Hyaluronic acid functionalized nanoparticles loaded with IR780 and DOX for cancer chemo-photothermal therapy

Chitosan- and hyaluronic acid-based nanoarchitectures in phototherapy: Combination cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy and gene therapy

Cancer phototherapy has been introduced as a new potential modality for tumor suppression. However, the efficacy of phototherapy has been limited due to a lack of targeted delivery of photosensitizers. Therefore, the application of biocompatible and multifunctional nanoparticles in phototherapy is appreciated. Chitosan (CS) as a cationic polymer and hyaluronic acid (HA) as a CD44-targeting agent are two widely utilized polymers in nanoparticle synthesis and functionalization. The current review focuses on the application of HA and CS nanostructures in cancer phototherapy. These nanocarriers can be used in phototherapy to induce hyperthermia and singlet oxygen generation for tumor ablation. CS and HA can be used for the synthesis of nanostructures, or they can functionalize other kinds of nanostructures used for phototherapy, such as gold nanorods. The HA and CS nanostructures can combine chemotherapy or immunotherapy with phototherapy to augment tumor suppression. Moreover, the CS nanostructures can be functionalized with HA for specific cancer phototherapy. The CS and HA nanostructures promote the cellular uptake of genes and photosensitizers to facilitate gene therapy and phototherapy. Such nanostructures specifically stimulate phototherapy at the tumor site, with particle toxic impacts on normal cells. Moreover, CS and HA nanostructures demonstrate high biocompatibility for further clinical applications.

Hyaluronic acid-functionalized graphene-based nanohybrids for targeted breast cancer chemo-photothermal therapy

Nanomaterials' application in cancer therapy has been driven by their ability to encapsulate chemotherapeutic drugs as well as to reach the tumor site. Nevertheless, nanomedicines' translation has been limited due to their lack of specificity towards cancer cells. Although the nanomaterials' surface can be coated with targeting ligands, such has been mostly achieved through non-covalent functionalization strategies that are prone to premature detachment. Notwithstanding, cancer cells often establish resistance mechanisms that impair the effect of the loaded drugs. This bottleneck may be addressed by using near-infrared (NIR)-light responsive nanomaterials. The NIR-light triggered hyperthermic effect generated by these nanomaterials can cause irreversible damage to cancer cells or sensitize them to chemotherapeutics' action. Herein, a novel covalently functionalized targeted NIR-absorbing nanomaterial for cancer chemo-photothermal therapy was developed. For such, dopamine-reduced graphene oxide nanomaterials were covalently bonded with hyaluronic acid, and then loaded with doxorubicin (DOX/HA-DOPA-rGO). The produced nanomaterials showed suitable physicochemical properties, high encapsulation efficiency, and photothermal capacity. The in vitro studies revealed that the nanomaterials are cytocompatible and that display an improved uptake by the CD44-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Importantly, the combination of DOX/HA-DOPA-rGO with NIR light reduced breast cancer cells' viability to just 23 %, showcasing their potential chemo-photothermal therapy.

Hyaluronic acid-empowered nanotheranostics in breast and lung cancers therapy

Nanomedicine application in cancer therapy is an urgency because of inability of current biological therapies for complete removal of tumor cells. The development of smart and novel nanoplatforms for treatment of cancer can provide new insight in tumor suppression. Hyaluronic acid is a biopolymer that can be employed for synthesis of smart nanostructures capable of selective targeting CD44-overexpressing tumor cells. The breast and lung cancers are among the most malignant and common tumors in both females and males that environmental factors, lifestyle and genomic alterations are among the risk factors for their pathogenesis and development. Since etiology of breast and lung tumors is not certain and multiple factors participate in their development, preventative measures have not been completely successful and studies have focused on developing new treatment strategies for them. The aim of current review is to provide a comprehensive discussion about application of hyaluronic acid-based nanostructures for treatment of breast and lung cancers. The main reason of using hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles is their ability in targeting breast and lung cancers in a selective way due to upregulation of CD44 receptor on their surface. Moreover, nanocarriers developed from hyaluronic acid or functionalized with hyaluronic acid have high biocompatibility and their safety is appreciated. The drugs and genes used for treatment of breast and lung cancers lack specific accumulation at cancer site and their cytotoxicity is low, but hyaluronic acid-based nanostructures provide their targeted delivery to tumor site and by increasing internalization of drugs and genes in breast and lung tumor cells, they improve their therapeutic index. Furthermore, hyaluronic acid-based nanostructures can be used for phototherapy-mediated breast and lung cancers ablation. The stimuli-responsive and smart kinds of hyaluronic acid-based nanostructures such as pH- and light-responsive can increase selective targeting of breast and lung cancers.

Recent progress on near-infrared fluorescence heptamethine cyanine dye-based molecules and nanoparticles for tumor imaging and treatment

Recenly, near-infrared fluorescence heptamethine cyanine dyes have shown satisfactory values in bioengineering, biology, and pharmacy especially in cancer diagnosis and treatment, owing to their excellent fluorescence property and biocompatibility. In order to achieve broad application prospects, diverse structures, and chemical properties of heptamethine cyanine dyes have been designed to develop novel functional molecules and nanoparticles over the past decade. For fluorescence and photoacoustic tumor imaging properties, heptamethine cyanine dyes are equipped with good photothermal performance and reactive oxygen species production properties under near-infrared light irradiation, thus holding great promise in photodynamic and/or photothermal cancer therapies. This review offers a comprehensive scope of the structures, comparisons, and applications of heptamethine cyanine dyes-based molecules as well as nanoparticles in tumor treatment and imaging in current years. Therefore, this review may drive the development and innovation of heptamethine cyanine dyes, significantly offering opportunities for improving tumor imaging and treatment in a precise noninvasive manner. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

The detection of the captured circulating tumor cells on the core-shell nanofibrous membrane using hyaluronic acid-functionalized graphene quantum dots

In recent years, cancerous cases have increased remarkably worldwide, and metastasis is the leading cause of death. Therefore, research on the early detection of cancer and metastasis has expanded to aid successful cancer treatment. Here in this paper, at the first step, an electrospun nanofibrous membrane (NFM) with a core-shell structure was fabricated from PCL and HA to achieve cancer cell capturing (about 75% of cells). On the other hand, hyaluronic acid (HA)-functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were used to detect captured cancer cells on NFM through the changes in photoluminescence intensity. Therefore, CD44 receptor-HA interaction is the main principle used for both entrapment and detection of cancer cells. Results demonstrated the GQD-HA fluorescent intensity of solution decreased through the increase of the captured cancer cell numbers on NFM, which is related to the more adsorption of GQD nanocomposites to the CD44 receptors. In contrast, this intensity for noncancerous cells was steady with any cell concentrations. This difference shows the system's remarkable selectivity and specificity, which can be crucial in fluorescent imaging for accurate cancer diagnosis.

Simple preparation of POxylated nanomaterials for cancer chemo-PDT/PTT

Near infrared (NIR) light-responsive nanomaterials hold potential to mediate combinatorial therapies targeting several cancer hallmarks. When irradiated, these nanomaterials produce reactive oxygen species (photodynamic therapy) and/or a temperature increase (photothermal therapy). These events can damage cancer cells and trigger the release of drugs from the nanomaterials' core. However, engineering nanomaterials for cancer chemo-photodynamic/photothermal therapy is a complex process. First, nanomaterials with photothermal capacity are synthesized, being then loaded with photosensitizers plus chemotherapeutics, and, finally functionalized with polymers for achieving suitable biological properties. To overcome this limitation, in this work, a novel straightforward approach to attain NIR light-responsive nanosystems for cancer chemo-photodynamic/photothermal therapy was established. Such was accomplished by synthesizing poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-IR780 amphiphilic conjugates, which can be assembled into nanoparticles with photodynamic/photothermal capabilities that simultaneously encapsulate Doxorubicin (DOX/PEtOx-IR NPs). The DOX/PEtOx-IR NPs presented a suitable size and surface charge for cancer-related applications. When irradiated with NIR light, the DOX/PEtOx-IR NPs produced singlet oxygen as well as a smaller thermic effect that boosted the release of DOX by 1.7-times. In the in vitro studies, the combination of DOX/PEtOx-IR NPs and NIR light could completely ablate breast cancer cells (viability ≈ 4 %), demonstrating the enhanced outcome arising from the nanomaterials' chemo-photodynamic/photothermal therapy.

Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-IR780 conjugate nanoparticles for breast cancer phototherapy

Aims: To address the limitations of IR780 by preparing hydrophilic polymer-IR780 conjugates and to employ these conjugates in the assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) intended for cancer photothermal therapy. Materials & methods: The cyclohexenyl ring of IR780 was conjugated for the first time with thiol-terminated poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEtOx). This novel poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-IR780 (PEtOx-IR) conjugate was combined with D-α-tocopheryl succinate (TOS), leading to the assembly of mixed NPs (PEtOx-IR/TOS NPs). Results: PEtOx-IR/TOS NPs displayed optimal colloidal stability as well as cytocompatibility in healthy cells at doses within the therapeutic range. In turn, the combination of PEtOx-IR/TOS NPs and near-infrared light reduced heterotypic breast cancer spheroid viability to just 15%. Conclusion: PEtOx-IR/TOS NPs are promising agents for breast cancer photothermal therapy.

Hyaluronic Acid-Based Nanomaterials Applied to Cancer: Where Are We Now?

Cancer cells normally develop the ability to rewire or reprogram themselves to become resistant to treatments that were previously effective. Despite progress in understanding drug resistance, knowledge gaps remain regarding the underlying biological causes of drug resistance and the design of cancer treatments to overcome it. So, resistance acquisition remains a major problem in cancer treatment. Targeted therapeutics are considered the next generation of cancer therapy because they overcome many limitations of traditional treatments. Numerous tumor cells overexpress several receptors that have a high binding affinity for hyaluronic acid (HA), while they are poorly expressed in normal body cells. HA and its derivatives have the advantage of being biocompatible and biodegradable and may be conjugated with a variety of drugs and drug carriers for developing various formulations as anticancer therapies such as micelles, nanogels, and inorganic nanoparticles. Due to their stability in blood circulation and predictable delivery patterns, enhanced tumor-selective drug accumulation, and decreased toxicity to normal tissues, tumor-targeting nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems have been shown to represent an efficacious approach for the treatment of cancer. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of some in vitro and in vivo studies related to the potential of HA as a ligand to develop targeted nanovehicles for future biomedical applications in cancer treatment.

Polydopamine encapsulated new indocyanine green theranostic nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal therapy in cervical cancer HeLa cells

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive attention in cancer treatment due to its non-invasiveness, high efficiency, and repeatability in recent years. Photothermal agents (PTAs) are the key factor for PTT. Recently, although an increasing number of PTAs have been developed, there is still a great demand for optimized photothermal nanoparticles (NPs) with low toxicity, bio-safety and stability. Herein, new indocyanine green (IR820) with near-infrared (NIR:700–1,700 nm) fluorescence emission was selected as a photothermal agent (PTA). To enhance the PTT property, IR820 was encapsulated with another kind of PTA, polydopamine (PDA) under alkaline conditions. Furthermore, to improve the biocompatibility of the NPs, methoxy polyethylene glycol amine (mPEG-NH2) was modified via a Michael addition to form a novel kind of IR820@PDA@PEG NPs. After detailed characterization and analysis, the obtained IR820@PDA@PEG NPs showed a spherical shape with an average diameter of ∼159.6 nm. Meanwhile, the formed IR820@PDA@PEG NPs exhibited better photostability and lower cytotoxicity than free IR820 molecules. The photothermal performance of IR820@PDA@PEG NPs was further analyzed in vitro, and the temperature of IR820@PDA@PEG NPs (100 μg/ml) reached 54.8°C under 793 nm laser irradiation. Afterwards, the cellular uptake of IR820@PDA@PEG NPs was evaluated via confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopic imaging. Then, PTT experiments on HeLa cells demonstrated that IR820@PDA@PEG NPs can hyperthermal ablate cancer cells (∼49.1%) under 793 nm laser irradiation. Therefore, IR820@PDA@PEG NPs would be a promising PTA for the treatment of cervical cancer HeLa cells.

Design of ROS-Responsive Hyaluronic Acid-Methotrexate Conjugates for Synergistic Chemo-Photothermal Therapy for Cancer

Combining chemotherapy with photothermal therapy (PTT) for cancer treatment could overcome the inherent limitations of both single-modality chemotherapy and PTT. However, the obstacle of accurate drug delivery to tumor sites based on chemo-photothermal remains challenging. This article describes development of a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticle to overcome these drawbacks. Herein, HA-TK-MTX (HTM) was synthesized by a ROS-responsive cleaved thioketal moiety linker (TK) of methotrexate (MTX) and hyaluronic acid (HA). Through hydrophobic interaction and π-π stacking interaction, a photothermal agent IR780 was integrated into the HTM, and the IR780/HTM nanoparticles (IHTM NPs) were obtained. The IHTM NPs show high photostability, excellent photothermal performance, remarkable tumor-targeting ability, and ROS sensibility. Due to the accurate drug delivery ability and superior chemo-photothermal treatment effect of IHTM NPs, the tumor inhibition rate reached 70.95% for 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. This work serves as a precedent for the chemo-photothermal therapy of cancer by rationally designing ROS-responsive nanoparticles.

Recent advances in nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy for breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women that is associated with high mortality. Conventional treatments including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, which are not effective enough and have disadvantages such as toxicity and damage to healthy cells. Photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancer cells has been took great attention by researchers in recent years due to the use of light radiation and heat generation at the tumor site, which thermal ablation is considered a minimally invasive method for the treatment of breast cancer. Nanotechnology has opened up a new perspective in the treatment of breast cancer using PTT method. Through NIR light absorption, researchers applied various nanostructures because of their specific nature of penetrating and targeting tumor tissue, increasing the effectiveness of PTT, and combining it with other treatments. If PTT is used with common cancer treatments, it can dramatically increase the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the side effects of other methods. PTT performance can also be improved by hybridizing at least two different nanomaterials. Nanoparticles that intensely absorb light and increase the efficiency of converting light into heat can specifically kill tumors through hyperthermia of cancer cells. One of the main reasons that have increased the efficiency of nanoparticles in PTT is their permeability and durability effect and they can accumulate in tumor tissue. Targeted PTT can be provided by incorporating specific ligands to target receptors expressed on the surface of cancer cells on nanoparticles. These nanoparticles can specifically target cancer cells by maintaining the surface area and increasing penetration. In this study, we briefly introduce the performance of light therapy, application of metal nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, and hybrid nanoparticles for use in PTT of breast cancer.

Chitosan IR806 dye-based polyelectrolyte complex nanoparticles with mitoxantrone combination for effective chemo-photothermal therapy of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer

Chemo-photothermal therapy is one of the emerging therapies for treating triple-negative breast cancer. In this study, we have used ionotropic gelation method to fabricate chitosan and IR806 dye-based polyelectrolyte complex (CIR-PEx) nanoparticles. These nano-complexes were in size range of 125 ± 20 nm. The complexation of IR 806 dye with chitosan improved photostability, photothermal transduction, and showed excellent biocompatibility. Cancer cells treated with CIR-PEx NPs enhanced intracellular uptake within 5 h of incubation and also displayed mitochondrial localization. With the combination of CIR-PEx NPs and a chemotherapeutic agent (i.e., mitoxantrone, MTX), a significant decline in cancer cell viability was observed in both 2D and 3D cell culture models. The chemo-photothermal effect of CIR-PEx NPs + MTX augmented apoptosis in cancer cells when irradiated with NIR light. Furthermore, when tested in the 4 T1-tumor model, the chemo-photothermal therapy showed a drastic decline in tumor volume and inhibited metastatic lung nodules. The localized hyperthermia caused by photothermal therapy reduced the primary tumor burden, and the chemotherapeutic activity of mitoxantrone further complemented by inhibiting the spread of cancer cells. The proposed chemo-photothermal therapy combination could be a promising strategy for treating triple-negative metastatic breast cancer.

Heptamethine Cyanine-Loaded Nanomaterials for Cancer Immuno-Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy: A Review

The development of strategies capable of eliminating metastasized cancer cells and preventing tumor recurrence is an exciting and extremely important area of research. In this regard, therapeutic approaches that explore the synergies between nanomaterial-mediated phototherapies and immunostimulants/immune checkpoint inhibitors have been yielding remarkable results in pre-clinical cancer models. These nanomaterials can accumulate in tumors and trigger, after irradiation of the primary tumor with near infrared light, a localized temperature increase and/or reactive oxygen species. These effects caused damage in cancer cells at the primary site and can also (i) relieve tumor hypoxia, (ii) release tumor-associated antigens and danger-associated molecular patterns, and (iii) induced a pro-inflammatory response. Such events will then synergize with the activity of immunostimulants and immune checkpoint inhibitors, paving the way for strong T cell responses against metastasized cancer cells and the creation of immune memory. Among the different nanomaterials aimed for cancer immuno-phototherapy, those incorporating near infrared-absorbing heptamethine cyanines (Indocyanine Green, IR775, IR780, IR797, IR820) have been showing promising results due to their multifunctionality, safety, and straightforward formulation. In this review, combined approaches based on phototherapies mediated by heptamethine cyanine-loaded nanomaterials and immunostimulants/immune checkpoint inhibitor actions are analyzed, focusing on their ability to modulate the action of the different immune system cells, eliminate metastasized cancer cells, and prevent tumor recurrence.

Nanocarriers for anticancer drugs: challenges and perspectives

Cancer is the second most common cause of death globally, surpassed only by cardiovascular disease. One of the hallmarks of cancer is uncontrolled cell division and resistance to cell death. Multiple approaches have been developed to tackle this disease, including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Although chemotherapy is used primarily to control cell division and induce cell death, some cancer cells are able to resist apoptosis and develop tolerance to these drugs. The side effects of chemotherapy are often overwhelming, and patients can experience more adverse effects than benefits. Furthermore, the bioavailability and stability of drugs used for chemotherapy are crucial issues that must be addressed, and there is therefore a high demand for a reliable delivery system that ensures fast and accurate targeting of treatment. In this review, we discuss the different types of nanocarriers, their properties and recent advances in formulations, with respect to relevant advantages and disadvantages of each.

A hypoxia-responsive supramolecular formulation for imaging-guided photothermal therapy

Photothermal agents (PTAs) based on organic small-molecule dyes emerge as promising theranostic strategy in imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). However, hydrophobicity, photodegradation, and low signal-to-noise ratio impede their transformation from bench to bedside. In this study, a novel supramolecular PTT formulation by a stimuli-responsive macrocyclic host is prepared to overcome these obstacles of organic small-molecule PTAs. Methods: Sulfonated azocalix[4]arene (SAC4A) was synthesized as a hypoxia-responsive macrocyclic host. Taking IR780 as an example, the supramolecular nanoformulation IR780@SAC4A was constructed by grinding method, and its solubility, photostability, and photothermal conversion were evaluated. The hypoxia tumor-selective imaging and supramolecular PTT of IR780@SAC4A were further evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results: IR780@SAC4A is capable of enhancing the solubility, photostability, and photothermal conversion of IR780 significantly, which achieve this supramolecular formulation with good imaging-guided PTT efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the supramolecular PTT strategy is a promising cancer theranostic method. Moreover, this supramolecular approach is applicative to construct kinds of supramolecular PTAs, opening a general avenue for extending smart PTT formulations.

Synthesis of self-assembled hyaluronan based nanoparticles and their applications in targeted imaging and therapy

Hyaluronan (HA) is a polysaccharide consisting of repeating disaccharides of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and d-glucuronic acid. There are increasing interests in utilizing self-assembled HA nanoparticles (HA-NPs) for targeted imaging and therapy. The principal endogenous receptor of HA, cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), is overexpressed on many types of tumor cells as well as inflammatory cells in human bodies. Active targeting from HA-CD44 mediated interaction and passive targeting due to the enhanced permeability retention (EPR) effect could lead to selective accumulation of HA-NPs at targeted disease sites. This review focuses on the synthesis strategies of self-assembled HA-NPs, as well as their applications in therapy and biomedical imaging.

Design and construction of IR780- and EGCG-based and mitochondrial targeting nanoparticles and their application in tumor chemo-phototherapy

An integration combination of phototherapy and chemotherapy to treat carcinoma, solving the inner limitation of individual-modal chemical agent-based therapy or phototherapy, emerges to be a strategy with high prospects for achieving synergistic curative effects. The dye IR780-iodide (IR780) close to infrared radiation is a phototherapy agent with high prospects. However, it is limited in its clinical applications due to poor solubility in water. While epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), naturally resourced green tea polyphenol, has been extensively proven with intrinsic antitumor activity, but it is largely restricted by its low bioavailability in vivo. Hence, novel multiple-function nanoparticles comprising hyaluronic acid (HA) and IR780 were proposed to deliver EGCG, defined as EGCG@THSI nano-scale particles (EGCG@THSI NPs), thereby rapidly solving limitations of EGCG and IR780. Amphiphilic nano-scale carrier was prepared by triphenylphosphine (TPP), hyaluronic acid (HA), cystamine, and IR780, termed as TPP-HA-SS-IR780, and EGCG was loaded into the amphiphilic copolymer by self-assembly. TPP-HA-SS-IR780 endowed the as-synthesized EGCG@THSI NPs with excellent TPP-mediated mitochondrial-targeted and glutathione-triggered rapid drug release properties. As impacted by the integration of phototherapy and chemotherapy, the EGCG@THSI NPs under NIR laser irradiation showed a prominent anti-tumor effect. Taken together, this study presented a multiple-function nano-scale carrier platform with high prospects in improving the therapeutic efficacy of anti-carcinoma drugs.

HA/PEI-coated acridine orange-loaded gold-core silica shell nanorods for cancer-targeted photothermal and chemotherapy

Aims: To develop a tumor-targeted chemo-photothermal nanomedicine through the functionalization of acridine orange (AO)-loaded gold-core mesoporous silica shell (AuMSS) nanorods with polyethylenimine (PEI) and hyaluronic acid (HA). Methods: Functionalization of the AuMSS nanorods was achieved through the chemical linkage of PEI followed by electrostatic adsorption of HA. Results: HA functionalization improved AuMSS' cytocompatibility by decreasing blood hemolysis, and PEI-HA inclusion promoted a controlled and sustained AO release. In vitro assays revealed that HA functionalization increased the internalization of nanoparticles by human negroid cervix epithelioid carcinoma cancer (HeLa) cells, and the combinatorial treatment mediated by AuMSS/PEI/HA_AO nanorods presented an enhanced effect, with >95% of cellular death. Conclusion: AuMSS/PEI/HA_AO formulations can act as tumor-targeted chemo-photothermal nanomedicines for the combinatorial therapy of cervical cancer.

IR780 loaded gelatin-PEG coated gold core silica shell nanorods for cancer-targeted photothermal/photodynamic therapy

Gold core silica shell (AuMSS) nanorods present excellent physicochemical properties that allow their application as photothermal and drug delivery agents. Herein, AuMSS nanorods were dual-functionalized with Polyethylene glycol methyl ether (PEG-CH₃ ) and Gelatin (GEL) to enhance both the colloidal stability and uptake by HeLa cancer cells. Additionally, the AuMSS nanorods were combined for the first time with IR780 (a heptamethine cyanine molecule) and its photothermal and photodynamic capacities were determined. The obtained results reveal that the encapsulation of IR780 (65 µg per AuMSS mg) increases the photothermal conversion efficiency of AuMSS nanorods by 10%, and this enhanced heat generation was maintained even after three irradiation cycles with a NIR (808 nm) laser. Moreover, the IR780-loaded AuMSS/T-PEG-CH₃ /T-GEL presented ≈2-times higher uptake in HeLa cells, when compared to the non-coated counterparts, and successfully mediated the light-triggered generation of reactive oxygen species. Overall, the combination of photodynamic and photothermal therapy mediated by IR780-loaded AuMSS/T-PEG-CH₃ /T-GEL nanorods effectively promoted the ablation of HeLa cancer cells.

Hyaluronic acid-based nanoplatforms for Doxorubicin: A review of stimuli-responsive carriers, co-delivery and resistance suppression

An important motivation for the use of nanomaterials and nanoarchitectures in cancer therapy emanates from the widespread emergence of drug resistance. Although doxorubicin (DOX) induces cell cycle arrest and DNA damage by suppressing topoisomerase activity, resistance to DOX has severely restricted its anti-cancer potential. Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been extensively utilized for synthesizing nanoparticles as it interacts with CD44 expressed on the surface of cancer cells. Cancer cells can take up HA-modified nanoparticles through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Various types of nanostructures such as carbon nanomaterials, lipid nanoparticles and polymeric nanocarriers have been modified with HA to enhance the delivery of DOX to cancer cells. Hyaluronic acid-based advanced materials provide a platform for the co-delivery of genes and drugs along with DOX to enhance the efficacy of anti-cancer therapy and overcome chemoresistance. In the present review, the potential methods and application of HA-modified nanostructures for DOX delivery in anti-cancer therapy are discussed.

Advances in Hyaluronic-Acid-Based (Nano)Devices for Cancer Therapy

Cancer is the main cause of fatality all over the world with a considerable growth rate. Many biologically active nanoplatforms are exploited for tumor treatment. Of nanodevices, hyaluronic acid (HA)-based systems have shown to be promising candidates for cancer therapy due to their high biocompatibility and cell internalization. Herein, surface functionalization of different nanoparticles (NPs), e.g., organic- and inorganic-based NPs, is highlighted. Subsequently, HA-based nanostructures and their applications in cancer therapy are presented.

Folate-targeted Pluronic-chitosan nanocapsules loaded with IR780 for near-infrared fluorescence imaging and photothermal-photodynamic therapy of ovarian cancer

Herein, we report the fabrication of a nanotherapeutic platform integrating near-infrared (NIR) imaging with combined therapeutic potential through photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal therapies (PTT) and recognition functionality against ovarian cancer. Owing to its NIR fluorescence, singlet oxygen generation and heating capacity, IR780 iodide is exploited to construct a multifunctional nanosystem for single-wavelength NIR laser imaging-assisted dual-modal phototherapy. We opted for loading IR780 into polymeric Pluronic-F127-chitosan nanoformulation in order to overcome its hydrophobicity and toxicity and to allow functionalization with folic acid. The obtained nanocapsules show temperature-dependent swelling and spectroscopic behavior with favorable size distribution for cellular uptake at physiological temperatures, improved fluorescence properties and good stability. The fabricated nanocapsules can efficiently generate singlet oxygen in solution and are able to produce considerable temperature increase (46 °C) upon NIR laser irradiation. Viability assays on NIH-OVCAR-3 cells confirm the successful biocompatibilization of IR780 by encapsulating in Pluronic and chitosan polymers. NIR fluorescence imaging assays reveal the ability of folic-acid functionalized nanocapsules to serve as intracellular contrast agents and demonstrate their active targeting capacity against folate receptor expressing ovarian cancer cells (NIH-OVCAR-3). Consequently, the targeted nanocapsules show improved NIR laser induced phototherapeutic performance against NIH-OVCAR-3 cells compared to free IR780. We anticipate that this class of nanocapsules holds great promise as theranostic agents for application in image-guided dual PDT-PTT and imaging assisted surgery of ovarian cancer.

Near-Infrared Light-, Magneto-, and pH-Responsive GO-Fe3O4/Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/alginate Nanocomposite Hydrogel Microcapsules for Controlled Drug Release

Responsive hydrogels have found widespread applications in biomedical science and engineering fields, especially for drug delivery. Despite the superior performance of responsive hydrogels, challenges still exist in drug-delivery efficiency when environmental stimuli are weak. Recently, the demand in the design of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems has stimulated considerable interest in the search for new strategies, for instance, the application of nanocomposite hydrogels for reinforcing the versatility and flexibility in controlled drug delivery. In this study, a novel and effective nanocomposite hydrogel microcapsule drug delivery system, which is composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and alginate interpenetrating polymer and GO-Fe₃O₄ nanomaterials, is developed to achieve NIR light-, magneto-, and pH-responsive drug release. The GO-Fe₃O₄ nanomaterials embedded in the interpenetrating polymer enable the PNIPAM hydrogel deswelling by raising temperature above the lower critical solution temperature under NIR light and alternating magnetic field, thus accelerating the release of doxorubicin. In addition, the introduction of alginate into PNIPAM hydrogels endows nanocomposite hydrogels (NCHs) with quick gelation property, enhanced mechanical property, and pH-responsive performance. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay confirmed that the NCH platform can effectively kill the cancer cells. This novel multiresponsive drug delivery system holds great promise for the treatment of diseases.

Self-assembled multifunctional polymeric micelles for tumor-specific bioimaging and synergistic chemo-phototherapy of cancer

Integration of multiple therapies into one nanoplatform holds great promise to overcome the shortcomings of traditional single-modal therapy and achieve favorable antitumor efficacy. Herein, we constructed a dual receptor-targeting nanomicelle system with GSH-responsive drug release for precise fluorescence imaging and superior chemo-phototherapy of cancer. The synthetic amphiphilic hyaluronic acid derivative (FHSV) could self-assemble into nanomicelles in aqueous media. Then, paclitaxel (PTX) and photosensitizer IR780 iodide (IR780) were co-loaded into the micelles by a simple dialysis method. The resulting IR780/PTX/FHSV micelles with a particle size of 150.2 ± 6.9 nm exhibited excellent stability, GSH-responsive drug release and good photothermal/photodynamic efficacy. Once accumulated at the tumor sites, IR780/PTX/FHSV micelles efficiently entered tumor cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis and then rapidly release PTX and IR780 under GSH-rich tumor microenvironment. Upon NIR laser irradiation, IR780 produced local hyperthermia and sufficient reactive oxygen species to promote tumor cells apoptosis and necrosis. The results of in vitro and in vivo experiments consistently demonstrated that compared with single chemotherapy and phototherapy, the chemo-phototherapy could more efficiently kill tumor cells by synergistic antitumor effect. Therefore, our study provides a novel and efficient approach for multimodal treatment of malignant tumor.

Injectable in situ forming hydrogels incorporating dual-nanoparticles for chemo-photothermal therapy of breast cancer cells

Chemo-photothermal therapy (chemo-PTT) mediated by nanomaterials holds a great potential for cancer treatment. However, the tumor uptake of the systemically administered nanomaterials was recently found to be below 1%. To address this limitation, the development of injectable tridimensional polymeric matrices capable of delivering nanomaterials directly into the tumor site appears to be a promising approach. In this work, an injectable in situ forming ionotropically crosslinked chitosan-based hydrogel co-incorporating IR780 loaded nanoparticles (IR/BPN) and Doxorubicin (DOX) loaded nanoparticles (DOX/TPN) was developed for application in breast cancer chemo-PTT. The produced hydrogels (IR/BPN@Gel and IR/BPN+DOX/TPN@Gel) displayed suitable physicochemical properties and produced a temperature increase of about 9.1 °C upon exposure to Near Infrared (NIR) light. As importantly, the NIR-light exposure also increased the release of DOX from the hydrogel by 1.7-times. In the in vitro studies, the combination of IR/BPN@Gel with NIR light (photothermal therapy) led to a reduction in the viability of breast cancer cells to 35%. On the other hand, the non-irradiated IR/BPN+DOX/TPN@Gel (chemotherapy) only diminished cancer cells' viability to 85%. In contrast, the combined action of IR/BPN+DOX/TPN@Gel and NIR light reduced cancer cells' viability to about 9%, demonstrating its potential for breast cancer chemo-PTT.

A novel self-coated polydopamine nanoparticle for synergistic photothermal-chemotherapy

The combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy is a promising strategy to overcome the shortcomings of monotherapy. For the first time, we designed a self-coated nanoparticle formed by mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) core and polydopamine (PDA) shell, which was used to load docetaxel and modified with hyaluronic acid (HA). The obtained nanoparticle can achieve targeted drug delivery and further exert the synergistic effect of PTT and chemotherapy. The MPDA core has high drug loading due to mesopores, and the PDA shell can prevent the drug from releasing in the non-target-site because of the pH-sensitivity of the PDA. Compared with other PDA coated nanoparticle, self-coated nanoparticle has a simpler composition and can avoid the potential toxicity caused by the introduction of other materials. Experimental results showed that it had good photothermal conversion ability both in vivo and in vitro, and could be actively targeted into tumor cells through HA-mediated targeting. Under laser irradiation, it ablated the tumors. Simple ingredient and preparation, good compatibility and obvious therapeutic effect make it have a broad application prospect in tumor therapy.

Influence of ClearT and ClearT2 Agitation Conditions in the Fluorescence Imaging of 3D Spheroids

3D tumor spheroids have arisen in the last years as potent tools for the in vitro screening of novel anticancer therapeutics. Nevertheless, to increase the reproducibility and predictability of the data originated from the spheroids it is still necessary to develop or optimize the techniques used for spheroids’ physical and biomolecular characterization. Fluorescence microscopy, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), is a tool commonly used by researchers to characterize spheroids structure and the antitumoral effect of novel therapeutics. However, its application in spheroids’ analysis is hindered by the limited light penetration in thick samples. For this purpose, optical clearing solutions have been explored to increase the spheroids’ transparency by reducing the light scattering. In this study, the influence of agitation conditions (i.e., static, horizontal agitation, and rotatory agitation) on the Clear^T and Clear^T2 methods’ clearing efficacy and tumor spheroids’ imaging by CLSM was characterized. The obtained results demonstrate that the Clear^T method results in the improved imaging of the spheroids interior, whereas the Clear^T2 resulted in an increased propidium iodide mean fluorescence intensity as well as a higher signal depth in the Z-axis. Additionally, for both methods, the best clearing results were obtained for the spheroids treated under the rotatory agitation. In general, this work provides new insights on the Clear^T and Clear^T2 clearing methodologies and their utilization for improving the reproducibility of the data obtained through the CLSM, such as the analysis of the cell death in response to therapeutics administration.

Quantitative measurements of IR780 in formulations and tissues

PURPOSE

IR780 iodide, a promising near-infrared dye, is widely used to prepare nanoparticles as a theranostic agent for tumor imaging and therapy. However, there are no validated (bio)analytical methods to measure IR780 in nanoparticles and tissues in literature. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a new HPLC method to measure IR780 concentration in IR780 formulations as well as a new LC-MS/MS method to measure IR780 concentration in tissue samples, particularly in liver and lung.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

IR780 granules that produced IR780 in situ self-assembled nanoparticles upon contact with water were prepared at two drug loadings (0.2 % and 0.37 %). An HPLC method was developed and validated to measure IR780 concentrations in IR780 granules and nanoparticles. Furthermore, a validated LC-MS/MS method was developed to measure IR780 in mouse liver and lung. Both HPLC method and LC-MS/MS method were validated in terms of specificity, stability, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification, accuracy and precision.

RESULTS

Both HPLC method and LC-MS/MS method achieved the criteria for method validation. The HPLC method was accurate in the concentration range of 0.5-25 μg/mL. The measured drug loadings were 95 % of the theoretical drug loadings. The validated LC-MS/MS method can quantitatively measure the concentrations of IR780 in liver and lung. The linear range of the LC-MS/MS method was 1-1000 ng/mL for both liver and lung samples. IR780 granules showed the lung selectivity compared to IR780 solution at 2 h after oral administration.

CONCLUSION

A validated HPLC method was developed to measure IR780 concentration in pharmaceutical formulations and a validated LC-MS/MS method was developed to measure IR780 concentration in tissues. These quantitative methods provide reliable measurements of IR780 in pharmaceutic formulations and biological samples, which will significantly facilitate the research of IR780 as a theranostic agent for cancer therapy and imaging.

Assessing the Combinatorial Chemo-Photothermal Therapy Mediated by Sulfobetaine Methacrylate-Functionalized Nanoparticles in 2D and 3D In Vitro Cancer Models

Combinatorial cancer therapies mediated by nanomaterials can potentially overcome the limitations of conventional treatments. These therapies are generally investigated using 2D in vitro cancer models, leading to an inaccurate screening. Recently, 3D in vitro spheroids have emerged in the preclinical testing stage of nanomedicines due to their ability to mimic key features of the in vivo solid tumors. Investigate the chemo-photothermal therapy mediated by Doxorubicin and IR780 loaded sulfobetaine methacrylate functionalized nanoparticles, for the first time, using monolayers of cancer cells and spheroids. In the 2D cancer models, the nanomaterials' mediated photothermal therapy, chemotherapy, and chemo-photothermal therapy reduced cancer cells' viability to about 58%, 29%, and 1%, respectively. Interestingly, when the nanomaterials' mediated photothermal therapy is tested on 3D spheroids, no cytotoxic effect is noticed. In contrast, the nanostructures' induced chemotherapy decreased spheroids' viability to 42%. On the other hand, nanomaterials' mediated chemo-photothermal therapy diminished spheroids' viability to 16%, being the most promising therapeutic modality. These results demonstrate the importance of using 3D spheroids during the in vitro screening of single/combinatorial therapies mediated by nanomaterials.

Cetuximab-Coated Thermo-Sensitive Liposomes Loaded with Magnetic Nanoparticles and Doxorubicin for Targeted EGFR-Expressing Breast Cancer Combined Therapy

Background

One major limitation of cancer chemotherapy is a failure to specifically target a tumor, potentially leading to side effects such as systemic cytotoxicity. In this case, we have generated a cancer cell-targeting nanoparticle-liposome drug delivery system that can be activated by near-infrared laser light to enable local photo-thermal therapy and the release of chemotherapeutic agents, which could achieve combined therapeutic efficiency.

Methods

To exploit the magnetic potential of iron oxide, we prepared and characterized citric acid-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (CMNPs) and encapsulated them into thermo-sensitive liposomes (TSLs). The chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin (DOX), was then loaded into the CMNP-TSLs, which were coated with an antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cetuximab (CET), to target EGFR-expressing breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo studies in mouse model.

Results

The resulting CET-DOX-CMNP–TSLs were stable with an average diameter of approximately 120 nm. First, the uptake of TSLs into breast cancer cells increased by the addition of the CET coating. Next, the viability of breast cancer cells treated with CET-CMNP-TSLs and CET-DOX-CMNP-TSLs was reduced by the addition of photo-thermal therapy using near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. What is more, the viability of breast cancer cells treated with CMNP-TSLs plus NIR was reduced by the addition of DOX to the CMNP-TSLs. Finally, photo-thermal therapy studies on tumor-bearing mice subjected to NIR laser irradiation showed that treatment with CMNP-TSLs or CET-CMNP-TSLs led to an increase in tumor surface temperature to 44.7°C and 48.7°C, respectively, compared with saline-treated mice body temperature ie, 35.2°C. Further, the hemolysis study shows that these nanocarriers are safe for systemic delivery.

Conclusion

Our studies revealed that a combined therapy of photo-thermal therapy and targeted chemotherapy in thermo-sensitive nano-carriers represents a promising therapeutic strategy against breast cancer.

Strategies to improve the photothermal capacity of gold-based nanomedicines

The plasmonic photothermal properties of gold nanoparticles have been widely explored in the biomedical field to mediate a photothermal effect in response to the irradiation with an external light source. Particularly, in cancer therapy, the physicochemical properties of gold-based nanomaterials allow them to efficiently accumulate in the tumor tissue and then mediate the light-triggered thermal destruction of cancer cells with high spatial-temporal control. Nevertheless, the gold nanomaterials can be produced with different shapes, sizes, and organizations such as nanospheres, nanorods, nanocages, nanoshells, and nanoclusters. These gold nanostructures will present different plasmonic photothermal properties that can impact cancer thermal ablation. This review analyses the application of gold-based nanomaterials in cancer photothermal therapy, emphasizing the main parameters that affect its light-to-heat conversion efficiency and consequently the photothermal potential. The different shapes/organizations (clusters, shells, rods, stars, cages) of gold nanomaterials and the parameters that can be fine-tuned to improve the photothermal capacity are presented. Moreover, the gold nanostructures combination with other materials (e.g. silica, graphene, and iron oxide) or small molecules (e.g. indocyanine green and IR780) to improve the nanomaterials photothermal capacity is also overviewed.

Apigenin as Tumor Suppressor in Cancers: Biotherapeutic Activity, Nanodelivery, and Mechanisms With Emphasis on Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its propensity for early local and distant spread, affected patients possess extremely poor prognosis. Currently applied treatments are not effective enough to eradicate all cancer cells, and minimize their migration. Besides, these treatments are associated with adverse effects on normal cells and organs. These therapies are not able to increase the overall survival rate of patients; hence, finding novel adjuvants or alternatives is so essential. Up to now, medicinal herbs were utilized for therapeutic goals. Herbal-based medicine, as traditional biotherapeutics, were employed for cancer treatment. Of them, apigenin, as a bioactive flavonoid that possesses numerous biological properties (e.g., anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects), has shown substantial anticancer activity. It seems that apigenin is capable of suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells via the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Besides, apigenin inhibits metastasis via down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases and the Akt signaling pathway. In pancreatic cancer cells, apigenin sensitizes cells in chemotherapy, and affects molecular pathways such as the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1). Herein, the biotherapeutic activity of apigenin and its mechanisms toward cancer cells are presented in the current review to shed some light on anti-tumor activity of apigenin in different cancers, with an emphasis on pancreatic cancer.

Microfluidics-Assisted Surface Trifunctionalization of a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Nanocarrier for Targeted and Controllable Multitherapies of Tumors

Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based drug delivery nanosystems with both precise drug release and multidrug codelivery capabilities have emerged as promising candidates for cancer treatment. However, challenges are posed by the limited number of suitable payload types, uncontrollable drug leakage, and lack of chemical groups for postmodification. To overcome those challenges, we developed a core-shell nanocomposite composed of zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90) coated with spermine-modified acetalated dextran (SAD) by a facile microfluidics-based nanoprecipitation method. This nanocomposite could serve as a multidrug storage reservoir for the loading of two drugs with distinct properties, where the hydrophilic doxorubicin (DOX) was coordinately attached to the ZIF-90 framework, and hydrophobic photosensitizer IR780 was loaded into the SAD shell, enabling the combination therapy of photodynamic treatment with chemotherapy. Meanwhile, equipping ZIF-90 with a SAD shell not only substantially improved the pH-responsive drug release of ZIF-90 but also enabled the postformation conjugation of ZIF-90 with hyaluronic acid for specific CD44 recognition, thereby facilitating precise drug delivery to CD44-overexpressed tumor. Such a simple microfluidics-based strategy can efficiently overcome the limitations of solely MOF-based DDSs and greatly extend the flexibility of MOF biomedical applications.

The importance of spheroids in analyzing nanomedicine efficacy

The use of nanomedicines for cancer treatment holds a great potential due to their improved efficacy and safety. During the nanomedicine preclinical in vitro evaluation stage, these are mainly tested on cell culture monolayers. However, these 2D models are an unrealistic representation of the in vivo tumors, leading to an inaccurate screening of the candidate formulations. To address this problem, spheroids are emerging as an additional tool to validate the efficacy of new therapeutics due to the ability of these 3D in vitro cancer models to mimic the key features displayed by in vivo solid tumors. In this review, the application of spheroids for the evaluation of nanomedicines' physicochemical properties and therapeutic efficacy is discussed.

NIR-dye based mucoadhesive nanosystem for photothermal therapy in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in women, worldwide. The average survival rate of patients suffering from advanced breast cancer is about 27% for five years. Photothermal therapy employing biodegradable nanoparticle are extensively researched for enhanced anticancer therapy in breast cancer treatment. In the current study, we report a chitosan based mucoadherant and biodegradable niosome nanoparticle entrapping near infrared (NIR) dye (IR 806) for the treatment of breast cancer. Niosome entrapping IR 806 (NioIR) showed encapsulation efficacy of about 56 ± 2%. The prepared nanoparticles (NioIR) were further coated with chitosan (NioIR-C) to impart mucoadhesive property to the nanosystem. NioIR-C showed minimal degradation following NIR laser irradiation, thus enhancing its photothermal stability. They also exhibited efficient photothermal transduction, when compared with IR 806 dye. NioIR-C were biocompatible when treated with normal cell lines (NIH 3T3 and L929) and showed cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231). When triggered with NIR laser, NioIR-C showed photothermal cell death (approximately 93%). The presence of chitosan coating on NioIR led to mucoadherence potential that further enhances the therapeutic effect on breast cancer cells when compared with IR 806 dye and NioIR. Thus NioIR-C can be a promising nanosystem for effective treatment of breast cancer using photothermal therapy.

IR780 loaded sulfobetaine methacrylate-functionalized albumin nanoparticles aimed for enhanced breast cancer phototherapy

New insights about nanomaterials' biodistribution revealed their ability to achieve tumor accumulation by taking advantage from the dynamic vents occurring in tumor's vasculature. This paradigm-shift emphasizes the importance of extending nanomaterials' blood circulation time to enhance their tumor uptake. The classic strategy to improve nanomaterials' stability during circulation relies on their functionalization with poly(ethylene glycol). However, recent reports have been showing that PEGylated nanomaterials can suffer from the accelerated blood clearance phenomenon, emphasizing the importance of developing novel coatings for functionalizing the nanomaterials. To address this limitation, the modification of natural carriers' surface to enhance their stability appears to be a promising strategy. Herein, sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA)-functionalized bovine serum albumin (BSA) was synthesized for the first time to investigate the capacity of this modification to improve the resulting nanoparticles' physicochemical properties, colloidal stability and in vitro performance. This novel polymer was then employed in the formulation of nanoparticles loaded with IR780 for application in breast cancer phototherapy (IR/SBMA-BSA NPs). When compared to their non-functionalized equivalents, the IR/SBMA-BSA NPs presented a neutral surface charge and a higher stability in biologically relevant media. Due to these features, the IR/SBMA-BSA NPs could achieve a 1.9-fold greater uptake by breast cancer cells than IR/BSA NPs. Furthermore, the IR/SBMA-BSA NPs were cytocompatible towards normal cells and reduced breast cancer cells' viability up to 42%. The phototherapy mediated by IR/SBMA-BSA NPs could further decrease cancer cells' viability to about 12%. Overall, the IR/SBMA-BSA NPs have enhanced features that propel their application in breast cancer phototherapy.

Molecular Antenna-Sensitized Upconversion Nanoparticle for Temperature Monitored Precision Photothermal Therapy

Background

Photothermal therapy with accurate and real-time temperature detection is desired in clinic. Upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) are candidate materials for simultaneous temperature detection and photothermal agents carrying. However, the weak luminescence and multiple laser excitations of UCNs limit their application in thermal therapy.

Materials and Methods

NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Er³⁺,Nd³⁺, PL-PEG-NH₂, IR-806 and folic acid are selected as structural components. A nanoprobe (NP) integrated with efficient photothermal conversion and sensitive temperature detection capabilities is synthesized for precise photothermal therapy. The probes are based on near-infrared upconversion nanocrystals doped with Yb, Er and Nd ions, which can be excited by 808 nm light. IR-806 dye molecules are modified on the surface as molecular antennas to strongly absorb near-infrared photons for energy transfer and conversion.

Results

The results show that under an 808 nm laser irradiation upconversion luminescence of the nanocrystals is enhanced based on both the Nd ion absorption and the FRET energy transfer of IR-806. The luminescence ratio at 520 and 545 nm is calculated to accurately monitor the temperature of the nanoparticles. The temperature of the nanoprobes increases significantly through energy conversion of the molecular antennas. The nanoparticles are found successfully distributed to tumor cells and tumor tissue due to the modification of the biocompatible molecules on the surface. Tumor cells can be killed efficiently based on the photothermal effect of the NPs. Under the laser irradiation, temperature at mouse tumor site increases significantly, tissue necrosis and tumor cell death can be observed.

Conclusion

Precision photothermal therapy can thus be achieved by highly efficient near-infrared light absorption and accurate temperature monitoring, making it promising for tumor treatment, as well as the biological microzone temperature detection.

Prototypic Heptamethine Cyanine Incorporating Nanomaterials for Cancer Phototheragnostic

Developing technologies that allow the simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of cancer (theragnostic) has been the quest of numerous interdisciplinary research teams. In this context, nanomaterials incorporating prototypic near infrared (NIR)-light responsive heptamethine cyanines have been showing very promising results for cancer theragnostic. The precisely engineered features of these nanomaterials endow them with the ability to achieve a high tumor accumulation, enabling a tumor's visualization by NIR fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging modalities. Upon interaction with NIR light, the tumor-homed heptamethine cyanine-incorporating nanomaterials can also produce a photothermal/photodynamic effect with a high spatio-temporal resolution and minimal side effects, leading to an improved therapeutic outcome. This progress report analyses the application of nanomaterials incorporating prototypic NIR-light responsive heptamethine cyanines (IR775, IR780, IR783, IR797, IR806, IR808, IR820, IR825, IRDye 800CW, and Cypate) for cancer photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, and imaging. Overall, the continuous development of nanomaterials incorporating the prototypic NIR absorbing heptamethine cyanines will cement their phototheragnostic capabilities.

Graphene family nanomaterials for application in cancer combination photothermal therapy

Combining hyperthermia with other therapies holds a great potential for improving cancer treatment. In this approach, the increase in the body temperature can exert a therapeutic effect on cells and/or enhance the effectiveness of anticancer agents. However, the conventional methodologies available to induce hyperthermia cannot confine a high temperature increase to the tumor-site while maintaining healthy tissues unexposed and ensuring minimal invasiveness. To overcome these limitations, combination photothermal therapy (PTT) mediated by graphene family nanomaterials (GFN) has been showing promising results. Such is owed to the ability of GFN to accumulate at the tumor site and convert near infrared light into heat, enabling a hyperthermia with a high spatial-temporal resolution. Furthermore, GFN can also incorporate different therapeutic agents on their structure for delivery purposes to cancer cells. In this way, the combination PTT mediated by GFN can result in an improved therapeutic effect. In this review, the combination of GFN mediated PTT with chemo-, photodynamic-, gene-, radio-, and immuno-therapies is examined. Furthermore, the main parameters that influence these types of combination approaches are also analyzed, with emphasis on the photothermal potential of GFN and on the vascular and cellular effects produced by the temperature increase mediated by GFN.

Sulfobetaine methacrylate-functionalized graphene oxide-IR780 nanohybrids aimed at improving breast cancer phototherapy

The application of Graphene Oxide (GO) in cancer photothermal therapy is hindered by its lack of colloidal stability in biologically relevant media and modest Near Infrared (NIR) absorption. In this regard, the colloidal stability of GO has been improved by functionalizing its surface with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), which may not be optimal due to the recent reports on PEG immunogenicity. On the other hand, the chemical reduction of GO using hydrazine hydrate has been applied to enhance its photothermal capacity, despite decreasing its cytocompatibility. In this work GO was functionalized with an amphiphilic polymer containing [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) brushes and was loaded with IR780, for the first time, aiming to improve its colloidal stability and phototherapeutic capacity. The attained results revealed that the SBMA-functionalized GO displays a suitable size distribution, neutral surface charge and adequate cytocompatibility. Furthermore, the SBMA-functionalized GO exhibited an improved colloidal stability in biologically relevant media, while its non-SBMA functionalized equivalent promptly precipitated under the same conditions. By loading IR780 into the SBMA-functionalized GO, its NIR absorption increased by 2.7-fold, leading to a 1.2 times higher photothermal heating. In in vitro cell studies, the combination of SBMA-functionalized GO with NIR light only reduced breast cancer cells' viability to 73%. In stark contrast, by combining IR780 loaded SBMA-functionalized GO and NIR radiation, the cancer cells' viability decreased to 20%, hence confirming the potential of this nanomaterial for cancer photothermal therapy.

IR780 loaded SBMA-coated GO displayed an improved colloidal stability in biologically relevant media and an enhanced photothermal capacity.

Prevention of Local Tumor Recurrence After Surgery by Thermosensitive Gel-Based Chemophotothermal Therapy in Mice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Local recurrence of cancer after surgery has long been a tough problem. In the present study, thermosensitive gel-based chemophotothermal therapy was applied to prevent the recurrence of liver cancer after surgery.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were used as first-level carrier to co-load doxorubicin (DOX) and ICG. Then, the drug-loaded MSNs (D-I@MSN) were incorporated into poloxamer gel. A mimic model of liver cancer recurrence after surgery was prepared by subcutaneously injecting H22 cells into the armpit of mice. Then the two-level composite gel (D-I@MSN/gel) was also subcutaneously injected at the same site before the formation of tumor, followed by 808 nm laser irradiation.

RESULTS

The loading efficiency and entrapment efficiency of DOX were as high as 8.85% and 96.9%, and that of ICG were 9.24% and 99.3%, respectively. The results of in vitro cytotoxicity showed that cell viability in D-I@MSN+Laser group was only 5.8% after being irradiated by 808 nm laser for 5 minutes (0.5 W/cm² ). In animal studies, tumor formation (tumor recurrence) was greatly inhibited in D-I@MSN+Laser group.

CONCLUSIONS

The thermosensitive gel-based chemophotothermal therapy showed excellent safety and efficacy when applied in the prevention of mimic local tumor replase after surgery in mice, presenting its great potential clinically. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biomedical Applications of Hyaluronic Acid-Based Nanomaterials in Hyperthermic Cancer Therapy

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a non-sulfated polysaccharide polymer with the properties of biodegradability, biocompatibility, and non-toxicity. Additionally, HA specifically binds to certain receptors that are over-expressed in cancer cells. To maximize the effect of drug delivery and cancer treatment, diverse types of nanomaterials have been developed. HA-based nanomaterials, including micelles, polymersomes, hydrogels, and nanoparticles, play a critical role in efficient drug delivery and cancer treatment. Hyperthermic cancer treatment using HA-based nanomaterials has attracted attention as an efficient cancer treatment approach. In this paper, the biomedical applications of HA-based nanomaterials in hyperthermic cancer treatment and combined therapies are summarized. HA-based nanomaterials may become a representative platform in hyperthermic cancer treatment.