Supramolecular nanofibers increase the efficacy of 10-hydroxycamptothecin by enhancing nuclear accumulation and depleting cellular ATP

Applications of self-assembled peptide hydrogels in anti-tumor therapy

Peptides are a class of active substances composed of a variety of amino acids with special physiological functions. The rational design of peptide sequences at the molecular level enables their folding into diverse secondary structures. This property has garnered significant attention in the biomedical sphere owing to their favorable biocompatibility, adaptable mechanical traits, and exceptional loading capabilities. Concurrently with advancements in modern medicine, the diagnosis and treatment of tumors have increasingly embraced targeted and personalized approaches. This review explores recent applications of self-assembled peptides derived from natural amino acids in chemical therapy, immunotherapy, and other adjunctive treatments. We highlighted the utilization of peptide hydrogels as delivery systems for chemotherapeutic drugs and other bioactive molecules and then discussed the challenges and prospects for their future application.

β-Galactosidase-guided self-assembled 68Ga nanofibers probe for micro-PET tumor imaging

β-galactosidase (β-gal) has high activity in various malignancies, which is suitable for targeted positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Meanwhile, β-gal can successfully guide the formation of nanofibers, which enhances the intensity of imaging and extends the imaging time. Herein, we designed a β-galactosidase-guided self-assembled PET imaging probe [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1Gal. We envisage that β-gal could recognize and cleave the target site, bringing about self-assembling to form nanofibers, thereby enhancing the PET imaging effect. The targeting specificity of [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1Gal for detecting β-gal activity was examined using the control probe [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1. Micro-PET imaging showed that tumor regions of [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1Gal were visible after injection. And the tumor uptake of [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1Gal was higher than [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1 at all-time points. Our results demonstrated that the [68Ga]Nap-NOTA-1Gal can be used for the purpose of a new promising PET probe for helping diagnose cancer with high levels of β-gal activity.

Supramolecular self-assembled peptide-engineered nanofibers: A propitious proposition for cancer therapy

Cancer is a devastating disease that causes a substantial number of deaths worldwide. Current therapeutic interventions for cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. These conventional therapeutic approaches are associated with disadvantages such as multidrug resistance, destruction of healthy tissues, and tissue toxicity. Therefore, there is a paradigm shift in cancer management wherein nanomedicine-based novel therapeutic interventions are being explored to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. Supramolecular self-assembled peptide nanofibers are emerging drug delivery vehicles that have gained much attention in cancer management owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, biomimetic property, stimuli-responsiveness, transformability, and inherent therapeutic property. Supramolecules form well-organized structures via non-covalent linkages, the intricate molecular arrangement helps to improve tissue permeation, pharmacokinetic profile and chemical stability of therapeutic agents while enabling targeted delivery and allowing efficient tumor imaging. In this review, we present fundamental aspects of peptide-based self-assembled nanofiber fabrication their applications in monotherapy/combinatorial chemo- and/or immuno-therapy to overcome multi-drug resistance. The role of self-assembled structures in targeted/stimuli-responsive (pH, enzyme and photo-responsive) drug delivery has been discussed along with the case studies. Further, recent advancements in peptide nanofibers in cancer diagnosis, imaging, gene therapy, and immune therapy along with regulatory obstacles towards clinical translation have been deliberated.

Recent Advances in Nanotechnology-Based Targeted Delivery Systems of Active Constituents in Natural Medicines for Cancer Treatment

Owing to high efficacy and safety, natural medicines have found their way into the field of cancer therapy over the past few decades. However, the effective ingredients of natural medicines have shortcomings of poor solubility and low bioavailability. Nanoparticles can not only solve the problems above but also have outstanding targeting ability. Targeting preparations can be classified into three levels, which are target tissues, cells, and organelles. On the premise of clarifying the therapeutic purpose of drugs, one or more targeting methods can be selected to achieve more accurate drug delivery and consequently to improve the anti-tumor effects of drugs and reduce toxicity and side effects. The aim of this review is to summarize the research status of natural medicines' nano-preparations in tumor-targeting therapies to provide some references for further accurate and effective cancer treatments.

Peptide Assemblies for Cancer Therapy

Supramolecular assemblies made by the self-assembly of peptides are finding an increasing number of applications in various fields. While the early exploration of peptide assemblies centered on tissue engineering or regenerative medicine, the recent development has shown that peptide assemblies can act as supramolecular medicine for cancer therapy. This review covers the progress of applying peptide assemblies for cancer therapy, with the emphasis on the works appeared over the last five years. We start with the introduction of a few seminal works on peptide assemblies, then discuss the combination of peptide assemblies with anticancer drugs. Next, we highlight the use of enzyme-controlled transformation or shapeshifting of peptide assemblies for inhibiting cancer cells and tumors. After that, we provide the outlook for this exciting field that promises new kind of therapeutics for cancer therapy.

Advances in Antitumor Nano-Drug Delivery Systems of 10-Hydroxycamptothecin

10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) is a natural plant alkaloid from Camptotheca that shows potent antitumor activity by targeting intracellular topoisomerase I. However, factors such as instability of the lactone ring and insolubility in water have limited the clinical application of this drug. In recent years, unprecedented advances in biomedical nanotechnology have facilitated the development of nano drug delivery systems. It has been found that nanomedicine can significantly improve the stability and water solubility of HCPT. NanoMedicines with different diagnostic and therapeutic functions have been developed to significantly improve the anticancer effect of HCPT. In this paper, we collected reports on HCPT nanomedicines against tumors in the past decade. Based on current research advances, we dissected the current status and limitations of HCPT nanomedicines development and looked forward to future research directions.

Paclitaxel-based supramolecular hydrogel loaded with mifepristone for the inhibition of breast cancer metastasis

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women and almost all of the breast cancer-caused mortality is related to metastasis. It has been reported that glucocorticoid facilitates the metastasis of breast cancer in mice, and mifepristone can antagonize the effect of glucocorticoid. Paclitaxel is one of the important drugs in the treatment of breast cancer. Mifepristone combined with paclitaxel could be an effective strategy for inhibiting breast cancer metastasis. However, their inherent defects, in terms of short blood circulation half-life and lack of tumor targeting, not only limit their effectiveness but also cause adverse reactions. Therefore, our aim is to explore a novel protocol against breast cancer metastasis, further optimize its therapeutic efficacy by a nanodelivery system, and explore its mechanism. Herein, a paclitaxel-conjugated and mifepristone-loaded hydrogel (PM-nano) was prepared by self-assembly. Its characterizations were studied. The antimetastatic effect was evaluated in vitro and in vivo and its mechanism was also explored by western blot assay. The resultant PM-nano was developed with favorable water solubility and good biocompatibility. Moreover, PM-nano displayed increased cell uptake properties and stimulated drug release in the tumor micro-acidic environment. The PM-nano was more effective in inhibiting the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer than other groups in vitro and in vivo. The PM-nano might inhibit metastasis through glucocorticoid receptor/receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 and MMPs. Taken together, PM-nano showed superior antimetastatic effects against breast cancer and excellent biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, providing a new option for limiting metastasis.