Cell shape affects nanoparticle uptake and toxicity: An overlooked factor at the nanobio interfaces

Sex-specific outcomes in cancer therapy: the central role of hormones

Sex hormones play a pivotal role in modulating various physiological processes, with emerging evidence underscoring their influence on cancer progression and treatment outcomes. This review delves into the intricate relationship between sex hormones and cancer, elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms and their clinical implications. We explore the multifaceted roles of estrogen, androgens, and progesterone, highlighting their respective influence on specific cancers such as breast, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate. Special attention is given to estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) tumors, androgen receptor signaling, and the dual role of progesterone in both promoting and inhibiting cancer progression. Clinical observations reveal varied treatment responses contingent upon hormonal levels, with certain therapies like tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, and anti-androgens demonstrating notable success. However, disparities in treatment outcomes between males and females in hormone-sensitive cancers necessitate further exploration. Therapeutically, the utilization of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during cancer treatments presents both potential risks and benefits. The promise of personalized therapies, tailored to an individual's hormonal profile, offers a novel approach to optimizing therapeutic outcomes. Concurrently, the burgeoning exploration of new drugs and interventions targeting hormonal pathways heralds a future of more effective and precise treatments for hormone-sensitive cancers. This review underscores the pressing need for a deeper understanding of sex hormones in cancer therapy and the ensuing implications for future therapeutic innovations.

Exploring the Effects of Various Capping Agents on Zinc Sulfide Quantum Dot Characteristics and In-vitro Fate

The choice of capping agents used during the synthesis process of quantum dots (QDs) can significantly influence their fate and fundamental properties. Hence, choosing an appropriate capping agent is a critical step in both synthesis and biomedical application of QDs. In this research, ZnS QDs were synthesized via chemical precipitation process and three commonly employed capping agents, namely mercaptoethanol (ME), mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), and cysteamine (CA), were used to stabilize the QDs. This study was aimed to examine how these capping agents impact the physicochemical and optical characteristics of ZnS QDs, as well as their interactions with biological systems. The findings revealed that the capping agents had considerable effects on the behavior and properties of ZnS QDs. MAA-QD exhibited superior crystal lattice, smaller size, and significant quantum yield (QY). In contrast, CA-QDs demonstrated the lowest QY and the highest tendency for aggregation. ME-QDs exhibited intermediate characteristics, along with an acceptable level of cytotoxicity, rapid uptake by cells, and efficient escape from lysosomes. Consequently, it is advisable to select capping agents in accordance with the specific objectives of the research.

A generic model based on the properties of nanoparticles and cells for predicting cellular uptake

Nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in industry and technology due to their small size and versatility, which makes them easy to enter organisms and pose threats to human and ecological health. Given the particularity and complex structure of NPs, statistical models alone cannot reliably predict uptake. Hence, we developed a generic model for predicting the cellular uptake of NPs with organic coatings, based on physicochemical interactions underlying uptake. The model utilized the concentration, experimental conditions and properties of NPs viz. size, surface coating and coverage. These parameters were converted to surface energy components and surface potentials, and combined with the components and potential for a cell membrane. For NPs uptake, we constructed energetic profiles and barriers for adsorption and permeation onto/through cell membranes. The relationships derived were compared to experimental uptake data. The model provided accurate and robust uptake estimates for neutrally charged unhalogenated NPs and six different cell types. We envision that the model provides a reference for cellular accumulation of neutral NPs and (ecological/human) risk assessment of NPs or microparticles.

The application prospect of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles in the treatment of osteoarthritis

The current understanding of osteoarthritis is developing from a mechanical disease caused by cartilage wear to a complex biological response involving inflammation, oxidative stress and other aspects. Nanoparticles are widely used in drug delivery due to its good stability in vivo and cell uptake efficiency. In addition to the above advantages, metal/metal oxide NPs, such as cerium oxide and manganese dioxide, can also simulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes and catalyze the degradation of superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide. Degrading of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles releases metal ions, which may slow down the progression of osteoarthritis by inhibiting inflammation, promoting cartilage repair and inhibiting cartilage ossification. In present review, we focused on recent research works concerning osteoarthritis treating with metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, and introduced some potential nanoparticles that may have therapeutic effects.

Cellular Uptake Pathways of Nanoparticles: Process of Endocytosis and Factors Affecting Their Fate

BACKGROUND

Efficient and controlled internalization of NPs into the cells depends on their physicochemical properties and dynamics of the plasma membrane. NPs-cell interaction is a complex process that decides the fate of NPs internalization through different endocytosis pathways.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to highlight the physicochemical properties of synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) and their interaction with the cellular-dynamics and pathways like phagocytosis, pinocytosis, macropinocytosis, clathrin, and caveolae-mediated endocytosis and the involvement of effector proteins domain such as clathrin, AP2, caveolin, Arf6, Cdc42, dynamin and cell surface receptors during the endocytosis process of NPs.

METHOD

An electronic search was performed to explore the focused reviews and research articles on types of endocytosis and physicochemical properties of nanoparticles and their impact on cellular internalizations. The search was limited to peer-reviewed journals in the PubMed database.

RESULTS

This article discusses in detail how different types of NPs and their physicochemical properties such as size, shape, aspect ratio, surface charge, hydrophobicity, elasticity, stiffness, corona formation, surface functionalization changes the pattern of endocytosis in the presence of different pharmacological blockers. Some external forces like a magnetic field, electric field, and ultrasound exploit the cell membrane dynamics to permeabilize them for efficient internalization with respect to fundamental principles of membrane bending and pore formation.

CONCLUSION

This review will be useful to attract and guide the audience to understand the endocytosis mechanism and their pattern with respect to physicochemical properties of NPs to improve their efficacy and targeting to achieve the impactful outcome in drug-delivery and theranostics applications.

The role of macrophage polarization and function in environmental toxicant-induced cancers

Macrophages are a critical member of the innate immune system and can intensify tumor invasiveness and assist the growth of neoplastic cells. Moreover, they have the capability to reinforce immunosuppression and angiogenesis. Various investigations suggest that health-related issues, including inflammatory disorders and neoplastic diseases may be caused by environmental toxicant exposure. However, it is still unclear what role these environmental toxicants play in causing carcinogenesis by disturbing the mechanisms of migration, polarization, differentiation, and immune-stimulatory functions of macrophages. Accordingly, in this article, we will explore the interaction between environmental chemicals and inflammatory macrophage processes at the molecular level and their association with tumor progression and carcinogenesis.

Focused role of nanoparticles against COVID-19: Diagnosis and treatment

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) has witnessed a rapid and global proliferation since its early identification in patients with severe pneumonia in Wuhan, China. As of 27th May 2020, 2019-nCoV cases have risen to >5 million, with confirmed deaths of 350,000. However, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) diagnostic and treatment measures are yet to be fully unraveled, given the novelty of this particular coronavirus. Therefore, existing antiviral agents used for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) were repurposed for COVID-19, taking their biological features into consideration. This study provides a concise review of the current and emerging detection and supervision technologies for SARS-CoV-2, which is the viral etiology of COVID19, and their performance characteristics, with emphasis on the novel Nano-based diagnostic tests (protein corona sensor array and magnetic levitation) and treatment measures (treatment protocols based on nano-silver colloids) for COVID-19.

Exploration and insights into the cellular internalization and intracellular fate of amphiphilic polymeric nanocarriers

The beneficial or deleterious effects of nanomedicines emerge from their complex interactions with intracellular pathways and their subcellular fate. Moreover, the dynamic nature of plasma membrane accounts for the movement of these nanocarriers within the cell towards different organelles thereby not only influencing their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties but also bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and toxicity. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of underlying parameters controlling nanocarrier endocytosis and intracellular fate is essential. In order to direct nanoparticles towards specific sub-cellular organelles the physicochemical attributes of nanocarriers can be manipulated. These include particle size, shape and surface charge/chemistry. Restricting the particle size of nanocarriers below 200 nm contributes to internalization via clathrin and caveolae mediated pathways. Similarly, a moderate negative surface potential confers endolysosomal escape and targeting towards mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi. This review aims to provide an insight into these physicochemical attributes of nanocarriers fabricated using amphiphilic graft copolymers affecting cellular internalization. Fundamental principles understood from experimental studies have been extrapolated to draw a general conclusion for the designing of optimized nanoparticulate drug delivery systems and enhanced intracellular uptake via specific endocytic pathway.

Emerging Biomolecular Testing to Assess the Risk of Mortality from COVID-19 Infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19) has produced an unprecedented global pandemic. Though the death rate from COVID-19 infection is ∼2%, many infected people recover at home. Among patients for whom COVID-19 is deadly are those with pre-existing comorbidities. Therefore, identification of populations at highest risk of COVID-19 mortality could significantly improve the capacity of healthcare providers to take early action and minimize the possibility of overwhelming care centers, which in turn would save many lives. Although several approaches have been used/developed (or are being developed/suggested) to diagnose COVID-19 infection, no approach is available/proposed for fast diagnosis of COVID-19 infections likely to be fatal. The central aim of this short perspective is to suggest a few possible nanobased technologies (i.e., protein corona sensor array and magnetic levitation) that could discriminate COVID-19-infected people while still in the early stages of infection who are at high risk of death. Such discrimination technologies would not only be useful in protecting health care centers from becoming overwhelmed but would also provide a powerful tool to better control possible future pandemics with a less social and economic burden.

Nanoparticle-Based Devices in the Control of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance (AR) is one of the most important public health challenges worldwide as it represents a serious complication that is able to increase the mortality, morbidity, disability, hospital stay and economic burden related to infectious diseases. As such, the spread of AR–pathogens must be considered as an emergency, and interdisciplinary approaches must be undertaken in order to develop not only drugs, but holistic strategies to undermine the epidemic and pathogenic potentials of multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. One of such approaches has focused on the use of antimicrobial nanoparticles (ANPs), as they have demonstrated to possess strong antimicrobial effects on MDR pathogens. On the other hand, the ability of bacteria to develop resistance to such agents is minimal. In this way, ANPs may seem a good choice for the development of new drugs, but there is no certainty about their safety, which may delay its translation to the clinical setting. As MDR pathogens are quickly becoming more prevalent and drug development is slow and expensive, there is an increasing need for the rapid development of new strategies to control such agents. We hereby explore the possibility of designing ANP-based devices such as surgical masks and fabrics, wound dressings, catheters, prostheses, dentifrices, water filters, and nanoparticle-coated metals to exploit the potential of such materials in the combat of MDR pathogens, with a good potential for translation into the clinical setting.

Nanotechnology-based Drug Delivery, Metabolism and Toxicity

BACKGROUND

Nanoparticles (NPs) are being used extensively owing to their increased surface area, targeted delivery and enhanced retention. NPs have the potential to be used in many disease conditions. Despite widespread use, their toxicity and clinical safety still remain a major concern.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the metabolism and toxicological effects of nanotherapeutics.

METHODS

Comprehensive, time-bound literature search was done covering the period from 2010 till date. The primary focus was on the metabolism of NP including their adsorption, degradation, clearance, and bio-persistence. This review also focuses on updated investigations on NPs with respect to their toxic effects on various in vitro and in vivo experimental models.

RESULTS

Nanotechnology is a thriving field of biomedical research and an efficient drug delivery system. Further their applications are under investigation for diagnosis of disease and as medical devices.

CONCLUSION

The toxicity of NPs is a major concern in the application of NPs as therapeutics. Studies addressing metabolism, side-effects and safety of NPs are desirable to gain maximum benefits of nanotherapeutics.

Targeted uptake of folic acid-functionalized polymeric nanoparticles loading glycoalkaloidic extract in vitro and in vivo assays

Solanum lycocarpum fruits contain two major glycoalkaloids (GAs), solamargine (SM) and solasonine (SS). These compounds are reported as cytotoxic. However, they have poor water solubility and low bioavailability. To overcome these disadvantages and getting an efficient formulation the current study aimed to develop, characterize, and test the effectiveness of a nanotechnology-based strategy using poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) nanoparticles functionalized with folate as delivery system of glycoalkaloidic extract (AE) for bladder cancer therapy. The strategic of adding folic acid into nanoformulations can increase the selectivity of the compounds to the cancer cells reducing the side effects. Our results revealed the successful preparation of AE-loaded folate-targeted nanoparticles (NP-F-AE) with particle size around 177 nm, negative zeta potential, polydispersity index <0.20, and higher efficiency of encapsulation for both GAs present in the extract (>85 %). To investigate the cellular uptake, the fluorescent dye coumarin-6 was encapsulated into the nanoparticle (NP-F-C6). The cell studies showed high uptake of nanoparticles by breast (MDA-MB-231) and bladder (RT4) cancer cells, but not for normal keratinocytes cells (HaCaT) indicating the target uptake to cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was evaluated on RT4 2D culture model showing 2.16-fold lower IC50 than the free AE. Furthermore, the IC50 increased on the RT4 spheroids compared to 2D model. The nanoparticles penetrated homogeneously into the urotheliumof porcine bladder. These results showed that folate-conjugated polymeric nanoparticles are potential carriers for targeted glycoalkaloidic extract delivery to bladder cancer cells.

Verteporfin-Loaded Anisotropic Poly(Beta-Amino Ester)-Based Micelles Demonstrate Brain Cancer-Selective Cytotoxicity and Enhanced Pharmacokinetics

BACKGROUND

Nanomedicine can improve traditional therapies by enhancing the controlled release of drugs at targeted tissues in the body. However, there still exists disease- and therapy-specific barriers that limit the efficacy of such treatments. A major challenge in developing effective therapies for one of the most aggressive brain tumors, glioblastoma (GBM), is affecting brain cancer cells while avoiding damage to the surrounding healthy brain parenchyma. Here, we developed poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE) (PEG-PBAE)-based micelles encapsulating verteporfin (VP) to increase tumor-specific targeting.

METHODS

Biodegradable, pH-sensitive micelles of different shapes were synthesized via nanoprecipitation using two different triblock PEG-PBAE-PEG copolymers varying in their relative hydrophobicity. The anti-tumor efficacy of verteporfin loaded in these anisotropic and spherical micelles was evaluated in vitro using patient-derived primary GBM cells.

RESULTS

For anisotropic micelles, uptake efficiency was ~100% in GBM cells (GBM1A and JHGBM612) while only 46% in normal human astrocytes (NHA) at 15.6 nM VP (p ≤ 0.0001). Cell killing of GBM1A and JHGBM612 vs NHA was 52% and 77% vs 29%, respectively, at 24 hrs post-treatment of 125 nM VP-encapsulated in anisotropic micelles (p ≤ 0.0001), demonstrating the tumor cell-specific selectivity of VP. Moreover, anisotropic micelles showed an approximately fivefold longer half-life in blood circulation than the analogous spherical micelles in a GBM xenograft model in mice. In this model, micelle accumulation to tumors was significantly greater for anisotropic micelle-treated mice compared to spherical micelle-treated mice at both 8 hrs (~1.8-fold greater, p ≤ 0.001) and 24 hrs (~2.1-fold greater, p ≤ 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Overall, this work highlights the promise of a biodegradable anisotropic micelle system to overcome multiple drug delivery challenges and enhance efficacy and safety for the treatment of brain cancer.

Effect of Cell Age on Uptake and Toxicity of Nanoparticles: The Overlooked Factor at the Nanobio Interface

Clinical translation of nanotechnologies has limited success, at least in part, due to the existence of several overlooked factors on the nature of the nanosystem (e.g., physicochemical properties of nanoparticles), nanobio interfaces (e.g., protein corona composition), and the cellular characteristics (e.g., cell type). In the past decade, several ignored factors including personalized and disease-specific protein corona (a layer of formed biomolecules at the surface of nanoparticles upon their entrance into a biological fluid), incubating temperature, local temperature gradient, cell shape, and cell sex has been introduced. Here, it was hypothesized and validated cell age as another overlooked factor in the field of nanomedicine. To test our hypothesis, cellular toxicity and uptake profiles of our model nanoparticles (i.e., PEGylated quantum dots, QDs) were probed in young and senescent cells (i.e., IMR90 fibroblast cells from human fetal lung and CCD841CoN epithelial cells from human fetal colon) and the outcomes revealed substantial dependency of cell-nanoparticles interactions to the cell age. For example, it was observed that the PEGylated QDs were acutely toxic to senescent IMR90 and CCD841CoN cells, leading to lysosomal membrane permeabilization which caused cell necrosis; in contrast, the young cells were resilient to the exact same amount of QDs and the same incubation time. It was also found that the formation of protein corona could delay the QDs' toxicity on senescent cells. These findings suggest that the cellular aging process have a capacity to cause deteriorative effects on their organelles and normal functions. The outcomes of this study suggest the proof-of-concept that cell age may have critical role in biosystem responses to nanoparticle technologies. Therefore, the effect of cell age should be carefully considered on the nanobio interactions and the information about cellular age (e.g., passage number and age of the cell donor) should be included in the nanomedicine papers to facilitate clinical translation of nanotechnologies and to help scientists to better design and produce safe and efficient diagnostic/therapeutic age-specific nanoparticles.

Silica nanoparticle surface chemistry: An important trait affecting cellular biocompatibility in two and three dimensional culture systems

Great advantages bestowed by mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) including high surface area, tailorable pore diameter and surface chemistry, and large pore volume render them as efficient tools in biomedical applications. Herein, MSNs with different surface chemistries were synthesized and investigated in terms of biocompatibility and their impact on the morphology of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells both in 2D and 3D culture systems. Bare MSNs (BMSNs) were synthesized by template removing method using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a precursor. The as-prepared BMSNs were then used to prepare amine-functionalized (AMSNs), carboxyl-functionalized (CMSNs) and polymeric amine-functionalized (PMSNs) samples, consecutively. These nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential measurement, dynamic light scattering, BET (Brunauer, Emmett, Teller) analysis, and FTIR technique. In a 3D culture system, stem cells were encapsulated in alginate hydrogel in which MSNs of different functionalities were incorporated. The results showed good biocompatibility for both BMSNs and AMSNs in 2D and 3D culture systems. For these samples, the viability of about 80% was acquired after 2 weeks of 3D culture. When compared to the control, CMSNs caused higher cell proliferation in the 2D culture; while they showed cytotoxic effects in the 3D culture system. Interestingly, polymeric amine-functionalized silica nanoparticles (PMSNs) resulted in disrupted morphology and very low viability in the 2D cell culture and even less viability in 3D environment in comparison to BMSNs and AMSNs. This significant decrease in cell viability was attributed to the higher uptake values of highly positively charged PMSNs by cells as compared to other MSNs. This up-regulated uptake was evaluated by using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy instrument (ICP-OES). These results uncover different interactions between cell and nanoparticles with various surface chemistries. Building on these results, new windows are opened for employing biocompatible nanoparticles such as BMSNs and AMSNs, even at high concentrations, as potential cargos for carrying required growth and/or differentiation factors for tissue engineering applications.

Protein corona variation in nanoparticles revisited: A dynamic grouping strategy

Bio-nano interface investigation models are mainly based on the type of proteins present on corona, bio-nano interaction responses and the evaluation of final outcomes. Due to the extensive diversity in correlative models for investigation of nanoparticles biological responses, a comprehensive model considering different aspects of bio-nano interface from nanoparticles properties to protein corona fingerprints appeared to be essential and cannot be ignored. In order to minimize divergence in studies in the era of bio-nano interface and protein corona with following therapeutic implications, a useful investigation model on the basis of RADAR concept is suggested. The contents of RADAR concept consist of five modules: 1- Reshape of our strategy for synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs), 2- Application of NPs selected based on human fluid, 3- Delivery strategy of NPs selected based on target tissue, 4- Analysis of proteins present on corona using correct procedures and 5- Risk assessment and risk reduction upon the collection and analysis of results to increase drug delivery efficiency and drug efficacy. RADAR grouping strategy for revisiting protein corona phenomenon as a key of success will be discussed with respect to the current state of knowledge.