Understanding and advancement in gold nanoparticle targeted photothermal therapy of cancer

Advanced disease therapeutics using engineered living drug delivery systems

Biological barriers significantly impede the delivery of nanotherapeutics to diseased tissues, diminishing therapeutic efficacy across pathologies such as cancer and inflammatory disorders. Although conventional strategies integrate multifunctional designs and molecular components into nanomaterials (NMs), many approaches remain insufficient to overcome these barriers. Key challenges, including inadequate drug accumulation at target sites and nonspecific biodistribution, persist in nanotherapeutic development. NMs, which harness the ability to precisely modulate drug delivery spatiotemporally and control release kinetics, represent a transformative platform for targeted cancer therapy. In this review, we highlight the biological obstacles limiting effective cancer treatment and evaluate how stimuli-responsive NMs address these constraints. By leveraging exogenous and endogenous stimuli, such NMs improve therapeutic specificity, reduce off-target effects, and amplify drug activity within pathological microenvironments. We systematically analyze the rational design and synthesis of stimuli-responsive NMs, driven by advances in oncology, biomaterials science, and nanoscale engineering. Furthermore, we highlight advances across NM classes-including polymeric, lipid-based, inorganic, and hybrid systems and explore functionalization approaches using targeting ligands, antibodies, and biomimetic coatings. Diverse delivery strategies are evaluated, such as small-molecule prodrug activation, peptide- and protein-based targeting, nucleic acid payloads, and engineered cell-mediated transport. Despite the promise of stimuli-responsive NMs, challenges such as biocompatibility, scalable fabrication, and clinical translation barriers must be addressed. By elucidating structure-function relationships and refining stimulus-triggered mechanisms, these NMs pave the way for transformative precision oncology strategies, enabling patient-specific therapies with enhanced efficacy and safety. This synthesis of interdisciplinary insights aims to catalyze innovation in next-generation nanomedicine for cancer treatment.

Advancing gastric cancer treatment: nanotechnology innovations and future prospects

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide, particularly prevalent in Asia, especially in China, where both its incidence and mortality rates are significantly high. Meanwhile, nanotechnology has demonstrated great potential in the treatment of GC. In particular, nanodrug delivery systems have improved therapeutic efficacy and targeting through various functional modifications, such as targeting peptides, tumor microenvironment responsiveness, and instrument-based methods. For instance, silica (SiO2) has excellent biocompatibility and can be used as a drug carrier, with its porous structure enhancing drug loading capacity. Polymer nanoparticles regulate drug release rates and mechanisms by altering material composition and preparation methods. Lipid nanoparticles efficiently encapsulate hydrophilic drugs and promote cellular uptake, while carbon-based nanoparticles can be used in biosensors and drug delivery. Targets such as integrins, HER2 receptors, and the tumor microenvironment have been used to improve drug efficacy in GC treatment. Nanodrug delivery techniques not only enhance drug efficacy and delivery capabilities but also selectively target tumor cells. Currently, there is a lack of systematic summarization and synthesis regarding the relationship between nanodrug delivery systems and GC treatment, which to some extent hinders researchers and clinicians from efficiently searching for and referencing related studies, thereby reducing work efficiency. This study aims to systematically summarize the existing research on the relationship between nanodrug delivery systems and GC treatment, making it easier for professionals to search and reference, and thereby promoting further research on the role of nanodrug delivery systems and their clinical applications in GC. This review discusses the applications of functionalized nanocarriers in the treatment of GC in recent years, including surface modifications with targeted markers, the combination of phototherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, along with their advantages and challenges. It also examines the future prospects of targeted nanomaterials in GC treatment. The review particularly focuses on the combined application of nanocarriers in multiple treatment modalities, such as phototherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, demonstrating their potential in multimodal treatments. Furthermore, it thoroughly explores the specific challenges that nanocarriers face in GC treatment, such as biocompatibility, drug release control, and clinical translation issues, while providing a systematic outlook on future developments. Additionally, this study emphasizes the potential value and feasibility of nanocarriers in clinical applications, contrasting with most reviews that focus on basic research. Through these innovations, we offer new perspectives and directions for the development of nanotechnology in the treatment of GC.

Unlocking the Potential of Phyto Nanotherapeutics in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment: A Review

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth leading cancer in related diseases most commonly in men and women. The curative treatments of liver cancer are short-listed, associated with toxicities and therapeutically. Emerging nanotechnologies exhibited the possibility to treat or target liver cancer. Over the years, to phytosome solid lipid nanoparticles, gold, silver, liposomes, and phospholipid nanoparticles have been produced for liver cancer therapy, and some evidence of their effectiveness has been established. Ideas are limited to the laboratory scale, and in order to develop active targeting of nanomedicine for the clinical aspects, they must be extended to a larger scale. Thus, the current review focuses on previously and presently published research on the creation of phytosomal nanocarriers for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), phytosomal nanotherapeutics improve the targeted delivery and bioavailability of phytochemicals to tumor cells, thereby reducing systemic toxicity and increasing therapeutic efficacy. In order to address the intricate molecular processes implicated in HCC, this strategy is essential.

Advances in localized prostate cancer: A special focus on photothermal therapy

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a high prevalence disease, per 10000 habitants, that tends to increase with age. This pathology is difficult to detect at an early stage due to the absence of symptoms, hence the importance of monitoring signs for early detection. This disease can be detected by various methods, including plasmatic levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and rectal touch, with biopsy being necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Patients affected by prostate cancer can have localized or advanced disease. There are conventional approaches that have been used as a reference in localized cancer, such as active surveillance, surgery, or radiotherapy. However, the adverse effects might vary and, sometimes, they can be permanent. An overview about the innovative therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes in terms of both tumor remission and side effects for localized PCa is presented. In case of emerging light-based treatment strategies, they aimed at ablating tumor tissue by inducing an external light are non-invasive, localized and, considerably, they are able to reduce lesions in peripheral tissues. One is photodynamic therapy (PDT) and it involves the photooxidation of molecules culminating in the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing cell death. On the other hand, photothermal therapy (PTT) is based on inducing hyperthermia in cancer cells by irradiating them with beams of light at a specific wavelength. To improve the heat generated, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have those desirable characteristics that have drawn attention to PTT. Various studies point to AuNPs as efficient nanomaterials in PTT for the treatment of tumors, including prostate cancer. This review includes the most representative advances in this research field, dated from 1998 to 2023. It is noticed that several advances have been made and the way to find the effective treatment without impacting adverse side effects is shorter.

Unlocking the potential of RGD-conjugated gold nanoparticles: a new frontier in targeted cancer therapy, imaging, and metastasis inhibition

In the rapidly evolving field of cancer therapeutics, the potential of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated with RGD peptides has emerged as a promising avenue for targeted therapy and imaging. Despite numerous studies demonstrating the effectiveness of RGD-conjugated AuNPs in specifically targeting tumor cells and enhancing radiation therapy (RT), a comprehensive review of these advancements is currently lacking. This review aims to fill this critical gap in the literature. Our analysis reveals that RGD-conjugated AuNPs have shown significant promise in improving the diagnosis and treatment of various types of cancer, including breast cancer. However, the full potential of this technology is yet to be realized. The development of multifunctional nanoplatforms incorporating AuNPs has opened new horizons for targeted therapy, dual-mode imaging, and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. This review is of paramount importance as it provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in this area, and highlights the areas where further research is needed. It is hoped that this review will inspire further investigations into this promising nanotechnology, ultimately leading to improved cancer diagnosis and therapy. Therefore, the findings presented in this review underscore the potential of AuNPs conjugated with RGD peptides as a revolutionary approach in cancer therapeutics. It is our fervent hope that this review will serve as a catalyst for further research in this exciting field.

Capped Plasmonic Gold and Silver Nanoparticles with Porphyrins for Potential Use as Anticancer Agents-A Review

Photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) are potential cancer treatment methods that are minimally invasive with high specificity for malignant cells. Emerging research has concentrated on the application of metal nanoparticles encapsulated in porphyrin and their derivatives to improve the efficacy of these treatments. Gold and silver nanoparticles have distinct optical properties and biocompatibility, which makes them efficient materials for PDT and PTT. Conjugation of these nanoparticles with porphyrin derivatives increases their light absorption and singlet oxygen generation that create a synergistic effect that increases phototoxicity against cancer cells. Porphyrin encapsulation with gold or silver nanoparticles improves their solubility, stability, and targeted tumor delivery. This paper provides comprehensive review on the design, functionalization, and uses of plasmonic silver and gold nanoparticles in biomedicine and how they can be conjugated with porphyrins for synergistic therapeutic effects. Furthermore, it investigates this dual-modal therapy's potential advantages and disadvantages and offers perspectives for future prospects. The possibility of developing gold, silver, and porphyrin nanotechnology-enabled biomedicine for combination therapy is also examined.

PEGylated Pemetrexed and PolyNIPAM Decorated Gold Nanoparticles: A Biocompatible and Highly Stable CT Contrast Agent for Cancer Imaging

This study describes a multifunctional nanoparticle platform for targeted CT imaging and therapy of cancers. Pemetrexed (conjugated with polyethylene glycol, MW 2000 Da) and polyNIPAM (PEGylated) were designed for targeted delivery to folate receptors and thermally ablated tumors, respectively. These moieties were coated on gold nanoparticles (7 and 30 nm), and the prepared compounds were characterized using 1H NMR, FT-IR, CHNS, DLS, TEM, TGA, and UV-vis. The resulting agents exhibited 2-4 times higher X-ray attenuation compared to Visipaque and demonstrated specific accumulation in tumor tissue (4T1 xenograft model) 90 min after injection in mice. The nanoparticles displayed anticancer activity against 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (IC50: 182.87 and 206.18 μg/mL) and good biocompatibility. Importantly, the platform showed excellent stability over a year and at pH 2-12 and temperature range of -78 to 40 °C, and a water-dichloromethane extraction method was optimized for efficient purification, facilitating large-scale production.

Targeting tumor microenvironments with gold nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal therapy

Gold nano-drug delivery system-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) has been widely studied in the field of anti-tumor. In order to achieve accurate drug release and improve photothermal efficiency, nano-drug delivery strategies targeting tumor microenvironment (TME) have become a hot research topic in recent years. This paper introduces four characteristics of the TME: hypoxia, low pH, high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and overexpression of enzymes. These differences between tumor and normal tissue become effective targets for tumor therapy. This paper summarizes the gold nano-drug delivery system that can target these four characteristics, so as to realize a large amount of drug aggregation at the tumor site and achieve efficient photothermal therapy. Moreover, the multi-response nano-drug delivery system can further control drug delivery and improve therapeutic effects. Finally, this paper also summarizes the gold nanoparticles for tumor therapy that have entered clinical trials so far. The purpose of this review is to discuss the research progress of enhanced photothermal therapy with gold nano-drug delivery systems targeting the TME, with a view to providing a reference for the future development of novel anti-tumor nanoplatforms and the clinical translation of gold nanoparticles.

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles in the fight against cancer

ABSTRACT

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are diminutive vesicles naturally released by Gram-negative bacteria. These vesicles possess distinctive characteristics that attract attention for their potential use in drug administration and immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Therapeutic medicines may be delivered via OMVs directly to the tumor sites, thereby minimizing exposure to healthy cells and lowering the risk of systemic toxicity. Furthermore, the activation of the immune system by OMVs has been demonstrated to facilitate the recognition and elimination of cancer cells, which makes them a desirable tool for immunotherapy. They can also be genetically modified to carry specific antigens, immunomodulatory compounds, and small interfering RNAs, enhancing the immune response to cancerous cells and silencing genes associated with disease progression. Combining OMVs with other cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation has shown promising synergistic effects. This review highlights the crucial role of bacterial OMVs in cancer, emphasizing their potential as vectors for novel cancer targeted therapies. As researchers delve deeper into the complexities of these vesicles and their interactions with tumors, there is a growing sense of optimism that this avenue of study will bring positive outcomes and renewed hope to cancer patients in the foreseeable future.

Engineered nanoparticles potentials in male reproduction

BACKGROUND

The escalating prevalence of fertility problems in the aging population necessitates a comprehensive exploration of contributing factors, extending beyond environmental concerns, work-related stress, and unhealthy lifestyles. Among these, the rising incidence of testicular disorders emerges as a pivotal determinant of fertility issues. Current treatment challenges are underscored by the limitations of high-dose and frequent drug administration, coupled with substantial side effects and irreversible trauma inflicted by surgical interventions on testicular tissue.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The formidable barrier posed by the blood-testis barrier compounds the complexities of treating testicular diseases, presenting a significant therapeutic obstacle. The advent of nanocarriers, with their distinctive attributes, holds promise in overcoming this impediment. These nanocarriers exhibit exceptional biocompatibility, and membrane penetration capabilities, and can strategically target the blood-testis barrier through surface ligand modification, thereby augmenting drug bioavailability and enhancing therapeutic efficacy.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This review concentrates on the transformative potential of nanocarriers in the delivery of therapeutic agents to testicular tissue. By summarizing key applications, we illuminate the strides made in utilizing nanocarriers as a novel avenue to effectively treat testicular diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Nanocarriers are critical in delivering therapeutic agents to testicular tissue.

Engineered nanoparticles for precise targeted drug delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy in cancer immunotherapy

The advent of cancer immunotherapy has imparted a transformative impact on cancer treatment paradigms by harnessing the power of the immune system. However, the challenge of practical and precise targeting of malignant cells persists. To address this, engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising solution for enhancing targeted drug delivery in immunotherapeutic interventions, owing to their small size, low immunogenicity, and ease of surface modification. This comprehensive review delves into contemporary research at the nexus of NP engineering and immunotherapy, encompassing an extensive spectrum of NP morphologies and strategies tailored toward optimizing tumor targeting and augmenting therapeutic effectiveness. Moreover, it underscores the mechanisms that NPs leverage to bypass the numerous obstacles encountered in immunotherapeutic regimens and probes into the combined potential of NPs when co-administered with both established and novel immunotherapeutic modalities. Finally, the review evaluates the existing limitations of NPs as drug delivery platforms in immunotherapy, which could shape the path for future advancements in this promising field.

Harnessing the power of thermosensitive liposomes with gold nanoprisms and silica for controlled drug delivery in combined chemotherapy and phototherapy

In recent years, the scientific community has tried to address the treatment of complex diseases such as cancer in a more appropriate and promising way. Regarding this and benefiting from the unique optical properties of gold nanoprisms (AuNPRs), the physicochemical properties of thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs), and the tunable drug encapsulation and release properties of silica nanoparticles (BioSi@NPs), this study has developed two nanoformulations. These nanoformulations have the potential to integrate chemotherapy and photothermal therapy within a single entity. Once their components were synthesized and characterized separately, two strategies were taken in order to develop these multifunctional nanoformulations: (1) covalent binding of AuNPRs to TSLs and (2) co-encapsulation of both components within BioSi@NPs, without modifying the optical and physicochemical properties of AuNPRs and TSLs. Finally, the suitability of both nanoformulations to carry and release hydrophilic drugs when triggered by a 1064 nm NIR laser has been explored by using the fluorescent probe 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF) as a hydrophilic drug model. Different laser power and time of exposure were also tested evidencing that hydrophilic drugs were only released from TSLs in the presence of AuNPRs and that the drug release profile was dependent on the type of nanoformulation and irradiation conditions used. In conclusion, these multifunctional nanoformulations exhibit promising potential for controlled drug delivery in combined chemotherapy and phototherapy, with the capability to precisely control the release kinetics based on specific therapeutic needs.

Prospect of Gold Nanoparticles in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is characterized by its notably poor prognosis and high mortality rate, underscoring the critical need for advancements in its diagnosis and therapy. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), with their distinctive physicochemical characteristics, demonstrate significant application potential in cancer therapy. For example, upon exposure to lasers of certain wavelengths, they facilitate localized heating, rendering them extremely effective in photothermal therapy. Additionally, their extensive surface area enables the conjugation of therapeutic agents or targeting molecules, increasing the accuracy of drug delivery systems. Moreover, AuNPs can serve as radiosensitizers, enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy by boosting the radiation absorption in tumor cells. Here, we systematically reviewed the application and future directions of AuNPs in the diagnosis and treatment of PC. Although AuNPs have advantages in improving diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy, as well as minimizing damage to normal tissues, concerns about their potential toxicity and safety need to be comprehensively evaluated.

Innovative Biomaterials for Bone Tumor Treatment and Regeneration: Tackling Postoperative Challenges and Charting the Path Forward

Surgical resection of bone tumors is the primary approach employed in the treatment of bone cancer. Simultaneously, perioperative interventions, particularly postoperative adjuvant anticancer strategies, play a crucial role in achieving satisfactory therapeutic outcomes. However, the occurrence of postoperative bone tumor recurrence, metastasis, extensive bone defects, and infection are significant risks that can result in unfavorable prognoses or even treatment failure. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the development of biomaterials, leading to the emergence of new treatment options for bone tumor therapy and bone regeneration. This progress report aims to comprehensively analyze the strategic development of unique therapeutic biomaterials with inherent healing properties and bioactive capabilities for bone tissue regeneration. These composite biomaterials, classified into metallic, inorganic non-metallic, and organic types, are thoroughly investigated for their responses to external stimuli such as light or magnetic fields, internal interventions including chemotherapy or catalytic therapy, and combination therapy, as well as their role in bone regeneration. Additionally, an overview of self-healing materials for osteogenesis is provided and their potential applications in combating osteosarcoma and promoting bone formation are explored. Furthermore, the safety concerns of integrated materials and current limitations are addressed, while also discussing the challenges and future prospects.

Noble Metal Nanoparticle-Based Photothermal Therapy: Development and Application in Effective Cancer Therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising cancer therapy modality with significant advantages such as precise targeting, convenient drug delivery, better efficacy, and minimal adverse effects. Photothermal therapy effectively absorbs the photothermal transducers in the near-infrared region (NIR), which induces the photothermal effect to work. Although PTT has a better role in tumor therapy, it also suffers from low photothermal conversion efficiency, biosafety, and incomplete tumor elimination. Therefore, the use of nanomaterials themselves as photosensitizers, the targeted modification of nanomaterials to improve targeting efficiency, or the combined use of nanomaterials with other therapies can improve the therapeutic effects and reduce side effects. Notably, noble metal nanomaterials have attracted much attention in PTT because they have strong surface plasmon resonance and an effective absorbance light at specific near-infrared wavelengths. Therefore, they can be used as excellent photosensitizers to mediate photothermal conversion and improve its efficiency. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the key role played by noble metal nanomaterials in tumor photothermal therapy. It also describes the major challenges encountered during the implementation of photothermal therapy.

Antibacterial Properties of an Experimental Dental Resin Loaded with Gold Nanoshells for Photothermal Therapy Applications

This study explored the chemical and antibacterial properties of a dental resin loaded with gold nanoshells (AuNPs) in conjunction with photothermal therapy (PTT) as a novel method against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) to prevent secondary caries. First, a 20-h minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was performed on solutions of AuNPs with planktonic S. mutans under an LED device and laser at 660 nm. Next, resin blends containing 0, 1 × 1010, or 2 × 1010 AuNPs/mL were fabricated, and the degree of conversion (DC) was measured using an FTIR spectroscopy. Lastly, a colony forming unit (CFU) count was performed following 24 h growth of S. mutans on 6 mm diameter resin disks with different light treatments of an LED device and a laser at 660 nm. The MIC results only showed a reduction in S. mutans at AuNP concentrations less than 3.12 µg/mL under a laser illumination level of 95.5 J/cm2 compared to the dark treatment (p < 0.010 for each). CFU and DC results showed no significant dependence on any light treatment studied. The AuNPs expressed antibacterial effects following PPT against planktonic S. mutans but not in a polymerized dental adhesive resin. Future studies should focus on different shapes, structure, and concentrations of AuNPs loaded in a resin blend.

Progress of Mesoporous Silica Coated Gold Nanorods for Biological Imaging and Cancer Therapy

For unique surface plasmon absorption and fluorescence characteristics, gold nanorods have been developed and widely employed in the biomedical field. However, limitations still exist due their low specific surface area, instability and tendency agglomerate in cytoplasm. Mesoporous silica materials have been broadly applied in field of catalysts, adsorbents, nanoreactors, and drug carriers due to its unique mesoporous structure, highly comparative surface area, good stability and biocompatibility. Therefore, coating gold nanorods with a dendritic mesopore channels can effectively prevent particle agglomeration, while increasing the specific surface area and drug loading efficiency. This review discusses the advancements of GNR@MSN in synthetic process, bio-imaging technique and tumor therapy. Additionally, the further application of GNR@MSN in imaging-guided treatment modalities is explored, while its promising superior application prospect is highlighted. Finally, the issues related to in vivo studies are critically examined for facilitating the transition of this promising nanoplatform into clinical trials.

Spike structure of gold nanobranches induces hepatotoxicity in mouse hepatocyte organoid models

BACKGROUND

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have been extensively recognized as an active candidate for a large variety of biomedical applications. However, the clinical conversion of specific types of GNPs has been hindered due to their potential liver toxicity. The origin of their hepatotoxicity and the underlying key factors are still ambiguous. Because the size, shape, and surfactant of GNPs all affect their properties and cytotoxicity. An effective and sensitive platform that can provide deep insights into the cause of GNPs' hepatotoxicity in vitro is therefore highly desired.

METHODS

Here, hepatocyte organoid models (Hep-orgs) were constructed to evaluate the shape-dependent hepatotoxicity of GNPs. Two types of GNPs with different nanomorphology, gold nanospheres (GNSs) and spiny gold nanobranches (GNBs), were synthesized as the representative samples. Their shape-dependent effects on mice Hep-orgs' morphology, cellular cytoskeletal structure, mitochondrial structure, oxidative stress, and metabolism were carefully investigated.

RESULTS

The results showed that GNBs with higher spikiness and tip curvature exhibited more significant cytotoxicity compared to the rounded GNSs. The spike structure of GNBs leads to a mitochondrial damage, oxidative stress, and metabolic disorder in Hep-orgs. Meanwhile, similar trends can be observed in HepG2 cells and mice models, demonstrating the reliability of the Hep-orgs.

CONCLUSIONS

Hep-orgs can serve as an effective platform for exploring the interactions between GNPs and liver cells in a 3D perspective, filling the gap between 2D cell models and animal models. This work further revealed that organoids can be used as an indispensable tool to rapidly screen and explore the toxic mechanism of nanomaterials before considering their biomedical functionalities.

Using anti-PD-L1 antibody conjugated gold nanoshelled poly (Lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanocapsules loaded with doxorubicin: A theranostic agent for ultrasound imaging and photothermal/chemo combination therapy of triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the worst prognosis of all breast cancers, and it is difficult to progress through traditional chemotherapy. Therefore, the treatment of TNBC urgently requires agents with effective diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. In this study, we obtained programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody conjugated gold nanoshelled poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules (NCs) encapsulating doxorubicin (DOX) (DOX@PLGA@Au-PD-L1 NCs). PLGA NCs encapsulating DOX were prepared by a modified single-emulsion oil-in-water (O/W) solvent evaporation method, and gold nanoshells were formed on the surface by gold seed growth method, which were coupled with PD-L1 antibodies by carbodiimide method. The fabricated DOX@PLGA@Au-PD-L1 NCs exhibited promising contrast enhancement in vitro ultrasound imaging. Furthermore, DOX encapsulated in NCs displayed good pH-responsive and photo-triggered drug release properties. After irradiating 200 μg/mL NCs solution with a laser for 10 min, the solution temperature increased by nearly 23°C, indicating that the NCs had good photothermal conversion ability. The targeting experiments confirmed that the NCs had specific target binding ability to TNBC cells overexpressing PD-L1 molecules. Cell experiments exhibited that the agent significantly reduced the survival rate of TNBC cells through photochemotherapy combination therapy. As a multifunctional diagnostic agent, DOX@PLGA@Au-PD-L1 NCs could be used for ultrasound targeted contrast imaging and photochemotherapy combination therapy of TNBC cells, providing a promising idea for early diagnosis and treatment of TNBC.

Antimicrobial Activity of Citrate-Coated Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of citrate-stabilized sols of cerium oxide nanoparticles at different concentrations via different microbiological methods and to compare the effect with the peroxidase activity of nanoceria for the subsequent development of a regeneration-stimulating medical and/or veterinary wound-healing product providing new types of antimicrobial action. The object of this study was cerium oxide nanoparticles synthesized from aqueous solutions of cerium (III) nitrate hexahydrate and citric acid (the size of the nanoparticles was 3-5 nm, and their aggregates were 60-130 nm). Nanoceria oxide sols with a wide range of concentrations (10-1-10-6 M) as well as powder (the dry substance) were used. Both bacterial and fungal strains (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Candida albicans, Aspergillus brasielensis) were used for the microbiological studies. The antimicrobial activity of nanoceria was investigated across a wide range of concentrations using three methods sequentially; the antimicrobial activity was studied by examining diffusion into agar, the serial dilution method was used to detect the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations, and, finally, gas chromatography with mass-selective detection was performed to study the inhibition of E. coli's growth. To study the redox activity of different concentrations of nanocerium, we studied the intensity of chemiluminescence in the oxidation reaction of luminol in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. As a result of this study's use of the agar diffusion and serial dilution methods followed by sowing, no significant evidence of antimicrobial activity was found. At the same time, in the current study of antimicrobial activity against E. coli strains using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry, the ability of nanoceria to significantly inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms after 24 h and, in particular, after 48 h of incubation at a wide range of concentrations, 10-2-10-5 M (48-95% reduction in the number of microbes with a significant dose-dependent effect) was determined as the optimum concentration. A reliable redox activity of nanoceria coated with citrate was established, increasing in proportion to the concentration, confirming the oxidative mechanism of the action of nanoceria. Thus, nanoceria have a dose-dependent bacteriostatic effect, which is most pronounced at concentrations of 10-2-10-3 M. Unlike the effects of classical antiseptics, the effect was manifested from 2 days and increased during the observation. To study the antimicrobial activity of nanomaterials, it is advisable not to use classical qualitative and semi-quantitative methods; rather, the employment of more accurate quantitative methods is advised, in particular, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, during several days of incubation.

An Efficient Strategy for Constructing Fluorescent Nanoprobes for Prolonged and Accurate Tumor Imaging

Activatable near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probes possess advantages of high selectivity, sensitivity, and deep imaging depth, holding great potential in the early diagnosis and prognosis assessment of tumors. However, small-molecule fluorescent probes are largely limited due to the rapid diffusion and metabolic clearance of activated fluorophores in vivo. Herein, we propose an efficient and reproducible novel strategy to construct activatable fluorescent nanoprobes through bioorthogonal reactions and the strong gold-sulfur (Au-S) interactions to achieve an enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, thereby achieving prolonged and high-contrast tumor imaging in vivo. To demonstrate the merits of this strategy, we prepared an activatable nanoprobe, hCy-ALP@AuNP, for imaging alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in vivo, whose nanoscale properties facilitate accumulation and long-term retention in tumor lesions. Tumor-overexpressed ALP significantly increased the fluorescence signal of hCy-ALP@AuNP in the NIR region. More importantly, compared with the small-molecule probe hCy-ALP-N3, the nanoprobe hCy-ALP@AuNP significantly improved the distribution and retention time in the tumor, thus improving the imaging window and accuracy. Therefore, this nanoprobe platform has great potential in the efficient construction of biomarker-responsive fluorescent nanoprobes to realize precise tumor diagnosis in vivo.

High-throughput cell optoporation system based on Au nanoparticle layers mediated by resonant irradiation for precise and controllable gene delivery

The development of approaches based on genetically modified cells is accompanied by a constant intensive search for new effective and safe delivery systems and the study of existing ones. Recently, we developed a new plasmonic nanoparticle layers-mediated optoporation system that can be proposed for precisely controlled, high-performance laser transfection compatible with broad types of cells and delivered objects of interest. The main goal of the present study is to demonstrate the broad possibilities and advantages of our system for optoporation of several mammalian cells, classified as "easy-to-transfect" cells, namely HeLa and CHO lines, and "hard-to-transfect" cells, namely A431 and RAW 264.7 cells. We show the efficient delivery of various sized cargo molecules: from small molecular dyes propidium iodide (PI) with molecular mass 700 Da, control plasmids (3-10 kb) to fluorophore-labeled dextranes with masses ranging from 10 kDa up to 100 kDa. The performance of optoporation was investigated for two types of laser sources, 800-nm continuous-wave laser, and 1064-nm ns pulsed laser. We provided a comparative study between our system and commercial agent Lipofectamine for transient transfection and stable transfection of HeLa cells with plasmids encoding fluorescent proteins. The quantitative data analysis using flow cytometry, Alamar blue viability assay, and direct fluorescence microscopy revealed higher optoporation efficacy for hard-to-transfect A431 cells and Raw 264.7 cells than lipofection efficacy. Finally, we demonstrated the optoporation performance at the single-cell level by successful delivering PI to the individual CHO cells with revealed high viability for at least 72 h post-irradiation.

Phytosynthesis of gold-198 nanoparticles for a potential therapeutic radio-photothermal agent

We produced spherical gold-198 nanoparticles with an average size of 41 nm, good stability, and high radiochemical purity for a promising single agent of radio-photothermal therapy using Curcuma longa rhizome extract as a reducing and capping agent. The combination of in vitro treatment using gold-198 nanoparticles and irradiation of 980 nm wavelength lasers with a power output of 2 W/cm2 induced hyperthermia temperature and exhibited enhancement of the percentage dead on MDA-MB-123 cancer cells compared to gold-198 nanoparticles alone.

Research progress of organic photothermal agents delivery and synergistic therapy systems

Cancer is currently one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Due to the inevitable shortcomings of conventional treatments, photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted great attention as an emerging and non-invasive cancer treatment method. Photothermal agents (PTAs) is a necessary component of PTT to play its role. It accumulates at the tumor site through appropriate methods and converts the absorbed light energy into heat energy effectively under near-infrared light irradiation, thus increasing the temperature of the tumor area and facilitating ablation of the tumor cells. Compared to inorganic photothermal agents, which have limitations such as non-degradability and potential long-term toxicity in vivo, organic photothermal agents exhibit excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, thus showing promising prospects for the application of PTT in cancer treatment. And these organic photothermal agents can also be engineered into nanoparticles to improve their water solubility, extend their circulation time in vivo, and specifically target tumors. Moreover, further combination of PTT with other treatment methods can effectively enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment and alleviate the side effects associated with single treatments. This article briefly introduces several common types of organic photothermal agents and their nanoparticles, and reviews the applications of PTT based on organic photothermal agents in combination with chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, chemodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, and multimodal combination therapy for tumor treatment, which expands the ideas and methods in the field of tumor treatment.

Anti-CD64 Antibody-Conjugated PLGA Nanoparticles Containing Methotrexate and Gold for Theranostics Application in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, exerts a considerable effect on quality of life. The inflammatory mechanism involved in rheumatoid arthritis is not clearly known, and therefore the need to develop effective medicines as well as new methods for early detection is a challenge. In this study, we developed PLGA nanoparticles containing gold and methotrexate in core and anti-CD64 antibody conjugated to nanoparticle surface via coupling process. The nanoparticles were examined for their surface morphology using SEM and TEM. The mean particle size, zeta potential, and PDI values of nanoparticles were 413.6 ± 2.89 nm, -10.12 ± 2.12 mV, and 0.23 ± 0.04, respectively, indicating good stability and particle homogeneity. In vitro drug release revealed a controlled release pattern with 93.44 ± 1.60% up to 72 h of release in the presence of pH 5.8, indicating the influence of pH and NIR on drug release. In vivo results on adjuvant-induced arthritis on Wistar rats indicated that animals receiving antibody-conjugated nanoparticles showed improvement in clinical indices and arthritic score as compared to non-conjugated nanoparticles and free drugs. This innovative drug delivery system will be an excellent strategy to maximize therapeutic effectiveness by limiting dosage-related side effects.

Development of Hollow Gold Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy and Their Cytotoxic Effect on a Glioma Cell Line When Combined with Copper Diethyldithiocarbamate

Gold-based nanoparticles hold promise as functional nanomedicines, including in combination with a photothermal effect for cancer therapy in conjunction with chemotherapy. Here, we synthesized hollow gold nanoparticles (HGNPs) exhibiting efficient light absorption in the near-IR (NIR) region. Several synthesis conditions were explored and provided monodisperse HGNPs approximately 95-135 nm in diameter with a light absorbance range of approximately 600-720 nm. The HGNPs were hollow and the surface had protruding structures when prepared using high concentrations of HAuCl4. The simultaneous nucleation of a sacrificial AgCl template and Au nanoparticles may affect the resulting HGNPs. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) is metabolized from disulfiram and is a repurposed drug currently attracting attention. The chelation of DDTC with copper ion (DDTC-Cu) has been investigated for treating glioma, and here we confirmed the cytotoxic effect of DDTC-Cu towards rat C6 glioma cells in vitro. HGNPs alone were biocompatible and showed little cytotoxicity, whereas a mixture of DDTC-Cu and HGNPs was cytotoxic in a dose dependent manner. The temperature of HGNPs was increased by NIR-laser irradiation. The photothermal effect on HGNPs under NIR-laser irradiation resulted in cytotoxicity towards C6 cells and was dependent on the irradiation time. Photothermal therapy by HGNPs combined and DDTC-Cu was highly effective, suggesting that this combination approach hold promise as a future glioma therapy.

Self-driven bioactive hybrids co-deliver doxorubicin and indocyanine green nanoparticles for chemo/photothermal therapy of breast cancer

Breast cancer is characterized by insidious onset, rapid progression, easy recurrence, and metastasis. Conventional monotherapies are usually ineffective due to insufficient drug delivery. Therefore, the combination of multimodal therapy with tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive nanoplatforms is increasingly being considered for the targeted treatment of breast cancer. We synthesized bioactive hybrid nanoparticles for synergistic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy. Briefly, doxorubicin (DOX) and indocyanine green (ICG)-loaded nanoparticles (DI) of average particle size 113.58 ± 2.14 nm were synthesized, and their surface were modified with polydopamine (PDA) and attached to the anaerobic probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis (Bif). The bioactive Bif@DIP hybrid showed good photothermal conversion efficiency of about 38.04%. In addition, the self-driving ability of Bif allowed targeted delivery of the PDA-coated DI nanoparticles (DIP) to the hypoxic regions of the tumor. The low pH and high GSH levels in the TME stimulated the controlled release of DOX and ICG from the Bif@DIP hybrid, which then triggered apoptosis of tumor cells and induced immunogenic cell death (ICD), resulting in effective and sustained anti-tumor effect with minimum systemic toxicity. Thus, the self-driven Bif@DIP hybrid is a promising nanodrug for the targeted chemotherapy and photothermal therapy against solid cancers.

Photochemical outcomes triggered by gold shell-isolated nanorods on bioinspired nanoarchitectonics for bacterial membranes

Boosted by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, multidrug-resistance (MDR) demands new strategies to combat bacterial infections, such as photothermal therapy (PTT) based on plasmonic nanostructures. PTT efficiency relies on photoinduced damage caused to the bacterial machinery, for which nanostructure incorporation into the cell envelope is key. Herein, we shall unveil the binding and photochemical mechanisms of gold shell-isolated nanorods (AuSHINRs) on bioinspired bacterial membranes assembled as Langmuir and Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) monolayers of DOPE, Lysyl-PG, DOPG and CL. AuSHINRs incorporation expanded the isotherms, with stronger effect on the anionic DOPG and CL. Indeed, FTIR of LS films revealed more modifications for DOPG and CL owing to stronger attractive electrostatic interactions between anionic phosphates and the positively charged AuSHINRs, while electrostatic repulsions with the cationic ethanolamine (DOPE) and lysyl (Lysyl-PG) polar groups might have weakened their interactions with AuSHINRs. No statistical difference was observed in the surface area of irradiated DOPE and Lysyl-PG monolayers on AuSHINRs, which is evidence of the restricted nanostructures insertion. In contrast, irradiated DOPG monolayer on AuSHINRs decreased 4.0 % in surface area, while irradiated CL monolayer increased 3.7 %. Such results agree with oxidative reactions prompted by ROS generated by AuSHINRs photoactivation. The deepest AuSHINRs insertion into DOPG may have favored chain cleavage while hydroperoxidation is the mostly like outcome in CL, where AuSHINRs are surrounding the polar groups. Furthermore, preliminary experiments on Escherichia coli culture demonstrated that the electrostatic interactions with AuSHINRs do not inhibit bacterial growth, but the photoinduced effects are highly toxic, resulting in microbial inactivation.

Application of advanced biomaterials in photothermal therapy for malignant bone tumors

Malignant bone tumors are characterized by severe disability rate, mortality rate, and heavy recurrence rate owing to the complex pathogenesis and insidious disease progression, which seriously affect the terminal quality of patients' lives. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive adjunctive treatment offering prominent hyperthermal therapeutic effects to enhance the effectiveness of surgical treatment and avoid recurrence. Simultaneously, various advanced biomaterials with photothermal capacity are currently created to address malignant bone tumors, performing distinctive biological functions, including nanomaterials, bioceramics (BC), polymers, and hydrogels et al. Furthermore, PTT-related combination therapeutic strategies can provide more significant curative benefits by reducing drug toxicity, improving tumor-killing efficiency, stimulating anti-cancer immunity, and improving immune sensitivity relative to monotherapy, even in complex tumor microenvironments (TME). This review summarizes the current advanced biomaterials applicable in PTT and relevant combination therapies on malignant bone tumors for the first time. The multiple choices of advanced biomaterials, treatment methods, and new prospects for future research in treating malignant bone tumors with PTT are generalized to provide guidance. Malignant bone tumors seriously affect the terminal quality of patients' lives. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an attractive adjunctive treatment enhancing the effectiveness of surgical treatment and avoiding recurrence. In this review, advanced biomaterials applicable in the PTT of malignant bone tumors and their distinctive biological functions are comprehensively summarized for the first time. Simultaneously, multiple PTT-related combination therapeutic strategies are classified to optimize practical clinical issues, contributing to the selection of biomaterials, therapeutic alternatives, and research perspectives for the adjuvant treatment of malignant bone tumors with PTT in the future.

The Refined Application and Evolution of Nanotechnology in Enhancing Radiosensitivity During Radiotherapy: Transitioning from Gold Nanoparticles to Multifunctional Nanomaterials

Radiotherapy is a pivotal method for treating malignant tumors, and enhancing the therapeutic gain ratio of radiotherapy through physical techniques is the direction of modern precision radiotherapy. Due to the inherent physical properties of high-energy radiation, enhancing the therapeutic gain ratio of radiotherapy through radiophysical techniques inevitably encounters challenges. The combination of hyperthermia and radiotherapy can enhance the radiosensitivity of tumor cells, reduce their radioresistance, and holds significant clinical utility in radiotherapy. Multifunctional nanomaterials with excellent biocompatibility and safety have garnered widespread attention in tumor hyperthermia research, demonstrating promising potential. Utilizing nanotechnology as a sensitizing carrier in conjunction with radiotherapy, and high atomic number nanomaterials can also serve independently as radiosensitizing carriers. This synergy between tumor hyperthermia and radiotherapy may overcome many challenges currently limiting tumor radiotherapy, offering new opportunities for its further advancement. In recent years, the continuous progress in the synthesis and design of novel nanomaterials will propel the future development of medical imaging and cancer treatment. This article summarizes the radiosensitizing mechanisms and effects based on gold nanotechnology and provides an overview of the advancements of other nanoparticles (such as bismuth-based nanomaterials, magnetic nanomaterials, selenium nanomaterials, etc.) in the process of radiation therapy.

Current research trends of nanomedicines

Owing to the inherent shortcomings of traditional therapeutic drugs in terms of inadequate therapeutic efficacy and toxicity in clinical treatment, nanomedicine designs have received widespread attention with significantly improved efficacy and reduced non-target side effects. Nanomedicines hold tremendous theranostic potential for treating, monitoring, diagnosing, and controlling various diseases and are attracting an unfathomable amount of input of research resources. Against the backdrop of an exponentially growing number of publications, it is imperative to help the audience get a panorama image of the research activities in the field of nanomedicines. Herein, this review elaborates on the development trends of nanomedicines, emerging nanocarriers, in vivo fate and safety of nanomedicines, and their extensive applications. Moreover, the potential challenges and the obstacles hindering the clinical translation of nanomedicines are also discussed. The elaboration on various aspects of the research trends of nanomedicines may help enlighten the readers and set the route for future endeavors.

(Nano)platforms in breast cancer therapy: Drug/gene delivery, advanced nanocarriers and immunotherapy

Breast cancer is the most malignant tumor in women, and there is no absolute cure for it. Although treatment modalities including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are utilized for breast cancer, it is still a life-threatening disease for humans. Nanomedicine has provided a new opportunity in breast cancer treatment, which is the focus of the current study. The nanocarriers deliver chemotherapeutic agents and natural products, both of which increase cytotoxicity against breast tumor cells and prevent the development of drug resistance. The efficacy of gene therapy is boosted by nanoparticles and the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9, Noncoding RNAs, and RNAi, promoting their potential for gene expression regulation. The drug and gene codelivery by nanoparticles can exert a synergistic impact on breast tumors and enhance cellular uptake via endocytosis. Nanostructures are able to induce photothermal and photodynamic therapy for breast tumor ablation via cell death induction. The nanoparticles can provide tumor microenvironment remodeling and repolarization of macrophages for antitumor immunity. The stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, including pH-, redox-, and light-sensitive, can mediate targeted suppression of breast tumors. Besides, nanoparticles can provide a diagnosis of breast cancer and detect biomarkers. Various kinds of nanoparticles have been employed for breast cancer therapy, including carbon-, lipid-, polymeric- and metal-based nanostructures, which are different in terms of biocompatibility and delivery efficiency.

The energetic and physical concept of gold nanorod-dependent fluorescence in cancer treatment and development of new photonic compounds|review

The optical features of gold nanorods (GNR) may be precisely controlled by manipulating their size, shape, and aspect ratio. This review explores the impact of these parameters on the optical tuning of (GNR). By altering the experimental conditions, like the addition of silver ions during the seed-mediated growth process, the aspect ratio of (GNR) may be regulated. The shape is trans from spherical to rod-like structures resulting in noticeable changes in the nanoparticles surface plasmons resonance (SPR) bands. The longitudinal SPR band, associated with electron oscillations along the long axis, exhibits a pronounced red shift into the (NIR) region as the aspect ratio increases. In contrast, the transverse SPR band remains relate unchanged. Using computational methods like the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) allows for analyzing absorption, scattering, and total extinction features of gold (G) nanoparticles. Studies have shown that increasing the aspect ratio enhances the scattering efficiency, indicating a higher scattering quantum yield (QY). These findings highlight the importance of size, shape, and aspect ratio in controlling the optical features of (GNR) providing valuable insights for various uses in nanophotonics and plasmonic-dependent fluorescence in cancer treatment and developing new photonic compound NRs.

Inorganic Nanoparticles as Radiosensitizers for Cancer Treatment

Nanotechnology has expanded what can be achieved in our approach to cancer treatment. The ability to produce and engineer functional nanoparticle formulations to elicit higher incidences of tumor cell radiolysis has resulted in substantial improvements in cancer cell eradication while also permitting multi-modal biomedical functionalities. These radiosensitive nanomaterials utilize material characteristics, such as radio-blocking/absorbing high-Z atomic number elements, to mediate localized effects from therapeutic irradiation. These materials thereby allow subsequent scattered or emitted radiation to produce direct (e.g., damage to genetic materials) or indirect (e.g., protein oxidation, reactive oxygen species formation) damage to tumor cells. Using nanomaterials that activate under certain physiologic conditions, such as the tumor microenvironment, can selectively target tumor cells. These characteristics, combined with biological interactions that can target the tumor environment, allow for localized radio-sensitization while mitigating damage to healthy cells. This review explores the various nanomaterial formulations utilized in cancer radiosensitivity research. Emphasis on inorganic nanomaterials showcases the specific material characteristics that enable higher incidences of radiation while ensuring localized cancer targeting based on tumor microenvironment activation. The aim of this review is to guide future research in cancer radiosensitization using nanomaterial formulations and to detail common approaches to its treatment, as well as their relations to commonly implemented radiotherapy techniques.

Graphene-Based Nanomaterials for Photothermal Therapy in Cancer Treatment

Graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNMs), specifically graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), have shown great potential in cancer therapy owing to their physicochemical properties. As GO and rGO strongly absorb light in the near-infrared (NIR) region, they are useful in photothermal therapy (PTT) for cancer treatment. However, despite the structural similarities of GO and rGO, they exhibit different influences on anticancer treatment due to their different photothermal capacities. In this review, various characterization techniques used to compare the structural features of GO and rGO are first outlined. Then, a comprehensive summary and discussion of the applicability of GBNMs in the context of PTT for diverse cancer types are presented. This discussion includes the integration of PTT with secondary therapeutic strategies, with a particular focus on the photothermal capacity achieved through near-infrared irradiation parameters and the modifications implemented. Furthermore, a dedicated section is devoted to studies on hybrid magnetic-GBNMs. Finally, the challenges and prospects associated with the utilization of GBNM in PTT, with a primary emphasis on the potential for clinical translation, are addressed.

A Gas/phototheranostic Nanocomposite Integrates NIR-II-Peak Absorbing Aza-BODIPY with Thermal-Sensitive Nitric Oxide Donor for Atraumatic Osteosarcoma Therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has received increasing interest in cancer therapeutics owing to its excellent efficacy and controllability. However, there are two major limitations in PTT applications, which are the tissue penetration depth of lasers within the absorption range of photothermal agents and the unavoidable tissue empyrosis induced by high-energy lasers. Herein, a gas/phototheranostic nanocomposite (NA1020-NO@PLX) is engineered that integrates the second near-infrared-peak (NIR-II-peak) absorbing aza-boron-dipyrromethenes (aza-BODIPY,NA1020) with the thermal-sensitive nitric oxide (NO) donor (S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, SNAP). An enhanced intramolecular charge transfer mechanism is proposed to achieve the NIR-II-peak absorbance (λmax = 1020 nm) on NA1020, thereby obtaining its deep tissue penetration depth. The NA1020 exhibits a remarkable photothermal conversion, making it feasible for the deep-tissue orthotopic osteosarcoma therapy and providing favorable NIR-II emission to precisely pinpoint the tumor for a visible PTT process. The simultaneously investigated atraumatic therapeutic process with an enhanced cell apoptosis mechanism indicates the feasibility of the synergistic NO/low-temperature PTT for osteosarcoma. Herein, this gas/phototheranostic strategy optimizes the existing PTT to present a repeatable and atraumatic photothermal therapeutic process for deep-tissue tumors, validating its potential clinical applications.

Nanoparticle-Based Photothermal Therapy for Breast Cancer Noninvasive Treatment

Rapid advancements in materials science and nanotechnology, intertwined with oncology, have positioned photothermal therapy (PTT) as a promising noninvasive treatment strategy for cancer. The breast's superficial anatomical location and aesthetic significance render breast cancer a particularly pertinent candidate for the clinical application of PTT following melanoma. This review comprehensively explores the research conducted on the various types of nanoparticles employed in PTT for breast cancer and elaborates on their specific roles and mechanisms of action. The integration of PTT with existing clinical therapies for breast cancer is scrutinized, underscoring its potential for synergistic outcomes. Additionally, the mechanisms underlying PTT and consequential modifications to the tumor microenvironment after treatment are elaborated from a medical perspective. Future research directions are suggested, with an emphasis on the development of integrative platforms that combine multiple therapeutic approaches and the optimization of nanoparticle synthesis for enhanced treatment efficacy. The goal is to push the boundaries of PTT toward a comprehensive, clinically applicable treatment for breast cancer.

Ablation of Venous Malformations by Photothermal Therapy with Intravenous Gold Nanoshells

Venous malformations (VMs) consist of hugely enlarged and dysmorphic veins. These lesions cause significant disfigurement, pain, and complications such as bleeding and coagulopathy. Pharmacotherapy for the treatment of VMs has limited efficacy and potentially limiting toxicity. Current treatment for patients with VMs entails life-long pharmacotherapy or surgical procedures. Here we explored whether intravenously administered agents can be used to destroy VMs by photothermal therapy (PTT), using gold nanoshells (AuNSs) that generated heat following irradiation with near-infrared (NIR) light. In a murine model of VMs, intravenous AuNSs accumulated within the VMs. Irradiation of the VMs induced marked regression and even elimination. Nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy can provide effective therapy for VMs, which are otherwise relatively refractory to treatment.

Inorganic nanoparticle-integrated mesenchymal stem cells: A potential biological agent for multifaceted applications

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies are flourishing. MSCs could be used as potential therapeutic agents for regenerative medicine due to their own repair function. Meanwhile, the natural predisposition toward inflammation or injury sites makes them promising carriers for targeted drug delivery. Inorganic nanoparticles (INPs) are greatly favored for their unique properties and potential applications in biomedical fields. Current research has integrated INPs with MSCs to enhance their regenerative or antitumor functions. This model also allows the in vivo fate tracking of MSCs in multiple imaging modalities, as many INPs are also excellent contrast agents. Thus, INP-integrated MSCs would be a multifunctional biologic agent with great potential. In this review, the current roles performed by the integration of INPs with MSCs, including (i) enhancing their repair and regeneration capacity via the improvement of migration, survival, paracrine, or differentiation properties, (ii) empowering tumor-killing ability through agent loaded or hyperthermia, and (iii) conferring traceability are summarized. An introduction of INP-integrated MSCs for simultaneous treatment and tracking is also included. The promising applications of INP-integrated MSCs in future treatments are emphasized and the challenges to their clinical translation are discussed.

Advances and Prospects in the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant and incurable disease, characterized by its aggressive nature and high fatality rate. The most common type is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Current treatments for pancreatic cancer mainly encompass surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and combination regimens. However, despite efforts to improve prognosis, and the 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains very low. Therefore, it's urgent to explore novel therapeutic approaches. With the rapid development of therapeutic strategies in recent years, new ideas have been provided for treating pancreatic cancer. This review expositions the advancements in nano drug delivery system, molecular targeted drugs, and photo-thermal treatment combined with nanotechnology for pancreatic cancer. It comprehensively analyzes the prospects of combined drug delivery strategies for treating pancreatic cancer, aiming at a deeper understanding of the existing drugs and therapeutic approaches, promoting the development of new therapeutic drugs, and attempting to enhance the therapeutic effect for patients with this disease.

Fabrication of a Novel Au Star@AgAu Yolk-Shell Nanostructure for Ovarian Cancer Early Diagnosis and Targeted Therapy

Purpose

A novel CYPA-targeted, SiO₂ encapsulated Au star@AgAu yolk-shell nanostructure (YSNS) was synthesized and used for ovarian cancer early diagnosis and therapy.

Methods

Diverse spectroscopic and microscopic methods were utilized to investigate the pattern of the yolk-shell nanostructure. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out.

Results

It can be found that the ratio of HAuCl₄ and AgNO₃ played a critical role in the constitution of the yolk-shell nanostructure. The as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructure showed excellent SERS performance, which could be utilized as SERS substrate for specific sensitivity analysis of ovarian cancer markers cyclophilin A (CYPA) with detectable limit of 7.76*10^-10 μg/mL. In addition, the as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructure possessed outstanding photothermal performance, which could be used as photothermal agent for ovarian cancer therapy. Experiments in vitro and in vivo proved that the as-prepared yolk-shell nanostructures are ideal candidate for early diagnosis and therapy for ovarian cancer in one platform.

Conclusion

This work holds promise to offer a new method for the detection and therapy of ovarian cancer in the early stage.

Light-initiated aggregation of gold nanoparticles for synergistic chemo-photothermal tumor therapy

The combination of chemotherapy with photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive attention due to its excellent synergetic effect attributing to the fact that hyperthermia can effectively promote the tumor uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs. Herein, we propose a light-initiated gold nanoparticle (AuNP) aggregation boosting the uptake of chemotherapeutic drugs for enhanced chemo-photothermal tumor therapy. Novel light-responsive AuNPs (tm-AuNPs) were rationally designed and fabricated by conjugating both 2,5-diphenyltetrazole (Tz) and methacrylic acid (Ma) onto the surface of AuNPs with small size (∼20 nm). Upon the irradiation of 405 nm laser, AuNPs could be initiated to form aggregates specifically within tumors through the covalent cycloaddition reaction between Tz and Ma. Taking advantage of the controllable photothermal effect of Au aggregates under NIR excitation, improved enrichment of doxorubicin (DOX) in tumor tissues was realized, combined with PTT, resulting in outstanding synergetic anti-tumor efficacy in living mice. We thus believe that this light-initiated AuNP aggregation approach would offer a valuable and powerful tool for precisely synergistic chemo-photothermal tumor therapy.

Mild Photothermal-Stimulation Based on Injectable and Photocurable Hydrogels Orchestrates Immunomodulation and Osteogenesis for High-Performance Bone Regeneration

A photoactivated bone scaffold integrated with minimally invasive implantation and mild thermal-stimulation capability shows great promise in the repair and regeneration of irregularly damaged bone tissues. Developing multifunctional photothermal biomaterials that can simultaneously serve as both controllable thermal stimulators and biodegradable engineering scaffolds for integrated immunomodulation, infection therapy, and impaired bone repair remains an enormous challenge. Herein, an injectable and photocurable hydrogel therapeutic platform (AMAD/MP) based on alginate methacrylate, alginate-graft-dopamine, and polydopamine (PDA)-functionalized Ti3C2 MXene (MXene@PDA) nanosheets is rationally designed for near-infrared (NIR)-mediated bone regeneration synergistic immunomodulation, osteogenesis, and bacterial elimination. The optimized AMAD/MP hydrogel exhibits favorable biocompatibility, osteogenic activity, and immunomodulatory functions in vitro. The proper immune microenvironment provided by AMAD/MP could further modulate the balance of M1/M2 phenotypes of macrophages, thereby suppressing reactive oxygen species-induced inflammatory status. Significantly, this multifunctional hydrogel platform with mild thermal stimulation efficiently attenuates local immune reactions and further promotes new bone formation without the addition of exogenous cells, cytokines, or growth factors. This work highlights the potential application of an advanced multifunctional hydrogel providing photoactivated on-demand thermal cues for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Colloidal antibiotic mimics: selective capture and killing of microorganisms by shape-anisotropic colloids

The development of targeted and efficient antimicrobials for the selective killing of pathogenic bacteria is of great importance, yet remains challenging. Here, we propose a targeted approach to selectively capture and kill microorganisms with colloidal antibiotic mimics that are readily prepared by common chemical syntheses. The mimics are shape-anisotropic colloids, which can selectively capture shape-matching microorganisms due to lock-key depletion attractions. Furthermore, after being modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and irradiated with near-infrared light, the colloidal mimics can kill the selectively captured microorganisms due to the localized photothermal effect of the AuNPs. The work demonstrates the important ability of anisotropic colloids to selectively capture and precisely kill microorganisms, which holds considerable promise for safe and adaptive antibacterial therapies without the risk of antibiotic resistance.

DNA-Guided One-Dimensional Plasmonic Nanostructures for the SERS Bioassay

Plasmonic nanostructures have a desirable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) response related to particle spacing. However, precisely controlling the distance of plasmonic nanostructures is still a challenge. DNA has the merit of specific recognition, and flexible modification of functional groups, which can be used to flexibly adjust the gaps between plasmonic nanostructures for improving the stability of SERS. In this paper, DNA-guided gold nanoparticles formed one-dimensional ordered structures and they were self-assembled at the water-oil interface by a bottom-up approach. Notably, an output switching strategy successfully transfers a small amount of target into a large amount of reporter DNA; thereby, Raman probes are captured on the sensing interface and achieve the SERS assay of microRNA 155 (miRNA-155). This study is an exciting strategy for obtaining ordered plasmonic structures and providing surveillance, which is important for the clinical diagnosis of early-stage cancer.

Development of Nanocarrier-Based Radionuclide and Photothermal Therapy in Combination with Chemotherapy in Melanoma Cancer Treatment

Conventional cancer therapy methods have serious drawbacks that are related to the nonspecific action of anticancer drugs that leads to high toxicity on normal cells and increases the risk of cancer recurrence. The therapeutic effect can be significantly enhanced when various treatment modalities are implemented. Here, we demonstrate that the radio- and photothermal therapy (PTT) delivered through nanocarriers (gold nanorods, Au NRs) in combination with chemotherapy in a melanoma cancer results in complete tumor inhibition compared to the single therapy. The synthesized nanocarriers can be effectively labeled with 188Re therapeutic radionuclide with a high radiolabeling efficiency (94-98%) and radiochemical stability (>95%) that are appropriate for radionuclide therapy. Further, 188Re-Au NRs, mediating the conversion of laser radiation into heat, were intratumorally injected and PTT was applied. Upon the irradiation of a near-infrared laser, dual photothermal and radionuclide therapy was achieved. Additionally, the combination of 188Re-labeled Au NRs with paclitaxel (PTX) has significantly improved the treatment efficiency (188Re-labeled Au NRs, laser irradiation, and PTX) compared to therapy in monoregime. Thus, this local triple-combination therapy can be a step toward the clinical translation of Au NRs for use in cancer treatment.

Photobiomodulation in Alzheimer's Disease-A Complementary Method to State-of-the-Art Pharmaceutical Formulations and Nanomedicine?

Alzheimer's disease (AD), as a neurodegenerative disorder, usually develops slowly but gradually worsens. It accounts for approximately 70% of dementia cases worldwide, and is recognized by WHO as a public health priority. Being a multifactorial disease, the origins of AD are not satisfactorily understood. Despite huge medical expenditures and attempts to discover new pharmaceuticals or nanomedicines in recent years, there is no cure for AD and not many successful treatments are available. The current review supports introspection on the latest scientific results from the specialized literature regarding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of brain photobiomodulation, as a complementary method with implications in AD. State-of-the-art pharmaceutical formulations, development of new nanoscale materials, bionanoformulations in current applications and perspectives in AD are highlighted. Another goal of this review was to discover and to speed transition to completely new paradigms for the multi-target management of AD, to facilitate brain remodeling through new therapeutic models and high-tech medical applications with light or lasers in the integrative nanomedicine of the future. In conclusion, new insights from this interdisciplinary approach, including the latest results from photobiomodulation (PBM) applied in human clinical trials, combined with the latest nanoscale drug delivery systems to easily overcome protective brain barriers, could open new avenues to rejuvenate our central nervous system, the most fascinating and complex organ. Picosecond transcranial laser stimulation could be successfully used to cross the blood-brain barrier together with the latest nanotechnologies, nanomedicines and drug delivery systems in AD therapy. Original, smart and targeted multifunctional solutions and new nanodrugs may soon be developed to treat AD.

Highly localized, efficient, and rapid photothermal therapy using gold nanobipyramids for liver cancer cells triggered by femtosecond laser

In this study, the photothermal effect and up-conversion florescence imaging effect of gold nanobipyramids in liver cancer cells are investigated theoretically and experimentally to explore the photothermal ablation tumor therapy with higher photothermal conversion efficiency, shorter laser action time, smaller action range and lower laser power. The small-size gold nanobipyramids with good biocompatibility and infrared absorption peak located in the first biological window are synthesized. Femtosecond laser is focused on the nanobipyramids clusters in cells and the cells die after being irradiated for 20 s at a power as low as 3 mW. In contrast, the control cells die after irradiation with 30 mW laser for 3 min. The theoretical simulation results show that: under femtosecond laser irradiation, the local thermal effect of gold nanoclusters is produced in the range of hundreds of square nanometers and the temperature rises by 516 °C in 106 picoseconds. This therapy reduces the treatment time to seconds level, and the treatment range to square micrometer level, the power to milliwatt level. In this treatment, cells die by apoptosis rather than necrosis, which reduces inflammation. This result opens up a new way to develop photothermal ablation therapy with less side effects and more minimally invasive.

Nanomaterial-mediated photoporation for intracellular delivery

Translocation of extrinsic molecules into living cells is becoming increasingly crucial in biological studies ranging from cell engineering to biomedical applications. The concerns regarding biosafety and immunogenicity for conventional vectors and physical methods yet challenge effective intracellular delivery. Here, we begin with an overview of approaches for trans-membrane delivery up to now. These methods are featured with a relatively mature application but usually encounter low cell survival. Our review then proposes an advanced application for nanomaterial-sensitized photoporation triggered with a laser. We cover the mechanisms, procedures, and outcomes of photoporation-induced intracellular delivery with a highlight on its versatility to different living cells. We hope the review discussed here encourages researchers to further improvement and applications for photoporation-induced intracellular delivery. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE.