Nanoradiosensitizer with good tissue penetration and enhances oral cancer radiotherapeutic effect

Advances in nanoparticle-based radiotherapy for cancer treatment

Radiotherapy has long been recognized as an effective conventional approach in both clinical and scientific research, primarily through mechanisms involving DNA destruction or the generation of reactive oxygen species to target tumors. However, significant challenges persist, including the unavoidable damage to normal tissues and the development of radiation resistance. As a result, nanotechnology-based radiotherapy has garnered considerable attention for its potential to enhance precision in irradiation, improve radiosensitization, and achieve therapeutic advancements. Importantly, radiotherapy alone frequently falls short of fully eradicating tumors. Consequently, to augment the efficacy of radiotherapy, it is often integrated with other therapeutic strategies. This review elucidates the mechanisms of radiotherapy sensitization based on diverse nanoparticles. Typically, radiotherapy is sensitized through augmenting reactive oxygen species production, targeted radiotherapy, hypoxia relief, enhancement of antitumor immune microenvironment, and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Moreover, the incorporation of nanoparticle-based anti-tumor strategies with radiotherapy markedly enhances the current state of radiotherapy. Additionally, a compilation of clinical trials utilizing nano-radioenhancers is presented. Finally, future prospects for clinical translation in this field are thoroughly examined.

A Manganese-Based Nanodriver Coordinates Tumor Prevention and Suppression through STING Activation in Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor, exhibits profound immunosuppression and demonstrates a low response rate to current immunotherapy strategies. Manganese cations (Mn2+) directly activate the cGAS/STING pathway and induce the unique catalytic synthesis of 2'3'-cGAMP to facilitate type I IFN production, thereby enhancing innate immunity. Here, a telodendrimer and Mn2+-based nanodriver (PLHM) with a small size is developed, which effectively target lymph nodes through the blood circulation and exhibit tumor-preventive effects at low doses of Mn2+ (3.7 mg kg-1). On the other hand, the PLHM nanodriver also exhibits apparent antitumor effects in GBM-bearing mice via inducing in vivo innate immune responses. The combination of PLHM with doxorubicin nanoparticles (PLHM-DOX NPs) results in superior inhibition of tumor growth in GBM-bearing mice due to the synergistic potentiation of STING pathway functionality by Mn2+ and the presence of cytoplasmic DNA. These findings demonstrate that PLHM-DOX NPs effectively stimulate innate immunity, promote dendritic cell maturation, and orchestrate cascaded infiltration of CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes within glioblastomas characterized by low immunogenicity. These nanodivers chelated with Mn2+ show promising potential for tumor prevention and antitumor effects on glioblastoma by activating the STING pathway.

Near-infrared-responsive GE11-CuS@Gal nanoparticles as an intelligent drug release system for targeting therapy against oral squamous cell carcinoma

Galangin (Gal) is a natural plant flavonoid. More and more evidence shows that Gal can achieve anti-tumor effects by regulating various mechanisms. However, its poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and insufficient lesion targeting limit its clinical application. To overcome these shortcomings, we designed and developed a mesoporous nanosystem (GE11-CuS) that actively located the target area and photo-controlled drug release, which promoted the rapid accumulation of drugs in tumor tissues under NIR irradiation, thus achieving positive effects against cancer. In this study, we explored the application of the Gal-loaded nanometer system (GE11-CuS@Gal) in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) both in vitro and in vivo. The results exhibited that GE11-CuS@Gal had excellent targeting ability and could accumulate efficiently in tumor cells (HSC-3). Meanwhile, the temperature of GE11-CuS@Gal increasing rapidly under NIR illumination damaged the integrity of the carrier and allowed Gal molecules to escape from the pores of the nanoparticles. When the accumulation of Gal in the nidus reached a certain level, the intracellular ROS level could be significantly increased and the antioxidative stress pathway mediated by Nrf2/OH-1 was effectively blocked, to inhibit the growth and migration of tumors. In conclusion, the GE11-CuS improved the antitumor activity of Gal in the body, which laid a foundation for the treatment of OSCC with traditional Chinese medicine ingredients.

Nano-Drug Delivery Systems in Oral Cancer Therapy: Recent Developments and Prospective

Oral cancer (OC), characterized by malignant tumors in the mouth, is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy is a commonly used treatment for OC; however, it often leads to severe side effects on human bodies. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution for managing OC using nanomaterials and nanoparticles (NPs). Nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDSs) that employ various NPs as nanocarriers have been extensively developed to enhance current OC therapies by achieving controlled drug release and targeted drug delivery. Through searching and analyzing relevant research literature, it was found that certain nano-DDSs can improve the therapeutic effect of drugs by enhancing drug accumulation in tumor tissues. Furthermore, they can achieve targeted delivery and controlled release of drugs through adjustments in particle size, surface functionalization, and drug encapsulation technology of nano-DDSs. The application of nano-DDSs provides a new tool and strategy for OC therapy, offering personalized treatment options for OC patients by enhancing drug delivery, reducing toxic side effects, and improving therapeutic outcomes. However, the use of nano-DDSs in OC therapy still faces challenges such as toxicity, precise targeting, biodegradability, and satisfying drug-release kinetics. Overall, this review evaluates the potential and limitations of different nano-DDSs in OC therapy, focusing on their components, mechanisms of action, and laboratory therapeutic effects, aiming to provide insights into understanding, designing, and developing more effective and safer nano-DDSs. Future studies should focus on addressing these issues to further advance the application and development of nano-DDSs in OC therapy.

Mussel-Inspired Tantalum Nanocomposite Hydrogels for In Situ Oral Cancer Treatment

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common oral malignancies. Radiotherapy is the primary noninvasive treatment of OSCC for avoiding surgery-induced facial deformities and impaired oral function. However, the specificity of in situ OSCC limits radiotherapeutic effects because of the hypoxia-induced low radiosensitivity of tumors and the low radiation tolerance of surrounding normal tissues. Here, we design a highly efficient and low-toxic radiosensitization strategy. On the one hand, biocompatible poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-modified tantalum nanoparticles (Ta@PVP NPs) not only have strong X-ray deposition capability to upregulate oxidative stress but also have photothermal conversion efficiency to improve hypoxia for tumor radiosensitivity. On the other hand, to optimize the spatial distribution of Ta@PVP NPs within tumors, mussel-inspired catechol with bioadhesive properties is grafted on tumor microenvironment-responsive sodium alginate (DAA) to form in situ hydrogels for precision radiotherapy. On this basis, we find that Ta@PVP-DAA hydrogels effectively inhibit OSCC development in mice under photothermal-assisted radiotherapy without facial deformities and damage to surrounding normal tissues. Overall, our work not only promotes the exploration of Ta@PVP NPs as new radiosensitizers for OSCC but also develops a nanocomposite hydrogel system strategy as a promising paradigm for the precision treatment of orthotopic tumors.