Effect of platelet exosomes loaded with doxorubicin as a targeted therapy on triple-negative breast cancer cells

Exosomes have come to the fore in drug delivery systems due to their biological-based and immune-suppressing properties. In this study, we investigated the effect of doxorubicin loading of exosomes isolated from human platelets on breast cancer.Exosomes released from ADP (1 µM)-activated platelets were isolated by the ultracentrifugation method, and their size and charge were measured with a TEM and zeta sizer. Then doxorubicin (Dox) loading into exosomes (PLT-Exo-Dox) was done by electroporation and incubated with MDA-MB-231 cells. In exosome characterization, CD62 positivity was higher in platelet pellets, while CD9 positivity was higher in released exosomes. The size of PLT-Exo and PLT-Exo-Dox was 82.02 ± 5.21 nm and 116 ± 3.73 nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.26 ± 0.04 and 0.39 ± 0.06, and the Zeta potential was - 16.45 mV and 24.07 mV, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency of the preparation was 86.02 ± 6.16%, with a drug loading capacity of 4.75 ± 0.16 µg/µg of the exosome. In MDA-MB-231 cells, PLT-Exo increased cell viability, while PLT-Exo-Dox decreased in 24 h. The Annexin-V binding level and Bax gene expression were increased in PLT-Exo-Dox and Bcl-2 gene expression was decreased. This study will shed light on the development of release systems that can be effective with chemotherapeutic agents by using exosomes released by cells in the development of personalized treatments.

Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell exosomes induce apoptosis and suppress EMT signaling in cervical cancer cells as an effective drug carrier system of paclitaxel

Mesenchymal stem cells can be obtained and multiplied from various sources and have a very high capacity to release exosomes. Exosomes are nano-sized extracellular vesicles containing biological signaling molecules. This study aimed to determine the effect of MSC-derived exosomes as a drug delivery system for paclitaxel in cervical cancer cells. In this study, human MSC were isolated from wharton jelly of umbilical cord tissue (WJ-MSC), and cells were characterized by CD44, CD90, CD105, and CD34 staining. Exosomes were released in WJ-MSC cells with serum-starved conditions for 48 hours, and particle sizes and structures were examined with zeta-sizer and TEM. In addition, exosomes CD9, CD63, and CD81 markers were checked by western blot. Paclitaxel was loaded into exosomes (Exo-PAC) by electroporation and then incubated with Hela cervical cancer cells for 24 hours. TGF-β, SMAD, Snail, Slug, β-catenin, Notch, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Bax, Bcl-2 protein and gene expression levels were analyzed in Hela cells. As a result, low concentration Exo-PAC induced apoptosis, and suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition proteins in Hela cells. In this study, it has been demonstrated that WJ-MSCs can be used as drug delivery systems for cervical cancer if exosomes are produced scalably in the future.

Nanodesigning of multifunctional quantum dots and nanoparticles for the treatment of fibrosarcoma

AIM

An effective, dual drug(DD) loaded nanocarrier system (nano particle(NP), quantum dots(QDs)) having two active substances was aimed to develop for the treatment of fibrosarcoma.

METHODS

Zinc oxide(ZnO) QDs were produced using zinc acetate dehydrate as a precursor, were incorporated with chitosan(Ch), and finally decorated with PEG-linked folic acid and were found to be effective after imatinib mesylate(IM) and dexketoprofen trometamol(DT) were loaded. Characterizations, invitro drug releases, cell toxicities, penetrations through cell lines and in-vivo animal tests of the prepared nanosystems were performed.

RESULTS

The size of hybrid nanoparticles were 168.6 ± 48.8nm, surface charge was -35.8 ± 0.26mV. The encapsulation efficiency was 75% for IM and 99% for DT. DD-functionalized QDChNPs and lyophilized functionalized QDChNPs in capsules slowed down tumor growth by up to 76.5 % and 88.7 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that developed hybrid nanoparticles are highly effective. This hybrid system gathers many of the advantages of nanotechnology into one form.

TRAIL Conjugated Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis, Characterization and Therapeutic Effects on HT-29 Colon Cancer Cells

Colon cancer is one of the most prominent causes of cancer-related morbidity and mortality and curable if detected in the early stages. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a therapeutic protein and has a potential anti-cancer activity that is widely used for the treatment of several cancers. In this study, we aimed to develop a silver nanoparticle system conjugated with TRAIL and coated with PEG (AgCTP NPs) to improve the therapeutic effects of colon cancer. AgCTP NPs were characterized by UV spectrum, FTIR and zetasizer. Cytotoxicity, hemolysis assay and apoptotic effects of nanoparticles were investigated using a colon cancer cell line (HT-29) in-vitro. Treatment with AgCTP NPs effectively inhibited proliferation and colony formation of HT-29 cells. The apoptotic effects of nanoparticles on HT-29 cells were determined as Bax, Bcl-2, PARP and clv-PARP protein expression levels using Western blot. Apoptotic proteins were upregulated by AgCTP NPs. In this study, we demonstrated that AgCTP NPs had an anti-cancer effect by activating cell death. Thus, we have confirmed that silver nanoparticles can be selected as a good carrier for TRAIL therapeutic proteins that can be used to treat colon cancer.

Long chain fatty acids can form aggregates and affect the membrane integrity

Stearic acid (SA) and oleic acid (OA) which are inherently existing fatty acids (FAs) in the body can alter cell membrane function and interact with each other. However, discrepancies arise as to whether these effects are beneficial or harmful on the body. To resolve this ambiguity, there is a dire need to study how FAs can affect the etiology of diseases and their treatment. In this study, we aimed to investigate long chain FAs aggregation behaviors and their effects on membrane integrity and cell viability. We determined the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of SA and OA (1110 μM and 300 μM, respectively which were less amount than that used in nanocarriers). In TEM images, hexagonal overlapped or fused structures of SA were seen, whereas quite small spherical clusters of OA were obtained. Membrane integrity assessments demonstrated that SA and OA at their own CAC and below could crack the lipid junctions on membrane mimicking systems. Moreover, they completely disrupt the membrane integrity above the CAC at pH 7.2. Cell viabilities on various cell lines were assessed after exposed to SA or OA aggregates. SA was more aggressive than OA on cell death in all cell lines. The effect of SA on PC3 cell lines was in a concentration-dependent manner. The effect of SA above CAC boosted the inhibition of cell viability. Furthermore, OA showed a proliferation effect on PC3 cells. Consequently, the aggregation behavior of FAs should be considered as a noteworthy factor in physiological functions.

Development of Orally Applicable, Combinatorial Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Fibrosarcoma

Nanoparticulate systems have been receiving a significant attention especially for the treatment of cancer but one of the main hurdles is to produce these developed and high-tech nanosystems in large quantities. Anticancer drug formulations are generally designed for parenteral administrations but oral administration is still the most convenient route. In this study, orally applicable nano-sized chitosan nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully prepared using Nano Spray Dryer. It is possible to produce these NPs in large quantities by simply increasing the processing time using the machine without changing any parameter. A chemotherapeutic agent (imatinib mesylate; IMA) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (dexketoprofen trometamol) were loaded together in these NPs. NPs were also functionalized with polyethylene glycol and folic acid to obtain long circulating NPs and tumor targeting. The antitumoral activities of formulations showed that these developed NPs can enhance the effectiveness. Animal experiments were performed on fibrosarcoma-bearing mice model, and the treatment with 0.8 mg/μL/kg IMA-loaded chitosan NPs was found to be successful to slow down the growth of tumors. The tumor tissues were removed from the animals and enzymatic activities were evaluated. The inhibitory effect of tyrosine kinase was found to be enhanced from 36.4% to 68.4% when IMA was used in combination with dexketoprofen trometamol. Furthermore, all dried NPs were found to be stable for more than a year at 25°C. Presented results show that these developed combinatorial drug-loaded NPs can be used for the treatment of fibrosarcoma, and these data can provide an insight, new strategies for productions or alternatives in cancer treatment.