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Morilla MJ, Ghosal K, Romero EL. Nanomedicines against Chagas disease: a critical review. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 15:333-349. [PMID: 38590427 PMCID: PMC11000002 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.15.30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is the most important endemic parasitosis in South America and represents a great socioeconomic burden for the chronically ill and their families. The only currently available treatment against CD is based on the oral administration of benznidazole, an agent, developed in 1971, of controversial effectiveness on chronically ill patients and toxic to adults. So far, conventional pharmacological approaches have failed to offer more effective and less toxic alternatives to benznidazole. Nanomedicines reduce toxicity and increase the effectiveness of current oncological therapies. Could nanomedicines improve the treatment of the neglected CD? This question will be addressed in this review, first by critically discussing selected reports on the performance of benznidazole and other molecules formulated as nanomedicines in in vitro and in vivo CD models. Taking into consideration the developmental barriers for nanomedicines and the degree of current technical preclinical efforts, a prospect of developing nanomedicines against CD will be provided. Not surprisingly, we conclude that structurally simpler formulations with minimal production cost, such as oral nanocrystals and/or parenteral nano-immunostimulants, have the highest chances of making it to the market to treat CD. Nonetheless, substantive political and economic decisions, key to facing technological challenges, are still required regarding a realistic use of nanomedicines effective against CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jose Morilla
- Nanomedicine Research and Development Centre (NARD), Science and Technology Department, National University of Quilmes, Roque Sáenz Peña 352, Bernal, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kajal Ghosal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, 188, Raja Subodh Chandra Mallick Rd., Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Eder Lilia Romero
- Nanomedicine Research and Development Centre (NARD), Science and Technology Department, National University of Quilmes, Roque Sáenz Peña 352, Bernal, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Wang Y, Xu H, Huang X, Zhang Y, Lu Y, Cheng J, Xu X, Li J, Yao H, Chen X. Orchestrating Precision within the Tumor Microenvironment by Biomimetic Nanoprodrugs for Effective Tumor Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:8484-8498. [PMID: 38334265 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Malignant tumors are still one of the most deadly diseases that threaten human life and health. However, developing new drugs is challenging due to lengthy trials, funding constraints, and regulatory approval procedures. Consequently, researchers have devoted themselves to transforming some clinically approved old drugs into antitumor drugs with certain active ingredients, which have become an attractive alternative. Disulfiram (DSF), an antialcohol medication, can rapidly metabolize in the physiological environment into diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) which can readily react with Cu2+ ions in situ to form the highly toxic bis(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate)-copper(II) (CuET) complex. In this study, DSF is loaded into mesoporous dopamine nanocarriers and surface-chelated with tannin and Cu2+ to construct M-MDTC nanoprodrugs under the camouflage of K7 tumor cell membranes. After intravenous injection, M-MDTC nanoprodrugs successfully reach the tumor sites with the help of mediated cell membranes. Under slightly acidic pH and photothermal stimulation conditions, DSF and Cu2+ are simultaneously released, forming a highly toxic CuET to kill tumor cells in situ. The generated CuET can also induce immunogenic cell death of tumor cells, increase the proportion of CD86+ CD80+ cells, and promote dendritic cell maturation. In vitro and in vivo studies of M-MDTC nanoprodrugs have shown excellent tumor-cell-killing ability and solid tumor suppression. This approach enables in situ amplification of chemotherapy in the tumor microenvironment, achieving an effective antitumor treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuemin Wang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Hong Xu
- Orthopedic Research Institution, Department of Orthopedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaoming Huang
- Sichuan Eye Hospital, AIER Eye Hospital Group, No. 153, Tianfu Fourth Street, High-Tech Zone, Chengdu 610047, China
| | - Yuyue Zhang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yongping Lu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Jing Cheng
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Xinyuan Xu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Jianshu Li
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Med-X Center for Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Haochen Yao
- Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Department, General Surgery Center, First Hospital of Jilin University, No. 1 Xinmin Street, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China
| | - Xingyu Chen
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
- College of Medicine, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610003, China
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Hernandez-Pineda E, Amaya CA, González-Uribe C, Herrera A, Velasco N. Covid-19 vaccination: a mixed methods analysis of health system resilience in Latin America. Int J Equity Health 2024; 23:27. [PMID: 38347545 PMCID: PMC10863163 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-023-02073-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper discusses the stages of health system resilience (HSR) and the factors underlying differences in HSR during the covid-19 pandemic, especially the vaccination challenge. We studied the relationship between vaccination strategies and macro-context backgrounds in 21 Latin American countries. Our objective was to capture the impact of those aspects in the SR and identify potential improvements for future crises and for vaccination programs in general. METHODS The study uses mixed-methods research to provide insights into how the countries' backgrounds and vaccination strategies impact the HSR. Particularly, we used explanatory sequential mixed methods, which entails a quantitative-qualitative two-phase sequence. The quantitative phase was conducted using cluster and variance analysis, in which the HSR was measured using as a proxy the covid-19 vaccination outcomes in three cut-offs of reaching 25%, 50%, and 75% of population coverage. This approach allows us to discriminate covid-19 vaccination progress by stages and contrast it to the qualitative stage, in which we performed a country-case analysis of the background conditions and the changes in vaccination strategies that occurred during the corresponding dates. RESULTS The paper provides a rich comparative case analysis of countries, classifying them by early, prompt, and delayed performers. The results show that differences in vaccination performance are due to flexibility in adapting strategies, cooperation, and the ability to design multilevel solutions that consider the needs of various actors in the health ecosystem. These differences vary depending on the vaccination stage, which suggests the importance of acknowledging learning, diffusion, and feedback processes at the regional level. CONCLUSIONS We identified the importance of societal well-being as an ideal country antecedent for high and sustained levels of performance in covid-19 vaccination. Whereas in other countries where the set-up and beginning phases were rough, the value of the operational decisions and the learning on the move regarding their own and their peers' trajectories were crucial and were reflected in performance improvement. A contribution of this study is that the above-mentioned analysis was done using vaccination coverage cut-off points that allow a performance view that takes into consideration the stages of the vaccination progress and the learning process that goes with it. As well as framing this into the HSR shock cycles that allow to differentiate the stages of resilience on which countries must act.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ciro-Alberto Amaya
- School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 E ste N° 19A - 40, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Catalina González-Uribe
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Los Andes, Carrera 1 No 18 A - 10 42 Bloque Q Piso 8, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Andrea Herrera
- School of Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra 1 E ste N° 19A - 40, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
| | - Nubia Velasco
- School of Management, Universidad de Los Andes, Calle 21 # 1-20, Bogotá, 111711, Colombia
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Liao Y, Wang H, Li S, Xue Y, Chen Y, Adu-Frimpong M, Xu Y, Yu J, Xu X, Smyth HDC, Zhu Y. Preparation of astaxanthin-loaded composite micelles with coaxial electrospray technology for enhanced oral bioavailability and improved antioxidation capability. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2024; 104:1408-1419. [PMID: 37782057 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Astaxanthin (AST) is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe dietary supplement for humans. As a potent lipid-soluble keto-carotenoid, it is widely used in food, cosmetics, and the pharmaceutical industry. However, its low solubility limits its powerful biological activity and its application in these fields. This study aims to develop a delivery system to address the low solubility and bioavailability of AST and to enhance its antioxidant capacity. RESULTS Astaxanthin-loaded composite micelles were successfully prepared via coaxial electrospray technology. Astaxanthin existed in the amorphous state in the electro-sprayed formulation with an approximate particle size of 186.28 nm and with a polydispersity index of 0.243. In this delivery system, Soluplus and copovidone (PVPVA 64) were the main polymeric matrix for AST, which then released the drug upon contact with aqueous media, resulting in an overall increase in drug solubility and a release rate of 94.08%. Meanwhile, lecithin, and Polyethylene glycol-grafted Chitosan (PEG-g-CS) could support the absorption of AST in the gastrointestinal tract, assisting transmembrane transport. The relative bioavailability reached about 308.33% and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging efficiency of the formulation was 44.10%, which was 1.57 times higher than that of free astaxanthin (28.10%) when both were at the same concentration level based on astaxanthin. CONCLUSION Coaxial electrospray could be applied to prepare a composite micelles system for the delivery of poorly water-soluble active ingredients in functional food, cosmetics, and medicine. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youwu Liao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Haiqiao Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xue
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yunqiu Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Michael Adu-Frimpong
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Jiangnan Yu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Ximing Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hugh D C Smyth
- College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Center for Nano Drug/Gene Delivery and Tissue Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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Ismail NZ, Khairuddean M, Abubakar S, Arsad H. Network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation of chalcone scaffold-based compounds targeting breast cancer receptors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 38149857 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2296606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Compounds with a chalcone scaffold-based structure have demonstrated promising anticancer biological activity. However, the molecular interactions between chalcone scaffold-based compounds and breast cancer-associated proteins remain unclear. Through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation analyses, compounds with a chalcone scaffold-based structure were evaluated for their interaction with potential breast cancer targets. The compounds were retrieved from the ASINEX database, resulting in 575,302 compounds. A total of 342 compounds with chalcone scaffold-based structures were discovered. From the 342 compounds that was analysed, ten were chosen due to their adherence to Lipinski's rule, having an appropriate range of lipophilicity (LOGP), and topological polar surface area (TPSA), and absence of any toxicity. Based on target intersection, 50 target genes were found and subjected to protein-protein interaction (PPI), gene ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Four target genes were found to be involved in the breast cancer pathway. Consequently, molecular docking was utilised to analyse the molecular interactions between the compounds and four target protein receptors. Compound 211 exhibited the highest binding affinities for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), oestrogen receptor (ESR1), and cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) with values of -8.95 kcal/mol, -8.60 kcal/mol, -10.33 kcal/mol, and -9.90 kcal/mol, respectively. During MD simulation, compound 211 and its respective proteins were stable, compact, and had minimal flexibility. The findings provide foundations for future studies into the interaction underlying the anti-breast cancer potential of compounds with chalcone-based scaffold structures.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melati Khairuddean
- School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Sadiq Abubakar
- School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
- Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Bayero University Kano, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Hasni Arsad
- Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia
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