Preparation and characterization of folic acid functionalized bioactive glass for targeted delivery and sustained release of methotrexate

Multifunctional bioactive glass nanoparticles: surface-interface decoration and biomedical applications

Developing bioactive materials with multifunctional properties is crucial for enhancing their biomedical applications in regenerative medicine. Bioactive glass nanoparticle (BGN) is a new generation of biomaterials that demonstrate high biocompatibility and tissue-inducing capacity. However, the hard nanoparticle surface and single surface property limited their wide biomedical applications. In recent years, the surface functional strategy has been employed to decorate the BGN and improve its biomedical applications in bone tissue repair, bioimaging, tumor therapy and wound repair. This review summarizes the progress of surface-interface design strategy, customized multifunctional properties and biomedical applications in detail. We also discussed the current challenges and further development of multifunctional BGN to meet the requirements of various biomedical applications.

Combinatorial Delivery of Docetaxel- and Erlotinib-Loaded Functionalized Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for the Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Using Quality-by-Design Approach

This study explored the combined administration of docetaxel (DOC) and erlotinib (ERL) using nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), with folic acid (FA) conjugation to enhance their synergistic anticancer efficacy against triple-negative breast cancer. NLCs were developed through hot melt homogenization-ultrasound dispersion, and optimized by a quality-by-design (QbD) approach using Plackett-Burman design and Box-Behnken design. Plots were generated based on maximum desirability. Spherical, nanosized dispersions (<200 nm) with zeta potential ranging from -16.4 to -14.15 mV were observed. These nanoformulations demonstrated ~95% entrapment efficiency with around 5% drug loading. Stability tests revealed that the NLCs remained stable for 6 months under storage conditions at 4 °C. In vitro release studies indicated sustained release over 24 h, following Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models for NLCs and FA NLCs, respectively. Additionally, an in vitro pH-stat lipolysis model exhibited a nearly fivefold increase in bioaccessibility compared to drug-loaded suspensions. The DOC-ERL-loaded formulations exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity, revealing synergism at a 1:3 molar ratio in MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells, with combination indices of 0.35 and 0.37, respectively. Co-treatment with DOC-ERL-loaded FA NLCs demonstrated synergistic anticancer effects in various in vitro assays.

Recent Developments in Nanoparticle Formulations for Resveratrol Encapsulation as an Anticancer Agent

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound that has gained considerable attention in the past decade due to its multifaceted therapeutic potential, including anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. However, its anticancer efficacy is impeded by low water solubility, dose-limiting toxicity, low bioavailability, and rapid hepatic metabolism. To overcome these hurdles, various nanoparticles such as organic and inorganic nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, solid lipid nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, carbon nanotubes, bioactive glass nanoparticles, and mesoporous nanoparticles were employed to deliver resveratrol, enhancing its water solubility, bioavailability, and efficacy against various types of cancer. Resveratrol-loaded nanoparticle or resveratrol-conjugated nanoparticle administration exhibits excellent anticancer potency compared to free resveratrol. This review highlights the latest developments in nanoparticle-based delivery systems for resveratrol, focusing on the potential to overcome limitations associated with the compound's bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness.

Bioactive Glasses as Carriers of Cancer-Targeted Drugs: Challenges and Opportunities in Bone Cancer Treatment

The treatment of bone cancer involves tumor resection followed by bone reconstruction of the defect caused by the tumor using biomaterials. Additionally, post-surgery protocols cover chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or drug administration, which are employed as adjuvant treatments to prevent tumor recurrence. In this work, we reviewed new strategies for bone cancer treatment based on bioactive glasses as carriers of cancer-targeted and other drugs that are intended for bone regeneration in conjunction with adjuvant treatments. Drugs used in combination with bioactive glasses can be classified into cancer-target, osteoclast-target, and new therapies (such as gene delivery and bioinorganic). Microparticulated, nanoparticulated, or mesoporous bioactive glasses have been used as drug-delivery systems. Additionally, surface modification through functionalization or the production of composites based on polymers and hydrogels has been employed to improve drug-release kinetics. Overall, although different drugs and drug delivery systems have been developed, there is still room for new studies involving kinase inhibitors or antibody-conjugated drugs, as these drugs have been poorly explored in combination with bioactive glasses.

Injectable hydrogel for postoperative synergistic photothermal-chemodynamic tumor and anti-infection therapy

Tumor surgery is usually accompanied by neoplasm residual, tissue defects, and multi-drug resistant bacterial infection, causing high tumor recurrence, low survival rate, and chronic wounds. Herein, a light-activated injectable hydrogel based on bioactive nanocomposite system is developed by incorporating Ag₂S nanodots conjugated Fe-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGN-Fe-Ag₂S) into biodegradable PEGDA and AIPH solution for inhibiting tumor growth, treating bacterial infection, and promoting wound healing. Under laser irradiation, the photothermal effect mediated by Ag₂S nanodots would trigger the decomposition of AIPH, generating alkyl radicals to initiate the gelation of PEGDA. The in-situ gelatinized hydrogel, with outstanding photothermal effect and chemodynamic effect derived from the doped Fe in BGN-Fe-Ag₂S, can not only eliminate multidrug-resistant bacteria but also efficiently ablated tumor during treatment. Moreover, the hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing with more skin appendages in the full-thickness cutaneous wounds model because of the hydrolysis of bioactive glass. These results manifest that this multifunctional hydrogel is a suitable biomaterial to inhibit tumor proliferation and overcome tissue bacterial infection after surgical removal of tumors.