathic properties. Lipid nanoparticles typically provide a variety of benefits, including biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review covers different classes of LBNPs, including their characterization and different synthesis technologies. This review discusses the most significant advancements in lipid nanoparticle technology and their use in medicine administration. Moreover, the review also emphasized the applications of lipid nanoparticles that are used in different cancer treatment types.

Targeted PLGA-Chitosan Nanoparticles for NIR-Triggered Phototherapy and Imaging of HER2-Positive Tumors

Targeted medicine uses the distinctive features of cancer cells to find and destroy tumors. We present human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted PLGA-chitosan nanoparticles for cancer therapy and visualization. Loading with two near-infrared (NIR) dyes provides imaging in the NIR transparency window and phototherapy triggered by 808 nm light. Nile Blue (NB) is a biocompatible solvatochromic NIR dye that serves as an imaging agent. Laser irradiation of IR-780 dye leads to a temperature rise and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Resonance energy transfer between two dyes allows visualization of tumors in a wide range of visible and IR wavelengths. The combination of two NIR dyes enables the use of nanoparticles for diagnostics only or theranostics. Modification of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-chitosan nanoparticles with trastuzumab provides an efficient nanoparticle uptake by tumor cells and promotes more than sixfold specificity towards HER2-positive cells, leading to a synergistic anticancer effect. We demonstrate optical imaging of the HER2-positive mouse mammary tumor and tumor-specific accumulation of PLGA-IR-780-NB nanoparticles in vivo after intravenous administration. We managed to achieve almost complete suppression of the proliferative activity of cells in vitro by irradiation with an 808 nm laser with a power of 0.27 W for 1 min at a concentration at which nanoparticles are nontoxic to cells in the dark.

Glycolysis inhibition for synergistic phototherapy of triple-negative breast cancer

Phototherapy is a local and precise therapeutic technique for tumor treatment. However, the therapeutic effects of photothermal and photodynamic therapies are inevitably encountered by hypoxia of the tumor microenvironment and heat shock protein induced by hyperthermia, respectively. Herein, we found that mannose, a glucose analog, could reverse tumor hypoxia by inhibiting glycolysis of cancer cells and suppressing the expression of heat shock protein through inhibiting cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. Next, we used lipid nanoparticles simultaneously loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) and mannose molecules, named imLipo, for tumor therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments evidenced that the imLipo nanoplatform has significant therapeutic efficacy through synergistic phototherapy under single near-infrared laser irradiation. This work shows that glycolysis inhibition can overcome the challenges of phototherapy. In addition, all three parts (mannose, ICG, and lipid) of imLipo are clinically approved and our designed nanoplatforms have great potential for future tumor treatment.

Immunogenic Cell Death Photothermally Mediated by Erythrocyte Membrane-Coated Magnetofluorescent Nanocarriers Improves Survival in Sarcoma Model

Inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD) during cancer therapy is a major challenge that might significantly improve patient survival. The purpose of this study was to develop a theranostic nanocarrier, capable both of conveying a cytotoxic thermal dose when mediating photothermal therapy (PTT) after its intravenous delivery, and of consequently inducing ICD, improving survival. The nanocarrier consists of red blood cell membranes (RBCm) embedding the near-infrared dye IR-780 (IR) and camouflaging Mn-ferrite nanoparticles (RBCm-IR-Mn). The RBCm-IR-Mn nanocarriers were characterized by size, morphology, surface charge, magnetic, photophysical, and photothermal properties. Their photothermal conversion efficiency was found to be size- and concentration-dependent. Late apoptosis was observed as the cell death mechanism for PTT. Calreticulin and HMGB1 protein levels increased for in vitro PTT with temperature around 55 °C (ablative regime) but not for 44 °C (hyperthermia), suggesting ICD elicitation under ablation. RBCm-IR-Mn were then intravenously administered in sarcoma S180-bearing Swiss mice, and in vivo ablative PTT was performed five days later. Tumor volumes were monitored for the subsequent 120 days. RBCm-IR-Mn-mediated PTT promoted tumor regression in 11/12 animals, with an overall survival rate of 85% (11/13). Our results demonstrate that the RBCm-IR-Mn nanocarriers are great candidates for PTT-induced cancer immunotherapy.