Inhalable Biomineralized Liposomes for Cyclic Ca2+-Burst-Centered Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Enhanced Lung Cancer Ferroptosis Therapy

Nanomedicines for targeted pulmonary delivery: receptor-mediated strategy and alternatives

Pulmonary drug delivery of nanomedicines is promising for the treatment of lung diseases; however, their lack of specificity required for targeted delivery limit their applications. Recently, a variety of pulmonary delivery targeting nanomedicines (PDTNs) has been developed for enhancing drug accumulation in lung lesions and reducing systemic side effects. Furthermore, with the increasing profound understanding of the specific microenvironment of different local lung diseases, multiple targeting strategies have been employed to promote drug delivery efficiency, which can be divided into the receptor-mediated strategy and alternatives. In this review, the current publication trend on PDTNs is analyzed and discussed, revealing that the research in this area has been attracting much attention. According to the different unique microenvironments of lung lesions, the reported PDTNs based on the receptor-mediated strategy for lung cancer, lung infection, lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis are listed and summarized. In addition, several other well-established strategies for the design of these PDTNs, such as charge regulation, mucus delivery enhancement, stimulus-responsive drug delivery and magnetic force-driven targeting, are introduced and discussed. Besides, bottlenecks in the development of PDTNs are discussed. Finally, we highlight the challenges and opportunities in the development of PDTNs. We hope that this review will provide an overview of the available PDTNs for guiding the treatment of lung diseases.

Identification of a novel ferroptosis-inducing micropeptide in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy in males, and currently lacks ideal therapeutic approaches. Exploring emerging therapeutic targets from the perspective of endogenous peptides to improve the prognosis of bladder cancer patients holds promise. In this study, we have identified CTSGDP-13, a novel endogenous peptide, which demonstrates potential anti-cancer effects in BC. Our findings reveal that CTSGDP-13 can promote ferroptosis in BC cells, both in vitro and in vivo, leading to the inhibition of BC progression. Furthermore, we have identified TRIM25 as a downstream regulatory target of CTSGDP-13. The expression of TRIM25 is significantly upregulated in BC, and its inhibition of ferroptosis promotes BC progression. Mechanistic studies have shown that CTSGDP-13 promotes the ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of TRIM25 by disrupting its interaction with the deubiquitinase USP7. Further investigations indicate that CTSGDP-13 promotes ferroptosis in BC by regulating the USP7/TRIM25/KEAP1 axis. The elucidation of the functional mechanisms of natural CTSGDP-13 and TRIM25 holds promise in providing valuable therapeutic targets for BC diagnosis and treatment.

Recent progress in biomaterials-driven ferroptosis for cancer therapy

Ferroptosis, first suggested in 2012, is a type of non-apoptotic programmed cell death caused by the buildup of lipid peroxidation and marked by an overabundance of oxidized poly unsaturated fatty acids. During the last decade, researchers have uncovered the formation of ferroptosis and created multiple drugs aimed at it, but due to poor selectivity and pharmacokinetics, clinical application has been hindered. In recent years, biomedical discoveries and developments in nanotechnology have spurred the investigation of ferroptosis nanomaterials, providing new opportunities for the ferroptosis driven tumours treatment. Additionally, hydrogels have been widely studied in ferroptosis because of their unique 3D structure and excellent controllability. By using these biomaterials, it is possible to achieve controlled release and targeted delivery of drugs, thus increasing the potency of the drugs and minimizing adverse effects. Therefore, summarizing the biomedical nanomaterials, including hydrogels, used in ferroptosis for cancer therapy is a must. This article provides an overview of ferroptosis, detailing its properties and underlying mechanisms. It also categorizes and reviews the use of various nanomaterials in ferroptosis, along with relevant explanations and illustrations. In addition, we discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the application of nanomaterials in ferroptosis. Finally, the development prospects of this field are prospected. This review is intended to provide a foundation for the development and application of biomedical nanomaterials in ferroptosis.

Dihydroartemisinin inhibits liver cancer cell migration and invasion by reducing ATP synthase production through CaMKK2/NCLX

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) and mitochondrial sodium/calcium exchanger protein (NCLX) are key regulatory factors in calcium homeostasis. Finding natural drugs that target regulators of calcium homeostasis is critical. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is considered to have anticancer effects. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of DHA in regulating liver cancer migration and invasion. The present study used HepG2 and HuH-7 cells and overexpressed CaMKK2 and knocked down CaMKK2 and NCLX. The antiproliferative activity of DHA on liver cancer cells was assessed through colony formation and EdU assays. Cell apoptosis was detected through YO-PRO-1/PI staining. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using a ROS detection kit (DCFH-DA fluorescent probe). Cell migratory and invasive abilities were examined using wound healing and Transwell assays. The ATP production of liver cancer cells was detected using ATP fluorescent probes. Cell microfilaments were monitored for changes using Actin-Tracker Green-488. The effects of DHA on the expression of CaMKK2, NCLX, sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit α-1 (ATP1A1) and ATP synthase subunit d, mitochondrial (ATP5H) were determined by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The results revealed that DHA significantly inhibited proliferation, reduced ROS levels and promoted apoptosis in liver cancer cells. CaMKK2 overexpression significantly enhanced the invasive and migratory ability of liver cancer cells, whereas DHA inhibited the pro-migratory effects of CaMKK2 overexpression. DHA significantly reduced the mitochondrial ATP production and altered the arrangement of microfilaments in liver cancer cells. In addition, DHA significantly decreased the expression of CaMKK2, NCLX, ATP1A1 and ATP5H. Furthermore, by knockdown experiments of NCLX the results demonstrated that CaMKK2 downregulated the expression of ATP1A1 and ATP5H in liver cancer cells through NCLX. In conclusion, DHA may reduce ATP synthase production via the CaMKK2/NCLX signaling pathway to inhibit the invasive phenotype of liver cancer cells. It is essential to further investigate the effectiveness of DHA in the anticancer mechanism of liver cancer cells.

Role of CELF2 in ferroptosis: Potential targets for cancer therapy (Review)

Ferroptosis is a novel form of regulated cellular necrosis that plays a critical role in promoting cancer progression and developing drug resistance. The main characteristic of ferroptosis is iron‑dependent lipid peroxidation caused by excess intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species. CUGBP ELAV‑like family number 2 (CELF2) is an RNA‑binding protein that is downregulated in various types of cancer and is associated with poor patient prognoses. CELF2 can directly bind mRNA to a variety of ferroptosis control factors; however, direct evidence of the regulatory role of CELF2 in ferroptosis is currently limited. The aim of the present review was to summarise the findings of previous studies on CELF2 and its role in regulating cellular redox homeostasis. The present review may provide insight into the possible mechanisms through which CELF2 affects ferroptosis and to provide recommendations for future studies.

Cyclovirobuxine D pretreatment ameliorates septic heart injury through mitigation of ferroptosis

Myocardial dysfunction is a frequent complication in patients with severe sepsis. However, effective drugs for the prevention of myocardial dysfunction and the molecular mechanisms of the disease remain elusive. The present study demonstrated that Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-D) could improve cardiac dysfunction in a cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model in rodents and in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model in vitro. Echocardiography and histopathological examination were used to detect changes in cardiac structure and function. Kits were used to detect indicators of cardiac injury, transmission electron microscopy to detect structural changes in mitochondria and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR to detect prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 and hamp expression levels. L-Glutathione and malondialdehyde levels and superoxide dismutase activity were measured using kits. Cell viability was measured with the Cell Counting Kit-8. Iron metabolism-related proteins, inflammatory factor levels and related pathway proteins were detected using western blot analysis. Changes in L-type calcium currents were detected by membrane clamp, and contractility of cardiomyocytes was measured by Ion Optix. CVB-D attenuated CLP-induced cardiac malfunction in septic rats, with changes observed in myocardial pathological structure, creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI). CVB-D attenuated sepsis-induced lipid peroxidation and iron overload. In addition, CVB-D decreased the expression of CK-MB, LDH and cTnI, suppressed oxidative stress index levels and reduced the production of reactive oxygen species. CVB-D decreased LPS-induced cytoplasmic iron overload by increasing upregulation of iron uptake molecules. Conversely, CVB-D significantly increased the upregulation of ferroportin 1. CVB-D pretreatment significantly reduced the levels of hamp mRNA compared with the LPS-treated group. CVB-D pretreatment significantly reduced inflammatory factor levels and the ratio of phosphorylated vs. total signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. The expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 was upregulated in septic cells pretreated with CVB-D, however treatment with ML385 largely decreased this upregulation. Of note, CVB-D inhibited the inward flow of calcium ions through the LTCC. In conclusion, these findings suggest that CVB-D alleviated sepsis-induced cardiac iron toxicity by alleviating iron metabolism.

Engineering Ferroptosis Inhibitors as Inhalable Nanomedicines for the Highly Efficient Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) refers to chronic progressive fibrotic interstitial pneumonia. It is called a "tumor-like disease" and cannot be cured using existing clinical drugs. Therefore, new treatment options are urgently needed. Studies have proven that ferroptosis is closely related to the development of IPF, and ferroptosis inhibitors can slow down the occurrence of IPF by chelating iron or reducing lipid peroxidation. For example, the ferroptosis inhibitor deferoxamine (DFO) was used to treat a mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis, and DFO successfully reversed the IPF phenotype and increased the survival rate of mice from 50% to 90%. Given this, we perceive that the treatment of IPF by delivering ferroptosis inhibitors is a promising option. However, the delivery of ferroptosis inhibitors faces two bottlenecks: low solubility and targeting. For one thing, we consider preparing ferroptosis inhibitors into nanomedicines to improve solubility. For another thing, we propose to deliver nanomedicines through pulmonary drug-delivery system (PDDS) to improve targeting. Compared with oral or injection administration, PDDS can achieve better delivery and accumulation in the lung, while reducing the systemic exposure of the drug, and is an efficient and safe drug-delivery method. In this paper, three possible nanomedicines for PDDS and the preparation methods thereof are proposed to deliver ferroptosis inhibitors for the treatment of IPF. Proper administration devices and challenges in future applications are also discussed. In general, this perspective proposes a promising strategy for the treatment of IPF based on inhalable nanomedicines carrying ferroptosis inhibitors, which can inspire new ideas in the field of drug development and therapy of IPF.

Ferroptosis in Haematological Malignancies and Associated Therapeutic Nanotechnologies

Haematological malignancies are heterogeneous groups of cancers of the bone marrow, blood or lymph nodes, and while therapeutic advances have greatly improved the lifespan and quality of life of those afflicted, many of these cancers remain incurable. The iron-dependent, lipid oxidation-mediated form of cell death, ferroptosis, has emerged as a promising pathway to induce cancer cell death, particularly in those malignancies that are resistant to traditional apoptosis-inducing therapies. Although promising findings have been published in several solid and haematological malignancies, the major drawbacks of ferroptosis-inducing therapies are efficient drug delivery and toxicities to healthy tissue. The development of tumour-targeting and precision medicines, particularly when combined with nanotechnologies, holds potential as a way in which to overcome these obstacles and progress ferroptosis-inducing therapies into the clinic. Here, we review the current state-of-play of ferroptosis in haematological malignancies as well as encouraging discoveries in the field of ferroptosis nanotechnologies. While the research into ferroptosis nanotechnologies in haematological malignancies is limited, its pre-clinical success in solid tumours suggests this is a very feasible therapeutic approach to treat blood cancers such as multiple myeloma, lymphoma and leukaemia.