Improved antitumor activity and reduced cardiotoxicity of epirubicin using hepatocyte-targeted nanoparticles combined with tocotrienols against hepatocellular carcinoma in mice

Drug Repurposing of Selected Antibiotics: An Emerging Approach in Cancer Drug Discovery

Drug repurposing is a method of investigating new therapeutic applications for previously approved medications. This repurposing approach to "old" medications is now highly efficient, simple to arrange, and cost-effective and poses little risk of failure in treating a variety of disorders, including cancer. Drug repurposing for cancer therapy is currently a key topic of study. It is a way of exploring recent therapeutic applications for already-existing drugs. Theoretically, the repurposing strategy has various advantages over the recognized challenges of creating new molecular entities, including being faster, safer, easier, and less expensive. In the real world, several medications have been repurposed, including aspirin, metformin, and chloroquine. However, doctors and scientists address numerous challenges when repurposing drugs, such as the fact that most drugs are not cost-effective and are resistant to bacteria. So the goal of this review is to gather information regarding repurposing pharmaceuticals to make them more cost-effective and harder for bacteria to resist. Cancer patients are more susceptible to bacterial infections. Due to their weak immune systems, antibiotics help protect them from a variety of infectious diseases. Although antibiotics are not immune boosters, they do benefit the defense system by killing bacteria and slowing the growth of cancer cells. Their use also increases the therapeutic efficacy and helps avoid recurrence. Of late, antibiotics have been repurposed as potent anticancer agents because of the evolutionary relationship between the prokaryotic genome and mitochondrial DNA of eukaryotes. Anticancer antibiotics that prevent cancer cells from growing by interfering with their DNA and blocking growth of promoters, which include anthracyclines, daunorubicin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone, doxorubicin, and idarubicin, are another type of FDA-approved antibiotics used to treat cancer. According to the endosymbiotic hypothesis, prokaryotes and eukaryotes are thought to have an evolutionary relationship. Hence, in this study, we are trying to explore antibiotics that are necessary for treating diseases, including cancer, helping people reduce deaths associated with various infections, and substantially extending people's life expectancy and quality of life.

Nanobiotechnology-based strategies in alleviation of chemotherapy-mediated cardiotoxicity

The cardiovascular diseases have been among the most common malignancies and the first leading cause of death, even higher than cancer. The cardiovascular diseases can be developed as a result of cardiac dysfunction and damages to heart tissue. Exposure to toxic agents and chemicals that induce cardiac dysfunction has been of interest in recent years. The chemotherapy drugs are commonly used for cancer therapy and in these patients, cardiovascular diseases have been widely observed that is due to negative impact of chemotherapy drugs on the heart. These drugs increase oxidative damage and inflammation, and mediate apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. Hence, nanotechnological approaches have been emerged as new strategies in attenuation of chemotherapy-mediated cardiotoxicity. The first advantage of nanoparticles can be explored in targeted and selective delivery of drugs to reduce their accumulation in heart tissue. Nanostructures can deliver bioactive and therapeutic compounds in reducing cardiotoxicity and alleviation toxic impacts of chemotherapy drugs. The functionalization of nanostructures increases their selectivity against tumor cells and reduces accumulation of drugs in heart tissue. The bioplatforms such as chitosan and alginate nanostructures can also deliver chemotherapy drugs and reduce their cardiotoxicity. The function of nanostructures is versatile in reduction of cardiotoxicity by chemotherapy drugs and new kind of platforms is hydrogels that can mediate sustained release of drug to reduce its toxic impacts on heart tissue. The various kinds of nanoplatforms have been developed for alleviation of cardiotoxicity and their future clinical application depends on their biocompatibility. High concentration level of chitosan nanoparticles can stimulate cardiotoxicity. Therefore, if nanotechnology is going to be deployed for drug delivery and reducing cardiotoxicity, the first pre-requirement is to lack toxicity on normal cells and have high biocompatibility.

Dual-targeted delivery system using hollow silica nanoparticles with H+-triggered bubble generating characteristic coated with hyaluronic acid and AS1411 for cancer therapy

OBJECTIVE

Herein, a dual-targeting delivery system using mesoporous silica nanoparticles with hollow structures (HMSNs) was developed for the specific delivery of epirubicin (EPI) to cancer cells and introducing a H+-triggered bubble generating nanosystem (BGNS). HMSNs containing EPI are covered by hyaluronic acid (HA) shell and AS1411 aptamer to create the BGNS-EPI-HA-Apt complex, which is highly selective against CD44 marker and nucleolin overexpressed on the surface of tumor cells.

METHODS

MTT assay compared the cytotoxicity of different treatments in CHO (Chinese hamster ovary) cells as well as 4T1 (murine mammary carcinoma) and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cells. The internalization of Epi was assessed by flow cytometry along with fluorescence imaging. In vivo studies were conducted on BALB/c mice bearing a tumor from 4T1 cell line where monitoring included measuring tumor volume, mouse weight changes over time alongside mortality rate; accumulation levels for Epi within organs were also measured during this process.

RESULTS

The collected data illustrated that BGNS-EPI-HA-Apt complex controlled the release of EPI in a sustained method. Afterward, receptor-mediated internalization via nucleolin and CD44 was verified in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells using fluorescence microscopy assay and flow cytometry analysis. The results of tumor inhibitory effect study exhibited that BGNS-EPI-HA-Apt complex decreased off-target effect and improved on-target effects because of its targeting ability.

CONCLUSION

The data acquired substantiates that HA-surface modified HMSNs functionalized with aptamers possess significant potential as a focused platform for efficient transportation of anticancer agents to neoplastic tissues.

Recent advances in multifunctional dendrimer-based nanoprobes for breast cancer theranostics

Breast cancer (BC) undoubtedly is one of the most common type of cancers amongst women, which causes about 5 million deaths annually. The treatments and diagnostic therapy choices currently available for Breast Cancer is very much limited . Advancements in novel nanocarrier could be a promising strategy for diagnosis and treatments of this deadly disease. Dendrimer nanoformulation could be functionalized and explored for efficient targeting of overexpressed receptors on Breast Cancer cells to achieve targeted drug delivery, for diagnostics and to overcome the resistance of the cells towards particular chemotherapeutic. Additionally, the dendrimer have shown promising potential in the improvement of therapeutic value for Breast Cancer therapy by achieving synergistic co-delivery of chemotherapeutics and genetic materials for multidirectional treatment. In this review, we have highlighted the application of dendrimer as novel multifunctional nanoplatforms for the treatment and diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

Neuroprotective Effect of Artichoke-Based Nanoformulation in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model: Focus on Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Amyloidogenic Pathways

The vast socio-economic impact of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has prompted the search for new neuroprotective agents with good tolerability and safety profile. With its outstanding role as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, alongside its anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, the artichoke can be implemented in a multi-targeted approach in AD therapy. Moreover, artichoke agricultural wastes can represent according to the current United Nations Sustainable Development goals an opportunity to produce medicinally valuable phenolic-rich extracts. In this context, the UPLC-ESI-MS/MS phytochemical characterization of artichoke bracts extract revealed the presence of mono- and di-caffeoylquinic acids and apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol O-glycosides with remarkable total phenolics and flavonoids contents. A broad antioxidant spectrum was established in vitro. Artichoke-loaded, chitosan-coated, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared and characterized for their size, zeta potential, morphology, entrapment efficiency, release, and ex vivo permeation and showed suitable colloidal characteristics, a controlled release profile, and promising ex vivo permeation, indicating possibly better physicochemical and biopharmaceutical parameters than free artichoke extract. The anti-Alzheimer potential of the extract and prepared SLNs was assessed in vivo in streptozotocin-induced sporadic Alzheimer mice. A great improvement in cognitive functions and spatial memory recovery, in addition to a marked reduction of the inflammatory biomarker TNF-α, β-amyloid, and tau protein levels, were observed. Significant neuroprotective efficacy in dentate Gyrus sub-regions was achieved in mice treated with free artichoke extract and to a significantly higher extent with artichoke-loaded SLNs. The results clarify the strong potential of artichoke bracts extract as a botanical anti-AD drug and will contribute to altering the future medicinal outlook of artichoke bracts previously regarded as agro-industrial waste.

Revisiting the therapeutic potential of tocotrienol

The therapeutic potential of the tocotrienol group stems from its nutraceutical properties as a dietary supplement. It is largely considered to be safe when consumed at low doses for attenuating pathophysiology as shown by animal models, in vitro assays, and ongoing human trials. Medical researchers and the allied sciences have experimented with tocotrienols for many decades, but its therapeutic potential was limited to adjuvant or concurrent treatment regimens. Recent studies have focused on targeted drug delivery by enhancing the bioavailability through carriers, self-sustained emulsions, nanoparticles, and ethosomes. Epigenetic modulation and computer remodeling are other means that will help increase chemosensitivity. This review will focus on the systemic intracellular anti-cancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory mechanisms that are stimulated and/or regulated by tocotrienols while highlighting its potent therapeutic properties in a diverse group of clinical diseases.

Emerging Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) arises from hepatocytes and accounts for 90% of primary liver cancer. According to Global Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence (GLOBOCAN) 2020, globally HCC is the sixth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Reasons for HCC prognosis remaining dismal are that HCC is asymptomatic in its early stages, leading to late diagnosis, and it is markedly resistant to conventional chemo- and radiotherapy. Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice in early stages, while surgical resection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and trans arterial chemoembolization (TACE) are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments for advanced HCC. Additional first line therapy for advanced HCC includes broad-spectrum tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as sorafenib and lenvatinib, as well as a combination of immunotherapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy, namely atezolizumab and bevacizumab. However, these strategies provide nominal extension in the survival curve, cause broad spectrum toxic side effects, and patients eventually develop therapy resistance. Some common mutations in HCC, such as in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1) and tumor protein p53 (TP53) genes, are still considered to be undruggable. In this context, identification of appropriate gene targets and specific gene delivery approaches create the potential of gene- and immune-based therapies for the safe and effective treatment of HCC. This review elaborates on the current status of HCC treatment by focusing on potential gene targets and advanced techniques, such as oncolytic viral vectors, nanoparticles, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, immunotherapy, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), and describes future prospects in HCC treatment.

Opportunities and Challenges of Nanoparticles in Digestive Tumours as Anti-Angiogenic Therapies

Digestive tumours, a common kind of malignancy worldwide, have recently led to the most tumour-related deaths. Angiogenesis, the process of forming novel blood vessels from pre-existing vessels, is involved in various physiological and pathological processes in the body. Many studies suggest that abnormal angiogenesis plays an important role in the growth, progression, and metastasis of digestive tumours. Therefore, anti-angiogenic therapy is considered a promising target for improving therapeutic efficacy. Traditional strategies such as bevacizumab and regorafenib can target and block the activity of proangiogenic factors to treat digestive tumours. However, due to resistance and some limitations, such as poor pharmacokinetics, their efficacy is not always satisfactory. In recent years, nanotechnology-based anti-angiogenic therapies have emerged as a new way to treat digestive tumours. Compared with commonly used drugs, nanoparticles show great potential in tumour targeted delivery, controlled drug release, prolonged cycle time, and increased drug bioavailability. Therefore, anti-angiogenic nanoparticles may be an effective complementary therapy to treat digestive tumours. In this review, we outline the different mechanisms of angiogenesis, the effects of nanoparticles on angiogenesis, and their biomedical applications in various kinds of digestive tumours. In addition, the opportunities and challenges are briefly discussed.

Magnesium demethylcantharidate inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion and metastasis via activation transcription factor FOXO1

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, develops rapidly and has a high mortality rate. Relapsed metastasis is the most important factor affecting prognosis and is also the main cause of death for patients with HCC. Cantharidin is a kind of folk medicine for malignant tumors in China. Because of its cytotoxicity, the application of cantharidin is very limited. Magnesium demethylcantharidate (MDC) is a derivative of cantharidin independently developed by our laboratory. Our results show that MDC has anticancer activity and exhibited lower toxicity than cantharidin. However, whether MDC affects the invasion and metastasis of HCC cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain obscure. Transwell and Matrigel assays showed that MDC could effectively inhibit the invasion and metastasis of the HCC cell lines SMMC-7721 and SK-Hep1 in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, MDC significantly inhibited the expression of invasion and metastasis related proteins MMP-2 and MMP-9. In addition, our study found that MDC inhibited the invasion and metastasis of HCC cell lines SMMC-7721 and SK-Hep1 by activating transcription factor FOXO1. Interestingly, the combination of MDC and sorafenib significantly inhibited the invasion and metastasis of HCC cell lines SMMC-7721 and SK-Hep1 compared with the single drug treatment via the activated transcription factor FOXO1. Our work revealed that MDC obviously inhibited the invasion and metastasis of HCC cells, and suggested that MDC could be a potential candidate molecule against the invasion and metastasis of HCC.

Efficacy and safety of raltitrexed-based transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter real-world study

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate efficacy and safety of raltitrexed-based transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using real-world evidence.

METHODS

All eligible HCC cases were collected from multiple centers in Chongqing, China, from January 2013 to December 2018 and divided into the raltitrexed group (raltitrexed + lobaplatin + pirarubicin) and control group (lobaplatin + pirarubicin). Propensity score matching (PSM) with a 1:1 ratio was used to eliminate the imbalance of potential confounding factors between groups. The primary end-point was overall survival (OS) and the secondary end-points were progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period for patients in the raltitrexed and control groups was 8.7 and 5.9 months, respectively. After PSM, median OS was 10.0 months in the raltitrexed group and 7.0 months in the control group (p = 0.002). The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year OS rates of the raltitrexed group were significantly higher than those of the control group (78.2% vs. 60.9%, p = 0.010; 43.5% vs. 22.8%, p = 0.030; and 17.4% vs. 2.2% p = 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis of these propensity score-matched HCC patients revealed treatment, age, tumor size, lipiodol accumulation, and the number of TACE cycles as independent predictors of OS (all p < 0.05). The disease control rate of the raltitrexed and control groups was 87.4% and 65.8%, respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Raltitrexed-based TACE can prolong the OS of patients with intermediate and advanced HCC in a real-world clinical setting, and is safe and tolerable.

Therapeutic strategies for miRNA delivery to reduce hepatocellular carcinoma

Malignancies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are rapidly spreading and commonly fatal. Like most cancers, the gene expression patterns in HCC vary significantly from patient to patient. Moreover, the expression networks during HCC progression are largely controlled by microRNAs (miRNAs) regulating multiple oncogenes and tumor supressors. Therefore, miRNA-based therapeutic strategies altering these networks may significantly influence the cellular behavior enough for them to cure HCC. However, the most substantial challenges in developing such therapies are the stability of the oligos themselves and that of their delivery systems. Here we provide a comprehensive update describing various miRNA delivery systems, including virus-based delivery and non-viral delivery. The latter may be achieved using inorganic nanoparticles, polymer based nano-carriers, lipid-based vesicles, exosomes, and liposomes. Leaky vasculature in HCC-afflicted livers helps untargeted nanocarriers to accumulate in the tumor tissue but may result in side effects during higher dose of treatment. On the other hand, the strategies for actively targeting miRNA therepeutics to cancerous cells through nano-conjugates or vesicles by decorating their surface with antibodies against or ligands for HCC-specific antigens or receptors are more efficient in preventing damage to healthy tissue and cancer recurrence.

Folic acid decorated chitosan-coated solid lipid nanoparticles for the oral treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Systemic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been accompanied with several side effects. This study attempts to reduce leflunomide systemic side effects besides increasing its joint healing outcomes via formulation of layer-by-layer coated, leflunomide-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). Methods: SLNs were coated with chitosan (CS) followed by folic acid (FA). FA-CS-SLNs were about 284.9 nm and carried negative surface charge. Results & conclusion: FA-CS-SLNs showed sustained release profile for 168 h. Results of oral administration of FA-CS-SLNs in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis revealed improved joint healing and reduced hepatotoxicity compared with leflunomide suspension. This may be attributed to the ability of FA-CS-SLNs to actively target FA receptors that are overexpressed in inflamed rheumatic joints in addition to innate joint healing properties of CS.

Cytotoxicity of targeted PLGA nanoparticles: a systematic review

Recent advances in nanotechnology have contributed tremendously to the development and revolutionizing of drug delivery systems in the field of nanomedicine. In particular, targeting nanoparticles based on biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymers have gained much interest. However, PLGA nanoparticles remain of concern for their effectiveness against cancer cells and their toxicity to normal cells. The aim of this systematic review is to identify a promising targeting PLGA nanoformulation based on the comparison study of their cytotoxicity potency in different cell lines. A literature search was conducted through the databases of Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and SpringerLink. The sources studied were published between 2009 and 2019, and a variety of keywords were utilized. In total, 81 manuscripts that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for analysis based on their cytotoxicity, size, zeta potential, year of publication, type of ligand, active compounds and cell line used. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for cytotoxicity was the main measurement in this data extraction, and the SI units were standardized to μg mL-1 for a better view of comparison. This systematic review also identified that cytotoxicity potency was inversely proportional to nanoparticle size. The PLGA nanoparticles predominantly exhibited a size of less than 300 nm and absolute zeta potential ∼20 mV. In conclusion, more comprehensive and critical appraisals of pharmacokinetic, pharmacokinetic, toxicokinetic, in vivo and in vitro tests are required for the investigation of the full value of targeting PLGA nanoparticles for cancer treatment.

Current status and future directions of hepatocellular carcinoma-targeted nanoparticles and nanomedicine

INTRODUCTION

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem worldwide. Conventional therapies covering either chemotherapy or combination therapy still have sub-optimal responses with significant adverse effects and toxicity. Moreover, tumor cells usually acquire resistance quickly for traditional approaches, limiting their use in HCC. Interest in nanomedicine due to minimal systemic toxicity and a high degree of target-specific drug-delivery have pulled the attention of health scientists in this area of therapeutics.

AREA COVERED

The review covers the incidence and epidemiology of HCC, proposed molecular drug targets, mechanistic approach and emergence of nanomedicines including nanoparticles, lipidic nanoparticles, vesicular-based nanocarrier, virus-like particles with momentous therapeutic aspects including biocompatibility, and toxicity of nanocarriers along with conclusions and future perspective, with an efficient approach to safely cross physiological barriers to reach the target site for treating liver cancer.

EXPERT OPINION

Remarkable outcomes have recently been observed for the therapeutic efficacy of nanocarriers with respect to a specific drug target against the treatment of HCC by existing under trial drugs.

Ginger Extract Loaded into Chitosan Nanoparticles Enhances Cytotoxicity and Reduces Cardiotoxicity of Doxorubicin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice

This study aimed to investigate the impact of ginger extract (GE) loaded into chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) in enhancing cytotoxicity and reducing cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin (DXN) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced mice. DXN and GE were loaded into CNPs and cytotoxicity of loaded and unloaded drugs against HepG2 cells was evaluated. HCC was induced in male albino mice by injection of diethylnitrosamine (DINA). Mice were divided into eight groups (n = 15): (1) normal control, (2) DINA, (3) CNPs, (4) free DXN, (5) CNPs DXN, (6) free GE, (7) CNPs GE, and (8) CNPs DXN + CNPs GE. Both GE and DXN loaded into CNPs showed a greater decline in cell viability of HepG2 cells than the unloaded forms. GE CNPs displayed pronounced anticancer activity In Vivo through apoptosis, greater down-regulation of multidrug resistance 1, enhancement of anti-oxidant activity and depletion of vascular endothelial growth factor content in liver tissues. GE CNPs in combination with DXN CNPs showed nearly normal hepatic lobule architecture and the greatest increase in apoptotic cell count. Co-treatment group had decreased cardiac malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-α and serum activity of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase. Combination of GE CNPs and DXN CNPs might be a potentially effective therapeutic approach for HCC.

The combination of Biochanin A and SB590885 potentiates the inhibition of tumour progression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most aggressive and frequently diagnosed malignancy of the liver. Despite aggressive therapy, life expectancy of many patients in these cases is extended by only a few months. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a particularly poor prognosis and would greatly benefit from more effective therapies.

Methods

The CCK-8 assay and colony formation assays were used to test the cell proliferation and viability. The effects of combination Biochanin A and SB590885 on apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of HCC cells were analysed by flow cytometry. The expression of ERK MAPK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling as well as apoptosis and cell cycle-related proteins in HCC cells were tested by western blotting. The HCC cell xenograft model was established to test the tumor proliferation. Serum and plasma were tested for liver and kidney safety markers (ALP, ALT, AST, total bilirubin, creatinine, urea nitrogen) by using SpectraMax i3X.

Results

The combination of natural product Biochanin A with the BRAF inhibitor SB590885 synergistically suppressed proliferation, and promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the combination of Biochanin A and SB590885 led to increased impairment of proliferation and HCC tumour inhibition through disrupting of the ERK MAPK and the PI3K/AKT pathways in vitro. The volumes tumors and the weights of tumours were significantly reduced by the combination treatment compared to the control or single treatments in vivo. In addition, we found that there was no significant hepatorenal toxicity with the drug combination, as indicated by the hepatorenal toxicity test.

Conclusion

The results identify an effective combination therapy for the most aggressive form of HCC and provide the possibility of therapeutic improvement for patients with advanced HCC.

Effect of co-treatment with doxorubicin and verapamil loaded into chitosan nanoparticles on diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in mice

This study aimed to investigate the potential role of co-treatment with doxorubicin (DOX) and verapamil (VRP) nanoparticles in experimentally induced hepatocellular carcinoma in mice and to investigate the possible mechanisms behind the potential favorable effect of the co-treatment. DOX and VRP were loaded into chitosan nanoparticles (CHNPs), and cytotoxicity of loaded and unloaded drugs against HepG2 cells was evaluated. Male albino mice were divided into eight groups (n = 15): (1) normal control, (2) diethylnitrosamine, (3) CHNPs, (4) free DOX, (5) CHNPs DOX, (6) free VRP, (7) CHNPs VRP, and (8) CHNPs DOX + CHNPs VRP. Either VRP or DOX loaded into CHNPs showed stronger growth inhibition of HepG2 cells than their free forms. DOX or VRP nanoparticles displayed pronounced anticancer activity in vivo through the decline of vascular endothelial growth factor and B cell lymphoma-2 contents in liver tissues, upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, and downregulation of multidrug resistance 1. Moreover, reduced cardiotoxicity was evident from decreased level of tumor necrosis factor-α and malondialdehyde in heart tissues coupled with decreased serum activity of creatine kinase-myocardial band and lactate dehydrogenase. Co-treatment with CHNPs DOX and CHNPs VRP showed superior results versus other treatments. Liver sections from the co-treatment group revealed the absence of necrosis, enhanced apoptosis, and nearly normal hepatic lobule architecture. Co-treatment with CHNPs DOX and CHNPs VRP revealed enhanced anticancer activity and decreased cardiotoxicity versus the corresponding free forms.

Chitosan Nanoparticles for Therapy and Theranostics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and Liver-Targeting

Chitosan nanoparticles are well-known delivery systems widely used as polymeric carriers in the field of nanomedicine. Chitosan is a carbohydrate of natural origin: it is a biodegradable, biocompatible, mucoadhesive, polycationic polymer and it is endowed with penetration enhancer properties. Furthermore, it can be easily derivatized. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a remarkable health problem because current therapies, that include surgery, liver transplantation, trans-arterial embolization, chemoembolization and chemotherapy, present significant limitations due to the high risk of recurrence, to a lack of drug selectivity and to other serious side effects. Therefore, there is the need for new therapeutic strategies and for improving the liver-targeting to HCC. Nanomedicine consists in the use of nanoscale carriers as delivery systems to target and deliver drugs and/or diagnostic agents to specific organs or tissues. Chitosan and its derivatives can be successfully used in the preparation of nanoparticles that, for their peculiar surface-properties, can specifically interact with liver tumor, by passive and active targeting. This review concerns the use of chitosan nanoparticles for the therapy and theranostics of HCC and liver-targeting.

Targeting MDR-1 gene expression, BAX/BCL2, caspase-3, and Ki-67 by nanoencapsulated imatinib and hesperidin to enhance anticancer activity and ameliorate cardiotoxicity

There is a great demand to introduce new approaches into cancer treatment field due to incidence of increased breast cancer all over the world. The current study was designed to evaluate the role of imatinib mesylate (IM) and/or hesperidin (HES) nanoparticles alone or in combination in enhancing the anticancer activity and to investigate the ability of nanoencapsulation to reduce cardiotoxicity of IM in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC)-bearing mice. IM and HES were loaded into PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer. SEC was induced in female albino mice as a model for experimentally induced breast cancer. Mice were randomly divided into eight groups (n = 10). On day 28 from tumor inoculation, mice were sacrificed and blood samples were collected in heparinized tubes for hematological studies, biochemical determination of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) levels. In addition, tumor and cardiac tissues were utilized for histopathological examination as well as determination of MDR-1 gene expression. Immunohistochemical staining of BAX and BCL-2 was done. Nano IM- and/or Nano HES-treated groups showed a significant reduction in tumor volume, weight, hematological, cardiac markers, and tumor MDR-1 gene downregulation compared to free conventional treated groups. In conclusion, the use of HES as an adjuvant therapy with IM could improve its cytotoxic effects and limit its cardiac toxicity. Furthermore, nanoencapsulation of IM and/or HES with PLGA polymer showed a remarkable anticancer activity.

Regulation of Fas in response to bortezomib and epirubicin in colorectal cancer cells

Bortezomib is a reversible proteasome inhibitor affects the ubiquitin-proteasome mechanism to kill cancer cells, and inhibition of the proteasome modulates the expression of multiple target genes at the transcriptional level. Epirubicin is known as an anthracycline agent that interferes with DNA and RNA synthesis, and it can be used with other chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of post-surgical breast cancer. Epirubicin may have an anti-tumor effect against broad-spectrum tumor cells. However, it is a non-specific chemotherapeutic agent that can cause high toxicity if not used in appropriate doses. Here, we hypothesize that a combination treatment of bortezomib and epirubicin will induce immunogenic cell death in colorectal cancer cells by increasing expression of death receptors such as Fas, which will make these cancer cells more susceptible to Fas/FasL mediated tumor cell killing. Our data demonstrate that a combination of bortezomib and epirubicin significantly increases the sensitivity of colorectal carcinoma cells, but not healthy non-malignant epithelial cells, to apoptosis. The combination treatment significantly upregulates the transcriptional activation of Fas in colorectal cancer cells but not in normal cells. Our results suggest that combining bortezomib and epirubicin may simultaneously enhance tumor immunogenicity and the induction of antitumor immunity.

Cetuximab and epirubicin HCl-combined application as a possibility to treat both parental and epirubicin HCl-resistant liver cancer cells

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Targeted chemotherapeutics such as cetuximab can cause many side effects such as skin toxicity when used in high concentrations. In addition, cancer cells can develop resistance to some of the anticancer agents during treatment. The lack of the desired success in chemotherapy and the development of resistance to chemotherapeutics, such as epirubicin HCl, suggest that there is a need for combined therapies. The combination of targeted chemotherapeutics and conventional chemotherapy drugs may lead to the emergence of new strategies in the treatment of cancer. In this study, cytotoxic, antiproliferative, cell cycle inhibitive, oxidative stress generation, and apoptotic effects and effect mechanisms of cetuximab alone and together with epirubicin HCl on parental liver cancer cells (P-Hep G2) and epirubicin HCl-resistant liver cancer cells (R-Hep G2) were investigated.

MATERIALS

Cytotoxic effects of cetuximab alone and with epirubicin-HCl on cells were determined by Cell Titer-Blue® Cell Viability and Lactate Dehydrogenase Activity tests. Cell cycle distributions and apoptosis were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS

Cetuximab with epirubicin HCl treatment increased the cytotoxic effect on both cells. Caspase-3/7 activity increased 3 and 1.5 times in comparison with control group in P-Hep G2 and R-Hep G2 cells, respectively, after treating with cetuximab alone, whereas the increase was found to be approximately 4.7 and 2.5 times when cetuximab was treated with epirubicin HCl in P-Hep G2 and R-Hep G2 cells, respectively. Both cetuximab alone and together with epirubicin HCl treatments caused increases in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in both cells.

DISCUSSION

Treatment of cetuximab with epirubicin HCl to P-Hep G2 and R-Hep G2 cells was found to be more effective in cytotoxic effect and inducing apoptosis comparison to cetuximab alone treatment. In addition, combination treatment showed different effects on pro-apoptotic/anti-apoptotic genes expression according to cells drug resistance properties.

Recent Findings on Nanotechnology-based Therapeutic Strategies Against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background:

Nanotechnology-based therapies are emerging as a promising new anticancer approach. Early clinical studies suggest that nanoparticle-based therapeutics can show enhanced efficacy while reducing side effects minimal, owing to targeted delivery and active intracellular uptake.

Methods:

To overcome the problems of gene and drug delivery, nanotechnology based delivery system gained interest in the last two decades. Encouraging results from Nano formulation based drug delivery systems revealed that these emerging restoratives can efficiently lead to more effective, targeted, selective and efficacious delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to the affected target cells.

Results:

Nanotechnology not only inhibits targeted gene products in patients with cancer, but also taught us valuable lessons regarding appropriate dosages and route of administrations. Besides, nanotechnology based therapeutics holds remarkable potential as an effective drug delivery system. We critically highlight the recent findings on nanotechnology mediated therapeutics strategies to combat hepatocellular carcinoma and discuss how nanotechnology platform can have enhanced anticancer effects compared with the parent therapeutic agents they contain.

Conclusion:

In this review, we discussed the key challenges, recent findings and future perspective in the development of effective nanotechnology-based cancer therapeutics. The emphasis here is focused on nanotechnology-based therapies that are likely to affect clinical investigations and their implications for advancing the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Improved antitumor activity of cisplatin combined with Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in U14 cervical carcinoma-bearing mice

Research on anticervical cancer is urgently required to enhance clinical outcomes. As a main anticancer drug for cervical carcinoma, cisplatin (CIS) has been used for a lot of years in clinical therapy. However, serious adverse effects including nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity limit its long-term treatment. Our main goal of this study is to investigate the improvement of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GPS) on CIS-induced antitumor effect of in U14 cervical carcinoma-bearing mice. The results showed that GPS + CIS could not only inhibit the growth of the tumor but also improve the spleen and thymus indexes. Moreover, little toxicological effects were observed on hepatic function and renal function in GPS + CIS treated mice bearing U14 tumor cells. Further analysis of the tumor inhibition mechanism indicated that the number of apoptotic tumor cells increased significantly, the expression of Bax increased and the expression of Bcl-2 decreased dramatically in cervical cancer sections after oral administration of GPS + CIS for 14 days. This GPS/CIS combined therapy represents intriguing therapeutic strategy for U14 cervical carcinoma providing not only superior efficacy but also a higher safety level.

Utilization of Vitamin E Analogs to Protect Normal Tissues While Enhancing Antitumor Effects

Despite advances in radiation delivery techniques, side effects of radiation therapy due to radiation exposure of normal tissues are common and can limit the deliverable dose to tumors. Significant interests lie in pharmacologic modifiers that may protect against normal tissue toxicity from cancer treatment while simultaneously enhancing the tumor response to therapy. While no such treatments are available in the clinic, this is an area of active preclinical and clinical research. This review summarizes research studies that provide evidence to indicate that tocotrienols, natural forms of vitamin E, are potent radiation protectors and may also have antitumor effects. Hence, several current clinical trials test tocotrienols as concomitant treatment in cancer therapies.

Decorating protein nanospheres with lactoferrin enhances oral COX-2 inhibitor/herbal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Aim: Lactoferrin (LF)-targeted gliadin nanoparticles (GL-NPs) were developed for targeted oral therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials & methods: Celecoxib and diosmin were incorporated in the hydrophobic matrix of GL-NPs whose surface was decorated with LF by electrostatic interaction for binding to asialoglycoprotein receptors overexpressed by liver cancer cells. Results: Targeted GL-NPs showed enhanced cytotoxic activity and increased cellular uptake in liver tumor cells compared with nontargeted NPs. Moreover, they demonstrated superior in vivo antitumor effects including reduction in the expression levels of tumor biomarkers and induction of caspase-mediated apoptosis. Ex vivo imaging of isolated organs exhibited extensive accumulation of NPs in livers more than other organs. Conclusion: LF-targeted GL-NPs could be considered as an efficient nanoplatform for targeted oral drug delivery for liver cancer therapy.

Dual-targeted casein micelles as green nanomedicine for synergistic phytotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

In recent years, green nanomedicines have made transformative difference in cancer therapy researches. Herein, we propose dual-functionalized spray-dried casein micelles (CAS-MCs) for combined delivery of two phytochemicals; berberine (BRB) and diosmin (DSN) as targeted therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The nanomicelles enabled parenteral delivery of the poorly soluble DSN via its encapsulation within their hydrophobic core. Moreover, sustained release of the water soluble BRB was attained by hydrophobic ion pairing with sodium deoxycholate followed by genipin crosslinking of CAS-MCs. Dual-active targeting of MCs, via conjugating both lactobionic acid (LA) and folic acid (FA), resulted in superior cytotoxicity and higher cellular uptake against HepG2 cells compared to single-targeted and non-targeted CAS-MCs. The dual-targeted DSN/BRB-loaded CAS-MCs demonstrated superior in vivo anti-tumor efficacy in HCC bearing mice as revealed by down regulation of cell necrosis markers (NF-κB and TNF-α), inflammatory marker COX2, inhibition of angiogenesis and induction of apoptosis. Histopathological analysis and immunohistochemical Ki67 staining confirmed the superiority of the dual-targeted micelles. Ex-vivo imaging showed preferential liver-specific accumulation of dual-targeted CAS-MCs. Overall, this approach combined the benefits of traditional herbal medicine with nanotechnology via LA/FA-CAS-MCs loaded with BRB and DSN as a promising nanoplatform for targeted HCC therapy.

Nanomaterial-involved neural stem cell research: Disease treatment, cell labeling, and growth regulation

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been widely investigated for their potential in the treatment of various diseases and transplantation therapy. However, NSC growth regulation, labeling, and its application to disease diagnosis and treatment are outstanding challenges. Recently, nanomaterials have shown promise for various applications including genetic modification, imaging, and controlled drug release. Here we summarize the recent progress in the use of nanomaterials in combination with NSCs for disease treatment and diagnosis, cell labeling, and NSC growth regulation. The toxicity of nanomaterials to NSCs is also discussed.

Surface Engineering of Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery to Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. There is a lack of efficient therapy for HCC; the only available first-line systemic drug, sorafenib, can merely improve the average survival by two months. Among the efforts to develop an efficient therapy for HCC, nanomedicine has drawn the most attention, owing to its unique features such as high drug-loading capacity, intrinsic anticancer activities, integrated diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities, and easy surface engineering with targeting ligands. Despite its tremendous advantages, no nanomedicine can be effective unless it successfully targets the tumor site, which is a challenging task. In this review, the features of HCC are described, and the physiological hurdles that prevent nanoparticles from targeting HCC are discussed. Then, the surface physicochemical factors of nanoparticles that can influence targeting efficiency are discussed. Finally, a thorough description of the physiological barriers that nanomedicine must conquer before uptake by HCC cells if possible is provided, as well as the surface engineering approaches to nanomedicine to achieve targeted delivery to HCC cells. The physiological hurdles and corresponding solutions summarized in this review provide a general guide for the rational design of HCC targeting nanomedicine systems.

A novel FAPα-based Z-Gly-Pro epirubicin prodrug for improving tumor-targeting chemotherapy

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAPα) is a serine protease of the post-prolyl peptidase family that is specifically expressed in the majority of human epithelial tumors, but not in normal tissues. In this study, we demonstrated the anti-tumor activity of a novel targeting drug formed by conjugating epirubicin (EPI) with an FAPα-specific dipeptide (Z-Gly-Pro) and named it Z-GP-EPI. Consistent with this tumor-targeting delivery strategy, the results illustrated that Z-GP-EPI could release EPI efficiently after incubating with FAPα and could exhibit similar antitumor effects as EPI in vitro in FAPα over-expressed tumor cells (4T1/FAPα⁺). Furthermore, the evaluation of antitumor activity of Z-GP-EPI in vivo was implemented in a 4T1/FAPα⁺ tumor-bearing mice xenograft model. Our results illustrated that Z-GP-EPI had similar antitumor effects in 4T1/FAPα⁺ tumor-bearing mice and showed no visible cardiotoxicity side effects compared with free EPI. Thus, our study indicated that this FAPα-activated prodrug targeting strategy may provide a new mechanism for the targeted delivery of antitumor agents and improve their safety levels.

Multiscale technologies for treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy

The adult mammalian heart possesses only limited capacity for innate regeneration and the response to severe injury is dominated by the formation of scar tissue. Current therapy to replace damaged cardiac tissue is limited to cardiac transplantation and thus many patients suffer progressive decay in the heart's pumping capacity to the point of heart failure. Nanostructured systems have the potential to revolutionize both preventive and therapeutic approaches for treating cardiovascular disease. Here, we outline recent advancements in nanotechnology that could be exploited to overcome the major obstacles in the prevention of and therapy for heart disease. We also discuss emerging trends in nanotechnology affecting the cardiovascular field that may offer new hope for patients suffering massive heart attacks.

MUC1 aptamer-conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticles effectively target breast cancer cells

In the present study, we developed aptamer (Apt) conjugated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for specific delivery of epirubicin (EPI) to breast cancer cells. MSNs were synthesized and functionalized with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (3-MPTMS), followed by MUC1 aptamer conjugation through disulfide bonds. The nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analyzer, zeta potential, elemental analysis (CHNS), aptamer conjugation efficiency, drug loading efficiency, and drug release profile. Cell uptake and in vitro cytotoxicity of different formulations were performed. The results of MSNs characterization confirmed spherical nanoparticles with thiol functional groups. Particle size of obtained nanoparticles was 163 nm in deionized water. After conjugation of MUC1 aptamer and EPI loading (MSN-MUC1-EPI), particle size increased to 258 nm. The aptamer conjugation to MSNs with disulfide bonds were confirmed using gel retardation assay. Cellular uptake studies revealed better cell uptake of MSN-MUC1-EPI compared to MSN-EPI. Moreover, cytotoxicity study results in MCF7 cell lines showed improved cytotoxicity of MSN-MUC1-EPI in comparison with MSN-EPI or EPI at the same concentration of drug. These results exhibited that MSN-MUC1-EPI has the potential for targeted drug delivery into MUC1 positive breast cancer cells to improve drug efficacy and alleviate side effects.

Breakthroughs in modern cancer therapy and elusive cardiotoxicity: Critical research-practice gaps, challenges, and insights

To date, five cancer treatment modalities have been defined. The three traditional modalities of cancer treatment are surgery, radiotherapy, and conventional chemotherapy, and the two modern modalities include molecularly targeted therapy (the fourth modality) and immunotherapy (the fifth modality). The cardiotoxicity associated with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy is well known. Similar adverse cardiac events are resurging with the fourth modality. Aside from the conventional and newer targeted agents, even the most newly developed, immune‐based therapeutic modalities of anticancer treatment (the fifth modality), e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy, have unfortunately led to potentially lethal cardiotoxicity in patients. Cardiac complications represent unresolved and potentially life‐threatening conditions in cancer survivors, while effective clinical management remains quite challenging. As a consequence, morbidity and mortality related to cardiac complications now threaten to offset some favorable benefits of modern cancer treatments in cancer‐related survival, regardless of the oncologic prognosis. This review focuses on identifying critical research‐practice gaps, addressing real‐world challenges and pinpointing real‐time insights in general terms under the context of clinical cardiotoxicity induced by the fourth and fifth modalities of cancer treatment. The information ranges from basic science to clinical management in the field of cardio‐oncology and crosses the interface between oncology and onco‐pharmacology. The complexity of the ongoing clinical problem is addressed at different levels. A better understanding of these research‐practice gaps may advance research initiatives on the development of mechanism‐based diagnoses and treatments for the effective clinical management of cardiotoxicity.

Tocotrienols: the unsaturated sidekick shifting new paradigms in vitamin E therapeutics

Vitamin E family members: tocotrienols and tocopherols are widely known for their health benefits. Decades of research on tocotrienols have shown they have diverse biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective and skin protection benefits, as well as improved cognition, bone health, longevity and reduction of cholesterol levels in plasma. Tocotrienols also modulate several intracellular molecular targets and, most importantly, have been shown to improve lipid profiles, reduce total cholesterol and reduce the volume of white matter lesions in human clinical trials. This review provides a comprehensive update on the little-known therapeutic potentials of tocotrienols, which tocopherols lack in a variety of inflammation-driven diseases.

Targeted delivery of epirubicin to tumor-associated macrophages by sialic acid-cholesterol conjugate modified liposomes with improved antitumor activity

With the knowledge that the receptors of sialic acid are overexpressed on the surface of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which play a crucial role in the tumor's progression and metastasis, a sialic acid-cholesterol conjugate (SA-CH) was synthesized and modified on the surface of epirubicin (EPI)-loaded liposomes (EPI-SAL) to improve the delivery of EPI to the TAMs. The liposomes were developed using remote loading technology via a pH gradient. The liposomes were evaluated for particle size, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, stability, in vitro cytotoxicity and pharmacokinetics. And the in vitro and in vivo cellular uptake studies demonstrated EPI-SAL achieved enhanced accumulation of EPI into TAMs. The antitumor studies indicated that EPI-SAL provided the strongest antitumor activity compared with the other formulations (EPI-S, EPI-CL and EPI-PL represent EPI solution, conventional liposomal EPI, PEGylated liposomal EPI, respectively), and the survival percent of tumor-bearing mice was 83.3%. The superior antitumor efficacy was probably attributed to the killing of TAMs by EPI-SAL, and modulating the tumor microenvironment with the depletion of TAMs. These findings suggested that SA-CH decorated EPI-loaded liposomes may present an effective strategy to eradicate TAMs, which may be a promising approach for cancer therapy.

A novel aptamer-based DNA diamond nanostructure for in vivo targeted delivery of epirubicin to cancer cells

The clinical administration of epirubicin (Epi) in the treatment of cancer has been restricted, owing to its cardiotoxicity.

An epirubicin-peptide conjugate with anticancer activity is dependent upon the expression level of the surface transferrin receptor

Epirubicin (EPI) is one of the most widely used anticarcinogens; however, serious side effects, including cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, limit its long‑term administration. To overcome this problem, the HAIYPRH peptide ligand was used with EPI in the synthesis of a HAIYPRH‑EPI conjugate. The anticancer activity and cellular uptake of the conjugate were measured and evaluated. The results of the present study indicated that the cytotoxicity of HAIYPRH‑EPI was correlated with the expression of the cell surface transferrin receptor (TfR). The conjugate exerted high cytotoxicity and proapoptotic function when in an LN229 glioma cell line, which overexpresses surface TfR. It was hypothesized that transferrin (Tf) can promote cytotoxicity. Conversely, the conjugate exhibited very low cytotoxicity and proapoptotic function in a U87 glioma cell line, in which surface TfR expression was undetectable. In addition, fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry methods were used to evaluate cellular uptake, and the results of these methods were consistent with the present hypotheses. The conjugate cellular uptake of the conjugate in LN229 cells was markedly higher compared with that in U87 cells, and it was hypothesized that Tf can enhance the uptake in LN229 cells. The cytotoxicity of HAIYPRH‑EPI was dependent upon the expression of surface TfR. Considering that the majority of cancer cells have high rates of iron uptake and surface TfR is generally overexpressed on cancer cells, it was speculated by the authors that HAIYPRH‑EPI may form part of an effective strategy for increasing the selectivity of EPI for cancer cells, as well as reducing its systemic toxicity. To confirm the hypothesis, the effects of HAIYPRH‑EPI on non‑cancerous cell lines were investigated. A future study will examine the side effects of HAIYPRH‑EPI, using a suitable delivery system in an animal model.

Layer-by-layer-coated lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles for active tumor targeting of rapamycin

Aim: This work spotlights on fabrication of CD44-tropic, layer-by-layer (LbL) coated, liquid crystalline nanoparticles of rapamycin (Rap-LbL-LCNPs) to enhance its water solubility and enable its anticancer use. Methods: Rap-LCNPs were fabricated using hydrotrope method and then coated using LbL self-assembly technique. Results: LbL coating strategy successfully reduced monoolein-induced hemolysis and increased LCNPs serum stability. Lyophilized Rap-LbL-LCNPs were successfully sterilized using γ-radiations. In CD44-overexpressed MDA-MB-231 cells, Rap-LbL-LCNPs demonstrated superior cytotoxicity compared with the nontargeted formulation. Rap-LbL-LCNPs showed 3.35-fold increase in bioavailability compared with free drug. Rap-LbL-LCNPs significantly inhibited tumor growth, enhanced animal survival and reduced nephrotoxic and hyperglycemic effects of Rap. Conclusion: LbL coating strategy of Rap-LCNPs could serve as a promising approach that facilitates Rap use in cancer therapy.

Preparation of novel butyryl galactose ester-modified coix component microemulsions and evaluation on hepatoma-targeting in vitro and in vivo

The butyryl galactose ester-modified coix component microemulsions (But-Gal-CMEs) was developed for enhanced liver tumor-specific targeting. The study was aimed to evaluate the hepatoma-targeting potential of But-Gal-CMEs in vitro and in vivo. But-Gal-CMEs with a uniform spherical shape exhibited a small particle size (56.68 ± 0.07 nm), a narrow polydispersity (PDI, 0.144 ± 0.005) and slightly negative surface charge (-0.102 ± 0.008 mV). In the cell uptake studies, But-Gal-CMEs showed a significant enhancement on the intracellular fluorescent intensity on HepG2 cells model, which was 1.93-fold higher relative to coix component microemulsions (CMEs). The IC₅₀ of But-Gal-CMEs against HepG2 cells was 64.250 μg/mL, which was notably stronger than that of CMEs. In the cell apoptosis studies, compared with CMEs, But-Gal-CMEs (50 μg/mL) treatment resulted in a 1.34-fold rise in total apoptosis cells of HepG2. In the biodistribution studies in vivo, the intratumorous fluorescence of Cy5-loaded But-Gal-CMEs was 1.43-fold higher relative to that of Cy5-loaded CMEs, suggesting an obviously enhanced accumulation in the tumor sites. Taken as together, But-Gal could be incorporated into the coix component microemulsions as a novel ligand for realizing hepatoma-targeting drugs delivery.

Enhanced antitumor activity and attenuated cardiotoxicity of Epirubicin combined with Paeonol against breast cancer

Epirubicin is widely used for the therapy of various breast cancers. However, it has serious adverse side effects, particularly cardiotoxicity, which can cause irreversible damage in patients. Paeonol, an active component from Moutan Cortex, enhances antitumor activity of antineoplastics and reduces toxicities induced by chemotherapeutics. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of Paeonol in combination with Epirubicin against breast cancer and the alleviated effect of Paeonol on cardiotoxicity induced by Epirubicin. The apoptosis results and the coefficient of drug interaction values suggested significantly synergistic in combination of Paeonol and Epirubicin to 4T1 and MCF-7 cells. We further examined antitumor activities of Paeonol or/and Epirubicin in vivo in BALB/c mice and found that co-treatment of Paeonol and Epirubicin had a synergistic inhibitory effect on tumor growth and enhanced apoptosis in tumors in vivo compared with Epirubicin alone. Increased apoptosis was associated with the activation of apoptosis-related proteins including PARP, Bax, caspase 3, and inhibition of p38/JNK/ERK MAPKs. Moreover, Paeonol exhibited a mitigative effect on Epirubicin-induced cardiotoxicity through suppressing NF-kB pathway. In conclusion, Paeonol (a) enhanced the antitumor activity of Epirubicin in a synergistic manner against breast cancer cells via inhibiting p38/JNK/ERK MAPKs and (b) alleviated Epirubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by suppressing NF-kB pathway. These findings suggest that combination of Paeonol and Epirubicin is potentially applicable for breast cancer treatment.

RGD-peptide conjugated inulin-ibuprofen nanoparticles for targeted delivery of Epirubicin

Recently, chemotherapy-based polymeric nanoparticles have been extensively investigated for solid tumor treatment. Tumor targeted nanoparticles demonstrated great potential for improved accumulation in the tumor tissue, superior anticancer activity and reduced side effects. Thus, inulin-ibuprofen polymer was synthesized by esterification between inulin and ibuprofen, and RGD targeted epirubicin (EPB) loaded nanoparticles were prepared by the self-assembly of inulin-ibuprofen polymer and in situ encapsulation of EPB. RGD conjugated EPB loaded nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The EPB release from the nanoparticles showed pH-dependent profile and accelerated by the decreased pH value, which would favor the effective drug delivery in vivo. Intracellular uptake analysis suggested that RGD conjugated nanoparticles could be easily internalized by the cancer cells. In vitro cytotoxicity revealed that RGD conjugated EPB loaded nanoparticles exhibited the better antitumor efficacy compared with non-conjugated nanoparticles. More importantly, RGD conjugated EPB loaded nanoparticles showed superior anticancer effects and reduced toxicity than free EPB and non-conjugated nanoparticles by in vivo antitumor activity, EPB biodistribution and histology analysis.

Double targeting and aptamer-assisted controlled release delivery of epirubicin to cancer cells by aptamers-based dendrimer in vitro and in vivo

Clinical use of epirubicin (Epi) in the treatment of cancer has been limited, due to its cardiotoxicity. Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents could increase their efficacy and reduce their off-target effects. High drug loading and excellent stability of DNA dendrimers make these DNA nanostructures unique candidates for biological applications. In this study a modified and promoted dendrimer using three kinds of aptamers (MUC1, AS1411 and ATP aptamers) was designed for targeted delivery of Epi and its efficacy was evaluated in target cells including MCF-7 cells (breast cancer cell) and C26 cells (murine colon carcinoma cell). Aptamers (Apts)-Dendrimer-Epi complex formation was analyzed by fluorometric analysis and gel retardation assay. Release profiles of Epi from the designed complex were assessed at pHs 5.4 and 7.4. For MTT assay (cytotoxic study) MCF-7 and C26 cells (target cells) and CHO cells (Chinese hamster ovary cell, nontarget) were treated with Epi, Apts-Dendrimer-Epi complex and Apts-Dendrimer conjugate. Internalization was evaluated using flow cytometry analysis. Finally, the developed complex was used for inhibition of tumor growth in vivo. 25μM Epi was efficiently intercalated to 1μM dendrimer. Epi was released from the Apts-Dendrimer-Epi complex in a pH-sensitive manner (more release at pH 5.5). The results of flow cytometry analysis indicated that the designed complex was efficiently internalized into target cells, but not into control cells. The internalization data were confirmed by the results of MTT assay. Apts-Dendrimer-Epi complex had less cytotoxicity in CHO cells compared to Epi alone. The complex had more cytotoxicity in C26 and MCF-7 cells compared to Epi alone. Moreover, the Apts-Dendrimer-Epi complex could efficiently prohibit tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, the designed targeted drug delivery system inherited characteristics of pH-dependent drug release, high drug loading and tumor targeting in vitro and in vivo.

Recent development of biotin conjugation in biological imaging, sensing, and target delivery

Despite encouraging results from preliminary studies of anticancer therapies, the lack of tumor specificity remains an important issue in the modern pharmaceutical industry. New findings indicate that biotin or biotin-conjugates could be favorably assimilated by tumor cells that over-express biotin-selective transporters. Furthermore, biotin can form stable complexes with avidin and its bacterial counterpart streptavidin. The strong bridging between avidin and biotin moieties on other molecules is a proven adaptable tool with broad biological applications. Under these circumstances, a biotin moiety is certainly an attractive choice for live-cell imaging, biosensing, and target delivery.

Tocotrienol and cancer metastasis

Tumor metastasis involves some of the most complex and dynamic processes in cancer, often leading to poor quality of life and inevitable death. The search for therapeutic compounds and treatment strategies to prevent and/or manage metastasis is the ultimate challenge to fight cancer. In the past two decades, research focus on vitamin E has had a shift from saturated tocopherols to unsaturated tocotrienols (T3). Despite sharing structural similarities with tocopherols, T3 strive to gain scientific prominence due to their anti-cancer effects. Recent studies have shed some light on the anti-metastatic properties of T3. In this review, the roles of T3 in each step of the metastatic process are discussed. During the invasion process, signaling pathways that regulate the extracellular matrix and tumor cell motility have been reported to be modulated by T3. Although studies on T3 and tumor cell migration are fairly limited, they were shown to play a vital role in the suppression of angiogenesis. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory effect of T3 could be highly promising in the regulation of tumor microenvironment, which is crucial in supporting tumor growth in distant organs.

Enhanced immunotherapy of SM5-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma by conjugating with gold nanoparticles and its in vivo bioluminescence tomographic evaluation

SM5-1 is a humanized mouse monoclonal antibody, targeting an over-expressed membrane protein of approximately 230 kDa in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SM5-1 can be used for target therapy in hepatocellular carinoma due to its ability of inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis. However, the tumor inhibition efficacy of SM5-1 in HCC cancer treatment remains low. In this study, we synthesized SM5-1-conjugated gold nanoparticles (Au-SM5-1 NPs) and investigated their anticancer efficacy in HCC both in vitro and in vivo. The tumor inhibition rates of Au-SM5-1 NPs for subcutaneous tumor mice were 40.10% ± 4.34%, 31.37% ± 5.12%, and 30.63% ± 4.87% on day 12, 18, and 24 post-treatment as determined by bioluminescent intensity. In addition, we investigated the antitumor efficacy of Au-SM5-1 NPs in orthotopic HCC tumor models. The results showed that the inhibition rates of Au-SM5-1 NPs can reach up to 39.64% ± 4.87% on day 31 post-treatment determined by the bioluminescent intensity of the abdomen in tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, three-dimensional reconstruction results of the orthotopic tumor revealed that Au-SM5-1 NPs significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with SM5-1 alone. Our results suggested that the developed Au-SM5-1 NPs has great potential as an antibody-based nano-drug for HCC therapy.