[Research Progress on the Influence of Tumor Extracellular Matrix Mechanic Properties on Nanodrug Delivery]

Nanodrugs are widely utilized in the biomedical fields, exhibiting immense potential in cancer therapy in particular. However, tumors exist in an extremely complicated microenvironment where substances like collagen are continuously deposited and remodeled, leading to significant alterations in the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during tumor development. Previous research has primarily focused on the specific physicochemical properties of nanodrugs, such as particle size, electric charge, shape, surface chemistry, etc., and their effects on cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and in vivo pharmacokinetics. Limited studies have been done to explore the impact of ECM mechanical properties on nanodrug delivery. In this review, we systematically summarized the relevant research findings on this topic from the perspective of the characteristics and testing methods of tumor ECM mechanics. Additionally, we made a thorough discussion of the potential mechanical and biological mechanisms involved in nanodrug delivery. We proposed several noteworthy research directions. Regarding the overall strategy, there is a need to emphasize targeted delivery that combines ECM mechanics and nanomechanics to achieve precise drug delivery. Regarding the spatial aspect, attention should be given to the nonlinear spatial mechanical heterogeneity within the interior of solid tumors and the construction of mechanic microenvironment-adaptive nanocarriers to improve the delivery efficiency. Regarding the temporal aspect, emphasis should be placed on the dynamic development and changes in the mechanical microenvironment during solid tumor growth and treatment processes. Based on the stromal mechanical characteristics of the tumor tissues of individual patients, personalized treatment strategies can be formulated, which will enhance treatment specificity and efficacy. In addition, issues such as mechanically targeted nanodrug delivery, degradation, and metabolism under dynamic ECM mechanical conditions warrant further investigation.

CircNUP50 is a novel therapeutic target that promotes cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer by modulating p53 ubiquitination

BACKGROUND

Most patients with ovarian cancer (OC) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy have a dismal prognosis owing to drug resistance. However, the regulatory mechanisms of circular RNA (circRNA) and p53 ubiquitination are unknown in platinum-resistant OC. We aimed to identify circRNAs associated with platinum-resistant OC to develop a novel treatment strategy.

METHODS

Platinum-resistant circRNAs were screened through circRNA sequencing and validated using quantitative reverse-transcription PCR in OC cells and tissues. The characteristics of circNUP50 were analysed using Sanger sequencing, oligo (dT) primers, ribonuclease R and fluorescence in situ hybridisation assays. Functional experimental studies were performed in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism underlying circNUP50-mediated P53 ubiquitination was investigated through circRNA pull-down analysis and mass spectrometry, luciferase reporters, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence assays, cycloheximide chase assays, and ubiquitination experiments. Finally, a platinum and si-circNUP50 co-delivery nanosystem (Psc@DPP) was constructed to treat platinum-resistant OC in an orthotopic animal model.

RESULTS

We found that circNUP50 contributes to platinum-resistant conditions in OC by promoting cell proliferation, affecting the cell cycle, and reducing apoptosis. The si-circNUP50 mRNA sequencing and circRNA pull-down analysis showed that circNUP50 mediates platinum resistance in OC by binding p53 and UBE2T, accelerating p53 ubiquitination. By contrast, miRNA sequencing and circRNA pull-down experiments indicated that circNUP50 could serve as a sponge for miR-197-3p, thereby upregulating G3BP1 to mediate p53 ubiquitination, promoting OC platinum resistance. Psc@DPP effectively overcame platinum resistance in an OC tumour model and provided a novel idea for treating platinum-resistant OC using si-circNUP50.

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals a novel molecular mechanism by which circNUP50 mediates platinum resistance in OC by modulating p53 ubiquitination and provides new insights for developing effective therapeutic strategies for platinum resistance in OC.

Fucoidan, a brown seaweed polysaccharide in nanodrug delivery

Fucoidan-a sulfated marine seaweed obtained from brown algae-has raised considerable interest in the scientific community over the last decade as it possesses a wide range of biological activities such as antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, anticarcinogenic, and immunoregulatory. This polysaccharide finds application as a drug delivery vehicle due to its non-cytotoxicity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Besides, nano biomedical systems have used this marine alga for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Fucoidan has been extensively studied for use in regenerative medicines, in wound healing, and for sustained drug delivery due to its large biodiversity, cost-effectiveness, and mild procedures for extraction and purification. However, the main concern that limits its application is the variance in its batch-to-batch extraction owing to species type, harvesting, and climatic factors. The current review encloses a compendious overview of the origin, chemical structure, and physicochemical and biological properties of fucoidan and its significant role in nanodrug delivery systems. Special emphasis is given to the recent advances in the use of native/modified fucoidan, its combination with chitosan and metal ions for nanodrug delivery applications, especially in cancer treatment. Additionally, use of fucoidan in human clinical trials as a complementary therapeutic agent is also reviewed.

Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of dressings with ZnO nanoparticles in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in developed countries have a prevalence of 11% with diabetic foot infections as the most common cause of hospitalization and amputation. To achieve healing of the diabetic foot ulcer wounds, appropriate dressings are essential and their effectiveness can be enhanced with nanoparticles, nevertheless ideal combinations of dressing composition and nanodrugs require further testing in humans. We have developed a calcium alginate dressings with ZnO nanoparticles (CAZnODs) for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in human patients. To test the efficacy of CAZnODs we designed a randomized controlled clinical experiment on 26 T2D patients with foot ulcers. The patients were randomized into two groups: G1 treatment with calcium alginate with NPs (G1; n = 16), and group 2 received the treatment without NPs (G2, n = 10). The bandage change was performed every 48 h The duration of the protocol was established at 10 weeks. Here, we report healing was achieved in patients, with 75% wound closure in G1 under treatment with NPs of calcium alginate versus 71% in G2 (calcium alginate without NPs) (p = 0.011). The average healing time was 48 days in G1 and 72 days in G2. Our data shows that CAZnODs were well tolerated and did not interfere with the wound healing process. The final wound area and time of healing support the hypothesis that the use of calcium alginate dressings with nanoparticles may induce better tissue regeneration while avoiding T2D complications such as secondary infections.

Multifaceted role of phyto-derived polyphenols in nanodrug delivery systems

As naturally occurring bioactive products, several lines of evidence have shown the potential of polyphenols in the medical intervention of various diseases, including tumors, inflammatory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Notably, owing to the particular molecular structure, polyphenols can combine with proteins, metal ions, polymers, and nucleic acids providing better strategies for polyphenol-delivery strategies. This contributes to the inherent advantages of polyphenols as important functional components for other drug delivery strategies, e.g., protecting nanodrugs from oxidation as a protective layer, improving the physicochemical properties of carbohydrate polymer carriers, or being used to synthesize innovative functional delivery vehicles. Polyphenols have emerged as a multifaceted player in novel drug delivery systems, both as therapeutic agents delivered to intervene in disease progression and as essential components of drug carriers. Although an increasing number of studies have focused on polyphenol-based nanodrug delivery including epigallocatechin-3-gallate, curcumin, resveratrol, tannic acid, and polyphenol-related innovative preparations, these molecules are not without inherent shortcomings. The active biochemical characteristics of polyphenols constitute a prerequisite to their high-frequency use in drug delivery systems and likewise to provoke new challenges for the design and development of novel polyphenol drug delivery systems of improved efficacies. In this review, we focus on both the targeted delivery of polyphenols and the application of polyphenols as components of drug delivery carriers, and comprehensively elaborate on the application of polyphenols in new types of drug delivery systems. According to the different roles played by polyphenols in innovative drug delivery strategies, potential limitations and risks are discussed in detail including the influences on the physical and chemical properties of nanodrug delivery systems, and their influence on normal physiological functions inside the organism.

Extracellular vesicles in cancer nanomedicine

To date, a lot of nanotechnological optitions are available for targeted drug delivery. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane structures that cells use for storage, transport, communication, and signaling. Recent research has focused on EVs as natural nanoparticles for drug delivery. This review sheds light on the application of EVs in cancer therapy, such as targeted chemotherapy, gene therapy, and vaccine development. Aspects of biogenesis, isolation, targeting, and loading of EVs are discussed in detail.

Nanoinformatics and biomolecular nanomodeling: a novel move en route for effective cancer treatment

Empowering role of nanoinformatics in design and elucidation of nanoparticles for effective cancer treatment has made this field a fascinating area for researchers, inspiring them to enhance up the quality and efficacy of existing anticancer medicines. Theoretical and computational modeling is being seen as a forefront solution for problems related to surface chemistry, optimized geometry, or other properties in nanoparticle designing and drug delivery. The current review aims to acquaint with the insight story of the incubation of in silico tools and techniques in nanotechnology to develop better anticancer nanomedicines. The review also recapitulates the assets and liabilities of this field and present an outline of existing inventiveness and endeavors of nanoinformatics. We propose how nanoinformatics could hasten up the advancements in anticancer nanomedicines through use of computational tools, nanoparticles repositories & various modeling and simulation methods.

Dual peptide-dendrimer conjugate inhibits acetylation of transforming growth factor β-induced protein and improves survival in sepsis

Sepsis is a potentially fatal complication of infections and there are currently no effective therapeutic options for severe sepsis. In this study, we revealed the secretion mechanism of transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBIp) that was recently identified as a therapeutic target for sepsis, and designed TGFBIp acetylation inhibitory peptide (TAIP) that suppresses acetylation of lysine 676 in TGFBIp. To improve bioavailability and biodegradation of the peptide, TAIP was conjugated to polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. Additionally, the cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) was conjugated to the TAIP-modified PAMAM dendrimers for the intracellular delivery of TGFBIp. The resulting nanostructures, decorated with TAIP and CPP via poly(ethylene glycol) linkage, improved the mortality and organ damage in the septic mouse model and suppressed lipopolysaccharide-activated severe vascular inflammatory responses in endothelial cells. Thus, the dendrimer-based nanostructures for delivery of TAIP using CPP show great promise in practical applications in sepsis therapy.

Lipid-based nanodelivery approaches for dopamine-replacement therapies in Parkinson's disease: From preclinical to translational studies

The incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, has increased exponentially as the global population continues to age. Although the etiological factors contributing to PD remain uncertain, its average incidence rate is reported to be 1% of the global population older than 60 years. PD is primarily characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons and/or associated neuronal networks and the subsequent depletion of dopamine (DA) levels in the brain. Thus, DA or levodopa (l-dopa), a precursor of DA, represent cardinal targets for both idiopathic and symptomatic PD therapeutics. While several therapeutic strategies have been investigated over the past decade for their abilities to curb the progression of PD, an effective cure for PD is currently unavailable. Even DA replacement therapy, an effective PD therapeutic strategy that provides an exogenous supply of DA or l-dopa, has been hindered by severe challenges, such as a poor capacity to bypass the blood-brain barrier and inadequate bioavailability. Nevertheless, with recent advances in nanotechnology, several drug delivery systems have been developed to bypass the barriers associated with central nervous system therapeutics. In here, we sought to describe the adapted lipid-based nanodrug delivery systems used in the field of PD therapeutics and their recent advances, with a particular focus placed on DA replacement therapies. This work initially explores the background of PD; offers descriptions of the most recent molecular targets; currently available clinical medications/limitations; an overview of several lipid-based PD nanotherapeutics, functionalized nanoparticles, and technical aspects in brain delivery; and, finally, presents future perspectives to enhance the use of nanotherapeutics in PD treatment.

Heterogeneous blood flow in microvessels with applications to nanodrug transport and mass transfer into tumor tissue

Nanodrug transport in tumor microvasculature and deposition/extravasation into tumor tissue are an important link in the nanodrug delivery process. Considering heterogeneous blood flow, such a dual process is numerically studied. The hematocrit distribution is solved by directly considering the forces experienced by the red blood cells (RBCs), i.e., the wall lift force and the random cell collision force. Using a straight microvessel as a test bed, validated computer simulations are performed to determine blood flow characteristics as well as the resulting nanodrug distribution and extravasation. The results confirm that RBCs migrate away from the vessel wall, leaving a cell-free layer (CFL). Nanodrug particles tend to preferentially accumulate in the CFL, leading to increased concentration near the endothelial surface layer. However, shear-induced NP diffusion is diminished within the CFL, causing to a much slower lateral transport rate into tumor tissue. These competing effects determine the NP deposition/extravasation rates. The present modeling framework and NP flux results provide new physical insight. The analysis can be readily extended to simulations of NP transport in blood microvessels of actual tumors.

New Avenues for Nanoparticle-Related Therapies

Development of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems has been attempted for the treatment of cancer over the past decade. The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect is the major mechanism to passively deliver nanodrugs to tumor tissue. However, a recent systematic review demonstrated limited success of these studies, with the clearance of nanoparticles by the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS) being a major hurdle. Herein, we propose that nanotechnologists should reconsider their research focuses, aiming for therapeutic targets other than cancer. Treatments for diseases that do not (or less) rely on EPR should be considered, such as active targeting or MPS evasion systems. For example, systemic delivery of drugs through intravenous injection can be used to treat sepsis, multi-organ failure, metabolic disorders, blood diseases, immune and autoimmune diseases, etc. Local delivery of nanodrugs to organs such as the lung, rectum, or bladder may enhance the local drug concentration with less clearance via MPS. In transplant settings, ex vivo organ perfusion provides a new route to repair injury of isolated organs in the absence of MPS. Based on a similar concept, chemotherapy with in vivo lung perfusion techniques and other isolated organ perfusion provides opportunities for cancer therapy.

Mycolic acids, a promising mycobacterial ligand for targeting of nanoencapsulated drugs in tuberculosis

The appearance of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) poses a great challenge to the development of novel treatment programmes to combat tuberculosis. Since innovative nanotechnologies might alleviate the limitations of current therapies, we have designed a new nanoformulation for use as an anti-TB drug delivery system. It consists of incorporating mycobacterial cell wall mycolic acids (MA) as targeting ligands into a drug-encapsulating Poly dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid polymer (PLGA), via a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Bone marrow-derived mouse macrophages, either uninfected or infected with different mycobacterial strains (Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium bovis BCG or Mtb), were exposed to encapsulated isoniazid-PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) using MA as a targeting ligand. The fate of the NPs was monitored by electron microscopy. Our study showed that i) the inclusion of MA in the nanoformulations resulted in their expression on the outer surface and a significant increase in phagocytic uptake of the NPs; ii) nanoparticle-containing phagosomes were rapidly processed into phagolysosomes, whether MA had been included or not; and iii) nanoparticle-containing phagolysosomes did not fuse with non-matured mycobacterium-containing phagosomes, but fusion events with mycobacterium-containing phagolysosomes were clearly observed.

Rational design of cancer-targeted selenium nanoparticles to antagonize multidrug resistance in cancer cells

Multidrug resistance is one of the greatest challenges in cancer therapy. Herein we described the synthesis of folate (FA)-conjugated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) as cancer-targeted nano-drug delivery system for ruthenium polypyridyl (RuPOP) exhibits strong fluorescence, which allows the direct imaging of the cellular trafficking of the nanosystem. This nanosystem could effectively antagonize against multidrug resistance in liver cancer. FA surface conjugation significantly enhanced the cellular uptake of SeNPs by FA receptor-mediated endocytosis through nystain-dependent lipid raft-mediated and clathrin-mediated pathways. The nanomaterials overcame the multidrug resistance in R-HepG2 cells through inhibition of ABC family proteins expression. Internalized nanoparticles triggered ROS overproduction and induced apoptosis by activating p53 and MAPKs pathways. Moreover, FA-SeNPs exhibited low in vivo acute toxicity, which verified the safety and application potential of FA-SeNPs as nanodrugs. This study provides an effective strategy for the design of cancer-targeted nanodrugs against multidrug resistant cancers.

FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR

In the combat against hepatocellular carcinoma, multidrug resistance remains one of the obstacles to be overcome. The authors designed and synthesized folate (FA)-conjugated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with enhanced cancer-targeting capability. This system carried ruthenium polypyridyl (RuPOP), an efficient metal-based anti-cancer drug with strong fluorescence. It was shown that this combination was effective in antagonizing against multidrug resistance in vitro.