Adenosine and lipids: A forced marriage or a love match?

Fluorinated GlycoNucleoLipid-based hydrogels as new spatiotemporal stimulable DDS

Achieving a controlled release of several active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) remains a challenge for improving their therapeutic effects and reduced their side effects. In the current work, stimulable Drug Delivery Systems (DDS) based on supramolecular hydrogels were designed by combining two APIs featuring anticancer activities, namely the doxorubicin and phenazine 14. In vitro studies revealed promising physicochemical properties for all the investigated API loaded gels. Fluorinated GlycoNucleoLipid (GNF) based supramolecular gels remain stable in the presence of either doxorubicin (Doxo) or phenazine 14 (Phe) as anticancer drugs. Noteworthy, the stiffness of the GNF-based supramolecular gels was enhanced in the presence of both APIs while maintaining their thixotropic properties. We demonstrated that the storage modulus (G') of the GNF gels was increased from 1.3 kPa to 9.3 kPa upon loading of both APIs within the same gels. With a low mechanical stimulation (within the LVR), a passive diffusion out of gels was observed for Dox whereas Phe remained trapped in the GNF gels over several hours. Also, in this work we showed that mechanical stress triggered the release of both Phe and Doxo at different rates.

Adenosine Encapsulation and Characterization through Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin and Whey Protein Isolate as Wall Materials

Adenosine, as a water-soluble active substance, has various pharmacological effects. This study proposes a layer-by-layer assembly method of composite wall materials, using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as the inner wall and whey protein isolate as the outer wall, to encapsulate adenosine within the core material, aiming to enhance adenosine microcapsules' stability through intermolecular interactions. By combining isothermal titration calorimetry with molecular modeling analysis, it was determined that the core material and the inner wall and the inner wall and the outer wall interact through intermolecular forces. Adenosine and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin form an optimal 1:1 complex through hydrophobic interactions, while hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and whey protein isolate interact through hydrogen bonds. The embedding rate of AD/Hp-β-CD/WPI microcapsules was 36.80%, and the 24 h retention rate under the release behavior test was 76.09%. The method of preparing adenosine microcapsules using composite wall materials is environmentally friendly and shows broad application prospects in storage and delivery systems with sustained release properties.

Design and synthesis of nucleotidyl lipids and their application in the targeted delivery of siG12D for pancreatic cancer therapy

Nucleic acid drugs are attracting significant attention as prospective therapeutics. However, their efficacy is hindered by challenges in penetrating cell membranes and reaching target tissues, limiting their applications. Nucleotidyl lipids, with their specific intermolecular interactions such as H-bonding and π-π stacking, offer a promising solution as gene delivery vehicles. In this study, a novel series of nucleotide-based amphiphiles were synthesized. These lipid molecules possess the ability to self-assemble into spherical vesicles of appropriate size and zeta potential in aqueous solution. Furthermore, their complexes with oligonucleotides demonstrated favorable biocompatibility and exhibited antiproliferative effects against a broad range of cancer cells. Additionally, when combined with the cationic lipid CLD, these complexes displayed promising in vitro performance and in vivo efficacy. By incorporating DSPE-PEGylated cRGD into the formulation, targeted accumulation of siG12D in pancreatic cancer cells increased from approximately 6% to 18%, leading to effective treatment outcomes (intravenous administration, 1 mg/kg). This finding holds significant importance for the liposomal delivery of nucleic acid drugs to extrahepatic tissues.

Drugs targeting adenosine signaling pathways: A current view

Adenosine is an endogenous nucleoside that regulates many physiological and pathological processes. It is derived from either the intracellular or extracellular dephosphorylation of adenosine triphosphate and interacts with cell-surface G-protein-coupled receptors. Adenosine plays a substantial role in protecting against cell damage in areas of increased tissue metabolism and preventing organ dysfunction in pathological states. Targeting adenosine metabolism and receptor signaling may be an effective therapeutic approach for human diseases, including cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, renal diseases, and cancer. Several lines of evidence have shown that many drugs exert their beneficial effects by modulating adenosine signaling pathways but this knowledge urgently needs to be summarized, and most importantly, actualized. The present review collects pharmaceuticals and pharmacological or diagnostic tools that target adenosine signaling in their primary or secondary mode of action. We overviewed FDA-approved drugs as well as those currently being studied in clinical trials. Among them are already used in clinic A2A adenosine receptor modulators like istradefylline or regadenoson, but also plenty of anti-platelet, anti-inflammatory, or immunosuppressive, and anti-cancer drugs. On the other hand, we investigated dozens of specific adenosine pathway regulators that are tested in clinical trials to treat human infectious and noninfectious diseases. In conclusion, targeting purinergic signaling represents a great therapeutic challenge. The actual knowledge of the involvement of adenosinergic signaling as part of the mechanism of action of old drugs has open a path not only for drug-repurposing but also for new therapeutic strategies.

pH-temperature dual-sensitive nucleolipid-containing stealth liposomes anchored with PEGylated AuNPs for triggering delivery of doxorubicin

Liposomes (Lip) are useful nanocarriers for drug delivery and cancer nanomedicine because of their ability to efficiently encapsulate drugs with different physical and chemical properties. The pH gradient between normal and tumoral tissues, and their rapid metabolism that induces hyperthermia encourage the development of pH- and thermo-sensitive Lip for delivering anticancer drugs. Nucleolipids have been studied as scaffolding material to prepare Lip, mainly for cancer therapy. Herein, we report for the first time the use of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-(cytidine diphosphate) (DG-CDP) to develop pH/thermo-sensitive nucleolipid-containing stealth Lip stabilized by combination with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and cholesterol, anchored with NH₂-PEGylated gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs, 15 nm) for triggering delivery of doxorubicin (Dox). The optimal composition of DPPC, DG-CDP and cholesterol (94:3:3) was established by Langmuir isotherms. Unloaded and Dox-loaded Lip and AuNPs-Lip exhibited nano-scale sizes (415-650 nm), acceptable polydispersity indexes (<0.33), spherical shapes, and negative Z-potential (-23- -6.6 mV) due to the phosphate groups of DG-CDP, which allowed the anchoring with positively charged AuNPs. High EE% were achieved (>78%) and although efficient control in the Dox release towards different receptor media was observed, the release of Dox from PEG-AuNPs-Lip-Dox was significantly triggered at acidic pH and hyperthermia temperature, demonstrating its responsiveness to both stimuli. Dox-loaded Lip showed high cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and SK-OV-3 ovarian cancer cells, suggesting that Dox was released from these nanocarriers over time. Overall, the liposomal formulations showed promising properties as stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for cancer nanomedicine, with prospects for hyperthermia therapy.

Design and Characterization of Elastic Artificial Skin Containing Adenosine-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Treating Wrinkles

Adenosine (AD), which is used for treating wrinkles, exhibits poor skin permeation. The aim of the present study was to develop a cross-linked silicone-based cellulose elastomer as an elastic artificial skin for the treatment of skin wrinkles, a biocompatible lipid-based nano-carrier for enhancing the skin permeation of AD, and a formulation consisting of the lipid-based carrier incorporated in the elastic artificial skin. AD-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared using a double-emulsion method. Particle characteristics and mechanical properties of SLNs and elastic artificial skin, respectively, were assessed. Skin permeation was evaluated using SkinEthic RHE tissue, a reconstructed human epidermis model. The mean particle size and zeta potential for SLNs ranged from 123.57 to 248.90 nm and -13.23 to -41.23 mV, respectively. The components of neither SLNs nor the elastic artificial skin were cytotoxic, according to cell- and tissue-viability assays and EU classification. SLNs and the elastic artificial skin exhibited sustained drug release for 48 h. The amount of AD released from SLNs and elastic artificial skin was approximately 10 times and 5 times higher, respectively, than that from AD solution. Therefore, elastic artificial skin incorporated with AD-loaded SLNs may serve as a promising topical delivery system for cosmeceutical treatment of skin wrinkles.

Overcoming the delivery barrier of oligonucleotide drugs and enhancing nucleoside drug efficiency: The use of nucleolipids

With the rapid development of synthetic technology and biological technology, many nucleic acid-based drugs have entered the clinical trials. However, their inherent disabilities in actively and efficiently penetrating cell membranes still severely restrict their further application. The main drawback of cationic lipids, which have been widely used as nonviral vectors of nucleic acids, is their high cytotoxicity. A series of nucleoside-based or nucleotide-based nucleolipids have been reported in recent years, due to their oligonucleotide delivery capacity and low toxicity in comparison with cationic lipids. Lipophilic prodrugs of nucleoside analogs have extremely similar structures with nucleolipid vectors and are thus helpful for improving the transmembrane ability. This review introduces the progress of nucleolipids and provides new strategies for improving the delivery efficiency of nucleic acid-based drugs, as well as lipophilic prodrugs of nucleosides or nucleotides for antiviral or anticancer therapies.