Pluronic-based nanovehicles: Recent advances in anticancer therapeutic applications

Evodiamine and its nano-based approaches for enhanced cancer therapy: recent advances and challenges

Evodiamine is a bioactive alkaloid extracted from the Evodia rutaecarpa plant. It has various pharmacological effects including anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-obesity, anti-neurodegenerative, anti-depressant, and cardiac protective properties. Evodiamine demonstrates potent anti-cancer activity by inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Despite the health-promoting properties of evodiamine, its clinical use is hindered by low water solubility, poor bioavailability, and toxicity. Thus, there is a need to develop alternative drug delivery systems for evodiamine to enhance its solubility, permeability, and stability, as well as to facilitate targeted, prolonged, and controlled drug release. Nanocarriers can increase the therapeutic potential of evodiamine in cancer therapy while reducing adverse side effects. To date, numerous attempts have been made through the development of smart nanocarriers to overcome the drawbacks of evodiamine. This review focuses on the pharmacological applications, anti-cancer mechanisms, and limitations of evodiamine. Various nanocarriers, including lipid-based nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, cyclodextrins, and so forth, have been discussed extensively for evodiamine delivery. Nano-drug delivery systems could increase the solubility, bioavailability, stability, and therapeutic efficacy of evodiamine. This review aims to present a comprehensive and critical evaluation of several nano-formulations of evodiamine for cancer therapy. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cationic Porphyrins as Antimicrobial and Antiviral Agents in Photodynamic Therapy

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) has received a great deal of attention due to its unique ability to kill all currently known classes of microorganisms. To date, infectious diseases caused by bacteria and viruses are one of the main sources of high mortality, mass epidemics and global pandemics among humans. Every year, the emergence of three to four previously unknown species of viruses dangerous to humans is recorded, totaling more than 2/3 of all newly discovered human pathogens. The emergence of bacteria with multidrug resistance leads to the rapid obsolescence of antibiotics and the need to create new types of antibiotics. From this point of view, photodynamic inactivation of viruses and bacteria is of particular interest. This review summarizes the most relevant mechanisms of antiviral and antibacterial action of APDT, molecular targets and correlation between the structure of cationic porphyrins and their photodynamic activity.

Fabrication of 3D Printed, Core-and-Shell Implants as Controlled Release Systems for Local siRNA Delivery

The development and clinical translation of small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies remains challenging owing to their poor pharmacokinetics. 3D printing technology presents a great opportunity to fabricate personalized implants for local and sustained delivery of siRNA. Hydrogels can mimic the mechanical properties of tissues, avoiding the problems associated with rigid implants. Herein, a thermoresponsive composite hydrogel suitable for extrusion 3D-printing is formulated to fabricate controlled-release implants loaded with siRNA-Lipofectamine RNAiMAX complexes. A hydrogel matrix mainly composed of uncharged agarose to protect siRNA from decomplexation is selected. Additionally, pluronic F127 and gelatin are added to improve the printability, degradation, and cell adhesion to the implants. To avoid exposing siRNA to thermal stress during the printing process, a core-and-shell design is set up for the implants in which a core of siRNA-complexes loaded-pluronic F127 is printed without heat and enclosed with a shell comprising the thermoresponsive composite hydrogel. The release profile of siRNA-complexes is envisioned to be controlled by varying the printing patterns. The results reveal that the implants sustain siRNA release for one month. The intactness of the released siRNA-complexes is proven until the eighth day. Furthermore, by changing the printing patterns, the release profiles can be tailored.

Colorectal cancer cell exosome and cytoplasmic membrane for homotypic delivery of therapeutic molecules

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common causes of death in the world. The multi-drug resistance, especially in metastatic colorectal cancer, drives the development of new strategies that secure a positive outcome and reduce undesirable side effects. Nanotechnology has made an impact in addressing some pharmacokinetic and safety issues related to administration of free therapeutic agents. However, demands of managing complex biointerfacing require equally complex methods for introducing stimuli-responsive or targeting elements. In order to procure a more efficient solution to the overcoming of biological barriers, the physiological functions of cancer cell plasma and exosomal membranes provided the source of highly functionalized coatings. Biomimetic nanovehicles based on colorectal cancer (CRC) membranes imparted enhanced biological compatibility, immune escape and protection to diverse classes of therapeutic molecules. When loaded with therapeutic load or used as a coating for other therapeutic nanovehicles, they provide highly efficient and selective cell targeting and uptake. This review presents a detailed overview of the recent application of homotypic biomimetic nanovehicles in the management of CRC. We also address some of the current possibilities and challenges associated with the CRC membrane biomimetics.

Design, Development, and Evaluation of SA-F127:TPGS Polymeric Mixed Micelles for Improved Delivery of Glipizide Drug: In-vitro, Ex-vivo, and In-vivo Investigations

The anti-diabetic glipizide (GLN) drug has notable pharmaceutical advantages, but poor aqueous solubility restricts its wide applications. The present work was to develop a mixed polymeric micelle system composed of SA-F127 and TPGS to improve the water solubility and effective delivery of the GLN. First, we synthesized SA-F127 and confirmed it through FTIR, NMR, and GPC techniques. The GLN-PMM were fabricated with the thin-film technique and optimized with CCD design. The developed GLN-PMM was characterized using DLS, Zeta, TEM, Rheology, FTIR, DSC, and XRD measurements. The GLN-PMM manifested a spherical morphology with 67.86 nm particle size, a -3.85 mV zeta potential, and a 0.582±0.06 PDI value. The polymeric mixed micelles showed excellent compatibility with GLN and were amorphous in nature. NMR studies confirmed the encapsulation of GLN in the core of the mixed micelle. In addition, the GLN-PMM micelles were tested in vitro for cumulative drug release, ex vivo for permeation, and in vivo for anti-diabetic investigations. The GLN-PMM release profile in the various pH environments showed over 90% after 24 h, clearly indicating sustained release. The GLN-PMM micelles gave higher 88.86±3.39% GLN permeation from the goat intestine compared with free GLN. In-vivo anti-diabetic investigation proves the powerful anti-diabetic properties of GLN-PMM in comparison to the marketed formulation. These findings demonstrated that the polymeric mixed micelles of SA-F127 and TPGS could be a promising, effective, and environment-friendly approach for oral delivery of the GLN.

Pediatric Drug Development: Reviewing Challenges and Opportunities by Tracking Innovative Therapies

The paradigm of pediatric drug development has been evolving in a "carrot-and-stick"-based tactic to address population-specific issues. However, the off-label prescription of adult medicines to pediatric patients remains a feature of clinical practice, which may compromise the age-appropriate evaluation of treatments. Therefore, the United States and the European Pediatric Formulation Initiative have recommended applying nanotechnology-based delivery systems to tackle some of these challenges, particularly applying inorganic, polymeric, and lipid-based nanoparticles. Connected with these, advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) have also been highlighted, with optimistic perspectives for the pediatric population. Despite the results achieved using these innovative therapies, a workforce that congregates pediatric patients and/or caregivers, healthcare stakeholders, drug developers, and physicians continues to be of utmost relevance to promote standardized guidelines for pediatric drug development, enabling a fast lab-to-clinical translation. Therefore, taking into consideration the significance of this topic, this work aims to compile the current landscape of pediatric drug development by (1) outlining the historic regulatory panorama, (2) summarizing the challenges in the development of pediatric drug formulation, and (3) delineating the advantages/disadvantages of using innovative approaches, such as nanomedicines and ATMPs in pediatrics. Moreover, some attention will be given to the role of pharmaceutical technologists and developers in conceiving pediatric medicines.

A review of electrophoretic separations in temperature-responsive Pluronic thermal gels

Gel electrophoresis is a ubiquitous bioanalytical technique used in research laboratories to validate protein and nucleic acid samples. Polyacrylamide and agarose have been the gold standard gel materials for decades, but an alternative class of polymer has emerged with potentially superior performance. Pluronic thermal gels are water-soluble polymers that possess the unique ability to undergo a change in viscosity in response to changing temperature. Thermal gels can reversibly convert between low-viscosity liquids and high-viscosity solid gels using temperature as an adjustable parameter. The properties of thermal gels provide unmatched flexibility as a dynamic separations matrix to measure analytes ranging from small molecules to cells. This review article describes the physical and chemical properties of Pluronic thermal gels to provide a fundamental overview of polymer behavior. The performance of thermal gels is then reviewed to highlight their applications as a gel matrix for electrokinetic separations in capillary, microfluidic, and slab gel formats. The use of dynamic temperature-responsive gels in bioanalytical separations is an underexplored area of research but one that holds exciting potential to achieve performance unattainable with conventional static polymers.

Application of Pluronics for Enhancing Aqueous Solubility of Lipophilic Microtubule Destabilizing Compounds on the Sea Urchin Embryo Model

In screening, the dilution of DMSO stock solution of a lipophilic molecule with an assay medium often causes compound precipitation. To overcome the issue, the application of Pluronics as cosolvents was examined using a phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay that allows for the quick and facile evaluation of the antiproliferative effect together with systemic toxicity. Maximum tolerated concentration values for Pluronics L121, P123, and F127 were 1.4 μM, 8.6 μM, and 39.7 μM, respectively, and correlated directly with their hydrophilicity. Pluronics L121 and P123 suppressed cleavage and blastomeres retained the round shape, unlike hydrophilic Pluronic F127, which induced fertilization envelope creasing and embryo deformation that could be associated with the interaction of hydrophilic PEO units with mucopolysaccharides at the surface of sea urchin embryos. The toxicity of P123, but not of L121 and F127, was temperature-dependent and markedly increased at lower temperatures. CMC values obtained at different temperatures confirmed that the toxic effect of P123 was associated with both unimers and micelles, whereas F127 toxicity was related mainly to micelles. Evaluation using phenotypic sea urchin embryo assay revealed that potent microtubule destabilizers, namely albendazole, diarylisoxazole, and two chalcones, retained antimitotic activity after the dilution of their DMSO or 2-pyrrolidone stock solutions with 1.25% w/v Pluronic P123 or 5% w/v Pluronic F127. It was suggested that Pluronic P123 and Pluronic F127 could be used as cosolvents to improve the solubility of lipophilic molecules in aqueous medium.

Molecular insights into the aggregation and solubilizing behavior of biocompatible amphiphiles Gelucire® 48/16 and Tetronics® 1304 in aqueous media

A comparative analysis of the micellar and solubilizing properties of two polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based amphiphilic biocompatible excipients: Gelucire® 48/16 (Ge 48/16) and Tetronics® 1304 (T1304), in the presence and absence of salt, was conducted. As there is a dearth of research in this area, the study aims to shed light on the behavior of these two nonionic surfactants and their potential as nanocarriers for solubilizing pharmaceuticals. Various techniques such as cloud point (CP), dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV spectrophotometry, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were employed. The solubility of quercetin (QCT), a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties, was evaluated and the interaction between QCT and the micellar system was examined. The analysis revealed the occurrence of strong interactions between QCT and surfactant molecules, resulting in enhanced solubility. It was observed that the micellar size and solubilizing ability were significantly improved in the presence of salt, while the CP decreased. Ge 48/16 exhibited superior performance, with a remarkable increase in the solubility of QCT in the presence of salt, suggesting its potential as an effective nanocarrier for a range of pharmaceutics, and yielding better therapeutic outcomes.

Pluronic F-68 and F-127 Based Nanomedicines for Advancing Combination Cancer Therapy

Pluronics are amphiphilic triblock copolymers composed of two hydrophilic poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains linked via a central hydrophobic polypropylene oxide (PPO). Owing to their low molecular weight polymer and greater number of PEO segments, Pluronics induce micelle formation and gelation at critical micelle concentrations and temperatures. Pluronics F-68 and F-127 are the only United States (U.S.) FDA-approved classes of Pluronics and have been extensively used as materials for living bodies. Owing to the fascinating characteristics of Pluronics, many studies have suggested their role in biomedical applications, such as drug delivery systems, tissue regeneration scaffolders, and biosurfactants. As a result, various studies have been performed using Pluronics as a tool in nanomedicine and targeted delivery systems. This review sought to describe the delivery of therapeutic cargos using Pluronic F-68 and F-127-based cancer nanomedicines and their composites for combination therapy.

Phase behavior of medium-length hydrophobically associating PEO-PPO multiblock copolymers in aqueous media

HYPOTHESIS

The micellization of block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) is driven by the dehydration of PPO at elevated temperatures. At low concentrations, a viscous solution of isolated micelles is obtained, whereas at higher concentrations, crowding of micelles results in an elastic gel. Alternating PEO-PPO multiblock copolymers are expected to exhibit different phase behavior, with altered phase boundaries and thermodynamics, as compared to PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers (Pluronics®) with equal hydrophobicity, thereby proving the pivotal role of copolymer architecture and molecular weight.

EXPERIMENTS

Multiple characterization techniques were used to map the phase behavior as a function of temperature and concentration of PEO-PPO multiblock copolymers (ExpertGel®) in aqueous solution. These techniques include shear rheology, differential and adiabatic scanning calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry and light transmittance. The micellar size and topology were studied by dynamic light scattering.

FINDINGS

Multiblocks have lower transition temperatures and higher thermodynamic driving forces for micellization as compared to triblocks due to the presence of more than one PPO block per chain. With increasing concentration, the multiblock copolymers in solution gradually evolve into a viscoelastic network formed by soluble bridges in between micellar nodes, whereas hairy triblock micelles jam into liquid crystalline phases resembling an elastic colloidal crystal.

NIR Responsive Doxorubicin-Loaded Hollow Copper Ferrite @ Polydopamine for Synergistic Chemodynamic/Photothermal/Chemo-Therapy

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most serious bone malignancy, and the survival rate has not significantly improved in the past 40 years. Thus, it is urgent to develop a new strategy for OS treatment. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) as a novel therapeutic method can destroy cancer cells by converting endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H₂ O₂ ) into highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (·OH). However, the therapeutic efficacy of CDT is severely limited by the low catalytic efficiency and overexpressed glutathione (GSH). Herein, an excellent nanocatalytic platform is constructed via a simple solvothermal method using F127 as a soft template to form the hollow copper ferrite (HCF) nanoparticle, followed by the coating of polydopamine on the surface and the loading of doxorubicin (DOX). The Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ released from HCF@polydopamine (HCFP) can deplete GSH through the redox reactions, and then trigger the H₂ O₂ to generate ·OH by Fenton/Fenton-like reaction, resulting in enhanced CDT efficacy. Impressively, the photothermal effect of HCFP can further enhance the efficiency of CDT and accelerate the release of DOX. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that the synergistic chemodynamic/photothermal/chemo-therapy exhibits a significantly enhanced anti-OS effect. This work provides a promising strategy for OS treatment.

Challenging breast cancer through novel sulfonamide-pyridine hybrids: design, synthesis, carbonic anhydrase IX inhibition and induction of apoptosis

Background: Among the important key modulators of the tumor microenvironment and hypoxia is a family of enzymes named carbonic anhydrases. Herein, 11 novel sulfonamide-pyridine hybrids (2-12) were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated for their potential use in targeting breast cancer. Methods & results: The para chloro derivative 7 reported the highest cytotoxic activity against the three breast cancer cell lines used. In addition, compound 7 was found to induce cell cycle arrest and autophagy as well as delaying wound healing. The IC₅₀ of compound 7 against carbonic anhydrase IX was 253 ± 12 nM using dorzolamide HCl as control. Conclusion: This study encourages us to expand the designed library, where more sulfonamide derivatives would be synthesized and studied for their structure-activity relationships.

Pluronic® triblock copolymer-based nanoformulations for cancer therapy: A 10-year overview

This paper provides a review of the literature on the use of Pluronic® triblock copolymers for drug encapsulation over the last 10 years. A special focus is given to the progress of drug delivery systems (e.g., micelles, liposomes, micro/nanoemulsions, hydrogels and nanogels, and polymersomes and niosomes); the beneficial aspects of Pluronic® triblock copolymers as biological response modifiers and as pharmaceutical additives, adjuvants, and stabilizers, are also discussed. The advantages and limitations encountered in developing site-specific targeting approaches based on Pluronic-based nanostructures in cancer treatment are highlighted, in addition to innovative examples for improving tumor cytotoxicity while reducing side effects.

Novel Non-Viral Vectors Based on Pluronic® F68PEI with Application in Oncology Field

Copolymers composed of low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine (PEI) and amphiphilic Pluronics® are safe and efficient non-viral vectors for pDNA transfection. A variety of Pluronic® properties provides a base for tailoring transfection efficacy in combination with the unique biological activity of this polymer group. In this study, we describe the preparation of new copolymers based on hydrophilic Pluronic® F68 and PEI (F68PEI). F68PEI polyplexes obtained by doping with free F68 (1:2 and 1:5 w/w) allowed for fine-tuning of physicochemical properties and transfection activity, demonstrating improved in vitro transfection of the human bone osteosarcoma epithelial (U2OS) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC-9) cells when compared to the parent formulation, F68PEI. Although all tested systems condensed pDNA at varying polymer/DNA charge ratios (N/P, 5/1−100/1), the addition of free F68 (1:5 w/w) resulted in the formation of smaller polyplexes (<200 nm). Analysis of polyplex properties by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering revealed varied polyplex morphology. Transfection potential was also found to be cell-dependent and significantly higher in SCC-9 cells compared to the control bPEI25k cells, as especially evident at higher N/P ratios (>25). The observed selectivity towards transfection of SSC-9 cells might represent a base for further optimization of a cell-specific transfection vehicle.

Direct and Reverse Pluronic Micelles: Design and Characterization of Promising Drug Delivery Nanosystems

Pluronics are a family of amphiphilic block copolymers broadly explored in the pharmaceutical field. Under certain conditions, Pluronics self-assemble in different structures including nanosized direct and reverse micelles. This review provides an overview about the main parameters affecting the micellization process of Pluronics, such as polymer length, fragments distribution within the chain, solvents, additives and loading of cargo. Furthermore, it offers a guide about the most common techniques used to characterize the structure and properties of the micelles. Finally, it presents up-to-date approaches to improve the stability and drug loading of Pluronic micelles. Special attention is paid to reverse Pluronics and reverse micelles, currently underexplored in the literature. Pluronic micelles present a bright future as drug delivery agents. A smart design and thorough characterization will improve the transfer to clinical applications.

Advances in Antitumor Nano-Drug Delivery Systems of 10-Hydroxycamptothecin

10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) is a natural plant alkaloid from Camptotheca that shows potent antitumor activity by targeting intracellular topoisomerase I. However, factors such as instability of the lactone ring and insolubility in water have limited the clinical application of this drug. In recent years, unprecedented advances in biomedical nanotechnology have facilitated the development of nano drug delivery systems. It has been found that nanomedicine can significantly improve the stability and water solubility of HCPT. NanoMedicines with different diagnostic and therapeutic functions have been developed to significantly improve the anticancer effect of HCPT. In this paper, we collected reports on HCPT nanomedicines against tumors in the past decade. Based on current research advances, we dissected the current status and limitations of HCPT nanomedicines development and looked forward to future research directions.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Current Advances in Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery and MRI

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have evolved tremendously during recent years, in part due to the rapid expansion of nanotechnology and to their active magnetic core with a high surface-to-volume ratio, while their surface functionalization opened the door to a plethora of drug, gene and bioactive molecule immobilization. Taming the high reactivity of the magnetic core was achieved by various functionalization techniques, producing MNPs tailored for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular or neurological disease, tumors and cancer. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are established at the core of drug-delivery systems and could act as efficient agents for MFH (magnetic fluid hyperthermia). Depending on the functionalization molecule and intrinsic morphological features, MNPs now cover a broad scope which the current review aims to overview. Considering the exponential expansion of the field, the current review will be limited to roughly the past three years.

Development of spiro-3-indolin-2-one containing compounds of antiproliferative and anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties

A series of 1″-(alkylsulfonyl)-dispiro[indoline-3,2'-pyrrolidine-3',3″-piperidine]-2,4″-diones 6a‒o has been synthesized through regioselective multi-component azomethine dipolar cycloaddition reaction of 1-(alkylsulfonyl)-3,5-bis(ylidene)-piperidin-4-ones 3a‒h. X-ray diffraction studies (6b‒d,h) confirmed the structures. The majority of the synthesized analogs reveal promising antiproliferation properties against a variety of human cancer cell lines (MCF7, HCT116, A431 and PaCa2) with good selectivity index towards normal cell (RPE1). Some of the synthesized agents exhibit potent inhibitory properties against the tested cell lines with higher efficacies than the standard references (sunitinib and 5-fluorouracil). Compound 6m is the most potent. Multi-targeted inhibitory properties against EGFR and VEGFR-2 have been observed for the synthesized agents. Flow cytometry supports the antiproliferation properties and shows the tested agents as apoptosis and necrosis forming. Vero cell viral infection model demonstrates the anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties of the synthesized agents. Compound 6f is the most promising (about 3.3 and 4.8 times the potency of the standard references, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine). QSAR models explain and support the observed biological properties.

New Advances in Biomedical Application of Polymeric Micelles

In the last decade, nanomedicine has arisen as an emergent area of medicine, which studies nanometric systems, namely polymeric micelles (PMs), that increase the solubility and the stability of the encapsulated drugs. Furthermore, their application in dermal drug delivery is also relevant. PMs present unique characteristics because of their unique core-shell architecture. They are colloidal dispersions of amphiphilic compounds, which self-assemble in an aqueous medium, giving a structure-type core-shell, with a hydrophobic core (that can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs), and a hydrophilic shell, which works as a stabilizing agent. These features offer PMs adequate steric protection and determine their hydrophilicity, charge, length, and surface density properties. Furthermore, due to their small size, PMs can be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa with the drug, and they transport the drug in the bloodstream until the therapeutic target. Moreover, PMs improve the pharmacokinetic profile of the encapsulated drug, present high load capacity, and are synthesized by a reproducible, easy, and low-cost method. In silico approaches have been explored to improve the physicochemical properties of PMs. Based on this, a computer-aided strategy was developed and validated to enable the delivery of poorly soluble drugs and established critical physicochemical parameters to maximize drug loading, formulation stability, and tumor exposure. Poly(2-oxazoline) (POx)-based PMs display unprecedented high loading concerning water-insoluble drugs and over 60 drugs have been incorporated in POx PMs. Among various stimuli, pH and temperature are the most widely studied for enhanced drug release at the site of action. Researchers are focusing on dual (pH and temperature) responsive PMs for controlled and improved drug release at the site of action. These dual responsive systems are mainly evaluated for cancer therapy as certain malignancies can cause a slight increase in temperature and a decrease in the extracellular pH around the tumor site. This review is a compilation of updated therapeutic applications of PMs, such as PMs that are based on Pluronics^®, micelleplexes and Pox-based PMs in several biomedical applications.

The in vivo fate of polymeric micelles

This review aims to provide a systemic analysis of the in vivo, as well as subcellular, fate of polymeric micelles (PMs), starting from the entry of PMs into the body. Few PMs are able to cross the biological barriers intact and reach the circulation. In the blood, PMs demonstrate fairly good stability mainly owing to formation of protein corona despite controversial results reported by different groups. Although the exterior hydrophilic shells render PMs "long-circulating", the biodistribution of PMs into the mononuclear phagocyte systems (MPS) is dominant as compared with non-MPS organs and tissues. Evidence emerges to support that the copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) is first broken down into pieces of PEG and PLA and then remnants to be eliminated from the body finally. At the cellular level, PMs tend to be internalized via endocytosis due to their particulate nature and disassembled and degraded within the cell. Recent findings on the effect of particle size, surface characteristics and shape are also reviewed. It is envisaged that unraveling the in vivo and subcellular fate sheds light on the performing mechanisms and gears up the clinical translation of PMs.

Where Is Nano Today and Where Is It Headed? A Review of Nanomedicine and the Dilemma of Nanotoxicology

Worldwide nanotechnology development and application have fueled many scientific advances, but technophilic expectations and technophobic demands must be counterbalanced in parallel. Some of the burning issues today are the following: (1) Where is nano today? (2) How good are the communication and investment networks between academia/research and governments? (3) Is there any spotlight application for nanotechnology? Nanomedicine is a particular arm of nanotechnology within the healthcare landscape, focused on diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of emerging (such as coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) and contemporary (including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer) diseases. However, it may only represent the bright side of the coin. In fact, in the recent past, the concept of nanotoxicology has emerged to address the dark shadows of nanomedicine. The nanomedicine field requires more nanotoxicological studies to identify undesirable effects and guarantee safety. Here, we provide an overall perspective on nanomedicine and nanotoxicology as central pieces of the giant puzzle of nanotechnology. First, the impact of nanotechnology on education and research is highlighted, followed by market trends and scientific output tendencies. In the next section, the nanomedicine and nanotoxicology dilemma is addressed through the interplay of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models with the support of omics and microfluidic approaches. Lastly, a reflection on the regulatory issues and clinical trials is provided. Finally, some conclusions and future perspectives are proposed for a clearer and safer translation of nanomedicines from the bench to the bedside.

Drug Delivery Systems Based on Pluronic Micelles with Antimicrobial Activity

Bacterial oral diseases are chronic, and, therefore, require appropriate treatment, which involves various forms of administration and dosing of the drug. However, multimicrobial resistance is an increasing issue, which affects the global health system. In the present study, a commercial amphiphilic copolymer, Pluronic F127, was used for the encapsulation of 1-(5′-nitrobenzimidazole-2′-yl-sulphonyl-acetyl)-4-aryl-thiosemicarbazide, which is an original active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) previously synthesized and characterized by our group, at different copolymer/API weight ratios. The obtained micellar systems, with sizes around 20 nm, were stable during 30 days of storage at 4 °C, without a major increase of the Z-average sizes. As expected, the drug encapsulation and loading efficiencies varied with the copolymer/API ratio, the highest values of 84.8 and 11.1%, respectively being determined for the F127/API = 10/1 ratio. Moreover, in vitro biological tests have demonstrated that the obtained polymeric micelles (PMs) are both hemocompatible and cytocompatible. Furthermore, enhanced inhibition zones of 36 and 20 mm were observed for the sample F127/API = 2/1 against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Based on these encouraging results, it can be admitted that these micellar systems can be an efficient alternative for the treatment of bacterial oral diseases, being suitable either by injection or by a topical administration.

Micelles as potential drug delivery systems for colorectal cancer treatment

Despite the significant progress in cancer therapy, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy is currently the mainstay therapeutic modality adopted for CRC treatment. However, the long-term effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs has been hampered by their low bioavailability, non-selective tumor targeting mechanisms, non-specific biodistribution associated with low drug concentrations at the tumor site and undesirable side effects. Over the last decade, there has been increasing interest in using nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems to circumvent these limitations. Various nanoparticles have been developed for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs among which polymeric micelles are attractive candidates. Polymeric micelles are biocompatible nanocarriers that can bypass the biological barriers and preferentially accumulate in tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention effect. They can be easily engineered with stimuli-responsive and tumor targeting moieties to further ensure their selective uptake by cancer cells and controlled drug release at the desirable tumor site. They have been shown to effectively improve the pharmacokinetic properties of chemotherapeutic drugs and enhance their safety profile and anticancer efficacy in different types of cancer. Given that combination therapy is the new strategy implemented in cancer therapy, polymeric micelles are suitable for multidrug delivery and allow drugs to act concurrently at the action site to achieve synergistic therapeutic outcomes. They also allow the delivery of anticancer genetic material along with chemotherapy drugs offering a novel approach for CRC therapy. Here, we highlight the properties of polymeric micelles that make them promising drug delivery systems for CRC treatment. We also review their application in CRC chemotherapy and gene therapy as well as in combination cancer chemotherapy.

Thermosensitive Hydrogels and Advances in Their Application in Disease Therapy

Thermosensitive hydrogels, having unique sol–gel transition properties, have recently received special research attention. These hydrogels exhibit a phase transition near body temperature. This feature is the key to their applications in human medicine. In addition, hydrogels can quickly gel at the application site with simple temperature stimulation and without additional organic solvents, cross-linking agents, or external equipment, and the loaded drugs can be retained locally to improve the local drug concentration and avoid unexpected toxicity or side effects caused by systemic administration. All of these features have led to thermosensitive hydrogels being some of the most promising and practical drug delivery systems. In this paper, we review thermosensitive hydrogel materials with biomedical application potential, including natural and synthetic materials. We describe their structural characteristics and gelation mechanism and briefly summarize the mechanism of drug release from thermosensitive hydrogels. Our focus in this review was to summarize the application of thermosensitive hydrogels in disease treatment, including the postoperative recurrence of tumors, the delivery of vaccines, the prevention of postoperative adhesions, the treatment of nervous system diseases via nasal brain targeting, wound healing, and osteoarthritis treatment.

Biodegradable Inks in Indirect Three-Dimensional Bioprinting for Tissue Vascularization

Mature vasculature is important for the survival of bioengineered tissue constructs, both in vivo and in vitro; however, the fabrication of fully vascularized tissue constructs remains a great challenge in tissue engineering. Indirect three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting refers to a 3D printing technique that can rapidly fabricate scaffolds with controllable internal pores, cavities, and channels through the use of sacrificial molds. It has attracted much attention in recent years owing to its ability to create complex vascular network-like channels through thick tissue constructs while maintaining endothelial cell activity. Biodegradable materials play a crucial role in tissue engineering. Scaffolds made of biodegradable materials act as temporary templates, interact with cells, integrate with native tissues, and affect the results of tissue remodeling. Biodegradable ink selection, especially the choice of scaffold and sacrificial materials in indirect 3D bioprinting, has been the focus of several recent studies. The major objective of this review is to summarize the basic characteristics of biodegradable materials commonly used in indirect 3D bioprinting for vascularization, and to address recent advances in applying this technique to the vascularization of different tissues. Furthermore, the review describes how indirect 3D bioprinting creates blood vessels and vascularized tissue constructs by introducing the methodology and biodegradable ink selection. With the continuous improvement of biodegradable materials in the future, indirect 3D bioprinting will make further contributions to the development of this field.

Research progress on self-assembled nanodrug delivery systems

In recent years, nanodrug delivery systems have attracted increasing attention due to their advantages, such as the high drug loading, low toxicity and side effects, improved bioavailability, long half-life, well...

Sulfonamide derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents and their SARs elucidation

Currently, the arise of drug resistance and undesirable off-target effects of anti-cancer agents are major challenges for cancer treatment, which energizes medicinal chemists to develop more anti-cancer agents with high efficiency and low toxicity continuously. Sulfonamide derivatives are a class of promising compounds with diverse biological activities including anti-cancer, and parts of them have been marketed for cancer therapy, such as Belinostat, ABT-199 and Amsacrine. In this review, we summed up the recent advances of sulfonamide derivatives as potential anti-cancer agents based on the anti-cancer targets, such as aromatase, carbonic anhydrase (CA), anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) proteins, topoisomerase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and elucidated the corresponding structure-activity relationships (SARs) of most sulfonamide derivatives. We hope this review could provide a clear insight for medicinal chemists in the rational design of more potent and bio-target specific anti-cancer agents.

Thermosensitive Interfacial Migration of 5-FU in the Microenvironment of Pluronic Block Copolymers

Chemotherapy is one of the most important ways to treat cancer. At present, chemotherapy medicines are mainly administered by intravenous injection or oral administration. However, systemic medical care requires the dosage of high concentrations of drugs to defeat the malignant tumor growth. In recent years, the use of polymer composites for local and sustained drug release has become an important field of research to minimize side effects due to high-concentration chemotherapy drugs. Here, ¹⁹F-{¹H} heteronuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (HOESY) was used to study the micellular environment of the F-containing chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU in Pluronic F127, Pluronic L121, and F127/L121 binary blending composites. The distribution of 5-FU in micelles is related to the PEO and PPO segment length of Pluronic polymers and the environmental temperature. The drug release tests further confirm that if 5-FU medicines were loaded in the PPO segment inside the micelles, the purpose of the prolonged drug release carrier is achieved.

Non-Ionic Surfactants for Stabilization of Polymeric Nanoparticles for Biomedical Uses

Surfactants are essential in the manufacture of polymeric nanoparticles by emulsion formation methods and to preserve the stability of carriers in liquid media. The deposition of non-ionic surfactants at the interface allows a considerable reduction of the globule of the emulsion with high biocompatibility and the possibility of oscillating the final sizes in a wide nanometric range. Therefore, this review presents an analysis of the three principal non-ionic surfactants utilized in the manufacture of polymeric nanoparticles; polysorbates, poly(vinyl alcohol), and poloxamers. We included a section on general properties and uses and a comprehensive compilation of formulations with each principal non-ionic surfactant. Then, we highlight a section on the interaction of non-ionic surfactants with biological barriers to emphasize that the function of surfactants is not limited to stabilizing the dispersion of nanoparticles and has a broad impact on pharmacokinetics. Finally, the last section corresponds to a recommendation in the experimental approach for choosing a surfactant applying the systematic methodology of Quality by Design.

Recent advances in peptide-targeted micelleplexes: Current developments and future perspectives

The decoding of the human genome revolutionized the understanding of how genetics influence the interplay between health and disease, in a multidisciplinary perspective. Thus, the development of exogenous nucleic acids-based therapies has increased to overcome hereditary or acquired genetic-associated diseases. Gene drug delivery using non-viral systems, for instance micelleplexes, have been recognized as promising options for gene-target therapies. Micelleplexes are core-shell structures, at a nanometric scale, designed using amphiphilic block copolymers. These can self-assemble in an aqueous medium, leading to the formation of a hydrophilic and positively charged corona - that can transport nucleic acids, - and a hydrophobic core - which can transport poor water-soluble drugs. However, the performance of these types of carriers usually is hindered by several in vivo barriers. Fortunately, due to a significant amount of research, strategies to overcome these shortcomings emerged. With a wide range of structural features, good stability against proteolytic degradation, affordable characteristic, easy synthesis, low immunogenicity, among other advantages, peptides have increasingly gained popularity as target ligands for non-viral carriers. Hence, this review addresses the use of peptides with micelleplexes illustrating, through the analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies, the potential and future perspectives of this combination.

Polymeric Systems Containing Supramolecular Coordination Complexes for Drug Delivery

Cancer has become a common disease that seriously endangers human health and life. Up to now, the essential treatment method has been drug therapy, and drug delivery plays an important role in cancer therapy. To improve the efficiency of drug therapy, researchers are committed to improving drug delivery methods to enhance drug pharmacokinetics and cancer accumulation. Supramolecular coordination complexes (SCCs) with well-defined shapes and sizes are formed through the coordination between diverse functional organic ligands and metal ions, and they have emerged as potential components in drug delivery and cancer therapy. In particular, micelles or vesicles with the required biocompatibility and stability are synthesized using SCC-containing polymeric systems to develop novel carriers for drug delivery that possess combined properties and extended system tunability. In this study, the research status of SCC-containing polymeric systems as drug carriers and adjuvants for cancer treatment is reviewed, and a special focus is given to their design and preparation.