Exquisite Vesicular Nanomedicine by Paclitaxel Mediated Co-assembly with Camptothecin Prodrug

Ferrocene-Conjugated Paclitaxel Prodrug for Combined Chemo-Ferroptosis Therapy of Cancer

Herein, we developed a paclitaxel prodrug (PSFc) through the conjugation of paclitaxel (PTX) and ferrocene via a redox-responsive disulfide bond. PSFc displays acid-enhanced catalytic activity of Fenton reaction and is capable of forming stable nanoparticles (PSFc NPs) through the assembly with distearoyl phosphoethanolamine-PEG2000. After being endocytosed, PSFc NPs could release PTX to promote cell apoptosis in response to overexpressed redox-active species of tumor cells. Meanwhile, the ferrocene-mediated Fenton reaction promotes intracellular accumulation of hydroxyl radicals and depletion of glutathione, thus leading to ferroptosis. Compared with the clinically used Taxol, PSFc NPs exhibited more potent in vivo antitumor outcomes through the combined effect of chemotherapy and ferroptosis. This study may offer insight into a facile design of a prodrug integrating different tumor treatment methods for combating malignant tumors.

Copper-Induced Supramolecular Peptide Assemblies for Multi-Pathway Cell Death and Tumor Inhibition

Although self-assembly has emerged as an effective tool for fabricating biomaterials, achieving precise control over the morphologies and functionalities of the resultant assemblies remains an ongoing challenge. Inspired by the copper peptide naturally present in human plasma, in this study, we designed a synthetic precursor, FcGH. FcGH can self-assemble via two distinct pathways: spontaneous and Cu2+-induced. These two assembly pathways enabled the formation of assemblies with tunable morphologies by adjusting the amount of added Cu2+. We found that the nanoparticles formed by Cu2+-induced self-assembly exhibited a significantly higher cellular uptake efficiency than the wormlike fibers formed spontaneously. Moreover, this Cu2+-induced assembly process occurred spontaneously at a 1 : 1 molar ratio of Cu2+ to FcGH, avoiding the excessive use of Cu2+ and a tedious preparation procedure. By co-assembling with 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT)-conjugated FcGH, Cu2+-induced supramolecular nanodrugs elicited multiple cell death modalities in cancer cells with elevated immunogenicity, enhancing the therapeutic effect compared to free HCPT. This study highlights Cu2+-induced self-assembly as an efficient tool for directing the assembly of nanodrugs and for synergistic tumor therapy.

Neighboring Effect-Initiated Supramolecular Nanocomplex with Sequential Infiltration as Irreversible Apoptosis Inducer for Synergetic Chemo-Immunotherapy

Chemotherapy-based combination regimens are recommended as first-line treatment for colorectal cancer. However, multidrug resistance (MDR) and limited drug infiltration in tumor microenvironment remain critical challenges. Herein, a pH/redox dual activated supramolecular DAS@CD-OxPt (IV) nanoparticles (NPs) via host-guest molecular recognition to achieve relay drugs delivery of active oxaliplatin (OxPt (IV)) and Src inhibitor dasatinib (DAS) between tumor cells is developed. DAS@CD-OxPt (IV) NPs exhibit prolonged circulation in the blood and intra-tumoral retention. Triggered by the endo/lysosome (pH 5.0), flexible DAS@CD-OxPt (IV) NPs exhibited proton-driven in situ assembly to form nanofiber in tumor cells. Dual chemotherapeutic agents released from DAS@CD-OxPt (IV) NPs synergistically cause irreversible DNA damage by blocking p53-mediated DNA repair. Supramolecular nanofibers can further serve as the "ammunition depot" to continuously release drugs from dying cells and transport them into neighboring tumor cells, leading to domino-like cell death and enhanced immunogenicity. Furthermore, DAS@CD-OxPt (IV) NPs combined with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy strikingly suppress CT26 tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis.

Stimulus-Responsive Nano-Prodrug Strategies for Cancer Therapy: A Focus on Camptothecin Delivery

Camptothecin (CPT) is a highly cytotoxic molecule with excellent antitumor activity against various cancers. However, its clinical application is severely limited by poor water solubility, easy inactivation, and severe toxicity. Structural modifications and nanoformulations represent two crucial avenues for camptothecin's development. However, the potential for further structural modifications is limited, and camptothecin nanoparticles fabricated via physical loading have the drawbacks of low drug loading and leakage. Prodrug-based CPT nanoformulations have shown unique advantages, including increased drug loading, reduced burst release, improved bioavailability, and minimal toxic side effects. Stimulus-responsive CPT nano-prodrugs that respond to various endogenous or exogenous stimuli by introducing various activatable linkers to achieve spatiotemporally responsive drug release at the tumor site. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest research advances in stimulus-responsive CPT nano-prodrugs, including preparation strategies, responsive release mechanisms, and their applications in cancer therapy. Special focus is placed on the release mechanisms and characteristics of various stimulus-responsive CPT nano-prodrugs and their application in cancer treatment. Furthermore, clinical applications of CPT prodrugs are discussed. Finally, challenges and future research directions for CPT nano-prodrugs are discussed. This review to be valuable to readers engaged in prodrug research is expected.

Tuneable redox-responsive albumin-hitchhiking drug delivery to tumours for cancer treatment

This paper outlines a novel drug delivery system for highly cytotoxic mertansine (DM1) by conjugating to an albumin-binding Evans blue (EB) moiety through a tuneable responsive disulfide linker, providing valuable insights for the development of effective drug delivery systems toward cancer therapy.

Coassembly Nanomedicine Mediated by Intermolecular Interactions Between Methotrexate and Baricitinib for Improved Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

The combination of anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs methotrexate (MTX) and baricitinib (BTN) has been reported to improve RA treatment efficacy. However, study on the strategy of combination is elusive when considering the benefit of the synergy between MTX and BTN. In this study, we found that the N-heterocyclic rings in the MTX and BTN offer hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions, driving the formation of exquisite vesicular morphology of nanovesicles, denoted as MB NVs. The MB NVs with the MTX/BTN weight ratio of 2:1, MB NVs (2:1), showed an improved anti-RA effect through the synergy between the anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative responses. This work presents that the intermolecular interactions between drug molecules could mediate the coassembly behavior into nanomedicine as well as the therapy synergy both in vitro and in vivo, which may provide further understanding on the rational design of combination nanomedicine for therapeutic purposes.

Photo-Controlled Calcium Overload from Endogenous Sources for Tumor Therapy

Designing reactive calcium-based nanogenerators to produce excess calcium ions (Ca2+ ) in tumor cells is an attractive tumor treatment method. However, nanogenerators that introduce exogenous Ca2+ are either overactive incapable of on-demand release, or excessively inert incapable of an overload of calcium rapidly. Herein, inspired by inherently diverse Ca2+ -regulating channels, a photo-controlled Ca2+ nanomodulator that fully utilizes endogenous Ca2+ from dual sources was designed to achieve Ca2+ overload in tumor cells. Specifically, mesoporous silica nanoparticles were used to co-load bifunctional indocyanine green as a photodynamic/photothermal agent and a thermal-sensitive nitric oxide (NO) donor (BNN-6). Thereafter, they were coated with hyaluronic acid, which served as a tumor cell-targeting unit and a gatekeeper. Under near-infrared light irradiation, the Ca2+ nanomodulator can generate reactive oxygen species that stimulate the transient receptor potential ankyrin subtype 1 channel to realize Ca2+ influx from extracellular environments. Simultaneously, the converted heat can induce BNN-6 decomposition to generate NO, which would open the ryanodine receptor channel in the endoplasmic reticulum and allow stored Ca2+ to leak. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the combination of photo-controlled Ca2+ influx and release could enable Ca2+ overload in the cytoplasm and efficiently inhibit tumor growth.

Camptothecin-based prodrug nanomedicines for cancer therapy

Camptothecin (CPT) is a cytotoxic alkaloid that attenuates the replication of cancer cells via blocking DNA topoisomerase 1. Despite its encouraging and wide-spectrum antitumour activity, its application is significantly restricted owing to its instability, low solubility, significant toxicity, and acquired tumour cell resistance. This has resulted in the development of many CPT-based therapeutic agents, especially CPT-based nanomedicines, with improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. Specifically, smart CPT-based prodrug nanomedicines with stimuli-responsive release capacity have been extensively explored owing to the advantages such as high drug loading, improved stability, and decreased potential toxicity caused by the carrier materials in comparison with normal nanodrugs and traditional delivery systems. In this review, the potential strategies and applications of CPT-based nanoprodrugs for enhanced CPT delivery toward cancer cells are summarized. We appraise in detail the chemical structures and release mechanisms of these nanoprodrugs and guide materials chemists to develop more powerful nanomedicines that have real clinical therapeutic capacities.

Mechanism underlying the effect of MnO2 nanosheets for A549 cell chemodynamic therapy

MnO2 nanosheets (MnO2NSs) were synthesized by one-step method, and MnO2NSs were applied to A549 cell chemodynamic Therapy (CDT). The cytotoxicity, redox ability, and reactive oxygen species production of MnO2NSs have been investigated, and differences in cell metabolism during CDT were determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, the metabolites of A549 lung cancer cells affected by MnO2NSs treatment are identified; metabolite differences were identified by PCA, PLS-DA, orthogonal PLS-DA, and other methods; and these differences were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics. We found that A549 cells which were treated by MnO2NSs have 17 different metabolites and 9 metabolic pathways that varied markedly. Owing to their unique composition, structure, and physicochemical properties, MnO2NSs and their composites have become a favored type of nanomaterial used for CDT in cancer therapy. This work provides insights into the mechanism underlying the effects of MnO2NSs on the tumor microenvironment of A549 lung cancer cells, effectively making up for the deficiency of the study on cellular mechanism of CDT-induced apoptosis of cancer cells. It could aid the development of cancer CDT treatment strategies and help improve the use of nanomaterials in the clinical field.

Self-assembled nanoformulations of paclitaxel for enhanced cancer theranostics

Chemotherapy has occupied the critical position in cancer therapy, especially towards the post-operative, advanced, recurrent, and metastatic tumors. Paclitaxel (PTX)-based formulations have been widely used in clinical practice, while the therapeutic effect is far from satisfied due to off-target toxicity and drug resistance. The caseless multi-components make the preparation technology complicated and aggravate the concerns with the excipients-associated toxicity. The self-assembled PTX nanoparticles possess a high drug content and could incorporate various functional molecules for enhancing the therapeutic index. In this work, we summarize the self-assembly strategy for diverse nanodrugs of PTX. Then, the advancement of nanodrugs for tumor therapy, especially emphasis on mono-chemotherapy, combinational therapy, and theranostics, have been outlined. Finally, the challenges and potential improvements have been briefly spotlighted.

Advances in PD-1 signaling inhibition-based nano-delivery systems for tumor therapy

In recent years, cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an exciting cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint blockade brings new opportunities for more researchers and clinicians. Programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) is a widely studied immune checkpoint, and PD-1 blockade therapy has shown promising results in a variety of tumors, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma, which greatly improves patient overall survival and becomes a promising tool for the eradication of metastatic or inoperable tumors. However, low responsiveness and immune-related adverse effects currently limit its clinical application. Overcoming these difficulties is a major challenge to improve PD-1 blockade therapies. Nanomaterials have unique properties that enable targeted drug delivery, combination therapy through multidrug co-delivery strategies, and controlled drug release through sensitive bonds construction. In recent years, combining nanomaterials with PD-1 blockade therapy to construct novel single-drug-based or combination therapy-based nano-delivery systems has become an effective mean to address the limitations of PD-1 blockade therapy. In this study, the application of nanomaterial carriers in individual delivery of PD-1 inhibitors, combined delivery of PD-1 inhibitors and other immunomodulators, chemotherapeutic drugs, photothermal reagents were reviewed, which provides effective references for designing new PD-1 blockade therapeutic strategies.

Heterocyclic Molecular Targeted Drugs and Nanomedicines for Cancer: Recent Advances and Challenges

Cancer is a top global public health concern. At present, molecular targeted therapy has emerged as one of the main therapies for cancer, with high efficacy and safety. The medical world continues to struggle with the development of efficient, extremely selective, and low-toxicity anticancer medications. Heterocyclic scaffolds based on the molecular structure of tumor therapeutic targets are widely used in anticancer drug design. In addition, a revolution in medicine has been brought on by the quick advancement of nanotechnology. Many nanomedicines have taken targeted cancer therapy to a new level. In this review, we highlight heterocyclic molecular-targeted drugs as well as heterocyclic-associated nanomedicines in cancer.

Zwitterionic Targeting Doxorubicin -Loaded Micelles Assembled by Amphiphilic Dendrimers with Enhanced Antitumor Performance

Chemotherapy is the main method of treating malignant tumors in clinical treatment. However, the commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs have the disadvantages of high biological toxicity, poor water solubility, low targeting ability, and high side effects. Zwitterionic micelles assembled by amphiphilic dendrimers modified with zwitterionic groups and targeting ligand should largely overcome these shortcomings. Herein, the zwitterionic group and targeting peptide c(RGDfC) were modified on the surface of generation 2 poly(propylene imine) dendrimers (G2 PPI), which was conjugated with hydrophobic N-(2-mercaptoethyl) oleamide to form amphiphilic dendrimers (PPIMYRC). PPIMYRC self-assembled into micelles with doxorubicin (DOX) loaded in the interior of micelles to prepare DOX-loaded micelles (PPIMYRC-DOX micelles). The PPIMYRC-DOX micelles had great stability in fibrinogen and pH-responsive drug release. Furthermore, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles had higher cellular uptake rates than free DOX, resulting in higher cytotoxicity of PPIMYRC-DOX micelles than that of free DOX. More importantly, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles inhibited tumors much better than free DOX. The tumor inhibition rate of PPIMYRC-DOX micelles was as high as 93%. Taken together, PPIMYRC-DOX micelles were assembled by amphiphilic dendrimers with the zwitterionic and targeting groups, which enhanced the therapeutic effect of DOX and reduced its side effects. The prepared targeting nanodrug has great potential for further application in antitumor therapy.

Modulating tumor-stromal crosstalk via a redox-responsive nanomedicine for combination tumor therapy

Interaction between carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor cells leads to the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. Herein, we prepared a redox-responsive chondroitin sulfate (CS)-based nanomedicine, in which hydrophobic cabazitaxel (CTX) was conjugated to the backbone of CS via glutathione (GSH)-sensitive dithiomaleimide (DTM) to form an amphipathic CS-DTM-CTX (CDC) conjugate, and dasatinib (DAS) co-assembled with the CDC conjugate to obtain DAS@CDC. After CD44 receptor-mediated internalization by CAFs, the nanomedicine could reverse CAFs to normal fibroblasts, blocking their crosstalk with tumor cells and reducing synthesis of major tumor extracellular matrix proteins, including collagen and fibronectin. Meanwhile, the nanomedicine internalized by tumor cells could effectively inhibit tumor proliferation and metastasis, leading to shrinkage of the tumor volume and inhibition of lung metastasis in a subcutaneous 4T1 tumor model with low side effects. Collectively, the nanomedicine showed a remarkably synergistic therapy effect against breast cancer by modulating tumor-stromal crosstalk.

Carboxylated paclitaxel prodrug nanofibers for enhanced chemotherapy

The facile availability of nanoformulations with enhanced antitumor performance remains a big challenge. Herein, we synthesize paclitaxel prodrugs with amphiphilic structures and robust assembling ability. Carboxylated paclitaxel prodrugs (PSCB) containing disulfide bonds prefer to form exquisite nanofibers, while phenylcarbinol end capped paclitaxel prodrugs (PSP) assemble into spherical nanoparticles. The transformation of morphology from nanofibers to nanorods can be realized via tuning the content of paclitaxel. Hydrophilic domains of PSCB nanofibers accelerate the cleavage of disulfide bond for rapid drug release in tumor cells, thus exhibiting the enhanced cytotoxicity and antitumor activity. This study provides a crucial insight into the functional design of hydrophobic drugs to improve chemotherapy.

Clot-Targeted Antithrombotic Liposomal Nanomedicine Containing High Content of H2O2-Activatable Hybrid Prodrugs

Liposomes have been extensively explored as drug carriers, but their clinical translation has been hampered by their low drug-loading content and premature leakage of drug payloads. It was reasoned that vesicle-forming prodrugs could be incorporated into the lipid bilayer at a high molar fraction and therefore serve as a therapeutic agent as well as a structural component in liposomal nanomedicine. Boronated retinoic acid (BORA) was developed as a prodrug, which can self-assemble with common lipids to form liposomes at a high molar fraction (40%) and release all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) simultaneously, in response to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Here, we report fucoidan-coated BORA-incorporated liposomes (f-BORALP) as clot-targeted antithrombotic liposomal nanomedicine with H2O2-triggered multiple therapeutic actions. In the mouse model of carotid arterial thrombosis, f-BORALP preferentially accumulated in the injured blood vessel and significantly suppressed thrombus formation, demonstrating their potential as targeted antithrombotic nanomedicine. This study also provides valuable insight into the development of vesicle-forming and self-immolative prodrugs to exploit the benefits of liposomal drug delivery.

Tailoring carrier-free nanocombo of small-molecule prodrug for combinational cancer therapy

The outcomes of monotherapy could not satisfy clinical cancer treatment owing to the challenges of tumor heterogeneity, multi-drug resistance, tumor metastasis and relapse. In response, the significance of combinational cancer therapy has been highlighted. Traditional combinational schemes usually utilize "free" drug for multi drug administration, independently. The diverse pharmacokinetics and biodistribution greatly hinder the antitumor effects and cause systematic toxicity. To tackle the hinderance, various nanoparticulate drug delivery systems (Nano-DDSs) have been developed. However, conventional Nano-DDSs encapsulate drugs into carrier materials through noncovalent interactions, resulting in low drug loading, fixed multi drug encapsulation ratio, chemical instability and carrier-associated toxicity. Recently, carrier-free nanocombos based on self-assembling small-molecule prodrugs (SPNCs) have emerged as a versatile Nano-DDSs for multiple drug delivery. Benefited by the self-assembly capability, SPNCs could be facilely fabricated with distinct merits of ultra-high drug loading, adjustable drug ratio and negligible carrier-associated toxicity. Herein, we summarize the latest trends of SPNCs. First, a basic review on self-assembling small-molecule prodrugs is presented. Additionally, facile techniques to prepare SPNCs are introduced. Furthermore, advanced combinational therapies based on SPNCs are spotlighted with special emphasis on synergistic mechanisms. Finally, future prospects and challenges are discussed.

PRDM15 interacts with DNA-PK-Ku complex to promote radioresistance in rectal cancer by facilitating DNA damage repair

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer, however, resistance to chemoradiotherapy is one of the main obstacles to improving treatment outcomes. The goal of this study was to explore the role of PRDM15 involved in the radioresistance of colorectal cancer and to clarify the underlying mechanism. In present study, we demonstrated that, after DNA damage, PRDM15 was upregulated and localized to DNA damage sites, co-localizing with γ-H2AX. Knockdown of PRDM15 inhibited DNA damage repair and increased radiosensitivity in colorectal cancer cells. Mechanistically, PRDM15 promoted DNA repair by interacting with DNA-PKcs and Ku70/Ku80 complex. In preclinical models of rectal cancer, knockdown of PRDM15 sensitized cell derived xenograft and patient derived xenograft to radiotherapy. In 80 rectal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, higher PRDM15 expression was observed associated with weaker tumor regression and poorer prognosis. Our findings revealed that inhibiting PRDM15 was potent to overcome radioresistance through abrogating DNA repair in colorectal cancer cells. Additionally, the expression level of PRDM15 could be applied to predict radiotherapy responsiveness and the outcome of neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer patients.

Coassembled Nitric Oxide-Releasing Nanoparticles with Potent Antimicrobial Efficacy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Strains

Nitric oxide (NO)-releasing nanoparticles are effective nanomedicines with diverse therapeutic advantages compared with small molecule-based NO donors. Here, we report a new class of furoxan-based NO-releasing nanoparticles using a simple, creative yet facile coassembly approach. This is the first time we demonstrated that the coassembled NO-releasing nanoparticles with poly(ethylene glycol)₁₀₁-block-poly(propylene glycol)₅₆-block-poly(ethylene glycol)₁₀₁ (Pluronic F127) had potent antimicrobial efficacies against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Nanoparticles obtained from the coassembly of either 4-(1-(3-methylpentan-5-ol)oxyl)(3-phenylsulfonyl) furoxan (compound 1) or 4-methoxy(3-phenylsulfonyl) furoxan (compound 2) with Pluronic F127 exhibit 4-fold improved antimicrobial activities compared to their self-assembled counterparts without Pluronic F127. 5(6)-Carboxylfluorescein (CF) leakage experiments further reveal that both coassembled NO-releasing nanoparticles show stronger interactions with lipid bilayers than those self-assembled alone. Subsequently, their strong plasma membrane-damaging capabilities are confirmed under both high-resolution optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy characterizations. This coassembly approach could be readily applied to other small molecule-based antimicrobials, providing new solutions and important insights to further antimicrobial recipe design.

Binary dimeric prodrug nanoparticles for self-boosted drug release and synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy

Chemotherapy is the major strategy for cancer therapy, but its limited therapeutic efficiency and serious toxicity to normal tissues greatly restrict its clinical performance. Herein, we develop carrier-free self-activated prodrug nanoparticles combining chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy to enhance the antitumor efficiency. Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive paclitaxel and porphyrin prodrugs are synthesized and co-assembled into nanoparticles without the addition of any adjuvants, which improves the drug content and reduces carrier-associated toxicity. After entering cancer cells, the obtained co-assembled nanoparticles can generate sufficient ROS upon light irradiation not only for photodynamic therapy, but also triggering on-demand drug release for chemotherapy, thus realizing self-enhanced prodrug activation and synergistic chemo-photodynamic therapy. This simple and effective carrier-free prodrug nanoplatform unifies the distinct traits of on-demand drug release and combination therapy, thus possessing great potential in advancing cancer treatment.

Supramolecular biomaterials for enhanced cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has achieved promising clinical results. However, many limitations associated with current cancer immunotherapy still exist, including low response rates and severe adverse effects in patients. Engineering biomaterials for...