Biopolymer-Based Nanogel Approach in Drug Delivery: Basic Concept and Current Developments

Cancer Nanovaccines: Nanomaterials and Clinical Perspectives

Cancer nanovaccines represent a promising frontier in cancer immunotherapy, utilizing nanotechnology to augment traditional vaccine efficacy. This review comprehensively examines the current state-of-the-art in cancer nanovaccine development, elucidating innovative strategies and technologies employed in their design. It explores both preclinical and clinical advancements, emphasizing key studies demonstrating their potential to elicit robust anti-tumor immune responses. The study encompasses various facets, including integrating biomaterial-based nanocarriers for antigen delivery, adjuvant selection, and the impact of nanoscale properties on vaccine performance. Detailed insights into the complex interplay between the tumor microenvironment and nanovaccine responses are provided, highlighting challenges and opportunities in optimizing therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, the study presents a thorough analysis of ongoing clinical trials, presenting a snapshot of the current clinical landscape. By curating the latest scientific findings and clinical developments, this study aims to serve as a comprehensive resource for researchers and clinicians engaged in advancing cancer immunotherapy. Integrating nanotechnology into vaccine design holds immense promise for revolutionizing cancer treatment paradigms, and this review provides a timely update on the evolving landscape of cancer nanovaccines.

Fabrication of silver nanoparticles loaded acacia gum/chitosan nanogel to coat the pipe surface for sustainable inhibiting microbial adhesion and biofilm growth in water distribution systems

Biofilm formation on the inner surfaces of pipes poses significant threats to water distribution systems, increasing maintenance costs and public health risks. To address this immense issue, we synthesized a nanogel formulation comprising acacia gum (AG) and chitosan (Cs), loaded with varying concentrations of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), for using as an antimicrobial coating material. AgNPs were synthesized using AG as a reducing and stabilizing agent, exhibiting absorbance at 414 nm. The preparation of AgNPs was proved using TEM. Bactericidal efficacy was assessed against E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus subtilis. Using the dipping coating method, two pipe materials (polypropylene (PP) and ductile iron (DI)) were successfully coated. Notably, AgNPs2@AGCsNG nanogel exhibited potent antibacterial action against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. Toxicity tests confirmed nanogel safety, suggesting broad applications. High EC50% values underscored their non-toxic nature. This research proposes an effective strategy for biofilm prevention in water systems, offering excellent antibacterial properties and biocompatibility. AG and Cs nanogels loaded with AgNPs promise to enhance water quality, reduce maintenance prices, and protect human public health in water distribution networks.

A Novel PEtOx-Based Nanogel Targeting Prostate Cancer Cells for Drug Delivery

This study focuses on creating a specialized nanogel for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment, specifically targeting prostate cancer. This nanogel (referred to as SGK 636/Peptide 563/PEtOx nanogel) is created using hydrophilic poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx) through a combination of living/cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) and alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) "click" chemical reactions. A fluorescent probe (BODIPY) is also conjugated with the nanogel to monitor drug delivery. The characterizations through 1 H-NMR, and FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and DLS confirm the successful production of uniform, and spherical nanogels with controllable sizes (100 to 296 nm) and stability in physiological conditions. The biocompatibility of nanogels is evaluated using MTT cytotoxicity assays, revealing dose-dependent cytotoxicity. Drug-loaded nanogels exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity against cancer cells in vitro compared to drug-free nanogels. Targeting efficiency is examined using both peptide-conjugated and peptide-free nanogels, with the intracellular uptake of peptide 563-conjugated nanogels by tumor cells being 60-fold higher than that of nanogels without the peptide. The findings suggest that the prepared nanogel holds great potential for various drug delivery applications due to its ease of synthesis, tunable functionality, non-toxicity, and enhanced intracellular uptake in the tumor region.

A glutathione-responsive PEGylated nanogel with doxorubicin-conjugation for cancer therapy

The complexity, degradability, and stability of drug delivery systems are crucial factors for clinical application. Herein, a glutathione (GSH)-responsive polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated nanogel conjugated with doxorubicin (Dox) was prepared based on a linker with disulfide bonds, PEG, and Dox using a one-pot method. FT-IR and UV-vis analyses confirmed that all raw materials were incorporated in the Dox-conjugated nanogel structure. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that the particle size of the Dox-conjugated nanogel was at the nanoscale and could be responsively disrupted in high GSH concentration. The in vitro accumulative Dox release rate from the nanogel reached 88% in PBS with 5 mg mL-1 GSH on day 4. Moreover, H22 cell viability and apoptosis experiments revealed that the nanogel effectively inhibited tumor cell growth. In vivo tracking and cell uptake experiments demonstrated that the nanogel accumulated and persisted in tumor tissues for 5 days and was distributed into cell nuclei at 6 h. Furthermore, H22-bearing mice experiments showed that the tumor size of the Dox-conjugated nanogel group was the smallest (287 mm3) compared to that of the free Dox (558 mm3) and 0.9% NaCl (2700 mm3) groups. Meanwhile, the body weight of mice as well as the H&E and TUNEL tissue section staining of organs and tumor tissues from the mice illustrated that the nanogel could significantly prevent side effects and induce tumor cell apoptosis. Taken together, compared with free Dox, the Dox-conjugated nanogel exhibited higher therapeutic efficacy and lower side effects in normal tissues, making it a potential novel nanomedicine for cancer.

Empowering Precision Medicine: The Impact of 3D Printing on Personalized Therapeutic

This review explores recent advancements and applications of 3D printing in healthcare, with a focus on personalized medicine, tissue engineering, and medical device production. It also assesses economic, environmental, and ethical considerations. In our review of the literature, we employed a comprehensive search strategy, utilizing well-known databases like PubMed and Google Scholar. Our chosen keywords encompassed essential topics, including 3D printing, personalized medicine, nanotechnology, and related areas. We first screened article titles and abstracts and then conducted a detailed examination of selected articles without imposing any date limitations. The articles selected for inclusion, comprising research studies, clinical investigations, and expert opinions, underwent a meticulous quality assessment. This methodology ensured the incorporation of high-quality sources, contributing to a robust exploration of the role of 3D printing in the realm of healthcare. The review highlights 3D printing's potential in healthcare, including customized drug delivery systems, patient-specific implants, prosthetics, and biofabrication of organs. These innovations have significantly improved patient outcomes. Integration of nanotechnology has enhanced drug delivery precision and biocompatibility. 3D printing also demonstrates cost-effectiveness and sustainability through optimized material usage and recycling. The healthcare sector has witnessed remarkable progress through 3D printing, promoting a patient-centric approach. From personalized implants to radiation shielding and drug delivery systems, 3D printing offers tailored solutions. Its transformative applications, coupled with economic viability and sustainability, have the potential to revolutionize healthcare. Addressing material biocompatibility, standardization, and ethical concerns is essential for responsible adoption.

Pectin a multifaceted biopolymer in the management of cancer: A review

This review article focuses on the multifaceted roles of pectin in cancer management, namely as an oncotherapeutic delivery vehicle and a pharmacological agent. Over the past decades, the potential of pectin as a novel therapeutical agent for the prevention and/or management of cancer has gained increasing interest. Pectin has been found to modulate different mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of carcinogenesis, such as galectin-3 inhibition, caspase-3-induced apoptosis, and autophagy. Elucidating the structure-activity relationship provides insight into the relationship between the structure of pectin and different mechanism/s. The bioactivity of pectin, with respect to its structure, was critically discussed to give a better insight of the relationship between the structure of the extracted pectin and the observed bioactive effects. The rhamnogalacturonan I part of the pectin chain was found to bind to galectin-3, associated with several cancer hallmarks. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential of pectin were also described. The roles of pectin as a treatment enhancer and a drug delivery vehicle for oncotherapeutics were critically defined. The scientific findings presented in this paper are expected to highlight the potential and role of pectin recovered from various plant sources in preventing and managing cancer.

Stimuli-Responsive and Multifunctional Nanogels in Drug Delivery

Nanogels represent promising drug delivery systems in the biomedical field, designed to overcome challenges associated with standard treatment approaches. Stimuli-responsive nanogels, often referred to as intelligent materials, have garnered significant attention for their potential to enhance control over properties such as drug release and targeting. Furthermore, researchers have recently explored the application of nanogels in diverse sectors beyond biomedicine including sensing materials, catalysts, or adsorbents for environmental applications. However, to fully harness their potential as practical delivery systems, further research is required to better understand their pharmacokinetic behaviour, interactions between nanogels and bio distributions, as well as toxicities. One promising future application of stimuli-responsive multifunctional nanogels is their use as delivery agents in cancer treatment, offering an alternative to overcome the challenges with conventional approaches. This review discusses various synthetic methods employed in developing nanogels as efficient carriers for drug delivery in cancer treatment. The investigations explore, the key aspects of nanogels, including their multifunctionality and stimuli-responsive properties, as well as associated toxicity concerns. The discussions presented herein aim to provide the readers a comprehensive understanding of the potential of nanogels as smart drug delivery systems in the context of cancer therapy.

Polysaccharide-based tumor microenvironment-responsive drug delivery systems for cancer therapy

The biochemical indicators of tumor microenvironment (TME) that are different from normal tissues provide the possibility for constructing intelligent drug delivery systems (DDSs). Polysaccharides with good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and unique biological properties are ideal materials for constructing DDSs. Nanogels, micelles, organic-inorganic nanocomposites, hydrogels, and microneedles (MNs) are common polysaccharide-based DDSs. Polysaccharide-based DDSs enable precise control of drug delivery and release processes by incorporating TME-specific biochemical indicators. The classification and design strategies of polysaccharide-based TME-responsive DDSs are comprehensively reviewed. The advantages and challenges of current polysaccharide-based DDSs are summarized and the future directions of development are foreseen. The polysaccharide-based TME-responsive DDSs are expected to provide new strategies and solutions for cancer therapy and make important contributions to the realization of precision medicine.

Nano-based formulations of curcumin: elucidating the potential benefits and future prospects in skin cancer

Skin cancer refers to any malignant lesions that occur in the skin and are observed predominantly in populations of European descent. Conventional treatment modalities such as excision biopsy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, electrodesiccation, and photodynamic therapy (PDT) induce several unintended side effects which affect a patient's quality of life and physical well-being. Therefore, spice-derived nutraceuticals like curcumin, which are well tolerated, less expensive, and relatively safe, have been considered a promising agent for skin cancer treatment. Curcumin, a chemical constituent extracted from the Indian spice, turmeric, and its analogues has been used in various mammalian cancers including skin cancer. Curcumin has anti-neoplastic activity by triggering the process of apoptosis and preventing the multiplication and infiltration of the cancer cells by inhibiting some signaling pathways and thus subsequently preventing the process of carcinogenesis. Curcumin is also a photosensitizer and has been used in PDT. The major limitations associated with curcumin are poor bioavailability, instability, limited permeation into the skin, and lack of solubility in water. This will constrain the use of curcumin in clinical settings. Hence, developing a proper formulation that can ideally release curcumin to its targeted site is important. So, several nanoformulations based on curcumin have been established such as nanogels, nanoemulsions, nanofibers, nanopatterned films, nanoliposomes and nanoniosomes, nanodisks, and cyclodextrins. The present review mainly focuses on curcumin and its analogues as therapeutic agents for treating different types of skin cancers. The significance of using various nanoformulations as well non-nanoformulations loaded with curcumin as an effective treatment modality for skin cancer is also emphasized.