Cancer treatment and toxicity outlook of nanoparticles

Emerging Applications of Nanoparticles in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most prevalent cancer among women worldwide, driving the urgent need for innovative approaches to diagnosis and treatment. This review highlights the pivotal role of nanoparticles in revolutionizing breast cancer management through advancements of interconnected approaches including targeted therapy, imaging, and personalized medicine. Nanoparticles, with their unique physicochemical properties, have shown significant promise in addressing current treatment limitations such as drug resistance and nonspecific systemic distribution. Applications range from enhancing drug delivery systems for targeted and sustained release to developing innovative diagnostic tools for early and precise detection of metastases. Moreover, the integration of nanoparticles into photothermal therapy and their synergistic use with existing treatments, such as immunotherapy, illustrate their transformative potential in cancer care. However, the journey towards clinical adoption is fraught with challenges, including the chemical feasibility, biodistribution, efficacy, safety concerns, scalability, and regulatory hurdles. This review delves into the current state of nanoparticle research, their applications in breast cancer therapy and diagnosis, and the obstacles that must be overcome for clinical integration.

Nanoengineering Solutions for Cancer Therapy: Bridging the Gap between Clinical Practice and Translational Research

Nanoengineering has emerged as a progressive method in cancer treatment, offering precise and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents while concurrently reducing overall toxicity. This scholarly article delves into the innovative strategies and advancements in nanoengineering that bridge the gap between clinical practice and research in the field of cancer treatment. Various nanoengineered platforms such as nanoparticles, liposomes, and dendrimers are scrutinized for their capacity to encapsulate drugs, augment drug efficacy, and enhance pharmacokinetics. Moreover, the article investigates research breakthroughs that drive the progression and enhancement of nanoengineered remedies, encompassing the identification of biomarkers, establishment of preclinical models, and advancement of biomaterials, all of which are imperative for translating laboratory findings into practical medical interventions. Furthermore, the integration of nanotechnology with imaging modalities, which amplify cancer detection, treatment monitoring, and response assessment, is thoroughly examined. Finally, the obstacles and prospective directions in nanoengineering, including regulatory challenges and issues related to scalability, are examined. This underscores the significance of fostering collaboration among various entities in order to efficiently translate nanoengineered interventions into enhanced cancer therapies and patient management.

Evaluation of core-shell Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles as radioenhancer in A549 cell lung cancer model

In radiotherapy, metallic nanoparticles are of high interest in the fight against cancer for their radiosensitizing effects. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of core-shell Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles to potentiate the irradiation effects on redox-, pro-inflammatory markers, and cell death of A549 human pulmonary cancer cells. The hybrid Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles were synthesized using green chemistry principles by the sonochemistry method. Their characterization by transmission electron microscopy demonstrated an average size of 8 nm and a homogeneous distribution of gold. The decreased hydrodynamic size of these hybrid nanoparticles compared to magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles showed that gold coating significantly reduced the aggregation of Fe3O4 particles. The internalization and accumulation of the Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles within the cells were demonstrated by Prussian Blue staining. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels measured by the fluorescent probe DCFH-DA were up-regulated, as well as mRNA expression of SOD, catalase, GPx antioxidant enzymes, redox-dependent transcription factor Nrf2, and ROS-producing enzymes (Nox2 and Nox4), quantified by RT-qPCR. Furthermore, irradiation coupled with Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles increased the expression of canonical pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL8, and CCL5) assessed by RT-qPCR and ELISA. Hybrid nanoparticles did not potentiate the increased DNA damage detected by immunofluorescence following the irradiation. Nevertheless, Fe3O4@Au caused cellular damage, leading to apoptosis through activation of caspase 3/7, secondary necrosis quantified by LDH release, and cell growth arrest evaluated by clonogenic-like assay. This study demonstrated the potential of Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles to potentiate the radiosensitivity of cancerous cells.

Advances in Precision Medicine Approaches for Colorectal Cancer: From Molecular Profiling to Targeted Therapies

Precision medicine is transforming colorectal cancer treatment through the integration of advanced technologies and biomarkers, enhancing personalized and effective disease management. Identification of key driver mutations and molecular profiling have deepened our comprehension of the genetic alterations in colorectal cancer, facilitating targeted therapy and immunotherapy selection. Biomarkers such as microsatellite instability (MSI) and DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) guide treatment decisions, opening avenues for immunotherapy. Emerging technologies such as liquid biopsies, artificial intelligence, and machine learning promise to revolutionize early detection, monitoring, and treatment selection in precision medicine. Despite these advancements, ethical and regulatory challenges, including equitable access and data privacy, emphasize the importance of responsible implementation. The dynamic nature of colorectal cancer, with its tumor heterogeneity and clonal evolution, underscores the necessity for adaptive and personalized treatment strategies. The future of precision medicine in colorectal cancer lies in its potential to enhance patient care, clinical outcomes, and our understanding of this intricate disease, marked by ongoing evolution in the field. The current reviews focus on providing in-depth knowledge on the various and diverse approaches utilized for precision medicine against colorectal cancer, at both molecular and biochemical levels.

Chiral nanomaterials in tissue engineering

Addressing significant medical challenges arising from tissue damage and organ failure, the field of tissue engineering has evolved to provide revolutionary approaches for regenerating functional tissues and organs. This involves employing various techniques, including the development and application of novel nanomaterials. Among them, chiral nanomaterials comprising non-superimposable nanostructures with their mirror images have recently emerged as innovative biomaterial candidates to guide tissue regeneration due to their unique characteristics. Chiral nanomaterials including chiral fibre supramolecular hydrogels, polymer-based chiral materials, self-assembling peptides, chiral-patterned surfaces, and the recently developed intrinsically chiroptical nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable ability to regulate biological processes through routes such as enantioselective catalysis and enhanced antibacterial activity. Despite several recent reviews on chiral nanomaterials, limited attention has been given to the specific potential of these materials in facilitating tissue regeneration processes. Thus, this timely review aims to fill this gap by exploring the fundamental characteristics of chiral nanomaterials, including their chiroptical activities and analytical techniques. Also, the recent advancements in incorporating these materials in tissue engineering applications are highlighted. The review concludes by critically discussing the outlook of utilizing chiral nanomaterials in guiding future strategies for tissue engineering design.

Exosome-shuttled FTO from BM-MSCs contributes to cancer malignancy and chemoresistance in acute myeloid leukemia by inducing m6A-demethylation: A nano-based investigation

Although bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs)-derived exosomes have been reported to be closely associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) progression and chemo-resistance, but its detailed functions and molecular mechanisms have not been fully delineated. Besides, serum RNA m6A demethylase fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO)-containing exosomes are deemed as important indicators for cancer progression, and this study aimed to investigate the role of BM-MSCs-derived FTO-exosomes in regulating the malignant phenotypes of AML cells. Here, we verified that BM-MSCs-derived exosomes delivered FTO to promote cancer aggressiveness, stem cell properties and Cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C)-chemoresistance in AML cells, and the underlying mechanisms were also uncovered. Our data suggested that BM-MSCs-derived FTO-exo demethylated m6A modifications in the m6A-modified LncRNA GLCC1 to facilitate its combination with the RNA-binding protein Hu antigen R (HuR), which further increased the stability and expression levels of LncRNA GLCC1. In addition, LncRNA GLCC1 was verified as an oncogene to facilitate cell proliferation and enhanced Ara-C-chemoresistance in AML cells. Further experiments confirmed that demethylated LncRNA GLCC1 served as scaffold to facilitate the formation of the IGF2 mRNA binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1)-c-Myc complex, which led to the activation of the downstream tumor-promoting c-Myc-associated signal pathways. Moreover, our rescuing experiments validated that the promoting effects of BM-MSCs-derived FTO-exo on cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance in AML cells were abrogated by silencing LncRNA GLCC1 and c-Myc. Thus, the present firstly investigated the functions and underlying mechanisms by which BM-MSCs-derived FTO-exo enhanced cancer aggressiveness and chemo-resistance in AML by modulating the LncRNA GLCC1-IGF2BP1-c-Myc signal pathway, and our work provided novel biomarkers for the diagnosis, treatment and therapy of AML in clinic.

Emerging tendencies for the nano-delivery of gambogic acid: a promising approach in oncotherapy

Despite the advancements in cancer therapies during the past few years, chemo/photo resistance, severe toxic effects, recurrence of metastatic tumors, and non-selective targeting remain incomprehensible. Thus, much effort has been spent exploring natural anticancer compounds endowed with biosafety and high effectiveness in cancer prevention and therapy. Gambogic acid (GA) is a promising natural compound in cancer therapy. It is the major xanthone component of the dry resin extracted from the Garcinia hanburyi Hook. f. tree. GA has significant antiproliferative effects on different types of cancer, and it exerts its anticancer activities through various pathways. Nonetheless, the clinical translation of GA has been hampered, partly due to its water insolubility, low bioavailability, poor pharmacokinetics, rapid plasma clearance, early degradation in blood circulation, and detrimental vascular irritation. Lately, procedures have been invented demonstrating the ability of nanoparticles to overcome the challenges associated with the clinical use of natural compounds both in vitro and in vivo. This review sheds light on the recent emerging trends for the nanodelivery of GA to cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, no similar recent review described the different nanoformulations designed to improve the anticancer therapeutic activity and targeting ability of GA.

Nanoparticle-Based Immunotherapy for Reversing T-Cell Exhaustion

T-cell exhaustion refers to a state of T-cell dysfunction commonly observed in chronic infections and cancer. Immune checkpoint molecules blockading using PD-1 and TIM-3 antibodies have shown promising results in reversing exhaustion, but this approach has several limitations. The treatment of T-cell exhaustion is still facing great challenges, making it imperative to explore new therapeutic strategies. With the development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles have successfully been applied as drug carriers and delivery systems in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Furthermore, nanoparticle-based immunotherapy has emerged as a crucial approach to reverse exhaustion. Here, we have compiled the latest advances in T-cell exhaustion, with a particular focus on the characteristics of exhaustion that can be targeted. Additionally, the emerging nanoparticle-based delivery systems were also reviewed. Moreover, we have discussed, in detail, nanoparticle-based immunotherapies that aim to reverse exhaustion, including targeting immune checkpoint blockades, remodeling the tumor microenvironment, and targeting the metabolism of exhausted T cells, etc. These data could aid in comprehending the immunopathogenesis of exhaustion and accomplishing the objective of preventing and treating chronic diseases or cancer.

Development of curcumin-loaded galactosylated chitosan-coated nanoparticles for targeted delivery of hepatocellular carcinoma

Curcumin (CUR) has good antitumor effects, but its poor aqueous solubility severely limits its clinical application and the systemic nonspecific distribution of the free drug in tumor patients is a key therapeutic challenge. In order to overcome the limitations of free drugs and improve the therapeutic efficacy, we developed novel galactosylated chitosan (GC)-modified nanoparticles (GC@NPs) based on poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PEG-PLGA), which can target asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) expressed on hepatocellular carcinoma cells and have excellent biocompatibility. The results showed that the drug loading (DL) of CUR was approximately 4.56 %. A favorable biosafety profile was maintained up to concentrations of 500 μg/mL. Furthermore, in vitro cellular assays showed that GC@NPs could be efficiently internalized by HepG2 cells via ASGPR-mediated endocytosis and successfully released CUR for chemotherapy. More importantly, in vivo anti-tumor experiments revealed that GC@NPs were able to accumulate effectively within tumor sites through EPR effect and ASGPR-mediated endocytosis, leading to superior inhibition of tumor growth compared to free CUR. Overall, GC@NPs are a promising CUR nanocarrier for enhanced tumor therapy with a good biosafety profile.