In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Fluorescently Labeled Borocaptate-Containing Liposomes

Current Non-Metal Nanoparticle-Based Therapeutic Approaches for Glioblastoma Treatment

The increase in the variety of nano-based tools offers new possibilities to approach the therapy of poorly treatable tumors, which includes glioblastoma multiforme (GBM; a primary brain tumor). The available nanocomplexes exhibit great potential as vehicles for the targeted delivery of anti-GBM compounds, including chemotherapeutics, nucleic acids, and inhibitors. The main advantages of nanoparticles (NPs) include improved drug stability, increased penetration of the blood-brain barrier, and better precision of tumor targeting. Importantly, alongside their drug-delivery ability, NPs may also present theranostic properties, including applications for targeted imaging or photothermal therapy of malignant brain cells. The available NPs can be classified into two categories according to their core, which can be metal or non-metal based. Among non-metal NPs, the most studied in regard to GBM treatment are exosomes, liposomes, cubosomes, polymeric NPs, micelles, dendrimers, nanogels, carbon nanotubes, and silica- and selenium-based NPs. They are characterized by satisfactory stability and biocompatibility, limited toxicity, and high accumulation in the targeted tumor tissue. Moreover, they can be easily functionalized for the improved delivery of their cargo to GBM cells. Therefore, the non-metal NPs discussed here, offer a promising approach to improving the treatment outcomes of aggressive GBM tumors.

High throughput microfluidics-based synthesis of PEGylated liposomes for precise size control and efficient drug encapsulation

The low scalability and reproducibility of existing synthesis methods have hindered the translation of liposome nanoparticles as carriers for targeted drug delivery from conventional laboratory techniques to mass production. To this end, in this study, we present a high-throughput microfluidics-based approach for the synthesis of PEGylated liposomes with a primary focus on achieving precise size control and efficient encapsulation of hydrophobic drug molecules. In this platform, liposomes were self-assembled through a controllable mixing of lipids (EYPC, cholesterol, and DSPE-PEG 2000) dissolved in ethanol and an aqueous solution. The key parameters, including the chip design, total flow rate, flow rate ratio, lipid concentrations, as well as variations in buffer (HEPES and NaCl) and solvent composition (commercial and reagent-grade ethanol) were explored in detail. Through comprehensive parametric studies, we gained valuable insights into the influence of these variables on the size distribution of liposomes and succeeded in producing highly reproducible liposomes ranging from approximately 60 nm (corresponding to small unilamellar vesicles) to 150 nm (representing large unilamellar vesicles), all while maintaining a polydispersity index (PDI) of less than 0.2. To assess the encapsulation efficiency of hydrophobic drug molecules, Nile red (NR) was employed as a surrogate. We meticulously examined the impact of NR concentration on the drug encapsulation process, resulting in up to 74% drug encapsulation efficiency within the PEGylated liposomes. This research offers crucial advances in liposome synthesis and drug delivery, providing a high-throughput, controllable method for PEGylated liposomes with potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical fields.

The Dawn of a New Era: Tumor-Targeting Boron Agents for Neutron Capture Therapy

Cancer is widely recognized as one of the most devastating diseases, necessitating the development of intelligent diagnostic techniques, targeted treatments, and early prognosis evaluation to ensure effective and personalized therapy. Conventional treatments, unfortunately, suffer from limitations and an increased risk of severe complications. In light of these challenges, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment with unprecedented precision to selectively eliminate tumor cells. The distinctive and promising characteristics of BNCT hold the potential to revolutionize the field of oncology. However, the clinical application and advancement of BNCT technology face significant hindrance due to the inherent flaws and limited availability of current clinical drugs, which pose substantial obstacles to the practical implementation and continued progress of BNCT. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop efficient boron agents with higher boron content and specific tumor-targeting properties. Researchers aim to address this need by integrating tumor-targeting strategies with BNCT, with the ultimate goal of establishing BNCT as an effective, readily available, and cutting-edge treatment modality for cancer. This review delves into the recent advancements in integrating tumor-targeting strategies with BNCT, focusing on the progress made in developing boron agents specifically designed for BNCT. By exploring the current state of BNCT and emphasizing the prospects of tumor-targeting boron agents, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements in BNCT and highlights its potential as a transformative treatment option for cancer.

Optimizing Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) to Treat Cancer: An Updated Review on the Latest Developments on Boron Compounds and Strategies

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a tumor-selective particle radiotherapy. It combines preferential boron accumulation in tumors and neutron irradiation. The recent initiation of BNCT clinical trials employing hospital-based accelerators rather than nuclear reactors as the neutron source will conceivably pave the way for new and more numerous clinical trials, leading up to much-needed randomized trials. In this context, it would be interesting to consider the implementation of new boron compounds and strategies that will significantly optimize BNCT. With this aim in mind, we analyzed, in this review, those articles published between 2020 and 2023 reporting new boron compounds and strategies that were proved therapeutically useful in in vitro and/or in vivo radiobiological studies, a critical step for translation to a clinical setting. We also explored new pathologies that could potentially be treated with BNCT and newly developed theranostic boron agents. All these radiobiological advances intend to solve those limitations and questions that arise during patient treatment in the clinical field, with BNCT and other therapies. In this sense, active communication between clinicians, radiobiologists, and all disciplines will improve BNCT for cancer patients, in a cost- and time-effective way.

Multi-Functional Boron-Delivery Agents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of Cancers

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a binary cancer treatment that involves the irradiation of ¹⁰B-containing tumors with low-energy neutrons (thermal or epithermal). The alpha particles and recoiling Li nuclei that are produced in the ¹⁰B-capture nuclear reaction are high-linear-energy transfer particles that destroy boron-loaded tumor cells; therefore, BNCT has the potential to be a localized therapeutic modality. Two boron-delivery agents have been used in clinical trials of BNCT in patients with malignant brain tumors, cutaneous melanoma, or recurrent tumors of the head and neck region, demonstrating the potential of BNCT in the treatment of difficult cancers. A variety of potentially highly effective boron-delivery agents have been synthesized in the past four decades and tested in cells and animal models. These include boron-containing nucleosides, peptides, proteins, polyamines, porphyrins, liposomes, monoclonal antibodies, and nanoparticles of various types. The most promising agents are multi-functional boronated molecules and nanoparticles functionalized with tumor cell-targeting moieties that increase their tumor selectivity and contain a radiolabel or fluorophore to allow quantification of ¹⁰B-biodistribution and treatment planning. This review discusses multi-functional boron agents reported in the last decade, but their full potential can only be ascertained after their evaluation in BNCT clinical trials.

Study of Lithium Biodistribution and Nephrotoxicity in Skin Melanoma Mice Model: The First Step towards Implementing Lithium Neutron Capture Therapy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is one of the promising treatment methods for malignant melanoma. The main issue of this technology is the insufficient selectivity of ¹⁰B accumulation in tumor cells. As a result of the neutron absorption by boron, an 84% energy release occurred within the cell by the nuclear reaction ¹⁰B (n, α)⁷Li, which lead to tumor cell death. The use of lithium instead of boron brings a new unique opportunity-local 100% energy release-since all products of the ⁶Li (n, α)³H reaction have high linear energy transfer characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of Li in the tumor, skin, blood, brain and kidney in experimental animals with B16 melanoma and to analyze the potential Li toxicity after lithium carbonate administration at single doses of 300 and 400 mg/kg. Lithium carbonate was chosen since there is a long-term experience of its use in clinical practice for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry was used to evaluate Li concentrations in tissue samples. The accumulation efficiency of Li in the tumor was the highest at a time point of 30 min (22.4 µg/g; at a dose of 400 mg/kg). Despite the high lithium accumulation in the kidneys, the pathological changes in kidney tissues were not found. Thus, lithium may actually be used for the Li-NCT development and future studies can be conducted using ⁶Li and following irradiation of tumor cells using the schemes of lithium administration tested in this work.

Carboranes as unique pharmacophores in antitumor medicinal chemistry

Carborane is a carbon-boron molecular cluster that can be viewed as a 3D analog of benzene. It features special physical and chemical properties, and thus has the potential to serve as a new type of pharmacophore for drug design and discovery. Based on the relative positions of two cage carbons, icosahedral closo-carboranes can be classified into three isomers, ortho-carborane (o-carborane, 1,2-C2B10H12), meta-carborane (m-carborane, 1,7-C2B10H12), and para-carborane (p-carborane, 1,12-C2B10H12), and all of them can be deboronated to generate their nido- forms. Cage compound carborane and its derivatives have been demonstrated as useful chemical entities in antitumor medicinal chemistry. The applications of carboranes and their derivatives in the field of antitumor research mainly include boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), as BNCT/photodynamic therapy dual sensitizers, and as anticancer ligands. This review summarizes the research progress on carboranes achieved up to October 2021, with particular emphasis on signaling transduction pathways, chemical structures, and mechanistic considerations of using carboranes.

"Sustained irrigation" effect enhanced the accumulation and retention of ultra-long circulating nanoparticles in tumor

The development of ultra-long circulating nanodrug delivery systems have showed distinct advantage in maintaining the long-lasting tumor retention. Although the relationship between extended tumor retention and ultra-long plasma half-life was apparent, there was still a lack of experimental evidence to reveal the enhancement mechanism. Herein, we proposed a concept of "Sustained Irrigation" effect ("SI" effect) to elucidate that it was through sustained blood irrigation that the ultra-long circulating nanoparticles achieved long-lasting tumor retention. Besides, in order to intuitively verify the "SI" effect, we developed an "ON-OFF-ON" fluorescence switch technology. The ultra-long circulating delivery nanoparticle was constructed by encapsulating the protein with hydrophilic polymer shell. Nanoparticles with ultra-long plasma half-life (t1/2>40 h) fabricated by this method were employed as models for demonstrating the "SI" effect. The recovery of Cy5.5 fluorescence after the laser quenching meant the "fresh" Cy5.5-labeled nanoparticles were entering tumor, which confirmed the ultra-long circulating nanoparticles in blood could sustainedly irrigate to tumor. Our finding revealed the key mechanism by which ultra-long circulating NDDSs enhanced the tumor accumulation and retention, and provided experimental support for the development of ultra-long circulating delivery system in clinic.

The Challenging Melanoma Landscape: From Early Drug Discovery to Clinical Approval

Melanoma is recognized as the most dangerous type of skin cancer, with high mortality and resistance to currently used treatments. To overcome the limitations of the available therapeutic options, the discovery and development of new, more effective, and safer therapies is required. In this review, the different research steps involved in the process of antimelanoma drug evaluation and selection are explored, including information regarding in silico, in vitro, and in vivo experiments, as well as clinical trial phases. Details are given about the most used cell lines and assays to perform both two- and three-dimensional in vitro screening of drug candidates towards melanoma. For in vivo studies, murine models are, undoubtedly, the most widely used for assessing the therapeutic potential of new compounds and to study the underlying mechanisms of action. Here, the main melanoma murine models are described as well as other animal species. A section is dedicated to ongoing clinical studies, demonstrating the wide interest and successful efforts devoted to melanoma therapy, in particular at advanced stages of the disease, and a final section includes some considerations regarding approval for marketing by regulatory agencies. Overall, considerable commitment is being directed to the continuous development of optimized experimental models, important for the understanding of melanoma biology and for the evaluation and validation of novel therapeutic strategies.