Designing cancer nanodrugs that are highly loaded, pH-responsive, photothermal, and possess a favored morphology: A hierarchical assembly of DOX and layer-by-layer modified rGO

Polyvinylpyrrolidone Assisted One-Pot Synthesis of Size-Tunable Cocktail Nanodrug for Multifunctional Combat of Cancer

Background

The in vivo barriers and multidrug resistance (MDR) are well recognized as great challenges for the fulfillment of antitumor effects of current drugs, which calls for the development of novel therapeutic agents and innovative drug delivery strategies. Nanodrug (ND) combining multiple drugs with distinct modes of action holes the potential to circumvent these challenges, while the introduction of photothermal therapy (PTT) can give further significantly enhanced efficacy in cancer therapy. However, facile preparation of ND which contains dual drugs and photothermal capability with effective cancer treatment ability has rarely been reported.

Methods

In this study, we selected curcumin (Cur) and doxorubicin (Dox) as two model drugs for the creation of a cocktail ND (Cur-Dox ND). We utilized polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a stabilizer and regulator to prepare Cur-Dox ND in a straightforward one-pot method.

Results

The size of the resulting Cur-Dox ND can be easily adjusted by tuning the charged ratios. It was noted that both loaded drugs in Cur-Dox ND can realize their functions in the same target cell. Especially, the P-glycoprotein inhibition effect of Cur can synergistically cooperate with Dox, leading to enhanced inhibition of 4T1 cancer cells. Furthermore, Cur-Dox ND exhibited pH-responsive dissociation of loaded drugs and a robust photothermal translation capacity to realize multifunctional combat of cancer for photothermal enhanced anticancer performance. We further demonstrated that this effect can also be realized in 3D multicellular model, which possibly attributed to its superior drug penetration as well as photothermal-enhanced cellular uptake and drug release.

Conclusion

In summary, Cur-Dox ND might be a promising ND for better cancer therapy.

Integrating photothermal and plasmonic catalysis induced by near-infrared light for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol

The reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) into 4-aminophenol (4-AP) is an important reaction in both chemical manufacturing and environmental protection. The design of a highly active, multifunctional and reusable catalyst for efficient 4-NP decontamination/valorization is therefore crucial to bring in economic and societal benefits. Herein, we achieve an efficient plasmonic-photothermal catalyst of Pd nanoparticles by growing them on graphene-polyelectrolytes self-assembly nanolayers via an in situ green reduction approach using polyelectrolyte as the reductant. The as-fabricated catalyst shows high catalytic behaviors and good stability (maintained over 92.5 % conversion efficiency after ten successive cycles) for 4-NP reduction under ultra-low catalyst dose. The rate constant and turnover frequency were calculated at 0.197 min-1 and 7.79 mmol g-1 min-1, respectively, which were much higher than those of most reported catalysts. Moreover, the as-prepared catalyst exhibited excellent photothermal conversion efficiency of ∼77 % and boosted 4-NP reduction by ∼2-fold under near-infrared irradiation (NIR). This study provides valuable insights into the design of greener catalytic materials and facilitates the development of multifunctional plasmonic-photothermal catalysts for diverse environmental, chemical, and energy applications using NIR.

Robust Electrostatically Interactive Hydrogel Coatings for Macroscopic Supramolecular Assembly via Rapid Wet Adhesion

A macroscopic supramolecular assembly (MSA) refers to non-covalent interactions between building blocks over a micrometer scale, which provides insights into bio-/wet adhesion, self-healing, and so on and new fabrication strategies to heterogeneous structures and bio-scaffolds. The key to realize the MSA of rigid materials is pre-modifying a compliant coating known as a "flexible spacing coating" beneath the interactive moieties. However, available coatings are limited to polyelectrolyte multilayers with shortcomings of tedious fabrication, weak adhesion to substrates, susceptibility to external reagents, and so on. Here, we develop a facile method to induce a new "flexible spacing coating" of a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel with electrostatic interactions to achieve MSA of diverse rigid materials (quartz, metal, rubber, and plastics). Selective self-assembly of positive-negative charged surfaces is observed by the naked eye under 3 min of shaking in water, providing strategies to rapid wet adhesion. The interfacial binding force between positive-negative interacted surfaces is 1018.1 ± 299.2 N/m², which is over two magnitudes larger than that of control groups, that is, positive-positive (24.4 ± 10.0 N/m²) and negative-negative (67.5 ± 16.7 N/m²) interacted surfaces. In situ force measurements and control experiments of identically charged building blocks have strongly supported the improved binding strength and chemical selectivity between interactive building blocks. The coating is advantageous with a simple fabrication, strong adhesion to materials, robust solvent tolerance to assembly solutions, and feasibility of photo-patterning. We envision that the above strategy would broaden the material choices of flexible spacing coatings for efficient MSA and new methods for rapid interfacial adhesion.

A biotin-modified and H2O2-activatable theranostic nanoplatform for enhanced photothermal and chemical combination cancer therapy

Although synergistic effects of photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy for cancer have been extensively investigated in previous studies, more potential strategies need to be exploited to alleviate severe adverse effects. In this study, a biotin-modified and activatable nanotheranostic system is developed. This system (BPSP/DOX-CyBA) composed of H₂O₂-sensitive thioketal (TK) linker, hydrophilic biotin-decorated polyethylene glycol (PEG) segment, hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) segment, could self-assemble into (99±1.3) nm nanoparticles and co-deliver H₂O₂-triggered photosensitizer CyBA and cytotoxic drugs DOX to tumor site. In vitro, DOX and CyBA could release rapidly from nanoparticles, CyBA accumulation in the mitochondria causes mitochondrial damage, leading to mitochondrial dysfunctions,while rising the level of ROS in B16F10 cells, and further to promote the micells to trigger release. CyBA could be activated into CyOH and the photothermal therapy was turn "off" into "on". In BPSP/DOX-CyBA group, the local temperature within tumor reached 50℃ and cell apoptosis rate reached 68.6% under Laser irradiation(650 nm, 1W/cm2). Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analysis further demonstrated the better uptake efficiency on B16F10 cells with biotin decoration. In a mice B16F10 tumor model, the group with co-delivery CyBA and DOX had the best tumor retention effect, the maximal local temperature increasement and the minimum tumor growth with negligible side effects, suggesting the potential of BPSP/DOX-CyBA nanopalteform that synergistic photothermal therapy and chemotherapy and mitochondria damage as an effective melanoma treatment strategy.

A hybrid bacterium with tumor-associated macrophage polarization for enhanced photothermal-immunotherapy

Remodeling the tumor microenvironment through reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and increasing the immunogenicity of tumors via immunogenic cell death (ICD) have been emerging as promising anticancer immunotherapy strategies. However, the heterogeneous distribution of TAMs in tumor tissues and the heterogeneity of the tumor cells make the immune activation challenging. To overcome these dilemmas, a hybrid bacterium with tumor targeting and penetration, TAM polarization, and photothermal conversion capabilities is developed for improving antitumor immunotherapy in vivo. The hybrid bacteria (B.b@QDs) are prepared by loading Ag₂S quantum dots (QDs) on the Bifidobacterium bifidum (B.b) through electrostatic interactions. The hybrid bacteria with hypoxia targeting ability can effectively accumulate and penetrate the tumor tissues, enabling the B.b to fully contact with the TAMs and mediate their polarization toward M1 phenotype to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. It also enables to overcome the intratumoral heterogeneity and obtain abundant tumor-associated antigens by coupling tumor penetration of the B.b with photothermal effect of the QDs, resulting in an enhanced immune effect. This strategy that combines B.b-triggered TAM polarization and QD-induced ICD achieved a remarkable inhibition of tumor growth in orthotopic breast cancer.

The Effect of Nano Albumin Combined with Paclitaxel on Drug Resistance of Breast Cancer Through Regulating ATP Binding Cassette Subfamily B Member 1 (ABCB1)

The paclitaxel is a common-used chemotherapy drug and its combination with nano albumin reduces drug side effect. However, whether nab-paclitaxel affects drug resistance of breast cancer remains unclear. This study intends to discuss the mechanism of drug resistance induced by nab-paclitaxel. The drug resistance of MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel in MCF-7 cell and cell proliferation was detected by MTT along with analysis of ABCB1 expression, cell cycle, and apoptosis. There was stronger drug resistance of nab-paclitaxel in the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell group through be adopted with different concentration of nab-paclitaxel at the 0th hour, 24th hour and 48th hour. There was remarkable abnormal expression of the ABCB1 in the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell group. The si-ABCB1 could release the quantity of the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell blocked at S period. And the si-ABCB1 could reduce the expression of cyclin D1 and CDK2 in the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell notably. But the expression level of p21 was increased when there was high concentration of si-ABCB1. The si-ABCB1 could increase the quantity of the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell at the later period of cell apoptosis notably. The rat’s tumor growth was delayed obviously at the MCF-7/nabpaclitaxel cell group treated by si-ABCB1. But the inhibiting effect of the MCF-7/nab-paclitaxel cell on tumor growth was less. There was stronger drug resistance of cell for the nano albumin combined with paclitaxel. The function of cell proliferation in breast cancer was restrained by the nano albumin combined with paclitaxel mainly through inducing the expression of ABCB1, adjusting the growth of cell cycle and the expression of P21/BCL-2 protein.

H2O2 generation enhancement by ultrasonic nebulisation with a zinc layer for spray disinfection

With the outbreak of COVID-19, microbial pollution has gained increasing attention as a threat to human health. Consequently, many research efforts are being devoted to the development of efficient disinfection methods. In this context, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) stands out as a green and broad-spectrum disinfectant, which can be produced and sprayed in the air directly by cavitation in ultrasonic nebulisation. However, the yield of H₂O₂ obtained by ultrasonic nebulisation is too low to satisfy the requirements for disinfection by spraying and needs to be improved to achieve efficient disinfection of the air and objects. Herein, we report the introduction of a zinc layer into an ultrasonic nebuliser to improve the production of H₂O₂ and generate additional Zn²⁺ by self-corrosion, achieving good disinfecting performance. Specifically, a zinc layer was assembled on the oscillator plate of a commercial ultrasonic nebuliser, resulting in a 21-fold increase in the yield of H₂O₂ and the production of 4.75 μg/mL Zn²⁺ in the spraying droplets. When the generated water mist was used to treat a bottle polluted with Escherichia coli for 30 min, the sterilisation rate reached 93.53%. This ultrasonic nebulisation using a functional zinc layer successfully enhanced the production of H₂O₂ while generating Zn²⁺, providing a platform for the development of new methodologies of spray disinfection.

Tumor microenvironment-responsive Ag2S-PAsp(DOX)-cRGD nanoparticles-mediated photochemotherapy enhances the immune response to tumor therapy

Chemotherapy drugs play important roles in clinical treatment, and most first-line regimens of cancer therapy contain chemotherapy drugs. In particular, some chemotherapeutic drugs can also produce ICD effect and enhance the immune response of the body. However, most chemotherapy drugs do not specifically target tumors or the complex tumor microenvironment, which renders their curative effect insufficient. Therefore, we constructed a tumor microenvironment-responsive drug delivery system (Ag₂S-PAsp-cRGD) combined with doxorubicin (DOX) for tumor therapy. Firstly, Ag₂S nanoparticles (NPs) were modified with polymer aspartic acid (PAsp) to construct the drug-loading platform. Then, an active targeting ligand (cRGD) was coupled through an amide reaction to enhance the functional targeting ability of the drug delivery system. In vivo imaging of the system showed that the nanoparticles accumulated in the tumor site, which facilitated the delivery of the chemotherapy drug DOX to the targeted tumor site. Furthermore, the photothermal effect of Ag₂S NPs can effectively killed tumor cells, and also helped the release of DOX from nanoparticles into tumor tissue, thus enhancing the chemotherapeutic effect. Moreover, combined with the ICD effect jointly induced by photothermal therapy (PTT) and DOX, the treatment further activated the host immune response against tumors by enhancing the presentation of antigens and promoting the differentiation of T cells. This strategy of photo-chemo-immunotherapy showed excellent antitumor effect, not only eliminating the primary tumor but also preventing recurrence and inhibiting metastasis.

Stimuli Responsive Nitric Oxide-Based Nanomedicine for Synergistic Therapy

Gas therapy has received widespread attention from the medical community as an emerging and promising therapeutic approach to cancer treatment. Among all gas molecules, nitric oxide (NO) was the first one to be applied in the biomedical field for its intriguing properties and unique anti-tumor mechanisms which have become a research hotspot in recent years. Despite the great progress of NO in cancer therapy, the non-specific distribution of NO in vivo and its side effects on normal tissue at high concentrations have impaired its clinical application. Therefore, it is important to develop facile NO-based nanomedicines to achieve the on-demand release of NO in tumor tissue while avoiding the leakage of NO in normal tissue, which could enhance therapeutic efficacy and reduce side effects at the same time. In recent years, numerous studies have reported the design and development of NO-based nanomedicines which were triggered by exogenous stimulus (light, ultrasound, X-ray) or tumor endogenous signals (glutathione, weak acid, glucose). In this review, we summarized the design principles and release behaviors of NO-based nanomedicines upon various stimuli and their applications in synergistic cancer therapy. We also discuss the anti-tumor mechanisms of NO-based nanomedicines in vivo for enhanced cancer therapy. Moreover, we discuss the existing challenges and further perspectives in this field in the aim of furthering its development.

Overexpressed miR-375-Loaded Restrains Development of Cervical Cancer Through Down-Regulation of Frizzled Class Receptor 4 (FZD4) with Liposome Nanoparticle as a Carrier

Dysregulation expression of miR-375 is noted to correlate with progression of cervical cancer. This study attempted to investigate the impact of overexpressed miR-375-loaded liposome nanoparticles on proliferation of cervical cancer (CC), to provide an insight on pathogenesis of CC disorder. CC cells were co-cultured with pure liposome nanoparticles (empty vector group), miR-375 agonist-loaded liposome nanoparticles, or transfected with miR-375 antagonist. Besides, some cells were exposed to TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway inhibitor or activator whilst cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay, and expressions of FZD4 and miR-375 were determined. Western blot analysis was carried out to detect the expression of TGF-β pathway factors (TGF-β, Smad2, Smad7, p-Smad2) and its downstream Smads pathway. The interaction between miR-375 and FZD4 was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Overexpression of miR-375 induced arrest at the G0/G1 phase of cell cycle and elevation of Smad2 protein expression (P <0.05), with lower expressions of TGF-β, Smad7, p-Smad2, and FZD4, while transfection with miR-375 inhibitor exhibited opposite activity. Presence of miR-375 agonist-loaded liposome nanoparticles induced decreased cell proliferation. There was a targeting relationship between miR-375 and FZD4, and administration with TGF-β/Smads agonist resulted in increased miR-375 and Smad2 expressions, as well as decreased TGF-β, Smad7, p-Smad2, FZD4 protein expression, and the number of S phase and G2/M phase cells (P < 0.05). The signaling inhibitor oppositely suppressed cell proliferation decreasing miR-375 expression. miR-375-loaded liposome nanoparticles activated TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway to restrain cell cycle and suppress cell division, and proliferation through targeting FZD4 in CC. Its molecular mechanism is related to activation of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway.

Synthesis of Silver-Doxycycline Complex Nanoparticles and Their Biological Evaluation on MCF-7 Cell Line of the Breast Cancer

In the current study, we aim to evaluate the effect of the combination of silver and doxycycline (silver-doxycycline complex) on the viability of the MCF-7 cell line of the breast in comparison with each of them. The Ag-doxycycline NPs were synthesized using silver nitrate and doxycycline solutions. The synthesized Ag-doxycycline NPs were characterized with several analyses. Ag-doxycycline NPs with a concentration of 25 μM is significantly more effective in decreasing the viability of MCF-7 cells than Ag with the same concentration ( $P<0.05$ ). Doxycycline with a concentration of 6.25 μM also has a more potent effect on the viability of MCF-7 cells than Ag with the same concentration ( $P<0.05$ ). Ag-doxycycline NPs with a 25 μM concentration is more effective than the concentration of 3.125 μM ( $P<0.05$ ). Ag-doxycycline NPs were found to be more effective than AgNPs alone in inhibiting the growth of the MCF-7 cells. Also, the increasing utility of nanotechnology in multiple aspects of medicine can lead to using this technology in the treatment of different types of cancer in the future.

Graphene Oxide Nanosheets with Efficient Antibacterial Activity Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

The development of drug-resistant bacteria has become a public health problem, among which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) leads to various life-threatening diseases. Graphene oxide (GO) is a two-dimensional nanomaterial with potential in the anti-MRSA treatment. This study prepared GO nanosheets with fixed lamellar size, investigated its antibacterial activity against MRSA, and analyzed the related antibacterial mechanisms. We found that the fabrication of GO with stable dispersion was workable. Furthermore, such GO had superior antibacterial performance against MRSA at low concentrations with the dose-dependent anti-MRSA effect. The GO-MRSA interaction also provided fundamental support for the antibacterial mechanisms with cleavage and encapsulation effects. In conclusion, GO nanosheets may be a promising antimicrobial agent against MRSA.

Carbohydrate and Protein Supplements, an Effective Means for Maintaining Exercise-Induced Glucose Metabolism Homeostasis

This study aimed to verify the effects of an independently developed carbohydrate and protein (CHO+P) beverage (7.2% oligosaccharide and 1.6% soy-polypeptide) supplement on exerciseinduced glucose metabolism and associated gene expression. Mice received 1 mL/100 g body weight of normal saline (group C; n = 36) or CHO+P (group E; n = 36) at 30 min before an immediately after exercise. Mice without exercise and supplementation served as normal controls (group NC; n = 9). The expression levels related to glucose metabolism were measured at 0, 4, 12, and 24 h after exercise (n = 9 per group). The blood glucose, insulin, and liver glycogen contents in groups C and E were dramatically lower than group NC immediately after exercise. Those in group E were significantly higher than group C, with few differences between the two. Muscle glycogen was restored more quickly when the CHO+P beverage was consumed compared to normal saline. Furthermore, exercise-induced increase in glucose transporter-4 (GLUT-4) mRNA could be depressed by CHO+P supplementation but enhanced in GLUT-4 protein. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) showed a double peak curve in the recovery period, but IL-6 increased again in group E earlier than group C. These findings confirmed that the beverage has significantly improved time in maintaining blood glucose stability, reducing glycogen consumption, accelerating glycogen resynthesis, and repairing injury in rats. This study suggests the future application of this beverage in humans with experimental support and provides a scientific direction for promoting glycogen synthesis and recovery through nutrition.

Phycocyanin Nanoparticle as a Novel Sonosensitizer for Tumor Sonodynamic Therapy of Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 Cells In Vitro

The development of novel sonosensitizers with safety and efficiency is a key problem in anti-tumor sonodynamic therapy. Phycocyanin (PC) has been proved to have the singlet oxygen radicals (ROS) generation ability, and the potential of PC as a novel sonosensitizer has been investigated. To overcome the disadvantages of PC in vivo, such as poor stability and low half-life, PC nanoparticles (PCNP) were prepared by the cross-linking method. According to the results, PCNP has been found with good morphology, good particle size distribution and good stability. Human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was used to investigate PCNP cell uptake ability. ROS generation and cytotoxicity under ultrasonic irradiation (sonotoxicity) were also studied on this cell. Under the condition of 0.75 w/cm² ultrasound, PCNP has a good ROS productivity and is equivalent to the sonotoxicity of the known sonosensitizer hematoporphyrin monomethyl Ether (HMME). In conclusion, PCNP is expected to be developed as an effective sonosensitizer for the sonodynamic therapy of tumors.

Delivery Strategies for Melittin-Based Cancer Therapy

Melittin (MLT) has been studied preclinically as an anticancer agent based on its broad lytic effects in multiple tumor types. However, unsatisfactory tissue distribution, hemolysis, rapid metabolism, and limited specificity are critical obstacles that limit the translation of MLT. Emerging drug delivery strategies hold promise for targeting, controlled drug release, reduced side effects, and ultimately improved treatment efficiency. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the use of diverse carriers to deliver MLT, with an emphasis on the design and mechanisms of action. We further outline the opportunities for MLT-based cancer immunotherapy.

Quercetin Nanoparticle Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Triggered Renal Inflammatory Impairment by Regulation of Sirt1/NF-KB Pathway

As a conventional complication of sepsis, acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by high incidence and mortality. Effective management methods are still lacking. Quercetin belongs to a kind of flavonoids that exerts many functions, for example anti-inflammation and anti-fibrosis. However, its function in sepsis AKI is uncertain. Our study therefore set out to assess the function of quercetin in AKI mice model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and human proximal tubular cells (HK-2), including the potential mechanisms. Quercetin was loaded onto a biodegradable polymer carrier (nanoparticle) to enhance its bioavailability. The data showed that quercetin administration strikingly improved renal dysfunction and ameliorated tubular injury caused by LPS in mice. In mice model and in cultured cells, quercetin pretreatment obviously restrained LPS-triggered cell apoptosis and inflammation, including generation of various cytokines. Moreover, the results from mice model and cell model showed that quercetin could diminish IκBα and p65 phosphorylation after LPS treatment. The most significant observation of this study was that quercetin elevated the expression of Sirt1. Transfection of Sirt1 specific shRNA mitigated the suppression of quercetin on cell apoptosis, inflammation and of NF-κB activation triggered by LPS. Therefore, these sequels indicate that quercetin protects against sepsis-associated AKI by upregulation Sirt1 expression through quenching NF-κB activation and may be an encouraging therapeutic agent for patients with sepsis-associated AKI.

Hyaluronic Acid-Conjugated Nanoparticles for the Targeted Delivery of Cabazitaxel to CD44-Overexpressing Glioblastoma Cells

In decades, the efficiency of glioma therapy is far from satisfaction due to the inability of most therapeutics to accumulate at the glioblastoma (GBM) site. Therefore, it is urgent to develop novel tumor-targeted delivery systems for more optimized and effective glioma treatment. In this study, hyaluronic acid modified MPEG-PDLLA polymer (HAML) nanoparticles were used to encapsulate the cabazitaxel (Cab), creating Cab loaded HAML nanoparticles (Cab/HAML NPs) for glioma therapy both in vitro and in vivo. MTT assay and apoptotic study indicated Cab/HAML NPs induced a significant cell growth inhibition and more apoptosis of C6 cells than free Cab in vitro. In vivo study showed that Cab/HAML NPs could significantly improve chemotherapeutic effect to C6 tumor-bearing rats compared with free Cab. The median survival rate of Cab/HAML NPs-treated groups (30 days) was remarkably longer than the other groups treated with control (20 days), free Cab (19 days) and Cab/ML NPs (26 days). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Cab/HAML NPs improved Cab’s anti-tumor effect via improvement of tumor cell apoptosis, inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and a significant decrease in tumor angiogenesis. Together, our study suggested that Cab/HAML NPs might show promise for application to glioma therapy.

Protective Effect of Mitochondrially Targeted Peptide Against Oxidant Injury of Cone Photoreceptors Through Preventing Necroptosis Pathway

Retinopathy is an eye disease caused by the death of retinal cells in the macular area and the surrounding choroid. As the retinal rod cell dysfunction and death lead to the loss of night vision, the disease will lead to visual dysfunction and blindness as the disease progresses. Because of the irreversible nature of cell death, gene therapy has become a research hotspot in the field of retinopathy. But the technology is still in animal studies or clinical trials, and more research is needed to prove its feasibility. In this study, oxidative damage cell model was established and divided into a control group, H₂O₂ group, SS31 +NEC1 group, SS31 +H₂O₂ group, and SS31 +NEC1 +H₂O₂ group, for different interventions. The cell survival rate of the H₂O₂ group was significantly increased compared with those of the SS31 + H₂O₂ group, SS31 +NEC1 +H₂O₂ group, and NEC1 +H₂O₂ group. Nec1 combined treatment significantly reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production compared with that in the H₂O₂ group. The level of MDA in the SS31 group, Nec-1 group and combined treatment of SS31 +NEC1 group decreased significantly compared with the H₂O₂ group. The proportion of cells with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in the H₂O₂ group significantly increased, and the rate of positivity for propidium iodide (PI) of 661W cells in the H₂O₂ group and the control group significantly increased. Nine hours after H₂O₂ treatment of 661W cells, the RIP3 expression level began to increase, and peaked at 24 h. The level of RIP3 in the H₂O₂ group was significantly increased, while this level was downregulated in the SS31 and NEC1 treatment groups. Therefore, this study suggests that SS31 has a partial protective effect on 661W cells by inhibiting necrosis, which has certain guiding significance for the treatment of retinal diseases.

Synergetic therapy of glioma mediated by a dual delivery system loading α-mangostin and doxorubicin through cell cycle arrest and apoptotic pathways

Two of the biggest hurdles in the deployment of chemotherapeutics against glioma is a poor drug concentration at the tumor site and serious side effects to normal tissues. Nanocarriers delivering different drugs are considered to be one of the most promising alternatives. In this study, a dual delivery system (methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (MPEG-PCL)) loaded with α-mangostin (α-m) and doxorubicin (Dox) was decorated and constructed by self-assembly to determine its ability to treat glioma. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that MPEG-PCL could provide ideal interaction positions for both α-m and Dox, indicating that the two drugs could be loaded into MPEG-PCL. Based on the in vitro results, MPEG-PCL loaded with α-m and Dox (α-m-Dox/M) with a size of 25.68 nm and a potential of -1.51 mV was demonstrated to significantly inhibit the growth and promote apoptosis in Gl261, C6 and U87 cells, and the effects of the combination were better than each compound alone. The mechanisms involved in the suppression of glioma cell growth were blockage of the cell cycle in S phase by inhibition of CDK2/cyclin E1 and promotion of apoptosis through the Bcl-2/Bax pathway. The synergetic effects of α-m-Dox/M effectively inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival time without toxicity in mouse glioma models by inducing glioma apoptosis, inhibiting glioma proliferation and limiting tumor angiogenesis. In conclusion, a codelivery system was synthesized to deliver α-m and Dox to the glioma, thereby suppressing the development of glioma by the mechanisms of cell cycle arrest and cellular apoptosis, which demonstrated the potential of this system to improve the chemotherapy response of glioma.

Intelligent protein-coated bismuth sulfide and manganese oxide nanocomposites obtained by biomineralization for multimodal imaging-guided enhanced tumor therapy

Radiotherapy (RT) has been used clinically to overcome cancer in recent decades. However, the abnormal tumor microenvironment (TME), involving hypoxia, acidosis and a dense extracellular matrix, is found to be related to the resistance of tumors to RT. Herein, intelligent bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated Bi₂S₃ and MnO₂ (Bi₂S₃-MnO₂) nanocomposites synthesized via biomineralization are capable of modulating the hypoxic TME effectively to enhance the efficacy of RT. After intravenous injection, the BSA-Bi₂S₃-MnO₂ nanocomposites show efficient accumulation in tumors, where endogenous H₂O₂ can react with MnO₂ to generate oxygen in situ, leading to increased tumor oxygenation to overcome the hypoxia-associated resistance to RT. Moreover, the photothermal effect induced by the BSA-Bi₂S₃-MnO₂ nanocomposites further relieves hypoxia in the TME and, finally, synergistically improves the effects of RT. In this work, we present a simple strategy to fabricate intelligent therapeutic nanoparticles to improve therapeutic efficiency towards cervical cancer.