Endogenous albumin-mediated delivery of redox-responsive paclitaxel-loaded micelles for targeted cancer therapy

In situ customized apolipoprotein B48-enriched protein corona enhances oral gene delivery of chitosan-based nanoparticles

The formation of protein corona (PC) is important for promoting the in vivo delivery of nanoparticles (NPs). However, PC formed in the physiological environment of oral delivery is poorly understood. Here, we engineered seven types of trimethyl chitosan-cysteine (TC) NPs, with distinct molecular weights, quaternization degrees, and thiolation degrees, to deeply investigate the influence of various PC formed in the physiological environment of oral delivery on in vivo gene delivery of polymeric NPs, further constructing the relationship between the surface characteristics of NPs and the efficacy of oral gene delivery. Our findings reveal that TC7 NPs, with high molecular weight, moderate quaternization, and high sulfhydryl content, modulate PC formation in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby reducing particle size and promoting oral delivery of gene loaded TC7 NPs. Orally delivered TC7 NPs target macrophages by in situ adsorption of apolipoprotein (Apo) B48 in intestinal tissue, leading to the improved in vivo antihepatoma efficacy via the natural tumor homing ability of macrophages. Our results suggest that efficient oral delivery of genes can be achieved through an in situ customized ApoB48-enriched PC, offering a promising modality in treating macrophage-related diseases.

A bioinspired doxorubicin-carried albumin Nanocage against aggressive Cancer via systemic targeting of tumor and lymph node metastasis

Cancer metastasis and recurrence are obstacles to successful treatment of aggressive cancer. To address this challenge, chemotherapy is indispensable as an essential part of comprehensive cancer treatment, particularly for subsequent therapy after surgical resection. However, small-molecule drugs for chemotherapy always cause inadequate efficacy and severe side effects against cancer metastasis and recurrence caused by lymph node metastases. Here, we developed doxorubicin-carried albumin nanocages (Dox-AlbCages) with appropriate particle sizes and pH/enzyme-responsive drug release for tumor and lymph node dual-targeted therapy by exploiting the inborn transport properties of serum albumin. Inspired by the protein-templated biomineralization and remote loading of doxorubicin into liposomes, we demonstrated the controlled synthesis of Dox-AlbCages via the aggregation or crystallization of doxorubicin and ammonium sulfate within albumin nanocages using a biomineralization strategy. Dox-AlbCages allowed efficient encapsulation of Dox in the core protected by the albumin corona shell, exhibiting favorable properties for enhanced tumor and lymph node accumulation and preferable cellular uptake for tumor-specific chemotherapy. Intriguingly, Dox-AlbCages effectively inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in orthotopic 4T1 breast tumors and prevented postsurgical tumor recurrence and lung metastasis. At the same time, Dox-AlbCages had fewer side effects than free Dox. This nanoplatform provides a facile strategy for designing tumor- and lymph node-targeted nanomedicines for suppressing cancer metastasis and recurrence.

Rationalized landscape on protein-based cancer nanomedicine: Recent progress and challenges

The clinical advancement of protein-based nanomedicine has revolutionized medical professionals' perspectives on cancer therapy. Protein-based nanoparticles have been exploited as attractive vehicles for cancer nanomedicine due to their unique properties derived from naturally biomacromolecules with superior biocompatibility and pharmaceutical features. Furthermore, the successful translation of Abraxane™ (paclitaxel-based albumin nanoparticles) into clinical application opened a new avenue for protein-based cancer nanomedicine. In this mini-review article, we demonstrate the rational design and recent progress of protein-based nanoparticles along with their applications in cancer diagnosis and therapy from recent literature. The current challenges and hurdles that hinder clinical application of protein-based nanoparticles are highlighted. Finally, future perspectives for translating protein-based nanoparticles into clinic are identified.

Supramolecular prodrug of SN38 based on endogenous albumin and SN38 prodrug modified with semaglutide side chain to improve the tumor distribution

To improve the biodistribution of the drug in the tumor, a supramolecular prodrug of SN38 was fabricated in situ between endogenous albumin and SN38 prodrug modified with semaglutide side chain. Firstly, SN38 was conjugated with semaglutide side chain and octadecanedioic acid via glycine linkers to obtain SI-Gly-SN38 and OA-Gly-SN38 prodrugs, respectively. Both SI-Gly-SN38 and OA-Gly-SN38 exhibited excellent stability in PBS for over 24 h. Due to the strong binding affinity of the semaglutide side chain with albumin, the plasma half-life of SI-Gly-SN38 was 2.7 times higher than that of OA-Gly-SN38. Furthermore, with addition of HSA, the fluorescence intensity of SI-Gly-SN38 was 4 times higher than that of OA-Gly-SN38, confirming its strong binding capability with HSA. MTT assay showed that the cytotoxicity of SI-Gly-SN38 and OA-Gly-SN38 was higher than that of Irinotecan. Even incubated with HSA, the SI-Gly-SN38 and OA-Gly-SN38 still maintained high cytotoxicity, indicating minimal influence of HSA on their cytotoxicity. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that the circulation half-life of SI-Gly-SN38 was twice that of OA-Gly-SN38. SI-Gly-SN38 exhibited significantly reduced accumulation in the lungs, being only 0.23 times that of OA-Gly-SN38. The release of free SN38 in the lungs from SI-Gly-SN38 was only 0.4 times that from OA-Gly-SN38 and Irinotecan. The SI-Gly-SN38 showed the highest accumulation in tumors. The tumor inhibition rate of SI-Gly-SN38 was 6.42% higher than that of OA-Gly-SN38, and 8.67% higher than that of Irinotecan, respectively. These results indicate that the supramolecular prodrug delivery system can be constructed between SI-Gly-SN38 and endogenous albumin, which improves drug biodistribution in vivo, enhances tumor accumulation, and plays a crucial role in tumor growth inhibition.

Novel Titanocene Y derivative with albumin affinity exhibits improved anticancer activity against platinum resistant cells

The antitumor activity of Ti(IV)-based compounds put them in the spotlight for cancer treatment in the past, but their lack of stability in vivo due to a high rate of hydrolysis has hindered their development as antitumor drugs. As a possible solution for this problem, we have reported a synthesis strategy through which we combined a titanocene fragment, a tridentate ligand, and a long aliphatic chain. This strategy allowed us to generate a titanium compound (Myr-Ti) capable of interacting with albumin, highly stable in water and with cytotoxic activity in tumor cells[1]. Following a similar strategy, now we report the synthesis of a new compound (Myr-TiY) derived from titanocene Y that shows antitumoral activity in a cisplatin resistant model with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 41-76 μM. This new compound shows high stability and a strong interaction with human serum albumin. Myr-TiY has a significant antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect on the tested cancer cells and shows potential tumor selectivity when assayed in non-tumor human epithelial cells being more selective (1.3-3.8 times) for tumor cells than cisplatin. These results lead us to think that the described synthesis strategy could be useful to generate compounds for the treatment of both cisplatin-sensitive and cisplatin-resistant cancers.

HSA-nanobinders crafted from bioresponsive prodrugs for combined cancer chemoimmunotherapy-an in vitro exploration

Introduction

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer still lacking effective treatment options. Chemotherapy in combination with immunotherapy can restrict tumor progression and repolarize the tumor microenvironment towards an anti-tumor milieu, improving clinical outcome in TNBC patients. The chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel has been shown to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), whereas inhibitors of the indoleamine 2,3- dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) enzyme, whose expression is shared in immune regulatory and tumor cells, have been revealed to enhance the anti-tumor immune response. However, poor bioavailability and pharmacokinetics, off-target effects and hurdles in achieving therapeutic drug concentrations at the target tissue often limit the effectiveness of combination therapies.

Methods

This work describes the development of novel biomimetic and carrier-free nanobinders (NBs) loaded with both paclitaxel and the IDO1 inhibitor NLG919 in the form of bioresponsive and biomimetic prodrugs. A fine tuning of the preparation conditions allowed to identify NB@5 as the most suitable nanoformulation in terms of reproducibility, stability and in vitro effectiveness.

Results and discussion

Our data show that NB@5 effectively binds to HSA in cell-free experiments, demonstrating its protective role in the controlled release of drugs and suggesting the potential to exploit the protein as the endogenous vehicle for targeted delivery to the tumor site. Our study successfully proves that the drugs encapsulated within the NBs are preferentially released under the altered redox conditions commonly found in the tumor microenvironment, thereby inducing cell death, promoting ICD, and inhibiting IDO1.

Anti-osteosarcoma trimodal synergistic therapy using NiFe-LDH and MXene nanocomposite for enhanced biocompatibility and efficacy

Osteosarcoma is usually resistant to immunotherapy and, thus primarily relies on surgical resection and high-dosage chemotherapy. Unfortunately, less invasive or toxic therapies such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) generally failed to show satisfactory outcomes. Adequate multimodal therapies with proper safety profiles may provide better solutions for osteosarcoma. Herein, a simple nanocomposite that synergistically combines CDT, PTT, and chemotherapy for osteosarcoma treatment was fabricated. In this composite, small 2D NiFe-LDH flakes were processed into 3D hollow nanospheres via template methods to encapsulate 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) with high loading capacity. The nanospheres were then adsorbed onto larger 2D Ti3C2 MXene monolayers and finally shielded by bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form 5-FU@NiFe-LDH/Ti3C2/BSA nanoplatforms (5NiTiB). Both in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that the 5-FU induced chemotherapy, NiFe-LDH driven chemodynamic effects, and MXene-based photothermal killing collectively exhibited a synergistic "all-in-one" anti-tumor effect. 5NiTiB improved tumor suppression rate from <5% by 5-FU alone to ∼80.1%. This nanotherapeutic platform achieved higher therapeutic efficacy with a lower agent dose, thereby minimizing side effects. Moreover, the composite is simple to produce, enabling the fine-tuning of dosages to suit different requirements. Thus, the platform is versatile and efficient, with potential for further development.

GP60 and SPARC as albumin receptors: key targeted sites for the delivery of antitumor drugs

Albumin is derived from human or animal blood, and its ability to bind to a large number of endogenous or exogenous biomolecules makes it an ideal drug carrier. As a result, albumin-based drug delivery systems are increasingly being studied. With these in mind, detailed studies of the transport mechanism of albumin-based drug carriers are particularly important. As albumin receptors, glycoprotein 60 (GP60) and secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) play a crucial role in the delivery of albumin-based drug carriers. GP60 is expressed on vascular endothelial cells and enables albumin to cross the vascular endothelial cell layer, and SPARC is overexpressed in many types of tumor cells, while it is minimally expressed in normal tissue cells. Thus, this review supplements existing articles by detailing the research history and specific biological functions of GP60 or SPARC and research advances in the delivery of antitumor drugs using albumin as a carrier. Meanwhile, the deficiencies and future perspectives in the study of the interaction of albumin with GP60 and SPARC are also pointed out.

Recent developments in natural biopolymer based drug delivery systems

Targeted delivery of drug molecules to diseased sites is a great challenge in pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences. Fabrication of drug delivery systems (DDS) to target and/or diagnose sick cells is an effective means to achieve good therapeutic results along with a minimal toxicological impact on healthy cells. Biopolymers are becoming an important class of materials owing to their biodegradability, good compatibility, non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, and long blood circulation time and high drug loading ratio for both macros as well as micro-sized drug molecules. This review summarizes the recent trends in biopolymer-based DDS, forecasting their broad future clinical applications. Cellulose chitosan, starch, silk fibroins, collagen, albumin, gelatin, alginate, agar, proteins and peptides have shown potential applications in DDS. A range of synthetic techniques have been reported to design the DDS and are discussed in the current study which is being successfully employed in ocular, dental, transdermal and intranasal delivery systems. Different formulations of DDS are also overviewed in this review article along with synthesis techniques employed for designing the DDS. The possibility of these biopolymer applications points to a new route for creating unique DDS with enhanced therapeutic qualities for scaling up creative formulations up to the clinical level.

Challenges and opportunities for improving the druggability of natural product: Why need drug delivery system?

Bioactive natural products (BNPs) are the marrow of medicinal plants, which are the secondary metabolites of organisms and have been the most famous drug discovery database. Bioactive natural products are famous for their enormous number and great safety in medical applications. However, BNPs are troubled by their poor druggability compared with synthesis drugs and are challenged as medicine (only a few BNPs are applied in clinical settings). In order to find a reasonable solution to improving the druggability of BNPs, this review summarizes their bioactive nature based on the enormous pharmacological research and tries to explain the reasons for the poor druggability of BNPs. And then focused on the boosting research on BNPs loaded drug delivery systems, this review further concludes the advantages of drug delivery systems on the druggability improvement of BNPs from the perspective of their bioactive nature, discusses why BNPs need drug delivery systems, and predicts the next direction.

Transporter-Mediated Drug Delivery

Transmembrane transport of small organic and inorganic molecules is one of the cornerstones of cellular metabolism. Among transmembrane transporters, solute carrier (SLC) proteins form the largest, albeit very diverse, superfamily with over 400 members. It was recognized early on that xenobiotics can directly interact with SLCs and that this interaction can fundamentally determine their efficacy, including bioavailability and intertissue distribution. Apart from the well-established prodrug strategy, the chemical ligation of transporter substrates to nanoparticles of various chemical compositions has recently been used as a means to enhance their targeting and absorption. In this review, we summarize efforts in drug design exploiting interactions with specific SLC transporters to optimize their therapeutic effects. Furthermore, we describe current and future challenges as well as new directions for the advanced development of therapeutics that target SLC transporters.

Review of the Delivery Kinetics of Thermosensitive Liposomes

Thermosensitive liposomes (TSL) are triggered nanoparticles that release the encapsulated drug in response to hyperthermia. Combined with localized hyperthermia, TSL enabled loco-regional drug delivery to tumors with reduced systemic toxicities. More recent TSL formulations are based on intravascular triggered release, where drug release occurs within the microvasculature. Thus, this delivery strategy does not require enhanced permeability and retention (EPR). Compared to traditional nanoparticle drug delivery systems based on EPR with passive or active tumor targeting (typically <5%ID/g tumor), TSL can achieve superior tumor drug uptake (>10%ID/g tumor). Numerous TSL formulations have been combined with various drugs and hyperthermia devices in preclinical and clinical studies over the last four decades. Here, we review how the properties of TSL dictate delivery and discuss the advantages of rapid drug release from TSL. We show the benefits of selecting a drug with rapid extraction by tissue, and with quick cellular uptake. Furthermore, the optimal characteristics of hyperthermia devices are reviewed, and impact of tumor biology and cancer cell characteristics are discussed. Thus, this review provides guidelines on how to improve drug delivery with TSL by optimizing the combination of TSL, drug, and hyperthermia method. Many of the concepts discussed are applicable to a variety of other triggered drug delivery systems.

Smart Polymeric Micelles for Anticancer Hydrophobic Drugs

Cancer has become one of the deadliest diseases in our society. Surgery accompanied by subsequent chemotherapy is the treatment most used to prolong or save the patient's life. Still, it carries secondary risks such as infections and thrombosis and causes cytotoxic effects in healthy tissues. Using nanocarriers such as smart polymer micelles is a promising alternative to avoid or minimize these problems. These nanostructured systems will be able to encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs through modified copolymers with various functional groups such as carboxyls, amines, hydroxyls, etc. The release of the drug occurs due to the structural degradation of these copolymers when they are subjected to endogenous (pH, redox reactions, and enzymatic activity) and exogenous (temperature, ultrasound, light, magnetic and electric field) stimuli. We did a systematic review of the efficacy of smart polymeric micelles as nanocarriers for anticancer drugs (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, lapatinib, cisplatin, adriamycin, and curcumin). For this reason, we evaluate the influence of the synthesis methods and the physicochemical properties of these systems that subsequently allow an effective encapsulation and release of the drug. On the other hand, we demonstrate how computational chemistry will enable us to guide and optimize the design of these micelles to carry out better experimental work.

Development of Chitosan/Gelatin-Based Hydrogels Incorporated with Albumin Particles

The research subject of this paper are natural polymer-based hydrogels modified with albumin particles. The proteins were obtained via the salt-induced precipitation method, and next characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-Vis spectroscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The most favorable composition showing monodispersity and particles with a size lower than 40 nm was selected for modification of hydrogels. Such systems were obtained via the photopolymerization performed under the influence of UV radiation using diacrylate poly(ethylene glycol) as a crosslinking agent and 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone as a photoinitiator. Next, the hydrogels' swelling ability, mechanical properties, wettability and surface morphology were characterized. Moreover, FT-IR spectroscopy, incubation studies in simulated physiological liquids, pro-inflammatory activity analysis and MTT reduction assay with L929 murine fibroblasts were performed. The release profiles of proteins from hydrogels were also verified. Materials modified with proteins showed higher swelling ability, increased flexibility even by 50% and increased surface hydrophilicity. Hydrogels' contact angles were within the range 62-69° while the tensile strength of albumin-containing hydrogels was approx. 0.11 MPa. Furthermore, the possibility of the effective release of protein particles from hydrogels in acidic environment (approximately 70%) was determined. Incubation studies showed hydrogels' stability and lack of their degradation in tested media. The viability of fibroblasts was 89.54% for unmodified hydrogel, and approx. 92.73% for albumin-modified hydrogel, and such an increase indicated the positive impact of the albumin on murine fibroblast proliferation.

Interference of Glucose Bioavailability of Tumor by Engineered Biohybrids for Potentiating Targeting and Uptake of Antitumor Nanodrugs

The chemotherapy efficacy of nanodrugs is restricted by poor tumor targeting and uptake. Here, an engineered biohybrid living material (designated as EcN@HPB) is constructed by integrating paclitaxel and BAY-876 bound human serum albumin nanodrugs (HPB) with Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN). Due to the inherent tumor tropism of EcN, EcN@HPB could actively target the tumor site and competitively deprive glucose through bacterial respiration. Thus, albumin would be used as an alternative nutrient source for tumor metabolism, which significantly promotes the internalization of HPB by tumor cells. Subsequently, BAY-876 internalized along with HPB nanodrugs would further depress glucose uptake of tumor cells via inhibiting glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Together, the decline of glucose bioavailability of tumor cells would activate and promote the macropinocytosis in an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-dependent manner, resulting in more uptake of HPB by tumor cells and boosting the therapeutic outcome of paclitaxel.

Lipid nanoparticle-based mRNA vaccines in cancers: Current advances and future prospects

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines constitute an emerging therapeutic method with the advantages of high safety and efficiency as well as easy synthesis; thus, they have been widely used in various human diseases, especially in malignant cancers. However, the mRNA vaccine technology has some limitations, such as instability and low transitive efficiency in vivo, which greatly restrict its application. The development of nanotechnology in the biomedical field offers new strategies and prospects for the early diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Recent studies have demonstrated that Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based mRNA vaccines can address the poor preservation and targeted inaccuracy of mRNA vaccines. As an emerging cancer therapy, mRNA vaccines potentially have broad future applications. Unlike other treatments, cancer mRNA vaccines provide specific, safe, and tolerable treatments. Preclinical studies have used personalized vaccines to demonstrate the anti-tumor effect of mRNA vaccines in the treatment of various solid tumors, including colorectal and lung cancer, using these in a new era of therapeutic cancer vaccines. In this review, we have summarized the latest applications and progress of LNP-based mRNA vaccines in cancers, and discussed the prospects and limitations of these fields, thereby providing novel strategies for the targeted therapy of cancers.

pH-responsive albumin-coated biopolymeric nanoparticles with lapatinab for targeted breast cancer therapy

One can enhance the therapeutic index of anti-cancer drugs using albumin as a tumor homing agent for targeted cancer therapy. Herein, we sought to load lapatinib (LAPA) into small albumin-coated biopolymeric (poly-lactic co-glycolic acid (PLGA)) nanoparticles (APL NPs) by an emulsification method to improve the anti-tumor efficacy of lapatinib. The prepared APL NPs exhibited a small spherical core with an average diameter of 120.5 ± 10.2 nm with a narrow particle size distribution, high drug loading capacity (LC of 9.65 ± 1.53 %), good entrapment efficiency (EE of 75.55 ± 3.25 %), enhanced colloidal stability and a pH-responsive controlled drug release profile. Their cell-uptake and cancer cell growth inhibition were significantly higher compared to free LAPA and uncoated PLGA-LAPA (UPL) NPs, most likely because aggressive breast tumor cells over-express albumin receptors and utilize albumin as nutrient source for their growth. In addition, APL NPs possessed enhanced tumor accumulation and prolonged blood residence time compared to free LAPA and UPL NPs, allowing for potent tumor growth inhibition while exhibiting excellent biosafety. In short, the current study exploited a new and simple strategy to concurrently improve the safety and efficacy of LAPA for breast cancer treatment.

Microenvironment-tailored micelles restrain carcinoma-astrocyte crosstalk for brain metastasis

Breast-to-brain metastatic cells can interact with the surrounding cells, including astrocytes and microglia, to generate a pro-tumorigenic niche. Breast-to-brain metastasis can be treated using a dual strategy of eliminating metastatic tumor cells and normalizing their localized microenvironment. The effective accumulation of drugs at the action site of metastasis is crucial to realizing the above strategy, especially when dealing with the blood-brain barrier (BBB)-penetrating and tumor-targeting tactics. Here, we establish an in-situ microenvironment-tailored micelle (T-M/siRNA) to co-deliver therapeutic siRNA and paclitaxel (PTX) into the breast-to-brain metastasis. Anchored with a D-type cyclic peptide, T-M/siRNA can penetrate the BBB and subsequently target the brain metastases. Upon internalization by metastatic tumor cells, T-M/siRNA can release PTX in the high-level glutathione (GSH), resulting in killing cancer cells. Meanwhile, the micellar structure is dissociated, resulting in lowering the charge density to release the loaded siRNA that can targeted downregulate the expression of protocadherin 7 (PCDH7). Treatment of model mice revealed that T-M/siRNA can inhibit the abnormal activation of astrocytes and immunosuppressive activation of microglia, resulting in significantly enhanced synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. This study indicates that the micelle system can serve as a hopeful strategy to treat breast-to-brain metastasis.

Taxanes prodrug-based nanomedicines for cancer therapy

Malignant tumor remains a huge threat to human health and chemotherapy still occupies an important place in clinical tumor treatment. As a kind of potent antimitotic agent, taxanes act as the first-line broad-spectrum cancer drug in clinical use. However, disadvantages such as prominent hydrophobicity, severe off-target toxicity or multidrug resistance lead to unsatisfactory therapeutic effects, which restricts its wider usage. The efficient delivery of taxanes is still quite a challenge despite the rapid developments in biomaterials and nanotechnology. Great progress has been made in prodrug-based nanomedicines (PNS) for cancer therapy due to their outstanding advantages such as high drug loading efficiency, low carrier induced immunogenicity, tumor stimuli-responsive drug release, combinational therapy and so on. Based on the numerous developments in this filed, this review summarized latest updates of taxanes prodrugs-based nanomedicines (TPNS), focusing on polymer-drug conjugate-based nanoformulations, small molecular prodrug-based self-assembled nanoparticles and prodrug-encapsulated nanosystems. In addition, the new trends of tumor stimuli-responsive TPNS were also discussed. Moreover, the future challenges of TPNS for clinical translation were highlighted. We here expect this review will inspire researchers to explore more practical taxanes prodrug-based nano-delivery systems for clinical use.

Dual-Targeting of Tumor Cells and Tumor-Associated Macrophages by Palmitic Acid Modified Albumin Nanoparticles for Antitumor and Antimetastasis Therapy

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), the most abundant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), profoundly affect the occurrence and development of tumors. To overcome the common limitations of TAMs-targeted delivery systems, such as off-target toxicity, high cost, and transformation probability, we fabricated pirarubicin (THP)-loaded palmitic acid modified human serum albumin nanoparticles (THP-PSA NPs) for dual-targeting of tumor cells and TAMs via acidic secretory proteins rich in cysteine (SPARC) and scavenger receptor-A (SR-A), respectively. In vitro, the THP-PSA NPs exhibit stronger cytotoxicity against 4T1 and M2 macrophages compared with THP-loaded human serum albumin nanoparticles (THP-HSA NPs). In vivo, the infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines significantly decrease after effective elimination of the TAMs through the THP-PSA NPs treatment; this is accompanied by an increase in the immunostimulatory cytokine expression level. Moreover, the antitumor and antimetastasis experimental results indicate that the tumor volumes in mice treated with the THP-PSA NPs are effectively controlled, resulting in an inhibition rate of 81.0% and almost no metastases in the lung tissues. Finally, in terms of biological safety, the THP-PSA NPs perform similar to THP-HSA NPs, causing no damage to the liver or kidney.

Peptide Modified Albumin-Paclitaxel Nanoparticles for Improving Chemotherapy and Preventing Metastasis

Metastasis and recurrence are the main causes of death in cancer patients, however, there are few medicines which could inhibit tumor growth and metastasis at the same time. In this work, we reported a novel nano-drug delivery system (NDDS) based on targeting ligand modified albumin. The hydrophobic drug (paclitaxel) induced albumin self-assembly after treatment of albumin with L-cysteine, forming drug-loaded nanoparticles with a size of 100-200 nm. Importantly, the albumin nanoparticles displayed enhanced antitumor efficacy against tumor growth/lung metastasis in 4T1 bearing nude mice and prevention of lung metastasis in a B16-F10 model. This study provides a facile method for hydrophobic chemo-drugs loaded albumin nanoparticles preparation and a promising chemotherapy with effective tumor growth inhibition and metastasis prevention. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Systematic interaction of plasma albumin with the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs

Albumin, as the most abundant plasma protein, plays an integral role in the transport of a variety of exogenous and endogenous ligands in the bloodstream and extravascular spaces. For exogenous drugs, especially chemotherapeutic drugs, binding to and being delivered by albumin can significantly affect their efficacy. Meanwhile, albumin can also bind to many endogenous ligands, such as fatty acids, with important physiological significance that can affect tumor proliferation and metabolism. In this review, we summarize how albumin with unique properties affects chemotherapeutic drugs efficacy from the aspects of drug outcome in blood, toxicity, tumor accumulation and direct or indirect interactions with fatty acids, plus application of albumin-based carriers for anti-tumor drug delivery.

Co-delivery of paclitaxel and STAT3 siRNA by a multifunctional nanocomplex for targeted treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Metastasis is one of the major causes of mortality in patients suffering from breast cancer. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is closely related to cancer metastasis. Herein, a multifunctional nanocomplex was developed to simultaneously deliver paclitaxel (PTX) and STAT3 siRNA (siSTAT3) to inhibit tumor growth and prevent metastasis of breast cancer cells. PTX was encapsulated into the synthesized polyethyleneimine-polylactic acid-lipoic acid (PPL) micelle through hydrophobic interaction, while siSTAT3 was condensed onto polyethyleneimine through electrostatic interaction. The surface charge of the drug-loaded nanocomplex (^siSTAT3PPL_PTX) was then converted to negative by coating with hyaluronic acid (HA). The multifunctional nanocomplex (HA/^siSTAT3PPL_PTX) effectively entered CD44-overexpressed 4T1 cells via an active targeting mechanism. HA shell was degraded by the concentrated hyaluronidase in the endo/lysosome and the rapid drug release was triggered by the redox micro-environment of cytoplasm. Moreover, HA/^siSTAT3PPL_PTX showed enhanced cytotoxicity against tumor cells due to a synergistic effect of PTX and siSTAT3. The effective inhibition of tumor metastasis was confirmed by in vitro cell migration and invasion in 4T1 cells. More importantly, a superior antitumor efficacy was observed in orthotopic 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, with no side effects in major organs, and the lung metastasis was strongly inhibited in 4T1 metastasis model. In conclusion, the multifunctional nanocomplex provides a versatile platform for efficient treatment of metastatic cancer through tumor-targeted chemo-gene combined therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Metastasis is one of the major causes of mortality in patients suffering from breast cancer. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is closely related to cancer metastasis. In this study, a multifunctional nanocomplex co-loaded with paclitaxel (PTX) and STAT3 siRNA was constructed and characterized. The co-delivery system exhibited active tumor targeting, effective endo/lysosomal escape, and rapid intracellular drug release. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that the nanocomplex could lead to superior tumor growth inhibition, as well as metastasis suppression by silencing expression of STAT3 and p-STAT3. This present study implies that the nanocomplex could be a potential platform for targeted treatment of metastatic cancer through chemo-gene combined therapy.

Improved Anti-Triple Negative Breast Cancer Effects of Docetaxel by RGD-Modified Lipid-Core Micelles

Purpose

A novel RGD-modified PEGylated lipid-core micelle delivery system was designed to improve the anti-cancer effect of docetaxel on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods

The tumor-targeted lipid-core micelles loaded with docetaxel were prepared and characterized. Their morphology, particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, release profiles, and targeting effects were studied. The antitumor effects of the docetaxel-loaded nano-micelles were investigated in a MDA-MB-231 cell model in vitro and a MDA-MB-231 xenograft model in vivo.

Results

The prepared RGD-modified docetaxel-loaded lipid-core micelles were spherical with a particle size of 16.44±1.35 nm, zeta potential of −19.24±1.24 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 96.52±0.43%. The drug delivery system showed sustained release properties and could significantly enhance docetaxel uptake by MDA-MB-231 tumor cells in vitro, which was proved to be a caveolae pathway mediated process requiring ATP, Golgi apparatus, and acid lysosomes. The results of the pharmacokinetic study displayed that the area under the curve of the targeted micelles was 3.2-times higher than that of docetaxel commercial injections. Furthermore, in a MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice model, a higher antitumor efficacy than docetaxel commercial injections was displayed, and the safety experiments showed that the micellar material did not cause major organ damage after intravenous administration in mice.

Conclusion

The novel RGD-modified PEGylated lipid-core micelle delivery system significantly improved the antitumor effects and reduced the side-effects of docetaxel, providing a promising therapeutics for the treatment of TNBC.

New titanocene derivative with improved stability and binding ability to albumin exhibits high anticancer activity

Titanium-based therapies have emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of cancer patients, particularly those with cisplatin resistant tumors. Unfortunately, some titanium compounds show stability and solubility problems that have hindered their use in clinical practice. Here, we designed and synthesized a new titanium complex containing a titanocene fragment, a tridentate ligand to improve its stability in water, and a long aliphatic chain, designed to facilitate a non-covalent interaction with albumin, the most abundant protein in human serum. The stability and human serum albumin affinity of the resulting titanium complex was investigated by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. Complex [TiCp₂{(OOC)₂py-O-myr}] (3) (myr = C₁₄H₂₉, py = pyridine) and its analogous [TiCp₂{(OOC)₂py-OH}] (4), lacking the aliphatic chain, showed improved stability in phosphate saline buffer compared with [TiCp₂Cl₂] (1). 3 showed a strong interaction with human serum albumin in a 1:1 stoichiometry. The cytotoxic effect of 3 was higher compared to [TiCp₂Cl₂] in tumor cell lines and showed potential tumor selectivity when assayed in non-tumor human epithelial cells. Finally, 3 showed an antiproliferative effect on cancer cells, decreasing the population in the S phase, and increasing apoptotic cells in a significant manner. All this makes the novel Ti(IV) compound 3 a firm candidate to continue further studies of its therapeutic potential in vitro and in vivo.

The protein corona and its effects on nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems

In most cases, once nanoparticles (NPs) enter the blood, their surface is covered by biological molecules, especially proteins, forming a so-called protein corona (PC). As a result, what the cells of the body "see" is not the NPs as formulated by the chemists, but the PC. In this way, the PC can influence the effects of the NPs and even mask the desired effects of the NP components. While this can argue for trying to inhibit protein-nanomaterial interactions, encapsulating NPs in an endogenous PC may increase their clinical usefulness. In this review, we briefly introduce the concept of the PC, its formation and its effects on the behavior of NPs. We also discuss how to reduce the formation of PCs or exploit them to enhance NP functions. Studying the interactions between proteins and NPs will provide insights into their clinical activity in health and disease. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The formation of protein corona (PC) will affect the operation of nanoparticles (NPs) in vivo. Since there are many proteins in the blood, it is impossible to completely overcome the formation of PC. Therefore, the use of PCs to deliver drug is the best choice. De-opsonins adsorbed on NPs can reduce macrophage phagocytosis and cytotoxicity of NPs, and prolong their circulation in blood. Albumin, apolipoprotein and transferrin are typical de-opsonins. In present review, we mainly discuss how to optimize the delivery of nanoparticles through the formation of albumin corona, transferrin corona and apolipoprotein corona in vivo or in vitro.

A review of nanoparticle drug delivery systems responsive to endogenous breast cancer microenvironment

Breast cancer, as a malignant disease that seriously threatens women's health, urgently needs to be researched to develop effective and safe therapeutic drugs. Nanoparticle drug delivery systems (NDDS), provide a powerful means for drug targeting to the breast cancer, enhancing the bioavailability and reducing the adverse effects of anticancer drug. However, the breast cancer microenvironment together with heterogeneity of cancer, impedes the tumor targeting effect of NDDS. Breast cancer microenvironment, exerts endogenous stimuli, such as hypoxia, acidosis, and aberrant protease expression, shape a natural shelter for tumor growth, invasion and migration. On the basis of the ubiquitous of endogenous stimuli in the breast cancer microenvironment, researchers exploited them to design the stimuli-responsive NDDS, which response to endogenous stimulus, targeted release drug in breast cancer microenvironment. In this review, we highlighted the effect of the breast cancer microenvironment, summarized innovative NDDS responsive to the internal stimuli in the tumor microenvironment, including the material, the targeting groups, the loading drugs, targeting position and the function of stimuli-responsive nanoparticle drug delivery system. The limitations and potential applications of the stimuli-responsive nanoparticle drug delivery systems for breast cancer treatment were discussed to further the application.

Human Serum Albumin as Multifunctional Nanocarrier for Cancer Therapy

Human serum albumin or simply called albumin is a flexible protein employed as a carrier in the fabrication of albumin-based nanocarriers (ANCs) for the administration of cancer therapeutics. Albumin can contribute enhanced tumour specificity, reduced drug induced cytotoxicity and retain concentration of the therapeutically active agent such as drug, peptide, protein, and gene for a prolonged time duration. Nevertheless, apart from cancer management, ANCs are also employed in the diagnosis, imaging, and multimodal cancer therapy. This article figures out salient characteristics, design as well as categories of ANCs in the context of their application in cancer management. In addition, this review article discusses the fabrication methods of ANCs, use of ANCs in gene, cancer, and multimodal therapy along with cancer diagnosis and imaging. Lastly, this review also briefly discusses about (ANCs) formulations, commercial products, and those under clinical testing.

Progress in the research of nanomaterial-based exosome bioanalysis and exosome-based nanomaterials tumor therapy

Exosomes and their internal components have been proven to play critical roles in cell-cell interactions and intrinsic cellular regulations, showing promising prospects in both biomedical and clinical fields. Although conventional methods have so far been utilized to great effect, accurate bioanalysis remains a major challenge. In recent years, the fast-paced development of nanomaterials with unique physiochemical properties has led to a boom in the potential bioapplications of such materials. In particular, the application of nanomaterials in exosome bioanalysis provides a great opportunity to overcome the current challenges and limitations of conventional methods. A timely review of the research progress in this field is thus of great significance to the continued development of new methods. This review outlines the properties and potential uses of exosomes, and discusses the conventional methods currently used for their analysis. We then focus on exploring the current state of the art regarding the use of nanomaterials for the isolation, detection and even the subsequent profiling of exosomes. The main methods are based on principles including fluorescence, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, colorimetry, electrochemistry, and surface plasmon resonance. Additionally, research on exosome-based nanomaterials tumor therapy is also promising from a clinical perspective, so the research progress in this branch is also summarized. Finally, we look at ways in which the field might develop in the future.

Evidence for Delivery of Abraxane via a Denatured-Albumin Transport System

Abraxane, an albumin-bound paclitaxel nanoparticle formulation, is superior to conventional paclitaxel preparations because it has better efficacy against unresectable pancreatic cancer. Previous reports suggest that this better efficacy of Abraxane than conventional paclitaxel preparation is probably due to its transport through Gp60, an albumin receptor on the surface of vascular endothelial cells. The increased tumor accumulation of Abraxane is also caused by the secreted protein acid and rich in cysteine in the tumor stroma. However, the uptake mechanism of Abraxane remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that the delivery of Abraxane occurred via different receptor pathways from that of endogenous albumin. Our results showed that the uptake of endogenous albumin was inhibited by a Gp60 pathway inhibitor in the process of endocytosis through endothelial cells or tumor cells. In contrast, the uptake of Abraxane-derived HSA was less affected by the Gp60 pathway inhibitor but significantly reduced by denatured albumin receptor inhibitors. In conclusion, these data indicate that Abraxane-derived HSA was taken up into endothelial cells or tumor cells by a mechanism different from normal endogenous albumin. These new data on distinct cellular transport pathways of denatured albumin via gp family proteins different from those of innate albumin shed light on the mechanisms of tumor delivery and antitumor activity of Abraxane and provide new scientific rationale for the development of a novel albumin drug delivery strategy via a denatured albumin receptor.

Redox-responsive prodrug for improving oral bioavailability of paclitaxel through bile acid transporter-mediated pathway

Most anticancer drugs are not orally bioavailable due to their undesirable physicochemical properties and inherent physiological barriers. In this study, a polymeric prodrug strategy was presented to enhance the oral bioavailability of BCS class IV drugs using paclitaxel (PTX) as the model drug. PTX was covalently conjugated with cholic acid-functionalized PEG by a redox-sensitive disulfide bond. Cholic acid-functionalized PEGylated PTX (CPP) achieved remarkably improved PTX solubility (>30,000-fold), as well as favorable stability under the physiological environment and controlled drug release in the tumor. Meanwhile, CPP could self-assemble into nanoparticles with an average size of 56.18 ± 2.06 nm and drug loading up to 17.6% (w/w). Then, permeability study on Caco-2 cell monolayers demonstrated that CPP obtained an approximately 4-fold increase by apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) mediated transport, compared with Taxol®. Pharmacokinetic studies carried out in rats confirmed that the oral bioavailability of CPP was 10-fold higher than that of Taxol®. Finally, significant improvement in the antitumor efficacy of CPP against breast cancer was confirmed on MDA-MB-231 cells. In summary, this prodrug-based cascade strategy offers new ways for chemotherapeutic drugs whose oral delivery is limited by solubility and permeability, also endows drugs with the capacity of tumor-specific release.

Micellar Drug Delivery Systems Based on Natural Biopolymers

The broad diversity of structures and the presence of numerous functional groups available for chemical modifications represent an enormous advantage for the development of safe, non-toxic, and cost-effective micellar drug delivery systems (DDS) based on natural biopolymers, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and peptides. Different drug-loading methods are used for the preparation of these micellar systems, but it appeared that dialysis is generally recommended, as it avoids the formation of large micellar aggregates. Moreover, the preparation method has an important influence on micellar size, morphology, and drug loading efficiency. The small size allows the passive accumulation of these micellar systems via the permeability and retention effect. Natural biopolymer-based micellar DDS are high-value biomaterials characterized by good compatibility, biodegradability, long blood circulation time, non-toxicity, non-immunogenicity, and high drug loading, and they are biodegraded to non-toxic products that are easily assimilated by the human body. Even if some recent studies reported better antitumoral effects for the micellar DDS based on polysaccharides than for commercial formulations, their clinical use is not yet generalized. This review is focused on the studies from the last decade concerning the preparation as well as the colloidal and biological characterization of micellar DDS based on natural biopolymers.

Phenylboronic ester-modified anionic micelles for ROS-stimuli response in HeLa cell

Smart polymers as ideal drug nanocarriers have attracted much attention due to the effective drug delivery, internalization and release once triggered by intracellular stimuli, as well as reduced cytotoxicity. We here reported the anionic micelle consisting of copolymer (PEG-b-PAsp) and a PBE (Phenylboronic Ester) group grafted, which can achieve fast response to intracellular ROS and enhanced anti-tumor activity. With this, PEG-b-PAsp-g-PBE/DOX system showed better tumor growth inhibition when studied on HeLa cell lines with high level of intracellular ROS and its subcutaneous tumor models. Additionally, the administration of PEG-b-PAsp-g-PBE/DOX did cause significantly lower systemic toxicity in comparison with free DOX. Hence, PEG-b-PAsp-g-PBE could be a highly efficient and safe nanocarrier to improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutic.

pH-Activatable cell penetrating peptide dimers for potent delivery of anticancer drug to triple-negative breast cancer

We developed a pH-activatable cell-penetrating peptide dimer LH₂ with histidine residues, which can penetrate cells, specifically in weak acidic conditions, even at few tens of nanomolar concentrations. LH₂ effectively delivered paclitaxel into triple-negative breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231, via formation of non-covalent complexes (PTX-LH₂(M)) or covalent conjugates (PTX-LH₂(C)). Moreover, LH₂ showed prolonged circulation in the body and enhanced accumulation in tumors. Both PTX-LH₂(M) and PTX-LH₂(C) showed strong antitumor effects in a triple-negative breast cancer grafted mouse model at an extremely low dosage.

Serum protein-based nanoparticles for cancer diagnosis and treatment

Serum protein as naturally essential biomacromolecules has recently emerged as a versatile carrier for diagnostic and therapeutic drug delivery for cancer nanomedicine with superior biocompatibility, improved pharmacokinetics and enhanced targeting capacity. A variety of serum proteins have been utilized for drug delivery, mainly including albumin, ferritin/apoferritin, transferrin, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and hemoglobin. As evidenced by the success of paclitaxel-bound albumin nanoparticles (Abraxane^TM), serum protein-based nanoparticles have gained attractive attentions for precise biological design and potential clinical application. In this review, we summarize the general design strategies, targeting mechanisms and recent development of serum protein-based nanoparticles in the field of cancer nanomedicine. Moreover, we also concisely specify the current challenges to be addressed for a bright future of serum protein-based nanomedicines.

Dual-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles coated with carbon dots and polymers for drug encapsulation and delivery

Aim: Smart mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) coated with carbon dots (CDs) and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) as a mixed shell (CDs/PNVCL polymer grafted MSNs) were prepared for pH-trigged anticancer drug release and real-time monitoring. Materials & methods: The amino-terminated PNVCL and amino-rich CDs were grafted onto the surface of aldehyde group functionalized MSNs through Schiff base reaction. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the prepared nanoparticles. Results: DOX could be quickly released in the tumor environment, leading to cell apoptosis. The linear fit between the percentage of released DOX and the fluorescence intensity of CDs indicated that the change in fluorescence intensity could be used to monitor drug release in real time. Conclusion: The as-prepared CDs/PNVCL polymer grafted MSNs are promising candidates for integrating controllable release and real-time monitoring in cancer treatment.

Blockade of Platelets Using Tumor-Specific NO-Releasing Nanoparticles Prevents Tumor Metastasis and Reverses Tumor Immunosuppression

The tumor microenvironment maintains a sufficient immunosuppressive state owing to the existence of the immunosuppressive factors. The most prominent such factor is transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), which is mainly provided by platelets. Moreover, platelets have been shown to be the main accomplice in assisting tumor metastasis. Therefore, blocking tumor-associated platelets is endowed with functions of enhancing immunity and reducing metastasis. Herein, we designed a tumor microenvironment-responsive nitric oxide (NO) release nanoparticle, Ptx@AlbSNO, which was able to specifically and safely co-deliver the antiplatelet agent NO and the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel (Ptx) into tumor tissues and inhibit platelet-tumor cell interactions. We discovered that Ptx@AlbSNO could successfully block tumor-specific platelet functions, thereby suppressing the process of tumor epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), preventing platelet adhesion around circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and reducing distant metastasis. In vivo studies demonstrate that the co-delivery of NO and Ptx can suppress primary tumor growth. With the ability to effectively inhibit activated platelets and TGF-β secretion in tumors, Ptx@AlbSNO can enhance intratumoral immune cell infiltration to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.

Dual variable of drug loaded micelles in both particle and electrical charge on gastric cancer treatment

Gastric cancer is a malignant tumour characterised by the uncontrolled cell growth. The incidence and mortality of gastric cancer remain high for the invasion and metastasis. We are urgently seeking a risk-free and effective treatment strategy for gastric cancer. In this study, paclitaxel and tetrandrine were encapsulated in the inner core of micelles, and DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀-CPP and HA were modified on the micellar surface. HA/CPP modified paclitaxel plus tetrandrine micelles had a suitable particle size (90 nm) for permeating tumour tissue. The zeta potential of the targeting micelles was 8.37 mV after hydrolysis by HAase solution. Results of in vitro experiments indicated that HA/CPP modified paclitaxel plus tetrandrine micelles + HAase could enhance the intracellular uptake, inhibit the formation of neovascularization, block the process of EMT and destroy the invasion and metastasis. In vivo assays indicated that HA/CPP modified paclitaxel plus tetrandrine micelles could be selectively accumulated into tumour sites and exhibited the strong antitumor activity with negligible toxicity. These results suggested that HA/CPP modified paclitaxel plus tetrandrine micelles might provide a new strategy for treating gastric cancer.

The nanostructured secretome

The term secretome, which traditionally strictly refers to single proteins, should be expanded to also include the great variety of nanoparticles secreted by cells (secNPs) into the extracellular space, which ranges from high-density lipoproteins of a few nanometers to extracellular vesicles and fat globules of hundreds of nanometers. Widening the definition is urged by the ever-increasing understanding of the role of secNPs as regulators/mediators of key physiological and pathological processes, which also puts them in the running as breakthrough cell-free therapeutics and diagnostics. "Made by cells for cells", secNPs are envisioned as a sweeping paradigm shift in nanomedicine, promising to overcome the limitations of synthetic nanoparticles by unsurpassed circulation and targeting abilities, precision and sustainability. From a longer/wider perspective, advanced manipulation would possibly make secNPs available as building blocks for future "biogenic" nanotechnology. However, the current knowledge is fragmented and sectorial (the majority of the studies being focused on a specific biological and/or medical aspect of a given secNP class or subclass), the understanding of the nanoscale and interfacial properties is limited and the development of bioprocesses and regulatory initiatives is in the early days. We believe that new multidisciplinary competencies and synergistic efforts need to be attracted and augmented to move forward. This review will contribute to the effort by attempting for the first time to rationally gather and elaborate secNPs and their traits into a unique concise framework - from biogenesis to colloidal properties, engineering and clinical translation - disclosing the overall view and easing comparative analysis and future exploitation.

Preparation and characterization of dissolving hyaluronic acid composite microneedles loaded micelles for delivery of curcumin

In order to improve the bioavailability of curcumin (Cur) and patient compliance, a type of novel hyaluronic acid (HA) composite microneedles containing Cur-loaded micelles was designed in this paper. On the one hand, the microneedles matrix solution was prepared by screening the optimal concentration of HA and the better proportion of HA to sodium carboxymethyl starch (CMS-Na). On the other hand, the amphiphilic polymer, named as Quercetin-Dithiodipropionic Acid-Oligomeric Hyaluronic Acid (Que-DA-oHA), was synthesized and characterized using ¹H-NMR. Subsequently, the dialysis method was used to prepare Cur-loaded Que-DA-oHA micelles with an average size of 172.6 ± 11.4 nm and zeta potential of - 33.71 ± 0.45 mV. A micromolding process was used to prepare the micelle-loaded HA composite microneedles. It had been found that when the concentration of HA was 200 mg/mL and the mass ratio of HA to CMS-Na was 2:1, the prepared HA composite microneedles had good mechanical strength. In-skin dissolution kinetics showed that the micelle-loaded HA composite microneedles could dissolve quickly in the skin. In vitro permeation study indicated that the microneedles delivered 74.7% of their drug load over 6 h, which exhibited remarkable drug permeation properties in a short time. Here, we creatively combined micellar technology with microneedle technology to rapidly deliver Cur transdermally for diseases treatment such as melanoma. Graphical abstract.