Intelligent gold nanoparticles for malignant tumor treatment via spontaneous copper manipulation and on-demand photothermal therapy based on copper induced click chemistry

Anthropogenic gadolinium contaminations in the marine environment and its ecological implications

Due to the widespread application in medicine and industry of anthropogenic gadolinium (Gdanth), the widespread of Gd anomaly in surface water has leading to disruption of the natural Gd geochemical cycle. However, challenges related to the identification and quantification of Gdanth, assessment of its impacts on marine ecosystems, and exploration of strategies for mitigating its adverse effects still exist. Meanwhile, as the major source of the Gdanth, the environmental geochemical behavior of Gd-based contrast agents (GBCAs), which are used in medical diagnostics in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are still poorly understood. In this review, we 1) analyzed Gd anomalies in samples from published literature worldwide, confirmed their prevalence (81.25% for sea and lake water, 72.73% for river water), 2) demonstrated that the third-order polynomial method is the preferred approach for the detection of Gdanth in surface seawater, 3) outlined the species and applications of Gdanth and its impacts on marine environment, 4) explored the process of GBCAs influx into the ocean and demonstrated the concentration of Gdanth in coral samples was mainly affected by terrestrial input GBCAs (63.75%) through Pearson correlation analysis and principle component analysis, 5) proposed effective management strategies for GBCAs at all stages from production to release into the ocean, 6) formulated an expectation for future research on marine Gdanth.

Synergistic Regulation of Targeted Organelles in Tumor Cells to Promote Photothermal-Immunotherapy Using Intelligent Core-Satellite-Like Nanoparticles for Effective Treatment of Breast Cancer

The normal operation of organelles is critical for tumor growth and metastasis. Herein, an intelligent nanoplatform (BMAEF) is fabricated to perform on-demand destruction of mitochondria and golgi apparatus, which also generates the enhanced photothermal-immunotherapy, resulting in the effective inhibition of primary and metastasis tumor. The BMAEF has a core of mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with brefeldin A (BM), which is connected to ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and folic acid co-modified gold nanoparticles (AEF). During therapy, the BMAEF first accumulates in tumor cells via folic acid-induced targeting. Subsequently, the schiff base/ester bond cleaves in lysosome to release brefeldin A and AEF with exposed EGTA. The EGTA further captures Ca2+ to block ion transfer among mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and golgi apparatus, which not only induced dysfunction of mitochondria and golgi apparatus assisted by brefeldin A to suppress both energy and material metabolism against tumor growth and metastasis, but causes AEF aggregation for tumor-specific photothermal therapy and photothermal assisted immunotherapy. Moreover, the dysfunction of these organelles also stops the production of BMI1 and heat shock protein 70 to further enhance the metastasis inhibition and photothermal therapy, which meanwhile triggers the escape of cytochrome C to cytoplasm, leading to additional apoptosis of tumor cells.

Physiological Microenvironment Dependent Self-Cross-Linking of Multifunctional Nanohybrid for Prolonged Antibacterial Therapy via Synergistic Chemodynamic-Photothermal-Biological Processes

Herein, a multifunctional nanohybrid (PL@HPFTM nanoparticles) was fabricated to perform the integration of chemodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, and biological therapy over the long term at a designed location for continuous antibacterial applications. The PL@HPFTM nanoparticles consisted of a polydopamine/hemoglobin/Fe2+ nanocomplex with comodification of tetrazole/alkene groups on the surface as well as coloading of antimicrobial peptides and luminol in the core. During therapy, the PL@HPFTM nanoparticles would selectively cross-link to surrounding bacteria via tetrazole/alkene cycloaddition under chemiluminescence produced by the reaction between luminol and overexpressed H2O2 at the infected area. The resulting PL@HPFTM network not only significantly damaged bacteria by Fe2+-catalyzed ROS production, effective photothermal conversion, and sustained release of antimicrobial peptides but dramatically enhanced the retention time of these therapeutic agents for prolonged antibacterial therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo results have shown that our PL@HPFTM nanoparticles have much higher bactericidal efficiency and remarkably longer periods of validity than free antibacterial nanoparticles.

Nanomaterials-based advanced systems for photothermal / photodynamic therapy of oral cancer

The traditional clinical approaches for oral cancer consist of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and so on. However, these treatments often induce side effects and exhibit limited efficacy. Photothermal therapy (PTT) emerges as a promising adjuvant treatment, utilizing photothermal agents (PTAs) to convert light energy into heat for tumor ablation. Another innovative approach, photodynamic therapy (PDT), leverages photosensitizers (PSs) and specific wavelength laser irradiation to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), offering an effective and non-toxic alternative. The relevant combination therapies have been reported in the field of oral cancer. Simultaneously, the advancement of nanomaterials has propelled the clinical application of PTT and PDT. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of PTT and PDT is required for better application in oral cancer treatment. Here, we review the use of PTT and PDT in oral cancer, including noble metal materials (e.g., Au nanoparticles), carbon materials (e.g., graphene oxide), organic dye molecules (e.g., indocyanine green), organic molecule-based agents (e.g., porphyrin-analog phthalocyanine) and other inorganic materials (e.g., MXenes), exemplify the advantages and disadvantages of common PTAs and PSs, and summarize the combination therapies of PTT with PDT, PTT/PDT with chemotherapy, PTT with radiotherapy, PTT/PDT with immunotherapy, and PTT/PDT with gene therapy in the treatment of oral cancer. The challenges related to the PTT/PDT combination therapy and potential solutions are also discussed.

Intelligent gold nanocluster for effective treatment of malignant tumor via tumor-specific photothermal-chemodynamic therapy with AIE guidance

Precise and efficient therapy of malignant tumors is always a challenge. Herein, gold nanoclusters co-modified by aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) molecules, copper ion chelator (acylthiourea) and tumor-targeting agent (folic acid) were fabricated to perform AIE-guided and tumor-specific synergistic therapy with great spatio-temporal controllability for the targeted elimination and metastasis inhibition of malignant tumors. During therapy, the functional gold nanoclusters (AuNTF) would rapidly accumulate in the tumor tissue due to the enhanced permeability and retention effect as well as folic acid-mediated tumor targeting, which was followed by endocytosis by tumor cells. After that, the overexpressed copper ions in the tumor cells would trigger the aggregation of these intracellular AuNTF via a chelation process that not only generated the photothermal agent in situ to perform the tumor-specific photothermal therapy damaging the primary tumor, but also led to the copper deficiency of tumor cells to inhibit its metastasis. Moreover, the copper ions were reduced to cuprous ions along with the chelation, which further catalysed the excess H2O2 in the tumor cells to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, resulting in additional chemodynamic therapy for enhanced antitumor efficiency. The aggregation of AuNTF also activated the AIE molecules to present fluorescence, which not only imaged the therapeutic area for real-time monitoring of this tumor-specific synergistic therapy, but also allowed us to perform near-infrared radiation at the correct time point and location to achieve optimal photothermal therapy. Both in vitro and in vivo results revealed the strong tumor elimination, effective metastasis inhibition and high survival rate of tumor-bearing mice after treatment using the AuNTF nanoclusters, indicating that this AIE-guided and tumor-specific synergistic strategy could offer a promising approach for tumor therapy.

Analysis of Optimal Treatment Starting Time for Photothermal Therapy Through Analysis of Diffusion Behavior of Gold Nanoparticles

Introduction

Due to its distinct advantage of non-invasive application in treatment, photothermal therapy (PTT) is being studied by many researchers to reduce the need for surgical incisions. It is characterized by the injection of nanoparticles into biological tissue as photothermal agents (PTAs) which diffuse within the tissue. In this study, the diffusion behavior of various doses of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) injected into tumor tissues is analyzed and the effectiveness of PTT at each elapsed time after injection is confirmed by numerical analysis.

Methods

The diffusion behavior of AuNPs within biological tissues is assessed using the convection-diffusion equation, while the temperature distribution is determined using the Pennes bioheat transfer equation. In addition, the effect of the diffusion behavior of AuNPs on the effectiveness of PTT is quantitatively confirmed by analyzing the temperature distribution in the medium through the apoptotic variable. Numerical simulation parameters are selected with doses ranging from 100 to 400 μg/mL, elapsed time after injection from 1 min to 24 h, and laser power ranging from 0 to 1 W.

Results

After evaluating PTT's efficacy in every situation, it was discovered that a dosage of 100-300 μg/mL produced the best therapeutic result, with the highest impact occurring 12 hours after injection. In contrast, when the dosage was 400 μg/mL, the highest therapeutic effect was achieved after 18 hours post-injection. Additionally, it was discovered that the ideal laser power at each injection dose was 0.22, 0.14, 0.12, and 0.12 W, respectively.

Conclusion

The conditions required to achieve the optimal treatment effect at each dosage, presented here, are expected to accelerate the commercialization of PTT.

Intelligent nanoreactor coupling tumor microenvironment manipulation and H2O2-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy for accurate treatment of primary and metastatic tumors

Tumor microenvironment (TME), as the "soil" of tumor growth and metastasis, exhibits significant differences from normal physiological conditions. However, how to manipulate the distinctions to achieve the accurate therapy of primary and metastatic tumors is still a challenge. Herein, an innovative nanoreactor (AH@MBTF) is developed to utilize the apparent differences (copper concentration and H2O2 level) between tumor cells and normal cells to eliminate primary tumor based on H2O2-dependent photothermal-chemodynamic therapy and suppress metastatic tumor through copper complexation. This nanoreactor is constructed using functionalized MSN incorporating benzoyl thiourea (BTU), triphenylphosphine (TPP), and folic acid (FA), while being co-loaded with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and its substrate ABTS. During therapy, the BTU moieties on AH@MBTF could capture excessive copper (highly correlated with tumor metastasis), presenting exceptional anti-metastasis activity. Simultaneously, the complexation between BTU and copper triggers the formation of cuprous ions, which further react with H2O2 to generate cytotoxic hydroxyl radical (•OH), inhibiting tumor growth via chemodynamic therapy. Additionally, the stepwise targeting of FA and TPP guides AH@MBTF to accurately accumulate in tumor mitochondria, containing abnormally high levels of H2O2. As a catalyst, HRP mediates the oxidation reaction between ABTS and H2O2 to yield activated ABTS•+. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, the activated ABTS•+ performs tumor-specific photothermal therapy, achieving the ablation of primary tumor by raising the tissue temperature. Collectively, this intelligent nanoreactor possesses profound potential in inhibiting tumor progression and metastasis.

Advances in Nanodelivery Systems Based on Metabolism Reprogramming Strategies for Enhanced Tumor Therapy

Tumor development and metastasis are closely related to the complexity of the metabolism network. Recently, metabolism reprogramming strategies have attracted much attention in tumor metabolism therapy. Although there is preliminary success of metabolism therapy agents, their therapeutic effects have been restricted by the effective reaching of the tumor sites of drugs. Nanodelivery systems with unique physical properties and elaborate designs can specifically deliver to the tumors. In this review, we first summarize the research progress of nanodelivery systems based on tumor metabolism reprogramming strategies to enhance therapies by depleting glucose, inhibiting glycolysis, depleting lactic acid, inhibiting lipid metabolism, depleting glutamine and glutathione, and disrupting metal metabolisms combined with other therapies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy, etc. We further discuss in detail the advantages of nanodelivery systems based on tumor metabolism reprogramming strategies for tumor therapy. As well as the opportunities and challenges for integrating nanodelivery systems into tumor metabolism therapy, we analyze the outlook for these emerging areas. This review is expected to improve our understanding of modulating tumor metabolisms for enhanced therapy.