Exploiting Nanotechnology for Drug Delivery: Advancing the Anti-Cancer Effects of Autophagy-Modulating Compounds in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background

Cancer continues to be a prominent issue in the field of medicine, as demonstrated by recent studies emphasizing the significant role of autophagy in the development of cancer. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides a variety of anti-tumor agents capable of regulating autophagy. However, the clinical application of autophagy-modulating compounds derived from TCM is impeded by their restricted water solubility and bioavailability. To overcome this challenge, the utilization of nanotechnology has been suggested as a potential solution. Nonetheless, the current body of literature on nanoparticles delivering TCM-derived autophagy-modulating anti-tumor compounds for cancer treatment is limited, lacking comprehensive summaries and detailed descriptions.

Methods

Up to November 2023, a comprehensive research study was conducted to gather relevant data using a variety of databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, Web of Science, and CNKI. The keywords utilized in this investigation included "autophagy", "nanoparticles", "traditional Chinese medicine" and "anticancer".

Results

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential of nanotechnology in overcoming delivery challenges and enhancing the anti-cancer properties of autophagy-modulating compounds in TCM. The evaluation is based on a synthesis of different classes of autophagy-modulating compounds in TCM, their mechanisms of action in cancer treatment, and their potential benefits as reported in various scholarly sources. The findings indicate that nanotechnology shows potential in enhancing the availability of autophagy-modulating agents in TCM, thereby opening up a plethora of potential therapeutic avenues.

Conclusion

Nanotechnology has the potential to enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of autophagy-modulating compounds in traditional TCM, through regulation of autophagy.

Nano-therapeutics: The upcoming nanomedicine to treat cancer

Nanotechnology is considered a successful approach for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Preferentially, cancer cell recognition and drug targeting via nano-delivery system include the penetration of anticancer agents into the cell membrane to damage the cancer cell by protein modification, DNA oxidation, or mitochondrial dysfunction. The past research on nano-delivery systems and their target has proven the beneficial achievement in a malignant tumor. Modern perceptions using inventive nanomaterials for cancer management have been offered by a multifunctional platform based on various nano-carriers with the probability of imaging and cancer therapy simultaneously. Emerging nano-delivery systems in cancer therapy still lack knowledge of the biological functions behind the interaction between nanoparticles and cancer cells. Since the potential of engineered nanoparticles addresses the various challenges, limiting the success of cancer therapy subsequently, it is a must to review the molecular targeting of a nano-delivery system to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of cancer. This review focuses on using a nano-delivery system, an imaging system, and encapsulated nanoparticles for cancer therapy.

Exosomes as a Nano-Carrier for Chemotherapeutics: A New Era of Oncology

Despite the considerable advancements in oncology, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Drug resistance mechanisms acquired by cancer cells and inefficient drug delivery limit the therapeutic efficacy of available chemotherapeutics drugs. However, studies have demonstrated that nano-drug carriers (NDCs) can overcome these limitations. In this sense, exosomes emerge as potential candidates for NDCs. This is because exosomes have better organotropism, homing capacity, cellular uptake, and cargo release ability than synthetic NDCs. In addition, exosomes can serve as NDCs for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drugs. Thus, this review aimed to summarize the latest advances in cell-free therapy, describing how the exosomes can contribute to each step of the carcinogenesis process and discussing how these nanosized vesicles could be explored as nano-drug carriers for chemotherapeutics.

Lithium: A Promising Anticancer Agent

Lithium is a therapeutic cation used to treat bipolar disorders but also has some important features as an anti-cancer agent. In this review, we provide a general overview of lithium, from its transport into cells, to its innovative administration forms, and based on genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. Lithium formulations such as lithium acetoacetate (LiAcAc), lithium chloride (LiCl), lithium citrate (Li₃C₆H₅O₇), and lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) induce apoptosis, autophagy, and inhibition of tumor growth and also participate in the regulation of tumor proliferation, tumor invasion, and metastasis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, lithium is synergistic with standard cancer therapies, enhancing their anti-tumor effects. In addition, lithium has a neuroprotective role in cancer patients, by improving their quality of life. Interestingly, nano-sized lithium enhances its anti-tumor activities and protects vital organs from the damage caused by lipid peroxidation during tumor development. However, these potential therapeutic activities of lithium depend on various factors, such as the nature and aggressiveness of the tumor, the type of lithium salt, and its form of administration and dosage. Since lithium has been used to treat bipolar disorder, the current study provides an overview of its role in medicine and how this has changed. This review also highlights the importance of this repurposed drug, which appears to have therapeutic cancer potential, and underlines its molecular mechanisms.

Nano-Delivery System of Ethanolic Extract of Propolis Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis via Aptamer-Modified-Niosomes

Tuberculosis (TB) therapy requires long-course multidrug regimens leading to the emergence of drug-resistant TB and increased public health burden worldwide. As the treatment strategy is more challenging, seeking a potent non-antibiotic agent has been raised. Propolis serve as a natural source of bioactive molecules. It has been evidenced to eliminate various microbial pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In this study, we fabricated the niosome-based drug delivery platform for ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) using thin film hydration method with Ag85A aptamer surface modification (Apt-PEGNio/EEP) to target Mtb. Physicochemical characterization of PEGNio/EEP indicated approximately -20 mV of zeta potential, 180 nm of spherical nanoparticles, 80% of entrapment efficiency, and the sustained release profile. The Apt-PEGNio/EEP and PEGNio/EEP showed no difference in these characteristics. The chemical composition in the nanostructure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Apt-PEGNio/EEP showed specific binding to Mycobacterium expressing Ag85 membrane-bound protein by confocal laser scanning microscope. It strongly inhibited Mtb in vitro and exhibited non-toxicity on alveolar macrophages. These findings indicate that the Apt-PEGNio/EEP acts as an antimycobacterial nanoparticle and might be a promising innovative targeted treatment. Further application of this smart nano-delivery system will lead to effective TB management.

Biomedicine Innovations and Its Nanohydrogel Classifications

As one of the most cutting-edge and promising polymer crosslinked network nanoparticle systems. Polymer nano-sized hydrogels (nanogels) have been a hot topic in the biomedical field over the last few decades. Due to their unique characteristics, which include their relatively high drug encapsulation efficiency, ease of preparation, high tunability, low toxicity, high stability in serum and responsive behavior to a range of stimuli to facilitate drug release. Nanogels are thought to be the next generation of drug delivery systems that can completely change the way that drug delivery systems have an impact on patients' lives. Nanogels have demonstrated significant potential in a variety of fields, including chemotherapy, diagnosis, organ targeting, and delivery of bioactive molecules of different dimensions. However, the lack of substantial clinical data from nanogels becomes one of the major barriers to translating the nanogel concept into a practical therapeutic application for many disease conditions. In addition, nanogel safety profiles have been the major concern that hinders it advancement to the clinical trial phase. This review aims to emphasize the unique properties of nanogels as delivery systems for a variety of bioactive molecules over other nano-delivery systems. Also, this review attempts to give insight into the recent progress in nanogels as a carrier in the field of nanomedicine to overcome complex biological barriers. Relevant scientific data and clinical rationale for the development and the potential use of nanogel as a carrier for targeted therapeutic interventions are discussed. Finally, the concluding points of this review highlight the importance of understanding the long-term toxicity profile of nanogel within the biological system to fully understand their biocompatibility.

In Silico and In Vivo Evaluation of microRNA-181c-5p's Role in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease, accounting for 75-85% of primary liver cancers. The conclusive research on miR-181c-5p's role in hepatocarcinogenesis, whether it has oncogenic effects or acts as a tumor repressor, is limited and fluctuating. Therefore, the current study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-181c-5p in HCC in silico and in vivo. The bioinformatics analysis of miR-181c-5p expression data in HCC using several databases strongly shed light on its involvement in HCC development, but also confirmed the fluctuating data around its role. miR-181c-5p was proven here to have an oncogenic role by increasing HepG2 cells' viability as confirmed by MTT analysis. In addition, miR-181c-5p was upregulated in the HCC positive control group and progressed the HCC development and malignant features by its forced expression in an HCC mouse model by targeted delivery using a LA-PAMAM polyplex. This is indicated by the cancerous gross and histological features, and the significant increase in liver function biomarkers. The functional enrichment bioinformatics analyses of miR-181c-5p-downregulated targets in HCC indicated that miR-181c-5p targets were significantly enriched in multiple pathways and biological processes involved in HCC development. Fbxl3, an example for miR-181c-5p potential targets, downregulation and its correlation with miR-181c-5p were validated by qPCR. In conclusion, miR-181c-5p is upregulated in HCC and has an oncogenic role enhancing HCC progression.

Recent Advances in Natural Polyphenol Research

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites produced by plants, which contribute to the plant's defense against abiotic stress conditions (e.g., UV radiation and precipitation), the aggression of herbivores, and plant pathogens. Epidemiological studies suggest that long-term consumption of plant polyphenols protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. Their structural diversity has fascinated and confronted analytical chemists on how to carry out unambiguous identification, exhaustive recovery from plants and organic waste, and define their nutritional and biological potential. The food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries employ polyphenols from fruits and vegetables to produce additives, additional foods, and supplements. In some cases, nanocarriers have been used to protect polyphenols during food processing, to solve the issues related to low water solubility, to transport them to the site of action, and improve their bioavailability. This review summarizes the structure-bioactivity relationships, processing parameters that impact polyphenol stability and bioavailability, the research progress in nanocarrier delivery, and the most innovative methodologies for the exhaustive recovery of polyphenols from plant and agri-waste materials.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)-Derived Phytochemicals Target Multiple Signaling Pathways to Confer Oncopreventive and Oncotherapeutic Effects

Cancer is a highly lethal disease, and its incidence has rapidly increased worldwide over the past few decades. Although chemotherapeutics and surgery are widely used in clinical settings, they are often insufficient to provide the cure for cancer patients. Hence, more effective treatment options are highly needed. Although licorice has been used as a medicinal herb since ancient times, the knowledge about molecular mechanisms behind its diverse bioactivities is still rather new. In this review article, different anticancer properties (antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, antimetastatic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects) of various bioactive constituents of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) are thoroughly described. Multiple licorice constituents have been shown to bind to and inhibit the activities of various cellular targets, including B-cell lymphoma 2, cyclin-dependent kinase 2, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, mammalian target of rapamycin, nuclear factor-κB, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, vascular endothelial growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinase-3, resulting in reduced carcinogenesis in several in vitro and in vivo models with no evident toxicity. Emerging evidence is bringing forth licorice as an anticancer agent as well as bottlenecks in its potential clinical application. It is expected that overcoming toxicity-related obstacles by using novel nanotechnological methods might importantly facilitate the use of anticancer properties of licorice-derived phytochemicals in the future. Therefore, anticancer studies with licorice components must be continued. Overall, licorice could be a natural alternative to the present medication for eradicating new emergent illnesses while having just minor side effects.

Title: Localized Nano-mediated Interleukin-12 Gene Therapy: Promising candidate for Cancer Immunotherapeutics

BACKGROUND

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has a pleiotropic nature that allows it to induce immune responses while reversing tumour-induced immunosuppression. Therefore, this paper discusses the application and potential of IL-12 as an antitumor immunotherapeutic agent, emphasizing its advantages and limitations and the need for and the development of localized IL-12 nano-delivery strategies in cancer immunotherapy.

METHODS

To assess the potential of localized nano-mediated Interleukin-12 gene therapy for cancer treatment, several databases from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, WorldCat.org and the National Library of Medicine were searched for peer-reviewed studies.

MAIN FINDINGS

From the literature search, it was evident that IL-12 is a promising cancer immunotherapeutic agent. However, the systemic delivery of IL-12 was compromised by severe dose-limiting side-effects, prompting the need for localized gene therapy to express the interleukin within the tumour microenvironment while minimizing systematic exposure. Although viral and non-viral gene therapy have demonstrated some efficacy in preclinical trials, the era of nanomedicine has opened novel avenues to improve therapeutic indices with minimal side effects. IL-12 activity can be further potentiated by combination with other anticancer molecules that display immunostimulatory, autoantigenic and cytotoxic properties. Combination therapy has gained significant interest in the last decade as they increase the therapeutic properties of gene therapy by decreasing the threshold for IL-12 efficacy and preventing systematic toxicity.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this article will provide researchers with the knowledge to create immunotherapeutic nanovectors which work synergistically with their therapeutic payload to enhance the therapeutic effect of the IL-12 gene to eliminate cancer cells.

In-Vivo Induced CAR-T Cell for the Potential Breakthrough to Overcome the Barriers of Current CAR-T Cell Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy has shown impressive success in the treatment of hematological malignancies, but the systemic toxicity and complex manufacturing process of current autologous CAR-T cell therapy hinder its broader applications. Universal CAR-T cells have been developed to simplify the production process through isolation and editing of allogeneic T cells from healthy persons, but the allogeneic CAR-T cells have recently encountered safety concerns, and clinical trials have been halted by the FDA. Thus, there is an urgent need to seek new ways to overcome the barriers of current CAR-T cell therapy. In-vivo CAR-T cells induced by nanocarriers loaded with CAR-genes and gene-editing tools have shown efficiency for regressing leukemia and reducing systemic toxicity in a mouse model. The in-situ programming of autologous T-cells avoids the safety concerns of allogeneic T cells, and the manufacture of nanocarriers can be easily standardized. Therefore, the in-vivo induced CAR-T cells can potentially overcome the abovementioned limitations of current CAR-T cell therapy. Here, we provide a review on CAR structures, gene-editing tools, and gene delivery techniques applied in immunotherapy to help design and develop new in-vivo induced CAR-T cells.

Galangin: A metabolite that suppresses anti-neoplastic activities through modulation of oncogenic targets

With the dramatic increase in cancer incidence all over the world in the last decades, studies on identifying novel efficient anti-cancer agents have been intensified. Historically, natural products have represented one of the most important sources of new lead compounds with a wide range of biological activities. In this article, the multifaceted anti-cancer action of propolis-derived flavonoid, galangin, is presented, discussing its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic effects in various cancer cells. In addition, co-effects with standard chemotherapeutic drugs as well as other natural compounds are also under discussion, besides highlighting modern nanotechnological advancements for overcoming the low bioavailability issue characteristic of galangin. Although further studies are needed for confirming the anti-cancer potential of galangin in vivo malignant systems, exploring this natural compound might open new perspectives in molecular oncology.

Natural Products from Madagascar, Socio-Cultural Usage, and Potential Applications in Advanced Biomedicine: A Concise Review

Natural products endowed of biological activity represent a primary source of commodities ranging from nutrition to therapeutic agents, as well as cosmetic tools and recreational principles. These natural means have been used by mankind for centuries, if not millennia. They are commonly used all over the world in socio-economical contexts, but are particularly attractive in disadvantaged areas or economically emerging situations all over the world. This is very likely due to the relatively easy recovery of these bioactive principles from the environment, at a low if any cost, as well as ease of administration and the general popular compliance concerning their consumption/ingestion. In this concise review, we focus on some popular bioactive principles of botanical origin which find a wide use in the Madagascan populations. However, due to space limitations, only some of the most common and largely diffused principles in this country are considered. Finally, a possible nanotechnological administration is discussed in the case where a potential therapeutic usage is envisaged.

Novel Self-Nano-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems Containing Astaxanthin for Topical Skin Delivery

Astaxanthin (ASX) is a potent lipophilic antioxidant derived from the natural pigment that gives marine animals their distinctive red-orange colour and confers protection from ultraviolet radiation. Self nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) have been successfully developed and evaluated to increase the skin penetration of ASX and target its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential to the epidermis and dermis. SNEDDS were prepared using a low-temperature spontaneous emulsification method, and their physical characteristics, stability, antioxidant activity, and skin penetration were characterized. Terpenes (D-limonene, geraniol, and farnesol) were included in the SNEDDS formulations to evaluate their potential skin penetration enhancement. An HPLC assay was developed that allowed ASX recovery from skin tissues and quantification. All SNEDDS formulations had droplets in the 20 nm range, with low polydispersity. ASX stability over 28 days storage in light and dark conditions was improved and antioxidant activity was high. SNEDDS-L1 (no terpene) gave significantly increased ASX penetration to the stratum corneum (SC) and the epidermis-dermis-follicle region (E + D + F) compared to an ASX in oil solution and a commercial ASX facial serum product. The SNEDDS-containing D-limonene gave the highest ASX permeation enhancement, with 3.34- and 3.79-fold the amount in the SC and E + D + F, respectively, compared to a similar applied dose of ASX in oil. We concluded that SNEDDS provide an effective formulation strategy for enhanced skin penetration of a highly lipophilic molecule, and when applied to ASX, have the potential to provide topical formulations for UV protection, anti-aging, and inflammatory conditions of the skin.

Hypoxia-Targeting Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Sensitized Chemotherapy and Phototherapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Purpose

Chemotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has many systemic side effects, as well as hypoxia-induced chemoresistance. To reduce side effects and enhance chemosensitivity are urgently needed.

Methods

We synthesized a drug delivery system (named CECMa NPs) based on cisplatin (CDDP) and metformin (chemotherapeutic sensitizer), of which chlorin e6 (Ce6) and polyethylene glycol diamine (PEG) were synthesized as the shell, an anti-LDLR antibody (which can target to hypoxic tumor cells) was modified on the surface to achieve tumor targeting.

Results

The NPs possessed a great synergistic effect of chemotherapy and phototherapy. After laser stimulation, both CDDP and metformin can be released in situ to achieve anti-tumor effects. Meanwhile, PDT and PTT triggered by a laser have anticancer effects. Furthermore, compared with free cisplatin, CECMa exhibits less systemic toxicity with laser irradiation in the xenograft mouse tumor model.

Conclusion

CECMa effectively destroyed the tumors via hypoxia targeting multimodal therapy both in vitro and in vivo, thereby providing a novel strategy for targeting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Mediated Co-delivery of Erlotinib (ELTN) and Fedratinib (FDTN) Toward the Treatment of ELTN-Resistant Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) via Suppression of the JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Background: Erlotinib (ELTN)-based targeted therapy as first-line treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant lung cancers suffers from insufficient selectivity, side effects, and drug resistance, which poses critical challenges in the clinical setting. Acquired resistance of ELTN results in extremely poor prognoses of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, wherein activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway has been proven to induce acquired ELTN resistance.

Methods: In this study, we developed a nanoparticle (NP) delivery system based on Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-poly(lactic acid) (PLA) for the co-delivery of ELTN and fedratinib (FDTN, a small-molecular, highly selective JAK2 inhibitor). Both ELTN and FDTN could be encapsulated into the PEG-PLA NPs via optimization of the encapsulation method. The effect of NPs on NSCLC cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Western blotting was performed to study the molecular mechanisms of NPs inhibiting the downstream pathways of EGFR in vitro. The histological analysis and protein expression in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results: The drug cargoes exhibited great stability, and could be released more efficiently in the acidic tumorous condition. Mechanistic study showed that FDTN notably down-regulated the expression levels of proteins in the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, including p-EGFR, p-JAK2, p-STAT3 and Survivin, therefore reversing the ELTN resistance. As a result, synergistic anti-cancer effect was achieved by PEG-PLA NPs encapsulating both ELTN and FDTN in ELTN-resistant NSCLC tumors both in vitro and in vivo, and lower systemic side effect was noted for the co-delivery NPs compared to free drugs.

Conclusion: This study provides a promising approach to overcome the ELTN resistance in the treatment of NSCLC, and the use of FDA-approved materials with clinically applied/investigated chemical drugs may facilitate the translation of the current delivery system.