Novel theranostic nanoporphyrins for photodynamic diagnosis and trimodal therapy for bladder cancer

Clinical insights into nanomedicine and biosafety: advanced therapeutic approaches for common urological cancers

Urological cancers including those of the prostate, bladder, and kidney, are prevalent and often lethal malignancies besides other less common ones like testicular and penile cancers. Current treatments have major limitations like side effects, recurrence, resistance, high costs, and poor quality of life. Nanotechnology offers promising solutions through enhanced diagnostic accuracy, targeted drug delivery, controlled release, and multimodal imaging. This review reflects clinical challenges and nanomedical advances across major urological cancers. In prostate cancer, nanoparticles improve delineation and radiosensitization in radiation therapy, enable fluorescent guidance in surgery, and enhance chemotherapy penetration in metastatic disease. Nanoparticles also overcome bladder permeability barriers to increase the residence time of intravesical therapy and chemotherapy agents. In renal cancer, nanocarriers potentiate tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immunotherapy while gene vectors and zinc oxide nanoparticles demonstrate antiproliferative effects. Across modalities, urological applications of nanomedicine include polymeric, liposomal, and metal nanoparticles for targeted therapy, prodrug delivery, photodynamic therapy, and thermal ablation. Biosafety assessments reveal favorable profiles but clinical translation remains limited, necessitating further trials. In conclusion, nanotechnology holds significant potential for earlier detection, precise intervention, and tailored treatment of urological malignancies, warranting expanded research to transform patient outcomes.

Nanomedicine as a multimodal therapeutic paradigm against cancer: on the way forward in advancing precision therapy

Recent years have witnessed dramatic improvements in nanotechnology-based cancer therapeutics, and it continues to evolve from the use of conventional therapies (chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy) to increasingly multi-complex approaches incorporating thermal energy-based tumor ablation (e.g. magnetic hyperthermia and photothermal therapy), dynamic therapy (e.g. photodynamic therapy), gene therapy, sonodynamic therapy (e.g. ultrasound), immunotherapy, and more recently real-time treatment efficacy monitoring (e.g. theranostic MRI-sensitive nanoparticles). Unlike monotherapy, these multimodal therapies (bimodal, i.e., a combination of two therapies, and trimodal, i.e., a combination of more than two therapies) incorporating nanoplatforms have tremendous potential to improve the tumor tissue penetration and retention of therapeutic agents through selective active/passive targeting effects. These combinatorial therapies can correspondingly alleviate drug response against hypoxic/acidic and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments and promote/induce tumor cell death through various multi-mechanisms such as apoptosis, autophagy, and reactive oxygen-based cytotoxicity, e.g., ferroptosis, etc. These multi-faced approaches such as targeting the tumor vasculature, neoangiogenic vessels, drug-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs), preventing intra/extravasation to reduce metastatic growth, and modulation of antitumor immune responses work complementary to each other, enhancing treatment efficacy. In this review, we discuss recent advances in different nanotechnology-mediated synergistic/additive combination therapies, emphasizing their underlying mechanisms for improving cancer prognosis and survival outcomes. Additionally, significant challenges such as CSCs, hypoxia, immunosuppression, and distant/local metastasis associated with therapy resistance and tumor recurrences are reviewed. Furthermore, to improve the clinical precision of these multimodal nanoplatforms in cancer treatment, their successful bench-to-clinic translation with controlled and localized drug-release kinetics, maximizing the therapeutic window while addressing safety and regulatory concerns are discussed. As we advance further, exploiting these strategies in clinically more relevant models such as patient-derived xenografts and 3D organoids will pave the way for the application of precision therapy.

Fluorescent dyes based on rhodamine derivatives for bioimaging and therapeutics: recent progress, challenges, and prospects

Since their inception, rhodamine dyes have been extensively applied in biotechnology as fluorescent markers or for the detection of biomolecules owing to their good optical physical properties. Accordingly, they have emerged as a powerful tool for the visualization of living systems. In addition to fluorescence bioimaging, the molecular design of rhodamine derivatives with disease therapeutic functions (e.g., cancer and bacterial infection) has recently attracted increased research attention, which is significantly important for the construction of molecular libraries for diagnostic and therapeutic integration. However, reviews focusing on integrated design strategies for rhodamine dye-based diagnosis and treatment and their wide application in disease treatment are extremely rare. In this review, first, a brief history of the development of rhodamine fluorescent dyes, the transformation of rhodamine fluorescent dyes from bioimaging to disease therapy, and the concept of optics-based diagnosis and treatment integration and its significance to human development are presented. Next, a systematic review of several excellent rhodamine-based derivatives for bioimaging, as well as for disease diagnosis and treatment, is presented. Finally, the challenges in practical integration of rhodamine-based diagnostic and treatment dyes and the future outlook of clinical translation are also discussed.

Photodynamic Therapy for Bladder Cancers, A Focused Review†

Bladder cancer is the first cancer for which PDT was clinically approved in 1993. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful due to side effects like bladder contraction. Here, we summarized the recent progress of PDT for bladder cancers, focusing on photosensitizers and formulations. General strategies to minimize side effects are intravesical administration of photosensitizers, use of targeting strategies for photosensitizers and better control of light. Non-muscle invasive bladder cancers are more suitable for PDT than muscle invasive and metastatic bladder cancers. In 2010, the FDA approved blue light cystoscopy, using PpIX fluorescence, for photodynamic diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. PpIX produced from HAL was also used in PDT but was not successful due to low therapeutic efficacy. To enhance the efficacy of PpIX-PDT, we have been working on combining it with singlet oxygen-activatable prodrugs. The use of these prodrugs increases the therapeutic efficacy of the PpIX-PDT. It also improves tumor selectivity of the prodrugs due to the preferential formation of PpIX in cancer cells resulting in decreased off-target toxicity. Future challenges include improving prodrugs and light delivery across the bladder barrier to deeper tumor tissue and generating an effective therapeutic response in an In vivo setting without causing collateral damage to bladder function.

Identification and validation of the pyroptosis-related long noncoding rna signature to predict the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer

Bladder cancer ranked the second most frequent tumor among urological malignancies. This work investigated bladder cancer prognosis, including the relevance of pyroptosis-related long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in it and its potential roles. The Cancer Genome Atlas database offered statistics on lncRNAs and clinical data from 411 bladder cancer patients. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate pyroptosis-related lncRNAs. To explore prognosis-associated lncRNAs, we performed univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analyses, as well as the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox analysis was leveraged to establish the risk score model. Afterward, a nomogram was constructed according to the risk score and clinical variables. Finally, to investigate the potential functions of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs, gene set enrichment analysis was employed. Eleven pyroptosis-related lncRNAs were screened to be closely associated with patients prognosis. On this foundation, a risk score model was created to classify patients into high and low risk groups. The signature was shown to be an independent prognostic factor (P < .001) with an area under the curve of 0.730. Then a nomogram was established including risk scores and clinical characteristics. The nomogram prediction effect is excellent, with a concordance index of 0.86. The 11-lncRNAs signature was associated with the supervision of oxidative stress, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell adhesion, TGF-β, and Wingless and INT-1 signaling pathway, according to the gene set enrichment analysis. Our findings indicate that pyroptosis-related lncRNAs, which may affect tumor pathogenesis in many ways, might be exploited to assess the prognosis of bladder cancer patients.

Designing Intelligent Nanomaterials to Achieve Highly Sensitive Diagnoses and Multimodality Therapy of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most common malignant tumors of the genitourinary system worldwide. In recent years, the rate of BC incidence has increased, and the recurrence rate is high, resulting in poor quality of life for patients. Therefore, how to develop an effective method to achieve synchronous precise diagnoses and BC therapies is a difficult problem to solve clinically. Previous reports usually focus on the role of nanomaterials as drug delivery carriers, while a summary of the functional design and application of nanomaterials is lacking. Summarizing the application of functional nanomaterials in high-sensitivity diagnosis and multimodality therapy of BC is urgently needed. This review summarizes the application of nanotechnology in BC diagnosis, including the application of nanotechnology in the sensoring of BC biomarkers and their role in monitoring BC. In addition, conventional and combination therapies strategy in potential BC therapy are analyzed. Moreover, different kinds of nanomaterials in BC multimodal therapy according to pathological features of BC are also outlined. The goal of this review is to present an overview of the application of nanomaterials in the theranostics of BC to provide guidance for the application of functional nanomaterials to precisely diagnose and treat BC.

Porphyrin Macrocycles: General Properties and Theranostic Potential

Despite specialists' efforts to find the best solutions for cancer diagnosis and therapy, this pathology remains the biggest health threat in the world. Global statistics concerning deaths associated with cancer are alarming; therefore, it is necessary to intensify interdisciplinary research in order to identify efficient strategies for cancer diagnosis and therapy, by using new molecules with optimal therapeutic potential and minimal adverse effects. This review focuses on studies of porphyrin macrocycles with regard to their structural and spectral profiles relevant to their applicability in efficient cancer diagnosis and therapy. Furthermore, we present a critical overview of the main commercial formulations, followed by short descriptions of some strategies approached in the development of third-generation photosensitizers.

Recent Progress in Nanomaterial-Based Biosensors and Theranostic Nanomedicine for Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the most expensive and common malignancies in the urinary system due to its high progression and recurrence rate. Although there are various methods, including cystoscopy, biopsy, and cytology, that have become the standard diagnosis methods for BCa, their intrinsic invasive and inaccurate properties need to be overcome. The novel urine cancer biomarkers are assisted by nanomaterials-based biosensors, such as field-effect transistors (FETs) with high sensitivity and specificity, which may provide solutions to these problems. In addition, nanomaterials can be applied for the advancement of next-generation optical imaging techniques and the contrast agents of conventional techniques; for example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of BCa. Regarding BCa therapy, nanocarriers, including mucoadhesive nanoparticles and other polymeric nanoparticles, successfully overcome the disadvantages of conventional intravesical instillation and improve the efficacy and safety of intravesical chemotherapy for BCa. Aside from chemotherapy, nanomedicine-based novel therapies, including photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), chemodynamic therapy (CDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and combination therapy, have afforded us new ways to provide BC therapy and hope, which can be translated into the clinic. In addition, nanomotors and the nanomaterials-based solid tumor disassociation strategy provide new ideas for future research. Here, the advances in BCa diagnosis and therapy mentioned above are reviewed in this paper.

Current advances in the application of nanomedicine in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system, however there are several shortcomings in current diagnostic and therapeutic measures. In terms of diagnosis, the diagnostic tools currently available are not sufficiently sensitive and specific, and imaging is poor, leading to misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses, which can delay treatment. In terms of treatment, current treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and other emerging treatments, as well as combination therapies. However, the main reasons for poor efficacy and side effects during treatment are the lack of specificity and targeting, improper dose control of drugs and photosensitizers, damage to normal cells while attacking cancer cells, and difficulty in delivering siRNA to cancer cells. Nanomedicine is an emerging approach. Among the many nanotechnologies applied in the medical field, nanocarrier-assisted drug delivery systems have attracted extensive research interest due to their great translational value. Well-designed nanoparticles can deliver agents or drugs to specific cell types within target organs through active targeting or passive targeting (enhanced permeability and retention), which allows for imaging, diagnosis, as well as treatment of cancer. This paper reviews advances in the application of various nanocarriers and their advantages and drawbacks, with a focus on their use in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer.

Recent Progress and Trends in X-ray-Induced Photodynamic Therapy with Low Radiation Doses

The prominence of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treating superficial skin cancer inspires innovative solutions for its congenitally deficient shadow penetration of the visible-light excitation. X-ray-induced photodynamic therapy (X-PDT) has been proven to be a successful technique in reforming the conventional PDT for deep-seated tumors by creatively utilizing penetrating X-rays as external excitation sources and has witnessed rapid developments over the past several years. Beyond the proof-of-concept demonstration, recent advances in X-PDT have exhibited a trend of minimizing X-ray radiation doses to quite low values. As such, scintillating materials used to bridge X-rays and photosensitizers play a significant role, as do diverse well-designed irradiation modes and smart strategies for improving the tumor microenvironment. Here in this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of recent achievements in X-PDT and highlight trending efforts using low doses of X-ray radiation. We first describe the concept of X-PDT and its relationships with radiodynamic therapy and radiotherapy and then dissect the mechanism of X-ray absorption and conversion by scintillating materials, reactive oxygen species evaluation for X-PDT, and radiation side effects and clinical concerns on X-ray radiation. Finally, we discuss a detailed overview of recent progress regarding low-dose X-PDT and present perspectives on possible clinical translation. It is expected that the pursuit of low-dose X-PDT will facilitate significant breakthroughs, both fundamentally and clinically, for effective deep-seated cancer treatment in the near future.

Phototherapy with Cancer-Specific Nanoporphyrin Potentiates Immunotherapy in Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in general have shown poor efficacy in bladder cancer. The purpose of this project was to determine whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) with bladder cancer-specific porphyrin-based PLZ4-nanoparticles (PNP) potentiated ICI.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

SV40 T/Ras double-transgenic mice bearing spontaneous bladder cancer and C57BL/6 mice carrying syngeneic bladder cancer models were used to determine the efficacy and conduct molecular correlative studies.

RESULTS

PDT with PNP generated reactive oxygen species, and induced protein carbonylation and dendritic cell maturation. In SV40 T/Ras double-transgenic mice carrying spontaneous bladder cancer, the median survival was 33.7 days in the control, compared with 44.8 (P = 0.0123), 52.6 (P = 0.0054), and over 75 (P = 0.0001) days in the anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody (anti-PD-1), PNP PDT, and combination groups, respectively. At Day 75 when all mice in other groups died, only 1 in 7 mice in the combination group died. For the direct anti-tumor activity, compared with the control, the anti-PD-1, PNP PDT, and combination groups induced a 40.25% (P = 0.0003), 80.72% (P < 0.0001), and 93.03% (P < 0.0001) tumor reduction, respectively. For the abscopal anticancer immunity, the anti-PD-1, PNP PDT, and combination groups induced tumor reduction of 45.73% (P = 0.0001), 54.92% (P < 0.0001), and 75.96% (P < 0.0001), respectively. The combination treatment also diminished spontaneous and induced lung metastasis. Potential of immunotherapy by PNP PDT is multifactorial.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to its potential for photodynamic diagnosis and therapy, PNP PDT can synergize immunotherapy in treating locally advanced and metastatic bladder cancer. Clinical trials are warranted to determine the efficacy and toxicity of this combination.

Emerging photodynamic/sonodynamic therapies for urological cancers: progress and challenges

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) that developed from PDT, have been studied for decades to treat solid tumors. Compared with other deep tumors, the accessibility of urological tumors (e.g., bladder tumor and prostate tumor) makes them more suitable for PDT/SDT that requires exogenous stimulation. Due to the introduction of nanobiotechnology, emerging photo/sonosensitizers modified with different functional components and improved physicochemical properties have many outstanding advantages in cancer treatment compared with traditional photo/sonosensitizers, such as alleviating hypoxia to improve quantum yield, passive/active tumor targeting to increase drug accumulation, and combination with other therapeutic modalities (e.g., chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy) to achieve synergistic therapy. As WST11 (TOOKAD® soluble) is currently clinically approved for the treatment of prostate cancer, emerging photo/sonosensitizers have great potential for clinical translation, which requires multidisciplinary participation and extensive clinical trials. Herein, the latest research advances of newly developed photo/sonosensitizers for the treatment of urological cancers, and the efficacy, as well as potential biological effects, are highlighted. In addition, the clinical status of PDT/SDT for urological cancers is presented, and the optimization of the photo/sonosensitizer development procedure for clinical translation is discussed.

Cu2+ Embedded Three-Dimensional Covalent Organic Framework for Multiple ROS-Based Cancer Immunotherapy

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based cancer treatments have attracted much attention in recent years. However, most patients respond poorly to the monotypic ROS during these treatments. In this work, a multiple ROS-based cancer immunotherapy synergistic strategy has been developed to enhance the therapeutic effect of cancer. We prepare a three-dimensional covalent organic framework (3D COF-TATB), and embed copper ions (Cu²⁺) into the skeleton to obtain multifunctional nanomaterial, 3D Cu@COF-TATB. In this system, porphyrins in 3D COF-TATB serve not only as the photosensitizer for photodynamic process to produce singlet oxygen(¹O₂), but also as the binding sites to complex with Cu²⁺. Cu²⁺ can be reduced by the GSH to generate Cu⁺ to produce hydroxyl radical (•OH) through the Fenton-like reaction. Moreover, the generated multiple types of ROS induce the immunogenic cell death (ICD) of cancer cells to improve the immunogenicity and further activate an immune response for attacking the tumor. Combining with the immunoblocking inhibitor (aPD-1), 3D Cu@COF-TATB can effectively inhibit the tumor growth. This work will provide a guidance for multimodal cancer therapy in future clinical treatment settings.

Essential oil-mediated biocompatible magnesium nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial, antifungal, and photocatalytic efficacies

Emergent application of antimicrobial strategies as symptomatic treatment in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and linkage of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 with microbial infections, has created colossal demand for antimicrobials. For the first time, this communication explore the physicochemical, antifungal, antibacterial, and photocatalytic properties of biogenic magnesium nanoparticles (MgNPs), synthesized using essential oil of Cymbopogon flexuosus's as an efficient multifunctional reducing and stabilizing/capping reagent. It is observed that MgNPs (ranging in size: 8-16 nm) of varying phytochemical compositions (MgS1, MgS2, MgS3) exhibited various useful physicochemical, antimicrobial, and photocatalytic properties. FTIR outcomes highlight the functional biomolecules-assisted reduction of Mg from Mg+ to Mg0. Among all, MgS3-Nps owing to the smallest particle size exhibited superior photocatalytic efficacy (91.2%) for the methylene blue degradation upon direct exposure to the sunlight for 3 h without using any reducing agents. Fabricated MgNPs also exhibited excellent antifungal (against Fusarium oxysporum) and antibacterial (versus Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) efficacies compared to state-of-the-art antimicrobial agents deployed for the treatment of infectious diseases. Based on this investigated greener approach, imperative from economic and environmental viewpoint, such essential oil based-MgNPs can be a potential nanosystem for various industrial applications where photocatalytic, and biomedical attributes are the key requirements.

TLR4 aggravates microglial pyroptosis by promoting DDX3X-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation via JAK2/STAT1 pathway after spinal cord injury

Background

Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) participates in the initiation of neuroinflammation in various neurological diseases, including central nervous system injuries. NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome‐mediated microglial pyroptosis is crucial for the inflammatory response during secondary spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the underlying mechanism by which TLR4 regulates NLRP3 inflammasome activation and microglial pyroptosis after SCI remains uncertain.

Methods

We established an in vivo mouse model of SCI using TLR4‐knockout (TLR4‐KO) and wild‐type (WT) mice. The levels of pyroptosis, tissue damage and neurological function recovery were evaluated in the three groups (Sham, SCI, SCI‐TLR4‐KO). To identify differentially expressed proteins, tandem mass tag (TMT)‐based proteomics was conducted using spinal cord tissue between TLR4‐KO and WT mice after SCI. For our in vitro model, mouse microglial BV2 cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharides (1 µg/ml, 8 h) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) (5 mM, 2 h) to induce pyroptosis. A series of molecular biological experiments, including Western blot (WB), real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR), enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence (IF), immunohistochemical (IHC), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), Dual‐Luciferase Reporter assay (DLA) and co‐immunoprecipitation (Co‐IP), were performed to explore the specific mechanism of microglial pyroptosis in vivo and in vitro.

Results

Our results indicated that TLR4 promoted the expression of dead‐box helicase 3 X‐linked (DDX3X), which mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and microglial pyroptosis after SCI. Further analysis revealed that TLR4 upregulated the DDX3X/NLRP3 axis by activating the JAK2/STAT1 signalling pathway, and importantly, STAT1 was identified as a transcription factor promoting DDX3X expression. In addition, we found that biglycan was increased after SCI and interacted with TLR4 to jointly regulate microglial pyroptosis through the JAK2/STAT1/DDX3X/NLRP3 axis after SCI.

Conclusion

Our study preliminarily identified a novel mechanism by which TLR4 regulates NLRP3 inflammasome‐mediated microglial pyroptosis in response to SCI—providing a novel and promising therapeutic target for SCI.

Photo-Enhanced Chemotherapy Performance in Bladder Cancer Treatment via Albumin Coated AIE Aggregates

The implementation of cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) plays a key role in conjunction with surgical resection in preventing bladder cancer progression and recurrence. However, the significant dose-dependent toxic side effects of NAC are still a major challenge. To solve this problem, we developed a photoenhanced cancer chemotherapy (PECC) strategy based on AIEgen ((E)-3-(2-(2-(5-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)-1,1-dimethyl-1H-3λ⁴-benzo[e]indol-3-yl)propane-1-sulfonate), which is abbreviated as BITT. Multifunctional BITT@BSA-DSP nanoparticles (NPs) were employed with an albumin-based nanocarrier decorated with the cisplatin(IV) prodrug and loaded to produce strong near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIR FLI), and they exhibited good photoenhancement performance via photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). In vitro results demonstrated that BITT@BSA-DSP NPs could be efficiently taken up by bladder cancer cells and reduced to release Pt (II) under reductase, ensuring the chemotherapy effect. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo evaluation verified that the integration of NIR FL imaging-guided PECC efficiently promoted the sensitivity of bladder cancer to cisplatin chemotherapy with negligible side effects. This work provides a promising strategy to enhance the sensitivity of multiple cancers to chemotherapy drugs and even achieve effective treatments for drug-resistant cancers.

Molecular Markers in Urinary Bladder Cancer: Applications for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Therapy

Cancer of the urinary bladder is a neoplasm with considerable importance in veterinary medicine, given its high incidence in several domestic animal species and its life-threatening character. Bladder cancer in companion animals shows a complex and still poorly understood biopathology, and this lack of knowledge has limited therapeutic progress over the years. Even so, important advances concerning the identification of tumour markers with clinical applications at the diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic levels have recently been made, for example, the identification of pathological BRAF mutations. Those advances are now facilitating the introduction of targeted therapies. The present review will address such advances, focusing on small animal oncology and providing the reader with an update on this field. When appropriate, comparisons will be drawn with bladder cancer in human patients, as well as with experimental models of the disease.

Advances of Light/Ultrasound/Magnetic-Responsive Nanoprobes for Visualized Theranostics of Urinary Tumors

Light/ultrasound/magnetic-responsive nanomaterials exhibit excellent performance in imaging and therapy and play an important role in precision theranostics of tumors. In contrast to deep organs, urinary organs (such as bladder and prostate) can easily be studied via intervention mode, which has greatly brought promising applications of stimuli-responsive nanoprobes in visualized theranostics of urinary tumors. Therefore, it has been very critical to develop stimuli-responsive nanoprobes with high safety, stability, and reliability against urinary tumors. In this review, recent advances in light/ultrasound/magnetic-responsive nanoprobes in visualized theranostics of urinary tumors are summarized, including magnetic resonance/fluorescence/ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging and multimodal imaging, photothermal/photodynamic/sonodynamic therapy and combination therapy, and single-modal/multimodal-imaging-guided visualized theranostics. Finally, the future perspectives of light/ultrasound/magnetic-responsive nanoprobes against urinary tumors are also prospected.

Fe(III)-Doped Polyaminopyrrole Nanoparticle for Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy of Bladder Cancer

Clinically, the surgical treatment of bladder cancer often faces the problem of tumor recurrence, and the surgical treatment combined with postoperative chemotherapy to inhibit tumor recurrence also faces high toxicity and side effects. Therefore, the need for innovative bladder cancer treatments is urgent. For the past few years, with the development of nano science and technology, imaging-guided therapy using nanomaterials with both imaging and therapy functions has shown great advantages and can not only identify the locations of the tumors but also exhibit biodistributions of nanomaterials in the tumors, significantly improving the accuracy and efficacy of treatment. In this work, we synthesized Fe(III)-doped polyaminopyrrole nanoparticles (FePPy-NH₂ NPs). With low cytotoxicity and a blood circulation half-life of 7.59 h, high levels of FePPy-NH₂ NPs accumulated in bladder tumors, with an accumulation rate of up to 5.07%ID/g. The coordination of Fe(III) and the amino group in the structure can be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), whereas absorption in the near-infrared region can be applied to photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photothermal therapy (PTT). MRI and PAI accurately identified the location of the tumor, and based on the imaging data, laser irradiation was employed accurately. With a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 44.3%, the bladder tumor was completely resected without recurrence. Hematological analysis and histopathological analysis jointly confirmed the high level of safety of the experiment.

Subcutaneous Xenograft Models for Studying PDT In Vivo

The most facile, reproducible, and robust in vivo models for evaluating the anticancer efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) are subcutaneous xenograft models of human tumors. The accessibility and practicality of light irradiation protocols for treating subcutaneous xenograft models also increase their value as relatively rapid tools to expedite the testing of novel photosensitizers, respective formulations, and treatment regimens for PDT. This chapter summarizes the methods used in the literature to prepare various types of subcutaneous xenograft models of human cancers and syngeneic models to explore the role of PDT in immuno-oncology. This chapter also summarizes the PDT treatment protocols tested on the subcutaneous models, and the procedures used to evaluate the efficacy at the molecular, macromolecular, and host organism levels.

Advances in Research on Bladder Cancer Targeting Peptides: a Review

Bladder cancer (Bca) is the second most common malignant tumor of the genitourinary system in Chinese male population with high potential of recurrence and progression. The overall prognosis has not been improved significantly for the past 30 years due to the lack of early theranostic technique. Currently the early theranostic technique for bladder cancer is mainly through the intravesical approach, but the clinical outcomes are poor due to the limited tumor-targeting efficiency. Therefore, the targeting peptides for bladder cancer provide possibility to advance intravesical theranostic technique. However, no systematic review has covered the wide use of the targeting peptides for intravesical theranostic techniques in bladder cancer. Herein, a summary of original researches introduces all aspects of the targeting peptides for bladder cancer, including the peptide screening, the targeting mechanism and its preclinical application.

Application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy in the genitourinary system and the current theranostic approaches are unsatisfactory. Sensitivity and specificity of current diagnosis methods are not ideal and high recurrence and progression rates after initial treatment indicate the urgent need for management improvements in clinic. Nanotechnology has been proposed as an effective method to improve theranosis efficiency for both non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). For example, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been developed for simple, fast and sensitive urinary sample test for bladder cancer diagnosis. Nanoparticles targeting bladder cancers can facilitate to distinguish the normal and abnormal bladder tissues during cystoscopy and thus help with the complete removal of malignant lesions. Both intravenous and intravesical agents can be modified by nanotechnology for targeted delivery, high anti-tumor efficiency and excellent tolerability, exhibiting encouraging potential in bladder cancer treatment. Photosensitizers and biological agents can also be delivered by nanotechnology, intermediating phototherapy and targeted therapy. The management of bladder cancer remained almost unchanged for decades with unsatisfactory effect. However, it is likely to change with the fast-developed nanotechnology. Herein we summarized the current utility of nanotechnology in bladder cancer diagnosis and treatment, providing insights for the future designing and discovering novel nanoparticles for bladder cancer management.

Functional Nanomedicines for Targeted Therapy of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is one of most common malignant urinary tract tumor types with high incidence worldwide. In general, transurethral resection of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer followed by intravesical instillation of chemotherapy is the standard treatment approach to minimize recurrence and delay progression of bladder cancer. However, conventional intravesical chemotherapy lacks selectivity for tumor tissues and the concentration of drug is reduced with the excretion of urine, leading to frequent administration and heavy local irritation symptoms. While nanomedicines can overcome all the above shortcomings and adhere to the surface of bladder tumors for a long time, and continuously and efficiently release drugs to bladder cancers. The rapid advances in targeted therapy have led to significant improvements in drug efficacy and precision of targeted drug delivery to eradicate tumor cells, with reduced side-effects. This review summarizes the different available nano-systems of targeted drug delivery to bladder cancer tissues. The challenges and prospects of targeted therapy for bladder cancer are additionally discussed.

Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Polypeptide Nanogels for Controlled Antitumor Drug Delivery

Tumor microenvironment-responsive polypeptide nanogels belong to a biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility, easily adjustable performance, biodegradability, and non-toxic properties. They are developed for selective delivery of antitumor drugs into target organs to promote tumor cell uptake, which has become an effective measure of tumor treatment. Endogenous (such as reduction, reactive oxygen species, pH, and enzyme) and exogenous (such as light and temperature) responsive nanogels can release drugs in response to tumor tissues or cells to improve drug distribution and reduce drug side effects. This article systematically introduces the research progress in tumor microenvironment-responsive polypeptide nanogels to deliver antitumor drugs and provides a reference for the development of antitumor nanoformulations.

MnO2-coated porous Pt@CeO2 core-shell nanostructures for photoacoustic imaging-guided tri-modal cancer therapy

We describe the synthesis of MnO₂-coated porous Pt@CeO₂ core-shell nanostructures (Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂) as a new theranostic nano-platform. The porous Pt cores endow the core-shell nanostructures with high photothermal conversion efficiency (80%) in the near-infrared region, allowing for photothermal therapy (PTT) and photoacoustic imaging (PA) of tumors. The combination of the Pt core and porous CeO₂ interlayer enhances the separation of photo-generated electrons and holes, which is beneficial for the generation of singlet oxygen. With the porous structures of the cores and interlayers, the Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ nanostructures are further loaded with an anti-cancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX). The degradation of the MnO₂ shell in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can generate O₂ for enhanced photodynamic therapy (PDT) and simultaneously trigger DOX release. PA imaging shows good accumulation and retention of DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ in tumors, which guides precise laser irradiation to initiate combined PTT and PDT. The synergistic PTT/PDT/chemotherapy demonstrated by DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ yields remarkable therapeutic outcomes in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our DOX-loaded Pt@CeO₂@MnO₂ provides a new avenue for designing high-performance nano-platforms for imaging and therapeutics.

Combination strategies to maximize the benefits of cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT) have revolutionized cancer treatment, especially in patients whose disease was otherwise considered incurable. However, primary and secondary resistance to single agent immunotherapy often results in treatment failure, and only a minority of patients experience long-term benefits. This review article will discuss the relationship between cancer immune response and mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy. It will also provide a comprehensive review on the latest clinical status of combination therapies (e.g., immunotherapy with chemotherapy, radiation therapy and targeted therapy), and discuss combination therapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It will provide an overview of therapies targeting cytokines and other soluble immunoregulatory factors, ACT, virotherapy, innate immune modifiers and cancer vaccines, as well as combination therapies that exploit alternative immune targets and other therapeutic modalities. Finally, this review will include the stimulating insights from the 2020 China Immuno-Oncology Workshop co-organized by the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON), the China National Medical Product Administration (NMPA) and Tsinghua University School of Medicine.

Phototherapy and multimodal imaging of cancers based on perfluorocarbon nanomaterials

Phototherapy, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), possesses unique characteristics of non-invasiveness and minimal side effects in cancer treatment, compared with conventional therapies. However, the ubiquitous tumor hypoxia microenvironments could severely reduce the efficacy of oxygen-consuming phototherapies. Perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanomaterials have shown great practical value in carrying and transporting oxygen, which makes them promising agents to overcome tumor hypoxia and extend reactive oxygen species (ROS) lifetime to improve the efficacy of phototherapy. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in PFC-based PDT and PTT, and combined multimodal imaging technologies in various cancer types, aiming to facilitate their application-oriented clinical translation in the future.

Molecular Imaging, How Close to Clinical Precision Medicine in Lung, Brain, Prostate and Breast Cancers

Precision medicine is playing a pivotal role in strategies of cancer therapy. Unlike conventional one-size-fits-all chemotherapy or radiotherapy modalities, precision medicine could customize an individual treatment plan for cancer patients to acquire superior efficacy, while minimizing side effects. Precision medicine in cancer therapy relies on precise and timely tumor biological information. Traditional tissue biopsies, however, are often inadequate in meeting this requirement due to cancer heterogeneity, poor tolerance, and invasiveness. Molecular imaging could detect tumor biology characterization in a noninvasive and visual manner, and provide information about therapeutic targets, treatment response, and pharmacodynamic evaluation. This summates to significant value in guiding cancer precision medicine in aspects of patient screening, treatment monitoring, and estimating prognoses. Although growing clinical evidences support the further application of molecular imaging in precision medicine of cancer, some challenges remain. In this review, we briefly summarize and discuss representative clinical trials of molecular imaging in improving precision medicine of cancer patients, aiming to provide useful references for facilitating further clinical translation of molecular imaging to precision medicine of cancers.

Preclinical Models for Bladder Cancer Research

At diagnosis, more than 70% of bladder cancers (BCs) are at the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) stages, which are usually treated with transurethral resection followed by intravesical instillation. For the remaining advanced cancers, systemic therapy is the standard of care, with addition of radical cystectomy in cases of locally advanced cancer. Because of the difference in treatment modalities, different models are needed to advance the care of NMIBC and advanced BC. This article gives a comprehensive review of both in vitro and in vivo BC models and compares the advantages and drawbacks of these preclinical systems in BC research.

Determination of l-theanine in tea water using fluorescence-visualized paper-based sensors based on CdTe quantum dots/corn carbon dots and nano-porphyrin with chemometrics

BACKGROUND

The quality of tea is influenced by numerous factors, especially l-theanine, which is one of the important markers used to evaluate the sweetness and freshness of tea. Sensitive, rapid, and accurate detection of l-theanine is therefore useful to identify the grade and quality of tea.

RESULTS

A high-sensitivity, paper-based fluorescent sensor combined with chemometrics was established to detect l-theanine in tea water based on CdTe quantum dots / corn carbon dots and nano tetra pyridel-porphine zinc (ZnTPyP). To verify the reliability of this method, fluorescence spectra and fluorescence-visualized paper-based sensors were compared. The fluorescence spectrum method demonstrated a linear range of 1 to 10 000 nmol L^-1 and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.19 nmol L^-1 . In the fluorescence-visualized paper-based sensors there was a linear range of 10-1000 nmol L^-1 , and the LOD was 10 nmol L^-1 . Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) and partial least squares regression analysis (PLSR) were used successfully to determine l-theanine accurately in tea water with this approach. The accuracy of the PLSDA model was 100% both in the training set and the predicting set, and the correlation coefficient between the actual concentration and the predicted concentration was greater than 0.9997 in the PLSR model.

CONCLUSION

This fluorescence-visualized paper-based sensor, combined with chemometrics, could be applied efficiently to the practical analysis of tea water samples, which provides a new idea to ensure the flavor and quality of tea. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

A nephrotoxicity-free, iron-based contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging of tumors

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are the most widely used T1 contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and have achieved remarkable success in clinical cancer diagnosis. However, GBCAs could cause severe nephrogenic systemic fibrosis to patients with renal insufficiency. Nevertheless, GBCAs are quickly excreted from the kidneys, which shortens their imaging window and prevents long-term monitoring of the disease per injection. Herein, a nephrotoxicity-free T1 MRI contrast agent is developed by coordinating ferric iron into a telodendritic, micellar nanostructure. This new nano-enabled, iron-based contrast agent (nIBCA) not only can reduce the renal accumulation and relieve the kidney burden, but also exhibit a significantly higher tumor to noise ratio (TNR) for cancer diagnosis. In comparison with Magnevist (a clinical-used GBCA), Magnevist induces obvious nephrotoxicity while nIBCA does not, indicating that such a novel contrast agent may be applicable to renally compromised patients requiring a contrast-enhanced MRI. The nIBCA could precisely image subcutaneous brain tumors in a mouse model and the effective imaging window lasted for at least 24 h. The nIBCA also precisely highlights the intracranial brain tumor with high TNR. The nIBCA presents a potential alternative to GBCAs as it has superior biocompatibility, high TNR and effective imaging window.

Telodendrimers: Promising Architectural Polymers for Drug Delivery

Architectural complexity has played a key role in enhancing the efficacy of nanocarriers for a variety of applications, including those in the biomedical field. With the continued evolution in designing macromolecules-based nanoparticles for drug delivery, the combination approach of using important features of linear polymers with dendrimers has offered an advantageous and viable platform. Such nanostructures, which are commonly referred to as telodendrimers, are hybrids of linear polymers covalently linked with different dendrimer generations and backbones. There is considerable variety in selection from widely studied linear polymers and dendrimers, which can help tune the overall composition of the resulting hybrid structures. This review highlights the advances in articulating syntheses of these macromolecules, and the contributions these are making in facilitating therapeutic administration. Limited progress has been made in the design and synthesis of these hybrid macromolecules, and it is through an understanding of their physicochemical properties and aqueous self-assembly that one can expect to fully exploit their potential in drug delivery.

Synergistically Enhanced Mucoadhesive and Penetrable Polypeptide Nanogel for Efficient Drug Delivery to Orthotopic Bladder Cancer

Intravesical chemotherapy has been recommended after the gold standard of transurethral resection of the bladder tumor to prevent bladder cancer (BC) from local recurrence in the clinic. However, due to rapid urine excretion and barrier protection of the bladder wall, the clinical performances of chemotherapeutic drugs are severely compromised. In the present work, a smart positively charged disulfide-crosslinked nanogel of oligoarginine-poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(L-phenylalanine-co-L-cystine) (R₉-PEG–P(LP-co-LC)) was prepared to prolong the retention period and enhance the penetration capability of chemotherapeutic agent toward the bladder wall. PEG significantly improved the aqueous dispersibility of the 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT)-loaded R₉-PEG–P(LP-co-LC) (i.e., R₉NG/HCPT) and enhanced the mucoadhesive capability by the nonspecific interaction between PEG chain and the bladder mucosa accompanied with the electrostatic interaction between the cationic R₉ and negatively charged bladder mucosa. Besides, R₉, as a cell-penetrating peptide, efficiently penetrated through the cell membrane and delivered carried cargo. The disulfide bond endowed the selective release behavior of HCPT triggered by the intracellular reductive microenvironment. As an advanced chemotherapeutic nanoformulation, the smart R₉NG/HCPT demonstrated superior cytotoxicity against human BC 5637 cells in vitro and remarkably enhanced tumor suppression activity toward orthotopic BC models of mouse and rat in vivo, indicating its great potential in the clinical intravesical BC chemotherapy.

Near-infrared fluorescent molecular probes for imaging and diagnosis of nephro-urological diseases

Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging has improved imaging depth relative to conventional fluorescence imaging in the visible region, demonstrating great potential in both fundamental biomedical research and clinical practice. To improve the detection specificity, NIR fluorescence imaging probes have been under extensive development. This review summarizes the particular application of optical imaging probes with the NIR-I window (700-900 nm) or the NIR-II window (1000-1700 nm) emission for diagnosis of nephron-urological diseases. These molecular probes have enabled contrast-enhanced imaging of anatomical structures and physiological function as well as molecular imaging and early diagnosis of acute kidney injury, iatrogenic ureteral injury and bladder cancer. The design strategies of molecular probes are specifically elaborated along with representative imaging applications. The potential challenges and perspectives in this field are also discussed.

Self-Amplified Photodynamic Therapy through the 1 O2 -Mediated Internalization of Photosensitizers from a Ppa-Bearing Block Copolymer

Nanocarriers are employed to deliver photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) through the enhanced penetration and retention effect, but disadvantages including the premature leakage and non-selective release of photosensitizers still exist. Herein, we report a 1 O2 -responsive block copolymer (POEGMA-b-P(MAA-co-VSPpaMA) to enhance PDT via the controllable release of photosensitizers. Once nanoparticles formed by the block copolymer have accumulated in a tumor and have been taken up by cancer cells, pyropheophorbide a (Ppa) could be controllably released by singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) generated by light irradiation, enhancing the photosensitization. This was demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and in vivo fluorescence imaging. The 1 O2 -responsiveness of POEGMA-b-P(MAA-co-VSPpaMA) block copolymer enabled the realization of self-amplified photodynamic therapy by the regulation of Ppa release using NIR illumination. This may provide a new insight into the design of precise PDT.

A nomogram combining long non-coding RNA expression profiles and clinical factors predicts survival in patients with bladder cancer

Bladder cancer (BCa) is a heterogeneous disease with various tumorigenic mechanisms and clinical behaviors. The current tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system is inadequate to predict overall survival (OS) in BCa patients. We developed a BCa-specific, long-non-coding-RNA (lncRNA)-based nomogram to improve survival prediction in BCa. We obtained the large-scale gene expression profiles of samples from 414 BCa patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Using an lncRNA-mining computational framework, we identified three OS-related lncRNAs among 826 lncRNAs that were differentially expressed between BCa and normal samples. We then constructed a three-lncRNA signature, which efficiently distinguished high-risk from low-risk patients and was even viable in the TNM stage-II, TNM stage-III and ≥65-year-old subgroups (all P<0.05). Using clinical risk factors, we developed a signature-based nomogram, which performed better than the molecular signature or clinical factors alone for prognostic prediction. A bioinformatical analysis revealed that the three OS-related lncRNAs were co-expressed with genes involved in extracellular matrix organization. Functional assays demonstrated that RNF144A-AS1, one of the three OS-related lncRNAs, promoted BCa cell migration and invasion in vitro. Our three-lncRNA signature-based nomogram effectively predicts the prognosis of BCa patients, and could potentially be used for individualized management of such patients.

Multiparameter urine analysis for quantitative bladder cancer surveillance of orthotopic xenografted mice

The human-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse model is an effective platform for performing in vivo bladder cancer studies to examine tumor development, metastasis, and therapeutic effects of drugs. To date, the surveillance of tumor progression in real time for orthotopic bladder xenografts is highly dependent on semi-quantitative in vivo imaging technologies such as bioluminescence. While these imaging technologies can estimate tumor progression, they are burdened with requirements such as anesthetics, specialized equipment, and genetic modification of the injected cell line. Thus, a convenient and non-invasive technology to quantitatively monitor the growth of bladder cancer in orthotopic xenografts is highly desired. In this work, using a microfluidic chemiluminescent ELISA platform, we have successfully developed a rapid, multiparameter urine-based and non-invasive biomolecular prognostic technology for orthotopic bladder cancer xenografts. This method consists of two steps. First, the concentrations of a panel of four urinary biomarkers are quantified from the urine of mice bearing orthotopic bladder xenografts. Second, machine learning and principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms are applied to analyze the urinary biomarkers, and subsequently, a score is assigned to indicate the tumor growth. With this methodology, we have quantitatively monitored the orthotopic growth of human bladder cancer that was inoculated with low, medium, and high cancer cell numbers. We also employed this method and performed a proof of principle experiment to examine the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of the EGFR inhibitor, dacomitinib.

Recent advances on small-molecule nanomedicines for cancer treatment

Nanomedicines have made important contributions in the development of cancer therapies due to their tumor selectivity, multifunctionality, and synergistic effect between the payloads. In addition to the required pharmaceutical ingredients, nanomedicines are generally composed of nonpharmaceutical excipients. These excipients generally form a large proportion of the nanomedicine, and they may have potential toxicity and greatly increase the cost for drug development. Small molecule nanomedicines (SMNs) minimize or abandon the excipients and are directly assembled from pharmaceutical ingredients, which can largely improve the drug delivery efficiency and biosafety while also relieving the financial burden of drug development. In this review, we summarize recently developed SMNs that are composed of a single drug, physical mixtures of multiple drugs, drug-drug covalent conjugates, dyes with drugs, photosensitizers with drugs, photosensitizers with peptides, and drugs with peptides. This review focuses on the SMN's applications in cancer treatments, their limitations, and the future development outlook of SMNs. We hope that our insights on SMNs may be helpful to the future of drug development and make nanomedicine more powerful in the battle with cancer. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Right Cu2- x S@MnS Core-Shell Nanoparticles as a Photo/H2O2-Responsive Platform for Effective Cancer Theranostics

Stimuli-responsive nanomedicines have become a recent research focus as a candidate for cancer treatment because of their effectiveness, sensibility, and minimal invasiveness. In this work, a novel nanosystem is developed based on Cu2- x S@MnS core-shell nanoparticles (CSNPs) in which the Cu2- x S core serves as a photosensitizer to generate hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the MnS shell is used in H2O2-responsive O2 production. Cu2 -x S@MnS CSNPs with an independent core and shell ratio are synthesized by a controllable hot-injection method, resulting in an optimal photothermal (PT) effect with a PT conversion efficiency of up to 47.9%. An enhanced photodynamic (PD) effect also occurs in an H2O2 environment. More significantly, in vivo experiments demonstrate that Cu2 -x S@MnS CSNPs can mediate tumor shrinkage in both HeLa tumor cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, with the capability of being used as a T1-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent. These results suggest the great potential of as-prepared Cu2 -x S@MnS CSNPs as photo/H2O2-responsive therapeutic-agents against tumors, even in a complicated and heterogeneous environment, thus promoting the clinical translation of nanomedicine.

One-bead one-compound combinatorial library derived targeting ligands for detection and treatment of oral squamous cancer

Oral squamous cancers (OSC) are hallmarked by poor prognosis, delayed clinical detection, and a lack of defined, characteristic biomarkers. By screening combinatorial one-bead one-compound (OBOC) peptide libraries against oral squamous cancer cell lines, two cyclic peptide ligands, LLY12 and LLY13 were previously identified. These ligands are capable of specific binding to the oral cancer cell lines (MOK-101, HSC-3, SCC-4 and SCC-10a) but not non-cancerous keratinocytes, leukocytes, fibroblast, and endothelial cells. These two peptides were synthesized and evaluated for their binding property, cytotoxicity and cell permeability. In vitro studies indicate that both LLY12 and LLY13 were able to bind to oral cancer cells with high specificity but did not show any cytotoxicity against human keratinocytes. Biotinylated LLY13, in complex with streptavidin-alexa488 was taken up by live oral cancer cells, thus rendering it as an excellent candidate vehicle for efficient delivery of drug loaded-nanoparticles. In vivo and ex vivo near infra-red fluorescence imaging studies confirmed the in vivo targeting efficiency and specificity of LLY13 in oral cancer orthotopic murine xenograft model. In vivo studies also showed that LLY13 was able to accumulate in the OSC tumors and demarcate the tumor margins in orthotopic xenograft model. Together, our data supports LLY13 as a promising theranostic agent against OSC.

CD47-Targeted Near-Infrared Photoimmunotherapy for Human Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a localized molecular cancer therapy combining a photosensitizer-conjugated mAb and light energy. CD47 is an innate immune checkpoint widely expressed on bladder cancer cells, but absent from luminal normal urothelium. Targeting CD47 for NIR-PIT has the potential to selectively induce cancer cell death and minimize damage to normal urothelium.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

The cytotoxic effect of NIR-PIT with anti-CD47-IR700 was investigated in human bladder cancer cell lines and primary human bladder cancer cells derived from fresh surgical samples. Phagocytosis assays were performed to evaluate macrophage activity after NIR-PIT. Anti-CD47-IR700 was administered to murine xenograft tumor models of human bladder cancer for in vivo molecular imaging and NIR-PIT.

RESULTS

Cytotoxicity in cell lines and primary bladder cancer cells significantly increased in a light-dose-dependent manner with CD47-targeted NIR-PIT. Phagocytosis of cancer cells significantly increased with NIR-PIT compared with antibody alone (P = 0.0002). In vivo fluorescence intensity of anti-CD47-IR700 in tumors reached a peak 24-hour postinjection and was detectable for at least 14 days. After a single round of CD47-targeted NIR-PIT, treated animals showed significantly slower tumor growth compared with controls (P < 0.0001). Repeated CD47-targeted NIR-PIT treatment further slowed tumor growth (P = 0.0104) and improved survival compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

CD47-targeted NIR-PIT increased direct cancer cell death and phagocytosis resulting in inhibited tumor growth and improved survival in a murine xenograft model of human bladder cancer.

Efficient combined near-infrared-triggered therapy: Phototherapy over chemotherapy in chitosan-reduced graphene oxide-IR820 dye-doxorubicin nanoplatforms

Significant efforts are currently being funneled into the improvement of therapeutic outcomes in cancer by designing hybrid nanomaterials that synergistically combine chemotherapeutic abilities and near-infrared (NIR) light-activated photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) activity. Herein, a nanotherapeutic platform is specifically designed to integrate combinational functionalities: chemotherapy, PTT, PDT and traceable optical properties. The system, based on chitosan-reduced graphene oxide (chit-rGO), incorporates and carries a large payload of IR820 dye with dual PTT and PDT activity and a chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (DOX). The potential of the fabricated nanoplatforms to operate as an NIR activatable therapeutic agent is first assessed in aqueous solution by investigating its ability to generate singlet oxygen and heat under NIR irradiation with 785 nm laser irradiation. The in vitro anticancer activity of chit-rGO-IR820-DOX is evaluated against murine colon carcinoma cells (C26). The fabricated nanosystem exhibits synergistic anticancer activity against C26 cancer cells by combining IR820 induced PDT, simultaneous graphene and IR820 induced PTT and the chemotherapeutic effect of DOX. Notably, the therapeutic performance of chit-rGO-IR820-DOX can be controlled by the ratio between IR820 and DOX. Moreover, chit-rGO-IR820-DOX facilitates localization inside cancer cells correlated with the release of DOX via mapping by confocal Raman microscopy.

Porphyrin-Based Nanomedicines for Cancer Treatment

As unique molecules with both therapeutic and diagnostic properties, porphyrin derivatives have been extensively employed for cancer treatment. Porphyrins not only show powerful phototherapeutic effects (photodynamic and photothermal therapies), but also exhibit excellent imaging capacities, such as near-infrared fluorescent imaging (NIRFI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), photoacoustic imaging (PAI), positron emission tomography (PET), and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). In order to take advantage of their robust phototherapeutic effects and excellent imaging capacities, porphyrins can be used to create nanomedicines with effective therapeutic and precise diagnostic properties for cancer treatment. In this Review, we summarize porphyrin-based nanomedicines which have been developed recently, including porphyrin-based liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, peptide nanoparticles, and small-molecule nanoassemblies, and their applications on cancer therapy and diagnosis. The outlook and limitation of porphyrin-based nanomedicines are also reviewed.

Nano-carriers for targeted delivery and biomedical imaging enhancement

Theranostic approaches using nanotechnology have been a hot research area for the past decade. All nano drug delivery techniques and architectures have some limitations, as do diagnostic nano-approaches. Thus, combining nano drug delivery strategies with diagnostic techniques using nanoparticles for improving imaging modalities has been the key to fill up those gaps. In the past decade, lots of approaches have been made with different combinations of biomaterials fabricated/synthesized to nanostructures with modified surface functionalization to improve their overall theranostic properties. This article summarizes recent research works based on the biomaterials used for fabricating these nanostructures. Their combinations with other biomaterials have been demonstrated with their overall advantages and limitations.