Cisplatin and curcumin co-loaded nano-liposomes for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Formulation and optimization of glycyrrhetinic acid-modified pH-sensitive curcumin liposomes for anti-hepatocellular carcinoma

In order to enhance the therapeutic value of curcumin in liver cancer treatment, glycyrrhetinic acid-modified pH-sensitive curcumin liposomes (GA-pH-Lip@Cur) was developed.GA-pH-Lip@Cur was prepared using a thin film dispersion ultrasonication method, and the optimal formulation process was selected through single-factor experiments and a Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology. The liposomes were evaluated for their morphological appearance, particle size, in vitro release at different pH levels, and biocompatibility. The anti-tumor effect of GA-pH-Lip@Cur was assessed using cell viability assays (CCK-8). The in vivo hepatic targeting and anti-liver tumor efficacy of GA-pH-Lip@Cur were evaluated through pharmacokinetic and pharmacological experiments.The results indicated that optimized GA-pH-Lip@Cur exhibited uniform particle size distribution, good stability, pH-sensitive in vitro release with sustained behavior. Compared to conventional liposomes, GA-pH-Lip@Cur showed prolonged average retention time in vivo and significantly increased curcumin distribution in liver tissues, indicating excellent liver targeting. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations demonstrated the effectiveness of GA-pH-Lip@Cur in inhibiting liver cancer cell proliferation and suppressing liver tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. In conclusion, GA-pH-Lip@Cur, by leveraging the acidic tumor microenvironment and overexpression of glycyrrhetinic acid receptors in liver cells, encapsulates curcumin to improve its bioavailability, and target its delivery to the liver tumor sites.

Development of multifunctional PAA-alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel-loaded fiber-reinforced biomimetic scaffolds for controlled release of curcumin

Critical-sized bone defects in osteosarcoma treatment demand multifunctional scaffolds that must effectively integrate two key functions, promoting osteogenesis and delivering targeted chemoprevention. This study introduces a dual-component system featuring pH-responsive hydrogels and hydroxyapatite-based fiber-reinforced biomimetic scaffolds designed for controlled and localized curcumin delivery, while addressing its solubility and stability issues. The hydrogel system comprises a double network of polyacrylic acid, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, and potato starch, specifically modified to encapsulate curcumin. The encapsulated curcumin is integrated into porous hydroxyapatite-based scaffolds, which are reinforced with ceramic, carbon, and glass fibers to enhance structural support. Our results demonstrate that the hydrogel-loaded scaffold system ensures sustained release of curcumin. Release rates at pH 7.4 are 13 % (2.6 μg/ml) for CRF, 11 % (2.2 μg/ml) for CF, and 3 % (0.6 μg/ml) for GLF. At pH 5.0, release rates increase to 53 % (10.6 μg/ml) for CRF, 38 % (7.6 μg/ml) for CF, and 25 % (5.1 μg/ml) for GLF. Additionally, the cumulative curcumin release for GLF increased from 5 % to 44 % over 24 h, reflecting physiological and acidic conditions, respectively. The pH sensitivity suggests potential utility for controlled and targeted curcumin delivery, as the release behavior corresponds to pH conditions associated with osteosarcoma microenvironments.

Curcumin-Based Nanoparticles: Advancements and Challenges in Tumor Therapy

Curcumin, a bioactive compound derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., has garnered significant attention for its potent anticancer properties. Despite its promising therapeutic potential, its poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and low water solubility hinder curcumin's clinical application. Nanotechnology offers a viable solution to these challenges by enabling the development of curcumin-based nanoparticles (CNPs) that enhance its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the design and synthesis of CNPs for cancer therapy. We discuss various NP formulations, including polymeric, lipid-based, and inorganic nanoparticles, highlighting their role in improving curcumin's pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. The mechanisms by which CNPs exert anticancer effects, such as inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cell proliferation, and modulating signaling pathways, are explored in details. Furthermore, we examine the preclinical and clinical studies that have demonstrated the efficacy of CNPs in treating different types of tumors, including breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Finally, the review addresses the current challenges and future perspectives in the clinical translation of CNPs, emphasizing the need for further research to optimize their design for targeted delivery and to enhance their therapeutic outcomes. By synthesizing the latest research, this review underscores the potential of CNPs as a promising avenue for advancing cancer therapy.

Recent Advances of Metal Complexes in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Chemotherapy has long been used in the clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), driving the development of anticancer chemotherapy drugs. Platinum complexes have attracted significant attention and have led to the creation of a series of platinum-based drugs used in diverse cancer treatments, including HCC. However, the clinical use of platinum drugs faces critical challenges due to drug resistance and side effects. Consequently, ongoing efforts have been devoted to the continuous development of new metal complexes with antitumor properties, aiming to serve as effective alternatives for HCC treatment. In this Perspective, we summarize and highlight the progress and relevant mechanisms related to new metal complexes in the treatment of HCC over the past decade. The development of metal complexes has the potential to further expand the scope of chemotherapy applications for HCC.

Combination Therapy of Curcumin and Cisplatin Encapsulated in Niosome Nanoparticles for Enhanced Oral Cancer Treatment

Oral cavity cancer poses a significant health threat due to its aggressive nature and limited responsiveness to traditional therapies like chemotherapy and radiation, highlighting the need for more effective treatment options. To address this, researchers have explored a novel approach using niosome nanoparticles to co-encapsulate curcumin (CUR) and cisplatin (Cis), to enhance therapeutic efficacy. While CUR has anti-cancer properties, its poor bioavailability limits its effectiveness. Cis, on the other hand, is hindered by severe side effects and resistance. A dual-drug delivery system that encapsulates both CUR and Cis in niosome nanoparticles seeks to leverage the synergistic effects of these agents to improve treatment outcomes. The study synthesized Cis and CUR co-loaded nanoparticles (Cis/CUR-NPs) using reverse microemulsion and film dispersion methods, resulting in nanoparticles with an average size of 220.9 nm and a consistent size distribution. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the nanosized Cis/CUR-NPs could release both Cis and CUR, achieving a synergistic effect on OECM-1 cells at an optimal ratio (1:6) of the two drugs. Overall, the findings suggest that Cis/CUR-NPs offer a promising and effective strategy for leveraging the synergistic effects of Cis and CUR in treating oral cancer.

Application of nanotechnology in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the predominant histologic variant of hepatic malignancy and has become a major challenge to global health. The increasing incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma has created an urgent need for effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. This is despite the impressive results of multiple treatments in the clinic. However, the unique tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma increases the difficulty of treatment and immune tolerance. In recent years, the application of nanoparticles in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma has brought new hope for tumor patients. Nano agents target tumor-associated fibroblasts, regulatory T cells, myeloid suppressor cells, tumor-associated macrophages, tumor-associated neutrophils, and immature dendritic cells, reversed the immunosuppressive microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, he purpose of this review is to summarize the advantages of nanotechnology in guiding surgical excision, local ablation, TACE, standard chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, application of nano-vaccines has also continuously enriched the treatment of liver cancer. This study aims to investigate the potential applications of nanotechnology in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, with the ultimate goal of enhancing therapeutic outcomes and improving the prognosis for patients affected by this malignancy.

Innovative Approaches to Enhancing the Biomedical Properties of Liposomes

Liposomes represent a promising class of drug delivery systems that enhance the therapeutic efficacy and safety of various pharmaceutical agents. Also, they offer numerous advantages compared to traditional drug delivery methods, including targeted delivery to specific sites, controlled release, and fewer side effects. This review meticulously examines the methodologies employed in the preparation and characterization of liposomal formulations. With the rising incidence of adverse drug reactions, there is a pressing need for innovative delivery strategies that prioritize selectivity, specificity, and safety. Nanomedicine promises to revolutionize diagnostics and treatments, addressing current limitations and improving disease management, including cancer, which remains a major global health challenge. This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive study on the interest of biomedical research regarding nanotechnology and its implications for further applications.

Recent advances in nano-based drug delivery systems for treatment of liver cancer

Liver cancer is one of the aggressive primary tumors as evident by high rate of incidence and mortality. Conventional treatments (e.g. chemotherapy) suffer from various drawbacks including wide drug distribution, low localized drug concentration, and severe off-site toxicity. Therefore, they cannot satisfy the mounting need for safe and efficient cancer therapeutics, and alternative novel strategies are needed. Nano-based drug delivery systems (NDDSs) are among these novel approaches that can improve the overall therapeutic outcomes. NDDSs are designed to encapsulate drug molecules and target them specifically to liver cancer. Thus, NDDSs can selectively deliver therapeutic agents to the tumor cells and avoid distribution to off-target sites which should improve the safety profile of the active agents. Nonetheless, NDDSs should be well designed, in terms of the preparing materials, nanocarriers structure, and the targeting strategy, in order to accomplish these objectives. This review discusses the latest advances of NDDSs for cancer therapy with emphasis on the aforementioned essential design components. The review also entails the challenges associated with the clinical translation of NDDSs, and the future perspectives towards next-generation NDDSs.

Innovative lipid nanoparticles: A cutting-edge approach for potential renal cell carcinoma therapeutics

The kidney plays a crucial role in regulating homeostasis within the human body. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer, accounting for nearly 90 % of all renal malignancies. Despite the availability of various therapeutic strategies, RCC remains a challenging disease due to its resistance to conventional treatments. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field, offering new opportunities in cancer therapeutics. It presents several advantages over traditional methods, enabling diverse biomedical applications, including drug delivery, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), approximately 100 nm in size, are derived from a range of lipids and other biochemical compounds. these particulates are designed to overcome biological barriers, allowing them to selectively accumulate at diseased target sites for effective therapeutic action. Many pharmaceutically important compounds face challenges such as poor solubility in aqueous solutions, chemical and physiological instability, or toxicity. LNP technology stands out as a promising drug delivery system for bioactive organic compounds. This article reviews the applications of LNPs in RCC treatment and explores their potential clinical translation, identifying the most viable LNPs for medical use. With ongoing advancement in LNP-based anticancer strategies, there is a growing potential to improve the management and treatment of renal cancer.

Nano-based drug delivery systems in hepatocellular carcinoma

The high recurrence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and poor prognosis after medical treatment reflects the necessity to improve the current chemotherapy protocols, particularly drug delivery methods. Development of targeted and efficient drug delivery systems (DDSs), in all active, passive and stimuli-responsive forms for selective delivery of therapeutic drugs to the tumour site has been extended to improve efficacy and reduce the severe side effects. Recent advances in nanotechnology offer promising breakthroughs in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of cancer cells. In this review, the specific design of DDSs based on the different nano-particles and their surface engineering is discussed. In addition, the innovative clinical studies in which nano-based DDS was used in the treatment of HCC were highlighted.

Research progress of nanoparticles in diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most common malignant liver tumors. Despite progress in anticancer drugs and surgical approaches, early detection of HCC remains challenging, often leading to late-stage diagnosis where rapid disease progression precludes surgical intervention, leaving chemotherapy as the only option. However, the systemic toxicity, low bioavailability, and significant adverse effects of chemotherapy drugs often lead to resistance, rendering treatments ineffective for many patients. This article outlines how nanoparticles, following functional modification, offer high sensitivity, reduced drug toxicity, and extended duration of action, enabling precise targeting of drugs to HCC tissues. Combined with other therapeutic modalities and imaging techniques, this significantly enhances the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term prognosis of HCC. The advent of nanomedicine provides new methodologies and strategies for the precise diagnosis and integrated treatment of HCC.

Natural products for enhancing the sensitivity or decreasing the adverse effects of anticancer drugs through regulating the redox balance

Redox imbalance is reported to play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, cancer development, and drug resistance. Severe oxidative damage is a general consequence of cancer cell responses to treatment and may cause cancer cell death or severe adverse effects. To maintain their longevity, cancer cells can rescue redox balance and enter a state of resistance to anticancer drugs. Therefore, targeting redox signalling pathways has emerged as an attractive and prospective strategy for enhancing the efficacy of anticancer drugs and decreasing their adverse effects. Over the past few decades, natural products (NPs) have become an invaluable source for developing new anticancer drugs due to their high efficacy and low toxicity. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that many NPs exhibit remarkable antitumour effects, whether used alone or as adjuvants, and are emerging as effective approaches to enhance sensitivity and decrease the adverse effects of conventional cancer therapies by regulating redox balance. Among them are several novel anticancer drugs based on NPs that have entered clinical trials. In this review, we summarize the synergistic anticancer effects and related redox mechanisms of the combination of NPs with conventional anticancer drugs. We believe that NPs targeting redox regulation will represent promising novel candidates and provide prospects for cancer treatment in the future.

Multifunctional and stimuli-responsive liposomes in hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis and therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent type of liver cancer, mainly occurring in Asian countries with an increased incidence rate globally. Currently, several kinds of therapies have been deployed for HCC therapy including surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. However, this tumor is still incurable, requiring novel strategies for its treatment. The nanomedicine has provided the new insights regarding the treatment of cancer that liposomes as lipid-based nanoparticles, have been widely applied in cancer therapy due to their biocompaitiblity, high drug loading and ease of synthesis and modification. The current review evaluates the application of liposomes for the HCC therapy. The drugs and genes lack targeting ability into tumor tissues and cells. Therefore, loading drugs or genes on liposomes can increase their accumulation in tumor site for HCC suppression. Moreover, the stimuli-responsive liposomes including pH-, redox- and light-sensitive liposomes are able to deliver drug into tumor microenvironment to improve therapeutic index. Since a number of receptors upregulate on HCC cells, the functionalization of liposomes with lactoferrin and peptides can promote the targeting ability towards HCC cells. Moreover, phototherapy can be induced by liposomes through loading phtoosensitizers to stimulate photothermal- and photodynamic-driven ablation of HCC cells. Overall, the findings are in line with the fact that liposomes are promising nanocarriers for the treatment of HCC.

Recent advances in liposome-based targeted cancer therapy

Nano-drug delivery systems have opened new pathways for tumor treatment by overcoming some of the limitations of conventional drugs, such as physiological degradation, short half-life, and rapid release. Liposomes are promising nanocarrier systems due to their biocompatibility, low toxicity, and high inclusivity, as well as their enhanced drug bioavailability. Various strategies for active targeting of liposomal formulations have been investigated to achieve the highest drug efficacy. This review aims to summarize current developments in novel liposomal formulations, particularly ligand-targeted liposomes (such as folate, transferrin, hyaluronic acid, antibodies, aptamer, and peptide, etc.) used for the therapy of various cancers and provide an insight on the challenges and future of liposomes for scientists and pharmaceutical companies.

Nano-revolution in hepatocellular carcinoma: A multidisciplinary odyssey - Are we there yet?

In this editorial we comment on the review by Zhou et al reviewing the landscape of nanomedicine in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We focus on the immense potential of nanotechnology, particularly ligand-receptor mediated nanotherapy, in revolutionizing the treatment landscape of HCC. Despite advancements in multidisciplinary treatment, HCC remains a significant global health challenge. Ligand-mediated nanotherapy offers the opportunity for precise drug delivery to tumor sites, targeting specific receptors overexpressed in HCC cells, thereby enhancing efficacy and minimizing side effects. Overcoming drug resistance and aggressive tumor biology is facilitated by nanomedicine, bypassing traditional hurdles encountered in chemotherapy. Examples include targeting glypican-3, asialoglycoprotein, transferrin receptor or folic acid receptors, capitalizing on their over-expression in tumor cells. The ability for multi-receptor targeting through dual-ligand nanoparticle modification holds the prospect of further enhancement in specificity and efficacy of directed therapy. However, challenges including immune responses, reproducibility in nanoparticle synthesis, and production scalability remain. Future directions involve refining targeting strategies, improving drug release mechanisms, and streamlining production processes to enable personalized and multifunctional nanotherapies. Overall, the integration of nanotherapy in HCC treatment holds immense promise, but continued partnership and effort are needed in offering hope for more effective, precise, and accessible clinical care in the management of HCC.

Better together: nanoscale co-delivery systems of therapeutic agents for high-performance cancer therapy

Combination therapies can enhance the sensitivity of cancer to drugs, lower drug doses, and reduce side effects in cancer treatment. However, differences in the physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics of different therapeutic agents limit their application. To avoid the above dilemma and achieve accurate control of the synergetic ratio, a nanoscale co-delivery system (NCDS) has emerged as a prospective tool for combined therapy in cancer treatment, which is increasingly being used to co-load different therapeutic agents. In this study, we have summarized the mechanisms of therapeutic agents in combination for cancer therapy, nanoscale carriers for co-delivery, drug-loading strategies, and controlled/targeted co-delivery systems, aiming to give a general picture of these powerful approaches for future NCDS research studies.

The development of nanocarriers for natural products

Natural bioactive compounds from plants exhibit substantial pharmacological potency and therapeutic value. However, the development of most plant bioactive compounds is hindered by low solubility and instability. Conventional pharmaceutical forms, such as tablets and capsules, only partially overcome these limitations, restricting their efficacy. With the recent development of nanotechnology, nanocarriers can enhance the bioavailability, stability, and precise intracellular transport of plant bioactive compounds. Researchers are increasingly integrating nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems (NDDS) into the development of natural plant compounds with significant success. Moreover, natural products benefit from nanotechnological enhancement and contribute to the innovation and optimization of nanocarriers via self-assembly, grafting modifications, and biomimetic designs. This review aims to elucidate the collaborative and reciprocal advancement achieved by integrating nanocarriers with botanical products, such as bioactive compounds, polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular vesicles. This review underscores the salient challenges in nanomedicine, encompassing long-term safety evaluations of nanomedicine formulations, precise targeting mechanisms, biodistribution complexities, and hurdles in clinical translation. Further, this study provides new perspectives to leverage nanotechnology in promoting the development and optimization of natural plant products for nanomedical applications and guiding the progression of NDDS toward enhanced efficiency, precision, and safety. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology.

Nanocarrier-mediated cancer therapy with cisplatin: A meta-analysis with a promising new paradigm

Aims

Cisplatin is a frontline chemotherapeutic utilized to attenuate multiple cancers in the clinic. Given its side-effects, a new cisplatin formulation which could prevent cytotoxicity, metabolic deficiencies and metastasis is much needed. This study investigates whether nanocarriers can provide a better mode of drug delivery in preclinical cancer models seeking a potent anticancer therapeutic agent.

Materials and methods

The PubMed database was searched, and 242 research articles were screened from which 94 articles qualified for selection from those published by December 31, 2023 and the data was synthesized using the Review Manager software.

Key findings

Cisplatin encapsulated as a nanomedicine confirmed the versatility of nanocarriers in significantly diminishing cancer cell viability, half maximal inhibitory concentration, tumour volume, biodistribution of platinum in tumours and kidney; at p < 0.00001 and a 95% confidence interval.

Significance

An estimated 19.3 million global cancer incidence is reported with 50% mortality worldwide for which nanocarrier-mediated cisplatin therapy is most promising. Our findings offer new vistas for future cancer treatment when combined with chemo-immunotherapy that utilizes the recently advanced nanozymes.

Sorafenib-Encapsulated Liposomes to Activate Hypoxia-Sensitive Tirapazamine for Synergistic Chemotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Combination therapy with the synergistic effect is an effective way in cancer chemotherapy. Herein, an antiangiogenic sorafenib (SOR) and hypoxia-activated prodrug tirapazamine (TPZ)-coencapsulated liposome (LipTPZ/SOR) is prepared for chemotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SOR is a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor that can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis. The antiangiogenesis effect of SOR can reduce oxygen supply and aggravate tumor hypoxia, which is able to activate hypoxia-sensitive prodrug TPZ, exhibiting the synergistic antitumor effect. LipTPZ/SOR at different molar ratios of TPZ and SOR can significantly inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The mole ratio of TPZ and SOR was optimized to 2:1, which exhibited the best synergetic antitumor effect. The synergistic antitumor mechanism of SOR and TPZ was also investigated in vivo. After treated with SOR, the number of vessels was decreased, and the degree of hypoxia was aggravated in tumor tissues. What is more, in the presence of SOR, TPZ could be activated to inhibit tumor growth. The combination of TPZ and SOR exhibited an excellent synergistic antitumor effect. This research not only provides an innovative strategy to aggravate tumor hypoxia to promote TPZ activation but also paints a blueprint about a new nanochemotherapy regimen for the synergistic chemotherapy of HCC, which has excellent biosafety and bright clinical application prospects.

A comprehensive review on lipid nanocarrier systems for cancer treatment: fabrication, future prospects and clinical trials

Over the last few decades, cancer has been considered a clinical challenge, being among the leading causes of mortality all over the world. Although many treatment approaches have been developed for cancer, chemotherapy is still the most utilized in the clinical setting. However, the available chemotherapeutics-based treatments have several caveats including their lack of specificity, adverse effects as well as cancer relapse and metastasis which mainly explains the low survival rate of patients. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been utilized as promising nanocarrier systems for chemotherapeutics to overcome the challenges of the currently applied therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Loading chemotherapeutic agent(s) into LNPs improves drug delivery at different aspects including specific targeting of tumours, and enhancing the bioavailability of drugs at the tumour site through selective release of their payload, thus reducing their undesired side effects on healthy cells. This review article delineates an overview of the clinical challenges in many cancer treatments as well as depicts the role of LNPs in achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. Moreover, the review contains a comprehensive description of the many LNPs categories used as nanocarriers in cancer treatment to date, as well as the potential of LNPs for future applications in other areas of medicine and research.

Novel nano-drug delivery system for natural products and their application

The development of natural products for potential new drugs faces obstacles such as unknown mechanisms, poor solubility, and limited bioavailability, which limit the broadened applicability of natural products. Therefore, there is a need for advanced pharmaceutical formulations of active compounds or natural products. In recent years, novel nano-drug delivery systems (NDDS) for natural products, including nanosuspensions, nanoliposomes, micelle, microemulsions/self-microemulsions, nanocapsules, and solid lipid nanoparticles, have been developed to improve solubility, bioavailability, and tissue distribution as well as for prolonged retention and enhanced permeation. Here, we updated the NDDS delivery systems used for natural products with the potential enhancement in therapeutic efficiency observed with nano-delivery systems.

Protective role of curcumin in disease progression from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background: Pathological progression from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to liver fibrosis (LF) to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common dynamic state in many patients. Curcumin, a dietary supplement derived from the turmeric family, is expected to specifically inhibit the development of this progression. However, there is a lack of convincing evidence. Methods: The studies published until June 2023 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The SYstematic Review Center for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) approach was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. StataSE (version 15.1) and Origin 2021 software programs were used to analyze the critical indicators. Results: Fifty-two studies involving 792 animals were included, and three disease models were reported. Curcumin demonstrates a significant improvement in key indicators across the stages of NAFLD, liver fibrosis, and HCC. We conducted a detailed analysis of common inflammatory markers IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, which traverse the entire disease process. The research results reveal that curcumin effectively hinders disease progression at each stage by suppressing inflammation. Curcumin exerted hepatoprotective effects in the dose range from 100 to 400 mg/kg and treatment duration from 4 to 10 weeks. The mechanistic analysis reveals that curcumin primarily exerts its hepatoprotective effects by modulating multiple signaling pathways, including TLR4/NF-κB, Keap1/Nrf2, Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase 3, and TGF-β/Smad3. Conclusion: In summary, curcumin has shown promising therapeutic effects during the overall progression of NAFLD-LF-HCC. It inhibited the pathological progression by synergistic mechanisms related to multiple pathways, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and apoptosis regulation.

Preparation, Characterization, and Evaluation of the Anticancer Effect of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Containing Rutin and Curcumin

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was the preparation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles co-loaded with rutin and curcumin (Rut-Cur-MSNs) and the assessment of its physicochemical properties as well as its cytotoxicity on the head and neck cancer cells (HN5). Besides, ROS generation of HN5 cells exposed to Rut-Cur-MSNs was evaluated. Several investigations showed that rutin and curcumin have potential effects as anticancer phytochemicals; however, their low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability limited their applications. The assessment of physicochemical properties and anticancer effect of prepared nanoparticles was the objective of this study.

METHODS

The physicochemical properties of produced nanoparticles were evaluated. The toxicity of Rut-Cur-MSNs on HN5 cells was assessed. In addition, the ROS production in cells treated with Rut- Cur-MSNs was assessed compared to control untreated cells.

RESULTS

The results showed that Rut-Cur-MSNs have mesoporous structure, nanometer size and negative surface charge. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the prepared nanoparticles belong to the family of silicates named MCM-41. The cytotoxicity of Rut-Cur-MSNs at 24 h was significantly higher than that of rutin-loaded MSNs (Rut-MSNs) and curcumin-loaded MSNs (Cur-MSNs) (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The achieved results recommend that the prepared mesoporous silica nanoparticles containing rutin and curcumin can be a useful nanoformulation for the treatment of cancer. The produced nanomaterial in this study can be helpful for cancer therapy.

Fermentation of Inula britannica using Lactobacillus plantarum SY12 increases of epigallocatechin gallate and attenuates toxicity

This study aimed to increase epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) levels and attenuate the toxicity in Inulabritannica by fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum SY12. The optimal medium was composed of 10 g of I. britannica, 4 g of xylose, 5 g of soytone, and 5 g of beef extract. The predicted value of EGCG was 237.327 μg/mL. To investigate damage in HepG2 cell lines by I. britannica extracts (IE) or fermented I. britannica extracts (FIE), cell viability, mitochondria membrane potential, the expression of apoptosis and autophagy genes, and chemical composition were measured. FIE increased cell viability, regulation of the gene expression (decreased p53, p62, p-ERK 1/2, and p-p38; increased CDK2 and CDK4) compared with IE. These results were explained by an increase in 1,3-dicaffeoylquinic acid and a decrease in 1-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 1-O-acetylbritannilactone, and ergolide in FIE. In conclusion, these results indicated that fermentation can mitigate the toxicity in I. britannica.

Site-specific delivery of cisplatin and paclitaxel mediated by liposomes: A promising approach in cancer chemotherapy

The site-specific delivery of drugs, especially anti-cancer drugs has been an interesting field for researchers and the reason is low accumulation of cytotoxic drugs in cancer cells. Although combination cancer therapy has been beneficial in providing cancer drug sensitivity, targeted delivery of drugs appears to be more efficient. One of the safe, biocompatible and efficient nano-scale delivery systems in anti-cancer drug delivery is liposomes. Their particle size is small and they have other properties such as adjustable physico-chemical properties, ease of functionalization and high entrapment efficiency. Cisplatin is a chemotherapy drug with clinical approval in patients, but its accumulation in cancer cells is low due to lack of targeted delivery and repeated administration results in resistance development. Gene and drug co-administration along with cisplatin/paclitaxel have resulted in increased sensitivity in tumor cells, but there is still space for more progress in cancer therapy. The delivery of cisplatin/paclitaxel by liposomes increases accumulation of drug in tumor cells and impairs activity of efflux pumps in promoting cytotoxicity. Moreover, phototherapy along with cisplatin/paclitaxel delivery can increase potential in tumor suppression. Smart nanoparticles including pH-sensitive nanoparticles provide site-specific delivery of cisplatin/paclitaxel. The functionalization of liposomes can be performed by ligands to increase targetability towards tumor cells in mediating site-specific delivery of cisplatin/paclitaxel. Finally, liposomes can mediate co-delivery of cisplatin/paclitaxel with drugs or genes in potentiating tumor suppression. Since drug resistance has caused therapy failure in cancer patients, and cisplatin/paclitaxel are among popular chemotherapy drugs, delivery of these drugs mediates targeted suppression of cancers and prevents development of drug resistance. Because of biocompatibility and safety of liposomes, they are currently used in clinical trials for treatment of cancer patients. In future, the optimal dose of using liposomes and optimal concentration of loading cisplatin/paclitaxel on liposomal nanocarriers in clinical trials should be determined.

Nanotechnology and curcumin: a novel and promising approach in digestive cancer therapy

This study reviews the application of nanotechnology and curcumin, a polyphenol extracted from turmeric, in treating digestive cancers, one of the most common types of malignancies worldwide. Despite curcumin's potential for inhibiting tumor growth, its clinical application is hindered by issues such as poor solubility and bioavailability. Nanomedicine, with its unique ability to enhance drug delivery and reduce toxicity, offers a solution to these limitations. The paper focuses on the development of nanoformulations of curcumin, such as nanoparticles and liposomes, that improve its bioavailability and efficacy in treating digestive cancers, including liver and colorectal cancers. The study serves as a valuable reference for future research and development in this promising therapeutic approach.

Hepatocellular carcinoma: Preclinical and clinical applications of nanotechnology with the potential role of carbohydrate receptors

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of liver cancer; accounts for 75-85% of cases. The treatment and management of HCC involve different sanative options like surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, etc. Recently, various advancements have been introduced for the diagnosis and targeting of hepatic tumor cells. Among these, biomarkers are considered the primary source for the diagnosis and differentiation of tumor cells. With the advancement in the field of nanotechnology, different types of nanocarriers have been witnessed in tumor targeting. Nanocarriers such as nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric micelles, nanofibers, etc. are readily prepared for effective tumor targeting with minimal side-effects. The emergence of various approaches tends to improve the effectiveness of these nanocarriers as demonstrated in ample clinical trials. This review focuses on the significant role of carbohydrates such as mannose, galactose, fructose, etc. in the development, diagnosis, and therapy of HCC. Hence, the current focus of this review is to acknowledge various perspectives regarding the occurrence, diagnosis, treatment, and management of HCC.

Developing a Ruthenium(III) Complex to Trigger Gasdermin E-Mediated Pyroptosis and an Immune Response Based on Decitabine and Liposomes: Targeting Inhibition of Gastric Tumor Growth and Metastasis

To develop next-generation metal drugs with high efficiency and low toxicity for targeting inhibition of gastric tumor growth and metastasis, we not only optimized a series of ruthenium (Ru, III) 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde thiosemicarbazone complexes to obtain a Ru(III) complex (4b) with remarkable cytotoxicity in vitro but also constructed a 4b-decitabine (DCT)/liposome (Lip) delivery system (4b-DCT-Lip). The in vivo results showed that 4b-DCT-Lip not only had a stronger capacity to inhibit gastric tumor growth and metastasis than 4b-DCT but also addressed the co-delivery problems of 4b-DCT and improved their targeting ability. Furthermore, we confirmed the mechanism of 4b-DCT/4b-DCT-Lip inhibiting the growth and metastasis of a gastric tumor. DCT-upregulated gasdermin E (GSDME) was cleaved by 4b-activated caspase-3 to afford GSDME-N terminal and then was aggregated to form nonselective pores on the cell membrane of a gastric tumor, thereby inducing pyroptosis and a pyroptosis-induced immune response.

Cytotoxic Activity of Phytoconstituents Isolated from Monotheca buxifolia against Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line HepG2: In Vitro and Molecular Docking Studies

Natural products and conventional chemotherapeutic drugs are believed to enhance anticancer treatment efficacy while lowering toxicity. The current study investigates the cytotoxic and apoptogenic effects of Monotheca buxifolia bioactive compounds on HepG2 cell lines. MTT assay was used to assess the effect on the viability of HepG2 cells. Morphological changes were investigated. Annexin-V-FITC/PI was used to demonstrate apoptotic activity. A molecular dynamics simulation study was carried out to investigate the compound binding pattern in the active site of the PPRAδ protein. MTT and annexin V-FITC/PI assays revealed that the isolated compounds lauric acid, oleanolic acid, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate inhibited the growth of hepatocellular cancer cells. The IC50 value for lauric acid was 56.46 ± 1.20 μg/mL, 31.94 ± 1.03 μg/mL for oleanolic acid, and 83.80 ± 2.18 μg/mL for bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. Apoptosis was observed in 29.5, 52.1 and 22.4% of HepG2 cells treated with lauric acid, oleanolic acid, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, respectively, after 24 h of treatment. Morphological assays and Hoechst staining microscopy revealed that the treatment caused morphological changes in the cell membrane and nuclear condensation. The high fluctuation indicates that various interactions were highly potent and widely adopted, and vice versa. Oleanolic acid displayed high residue fluctuation, remaining stable in the active site of the PPRAδ protein and involved in various interactions while remaining locally fluctuating in the binding sites of the other two compounds. These findings concluded that lauric acid, oleanolic acid, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate have a significant apoptogenic effect against HepG2 cells in inducing apoptosis. Our findings suggest that these bioactive compounds could be used as adjuvant therapies.

An Overview of the Enhanced Effects of Curcumin and Chemotherapeutic Agents in Combined Cancer Treatments

Due to the progressive ageing of the human population, the number of cancer cases is increasing. For this reason, there is an urgent need for new treatments that can prolong the lives of cancer patients or ensure them a good quality of life. Although significant progress has been made in the treatment of cancer in recent years and the survival rate of patients is increasing, limitations in the use of conventional therapies include the frequent occurrence of side effects and the development of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. These limitations are prompting researchers to investigate whether combining natural agents with conventional drugs could have a positive therapeutic effect in cancer treatment. Several natural bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols, have been shown to be effective against cancer progression and do not exert toxic effects on healthy tissues. Many studies have investigated the possibility of combining polyphenols with conventional drugs as a novel anticancer strategy. Indeed, this combination often has synergistic benefits that increase drug efficacy and reduce adverse side effects. In this review, we provide an overview of the studies describing the synergistic effects of curcumin, a polyphenol that has been shown to have extensive cytotoxic functions against cancer cells, including combined treatment. In particular, we have described the results of recent preclinical and clinical studies exploring the pleiotropic effects of curcumin in combination with standard drugs and the potential to consider it as a promising new tool for cancer therapy.

Recent Advances in Curcumin-Based Combination Nanomedicines for Cancer Therapy

Standard cancer chemotherapeutics often produce significant adverse effects and eventually lose their effectiveness due to the emergence of resistance mechanisms. As a result, patients with malignant tumors experience a poor quality of life and a short lifespan. Thus, combination medication regimens provide various advantages, including increased success rate, fewer side effects, and fewer occurrences of resistance. Curcumin (Cur), a potential phytochemical from turmeric, when coupled with traditional chemotherapeutics, has been established to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment in clinical and preclinical investigations. Cur not only exerts multiple mechanisms resulting in apoptotic cancer cell death but also reduces the resistance to standard chemotherapy drugs, mainly through downregulating the multi-drug resistance (MDR) cargoes. Recent reports showed the beneficial outcomes of Cur combination with many chemotherapeutics in various malignancies. Nevertheless, owing to the limited bioavailability, devising co-delivery strategies for Cur and conventional pharmaceuticals appears to be required for clinical settings. This review summarized various Cur combinations with standard treatments as cancer therapeutics.

Nanostructures in Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) for potential therapy

With its long clinical history, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained acceptance for its specific efficacy and safety in the treatment of multiple diseases. Nano-sized materials study of Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) leads to an increased understanding of assessing TCM therapies, which may be a promising way to illustrate the material basis of CHMs through their processing and extraction. In this review, we provide an overview of the nanostructures of natural and engineered CHMs, including extracted CHMs, polymer nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, and nanofibers. Subsequently, the applications of these CHM-derived nanostructures to particular diseases are summarized and discussed. Additionally, we discuss the advantages of these nanostructures for studying the therapeutic efficacy of CHMs. Finally, the key challenges and opportunities for the development of these nanostructures are outlined.

Critical Review in Designing Plant-Based Anticancer Nanoparticles against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), accounting for 85% of liver cancer cases, continues to be the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although various forms of chemotherapy and immunotherapy have been investigated in clinics, patients continue to suffer from high toxicity and undesirable side effects. Medicinal plants contain novel critical bioactives that can target multimodal oncogenic pathways; however, their clinical translation is often challenged due to poor aqueous solubility, low cellular uptake, and poor bioavailability. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery presents great opportunities in HCC therapy by increasing selectivity and transferring sufficient doses of bioactives to tumor areas with minimal damage to adjacent healthy cells. In fact, many phytochemicals encapsulated in FDA-approved nanocarriers have demonstrated the ability to modulate the tumor microenvironment. In this review, information about the mechanisms of promising plant bioactives against HCC is discussed and compared. Their benefits and risks as future nanotherapeutics are underscored. Nanocarriers that have been employed to encapsulate both pure bioactives and crude extracts for application in various HCC models are examined and compared. Finally, the current limitations in nanocarrier design, challenges related to the HCC microenvironment, and future opportunities are also discussed for the clinical translation of plant-based nanomedicines from bench to bedside.

Advanced liposome and polymersome-based drug delivery systems: Considerations for physicochemical properties, targeting strategies and stimuli-sensitive approaches

Liposomes and polymersomes are colloidal vesicles that are self-assembled from lipids and amphiphilic polymers, respectively. Because of their ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic therapeutics, they are of great interest in drug delivery research. Today, the applications of liposomes and polymersomes have expanded to a wide variety of complex therapeutic molecules, including nucleic acids, proteins and enzymes. Thanks to their chemical versatility, they can be tailored to different drug delivery applications to achieve maximum therapeutic index. This review article evaluates liposomes and polymersomes from a perspective that takes into account the physical and biological barriers that reduce the efficiency of the drug delivery process. In this context, the design approaches of liposomes and polymersomes are discussed with representative examples in terms of their physicochemical properties (size, shape, charge, mechanical), targeting strategies (passive and active) and response to different stimuli (pH, redox, enzyme, temperature, light, magnetic field, ultrasound). Finally, the challenges limiting the transition from laboratory to practice, recent clinical developments, and future perspectives are addressed.

Liposome Formulations for the Strategic Delivery of PARP1 Inhibitors: Development and Optimization

The development of a lipid nano-delivery system was attempted for three specific poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors: Veliparib, Rucaparib, and Niraparib. Simple lipid and dual lipid formulations with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1'-glycerol) sodium salt (DPPG) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocoline (DPPC) were developed and tested following the thin-film method. DPPG-encapsulating inhibitors presented the best fit in terms of encapsulation efficiency (>40%, translates into concentrations as high as 100 µM), zeta potential values (below -30 mV), and population distribution (single population profile). The particle size of the main population of interest was ~130 nm in diameter. Kinetic release studies showed that DPPG-encapsulating PARP1 inhibitors present slower drug release rates than liposome control samples, and complex drug release mechanisms were identified. DPPG + Veliparib/Niraparib presented a combination of diffusion-controlled and non-Fickian diffusion, while anomalous and super case II transport was verified for DPPG + Rucaparib. Spectroscopic analysis revealed that PARP1 inhibitors interact with the DPPG lipid membrane, promoting membrane water displacement from hydration centers. A preferential membrane interaction with lipid carbonyl groups was observed through hydrogen bonding, where the inhibitors' protonated amine groups may be the major players in the PARP1 inhibitor encapsulation mode.

Will nanomedicine become a good solution for the cardiotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs?

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and with the continuous development of life sciences and pharmaceutical technology, more and more antitumor drugs are being used in clinics to benefit cancer patients. However, the incidence of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity has been continuously increasing, threatening patients' long-term survival. Cardio-oncology has become a research hot spot, and the combination of nanotechnology and biomedicine has brought about an unprecedented technological revolution. Nanomaterials have the potential to maximize the efficacy and reduce the side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs when used as their carriers, and several nano-formulations of frequently used chemotherapeutic drugs have already been approved for marketing. In this review, we summarize chemotherapeutic drugs that are highly associated with cardiotoxicity and evaluate the role of nano-delivery systems in reducing cardiotoxicity based on studies of their marketed or R&D nano-formulations. Some of the marketed chemotherapy drugs are combined with nano-delivery systems that can effectively deliver chemotherapy drugs to tumors and cannot easily penetrate the endothelial barrier of the heart, thus decreasing their distribution in the heart and reducing the cardiotoxicity to some extent. However, many chemotherapy nanomedicines that are marketed or in R&D have not received enough attention in determining their cardiotoxicity. In general, nanomedicine is an effective method to reduce the cardiotoxicity of traditional chemotherapy drugs. However, cardiovascular complications in cancer treatment are very complex diseases, requiring the application of multiple measures to achieve effective management and prevention.

Platinum Drug-Incorporating Polymeric Nanosystems for Precise Cancer Therapy

Platinum (Pt) drugs are widely used in clinic for cancer therapy, but their therapeutic outcomes are significantly compromised by severe side effects and acquired drug resistance. With the emerging immunotherapy and imaging-guided cancer therapy, precise delivery and release of Pt drugs have drawn great attention these days. The targeting delivery of Pt drugs can greatly increase the accumulation at tumor sites, which ultimately enhances antitumor efficacy. Further, with the combination of Pt drugs and other theranostic agents into one nanosystem, it not only possesses excellent synergistic efficacy but also achieves real-time monitoring. In this review, after the introduction of Pt drugs and their characteristics, the recent progress of polymeric nanosystems for efficient delivery of Pt drugs is summarized with an emphasis on multi-modal synergistic therapy and imaging-guided Pt-based cancer treatment. In the end, the conclusions and future perspectives of Pt-encapsulated nanosystems are given.

Codelivery of Phytochemicals with Conventional Anticancer Drugs in Form of Nanocarriers

Anticancer drugs in monotherapy are ineffective to treat various kinds of cancer due to the heterogeneous nature of cancer. Moreover, available anticancer drugs possessed various hurdles, such as drug resistance, insensitivity of cancer cells to drugs, adverse effects and patient inconveniences. Hence, plant-based phytochemicals could be a better substitute for conventional chemotherapy for treatment of cancer due to various properties: lesser adverse effects, action via multiple pathways, economical, etc. Various preclinical studies have demonstrated that a combination of phytochemicals with conventional anticancer drugs is more efficacious than phytochemicals individually to treat cancer because plant-derived compounds have lower anticancer efficacy than conventional anticancer drugs. Moreover, phytochemicals suffer from poor aqueous solubility and reduced bioavailability, which must be resolved for efficacious treatment of cancer. Therefore, nanotechnology-based novel carriers are employed for codelivery of phytochemicals and conventional anticancer drugs for better treatment of cancer. These novel carriers include nanoemulsion, nanosuspension, nanostructured lipid carriers, solid lipid nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, metallic nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes that provide various benefits of improved solubility, reduced adverse effects, higher efficacy, reduced dose, improved dosing frequency, reduced drug resistance, improved bioavailability and higher patient compliance. This review summarizes various phytochemicals employed in treatment of cancer, combination therapy of phytochemicals with anticancer drugs and various nanotechnology-based carriers to deliver the combination therapy in treatment of cancer.

Curcumin in the treatment of liver cancer: From mechanisms of action to nanoformulations

Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer and ranks third in cancer-related death, after lung and colorectal cancer. Various natural products have been discovered as alternatives to conventional cancer therapy strategies, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Curcumin (CUR) with antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activities has been associated with therapeutic benefits against various cancers. It can regulate multiple signaling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β-catenin, JAK/STAT, p53, MAPKs, and NF-ĸB, which are involved in cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and autophagy. Due to its rapid metabolism, poor oral bioavailability, and low solubility in water, CUR application in clinical practices is restricted. To overcome these limitations, nanotechnology-based delivery systems have been applied to use CUR nanoformulations with added benefits, such as reducing toxicity, improving cellular uptake, and targeting tumor sites. Besides the anticancer activities of CUR in combating various cancers, especially liver cancer, here we focused on the CUR nanoformulations, such as micelles, liposomes, polymeric, metal, and solid lipid nanoparticles, and others, in the treatment of liver cancer.

Potential Oral Anticancer Therapeutic Agents of Hexahydrocurcumin-Encapsulated Chitosan Nanoparticles against MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

Hexahydrocurcumin-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (HHC-CS-NPs) were formulated by oil-in-water emulsification and ionotropic gelation and optimized using the Box-Behnken design. The particle size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency of the optimized HHC-CS-NPs were 256 ± 14 nm, 27.3 ± 0.7 mV, and 90.6 ± 1.7%, respectively. The TEM analysis showed a spherical shape and a dense structure with a narrow size distribution. The FT-IR analysis indicated no chemical interaction between the excipients and the drugs in the nanoparticles, but the existence of the drugs was molecularly dispersed in the nanoparticle matrices. The drug release profile showed a preliminary burst release followed by a sustained release under simulated gastrointestinal (GI) and physiological conditions. A stability study suggested that the HHC-CS-NPs were stable under UV light, simulated GI, and body fluids. The in vitro bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the HHC-CS-NPs were 2.2 and 6.1 times higher than those of the HHC solution, respectively. The in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic effects of the optimized HHC-CS-NPs demonstrated that the CS-NPs significantly improved the biological activities of HHC in radical scavenging, hemolysis protection activity, anti-protein denaturation, and cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that the apoptotic protein expression of Bax, cytochrome C, caspase-3, and caspase-9, were significantly up-regulated, whereas the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated in the HHC-CS-NP-treated cells. Our findings suggest that the optimized HHC-CS-NPs can be further developed as an efficient oral treatment for breast cancer.

Insights into the role of nucleotide methylation in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a chronic liver disease characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver. In recent years, the MAFLD incidence rate has risen and emerged as a serious public health concern. MAFLD typically progresses from the initial hepatocyte steatosis to steatohepatitis and then gradually advances to liver fibrosis, which may ultimately lead to cirrhosis and carcinogenesis. However, the potential evolutionary mechanisms still need to be clarified. Recent studies have shown that nucleotide methylation, which was directly associated with MAFLD's inflammatory grading, lipid synthesis, and oxidative stress, plays a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of MAFLD. In this review, we highlight the regulatory function and associated mechanisms of nucleotide methylation modification in the progress of MAFLD, with a particular emphasis on its regulatory role in the inflammation of MAFLD, including the regulation of inflammation-related immune and metabolic microenvironment. Additionally, we summarize the potential value of nucleotide methylation in the diagnosis and treatment of MAFLD, intending to provide references for the future investigation of MAFLD.

Activation of cancer immunotherapy by nanomedicine

Cancer is one of the most difficult diseases to be treated in the world. Immunotherapy has made great strides in cancer treatment in recent years, and several tumor immunotherapy drugs have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Currently, immunotherapy faces many challenges, such as lacking specificity, cytotoxicity, drug resistance, etc. Nanoparticles have the characteristics of small particle size and stable surface function, playing a miraculous effect in anti-tumor treatment. Nanocarriers such as polymeric micelles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, dendrimers, and inorganic nanoparticles have been widely used to overcome deficits in cancer treatments including toxicity, insufficient specificity, and low bioavailability. Although nanomedicine research is extensive, only a few nanomedicines are approved to be used. Either Bottlenecks or solutions of nanomedicine in immunotherapy need to be further explored to cope with challenges. In this review, a brief overview of several types of cancer immunotherapy approaches and their advantages and disadvantages will be provided. Then, the types of nanomedicines, drug delivery strategies, and the progress of applications are introduced. Finally, the application and prospect of nanomedicines in immunotherapy and Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) are highlighted and summarized to address the problems of immunotherapy the overall goal of this article is to provide insights into the potential use of nanomedicines and to improve the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy.

Nano-drug co-delivery system of natural active ingredients and chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment: a review

Chemotherapy drugs have been used for a long time in the treatment of cancer, but serious side effects are caused by the inability of the drug to be solely delivered to the tumor when treating cancer with chemotherapy. Natural products have attracted more and more attention due to the antitumor effect in multiple ways, abundant resources and less side effects. Therefore, the combination of natural active ingredients and chemotherapy drugs may be an effective antitumor strategy, which can inhibit the growth of tumor and multidrug resistance, reduce side effects of chemotherapy drugs. Nano-drug co-delivery system (NDCDS) can play an important role in the combination of natural active ingredients and chemotherapy drugs. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the research status and application prospect of nano-delivery strategies for the combination of natural active ingredients and chemotherapy drugs, aiming to provide a basis for the development of anti-tumor drugs.

Targeting Effect of Betulinic Acid Liposome Modified by Hyaluronic Acid on Hepatoma Cells In Vitro

Betulinic acid (BA) is a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid with broad-spectrum anticancer activity, which has great development potential as an anti-cancer drug. In this study, a novel hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified BA liposome (BA-L) was developed for use in targeted liver cancer therapy. The size, polymer dispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were measured. Cell viability, cell migration and clonogenicity, cellular uptake, immunohistochemistry of CD44, and protein expression of ROCK1/IP3/RAS were also investigated. BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L had no inhibitory effect on the activity of LO2 normal hepatocytes, but they inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with HA-BA-L exhibiting the most prominent inhibitory effect. Compared with the BA-L group, the expression of CD44 in HepG2 cells in the HA-BA-L group was decreased. The results of WB showed that BA, BA-L, and HA-BA-L downregulated the expression of ROCK1, IP3, and RAS in HepG2 cells, and the expression level in the HA-BA-L group was significantly decreased. The easily prepared HA-BA-L was demonstrated to be an excellent CD44-mediated intracellular delivery system capable of targeting effects. Further mechanistic research revealed that the inhibition of HA-BA-L on HepG2 cells may be mediated by blocking the ROCK1/IP3/RAS signaling pathways.

Intercellular communication in the tumour microecosystem: Mediators and therapeutic approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the most common tumours worldwide, is one of the main causes of mortality in cancer patients. There are still numerous problems hindering its early diagnosis, which lead to late patients receiving treatment, and these problems need to be solved urgently. The tumour microecosystem is a complex network system comprising seven parts: the hypoxia niche, immune microenvironment, metabolic microenvironment, acidic niche, innervated niche, mechanical microenvironment, and microbial microenvironment. Intercellular communication is divided into direct contact and indirect communication. Direct contact communication includes gap junctions, tunneling nanotubes, and receptor-ligand interactions, whereas indirect communication includes exosomes, apoptotic vesicles, and soluble factors. Mechanical communication and cytoplasmic exchange are further means of intercellular communication. Intercellular communication mediates the crosstalk between the tumour microecosystem and the host as well as that between cells and cell-free components in the tumour microecosystem, causing changes in the tumour hallmarks of the HCC microecosystem such as changes in tumour proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, inflammatory response, gene mutation, immune escape, metabolic reprogramming, and therapeutic resistance. Here, we review the role of the above-mentioned intercellular communication in the HCC microecosystem and discuss the advantages of targeted intercellular communication in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC. Finally, the current problems and prospects are discussed.

Hybrid Lipid Nanoformulations for Hepatoma Therapy: Sorafenib Loaded Nanoliposomes-A Preliminary Study

Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor that has received increasing attention due to its high efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment. However, its poor pharmacokinetic properties (limited water solubility, rapid elimination, and metabolism) still represent major bottlenecks that need to be overcome in order to improve Sorafenib's clinical application. In this paper, we propose a nanotechnology-based hybrid formulation that has the potential to overcome these challenges: sorafenib-loaded nanoliposomes. Sorafenib molecules have been incorporated into the hydrophobic lipidic bilayer during the synthesis process of nanoliposomes using an original procedure developed in our laboratory and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting this type of analysis. The liposomal hybrid formulations have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) that provided useful information concerning their shape, size, zeta-potential, and concentration. The therapeutic efficacy of the nanohybrids has been evaluated on a normal cell line (LX2) and two hepatocarcinoma cell lines, SK-HEP-1 and HepG2, respectively.

Stimuli-responsive liposomal nanoformulations in cancer therapy: Pre-clinical & clinical approaches

The site-specific delivery of antitumor agents is of importance for providing effective cancer suppression. Poor bioavailability of anticancer compounds and the presence of biological barriers prevent their accumulation in tumor sites. These obstacles can be overcome using liposomal nanostructures. The challenges in cancer chemotherapy and stimuli-responsive nanocarriers are first described in the current review. Then, stimuli-responsive liposomes including pH-, redox-, enzyme-, light-, thermo- and magneto-sensitive nanoparticles are discussed and their potential for delivery of anticancer drugs is emphasized. The pH- or redox-sensitive liposomes are based on internal stimulus and release drug in response to a mildly acidic pH and GSH, respectively. The pH-sensitive liposomes can mediate endosomal escape via proton sponge. The multifunctional liposomes responsive to both redox and pH have more capacity in drug release at tumor site compared to pH- or redox-sensitive alone. The magnetic field and NIR irradiation can be exploited for external stimulation of liposomes. The light-responsive liposomes release drugs when they are exposed to irradiation; thermosensitive-liposomes release drugs at a temperature of >40 °C when there is hyperthermia; magneto-responsive liposomes release drugs in presence of magnetic field. These smart nanoliposomes also mediate co-delivery of drugs and genes in synergistic cancer therapy. Due to lack of long-term toxicity of liposomes, they can be utilized in near future for treatment of cancer patients.

Curcumin- and resveratrol-co-loaded nanoparticles in synergistic treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Currently, systemic therapies for patients with advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rely mainly on systemic drugs. However, traditional systemic drugs have a high rate of serious adverse events, and the curative effects of some potential anticancer drugs, such as curcumin (CUR) and resveratrol (RSV), are less apparent due to their poor bioavailability. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a highly effective therapy to improve patient prognosis. Herein, an injectable HCC-targeted nanoparticle (NP) was designed to deliver CUR and RSV to hepatoma cells.

RESULTS

The molecular self-assembled NPs showed higher tumour retention through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect of the NPs and surface modification with the HCC-specific peptide moiety SP94 to effectively treat HCC. These HCC-targeted NPs led to a significant reduction in the drug dosage, delayed the rate of drug release and improved the bioavailability of the encapsulated drugs. The drug concentrations in the vicinity of the tumour increased, and a good therapeutic effect was observed without obvious side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

These SP94-mediated NPs allowed large amounts of antitumor drugs to accumulate in tumours, providing a novel strategy for innovative HCC therapy. This nanoplatform also offers an idea for exploring other potential chemotherapeutics.