Delivery of erlotinib for enhanced cancer treatment: An update review on particulate systems

Recent progress in drug delivery systems for tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of lung cancer

Lung cancer ranks as the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women worldwide. Despite the availability of diverse diagnostic and treatment strategies, it remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. The current treatment approaches for lung cancer involve the utilization of first generation (e.g., erlotinib, gefitinib) and second generation (e.g., afatinib) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). These TKIs exert their effects by inhibiting a crucial enzyme called tyrosine kinase, which is responsible for cell survival signaling. However, their clinical effectiveness is hindered by limited solubility and oral bioavailability. Nanotechnology has emerged as a significant application in modern cancer therapy. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems, including lipid, polymeric, hybrid, inorganic, dendrimer, and micellar nanoparticles, have been designed to enhance the bioavailability, stability, and retention of these drugs within the targeted lung area. Furthermore, these nanoparticle-based delivery systems offer several advantages, such as increased therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects and toxicity. This review focuses on the recent advancements in drug delivery systems for some of the most important TKIs, shedding light on their potential in improving lung cancer treatment.

In Vivo Application of Carboranes for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT): Structure, Formulation and Analytical Methods for Detection

Carboranes have emerged as one of the most promising boron agents in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). In this context, in vivo studies are particularly relevant, since they provide qualitative and quantitative information about the biodistribution of these molecules, which is of the utmost importance to determine the efficacy of BNCT, defining their localization and (bio)accumulation, as well as their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. First, we gathered a detailed list of the carboranes used for in vivo studies, considering the synthesis of carborane derivatives or the use of delivery system such as liposomes, micelles and nanoparticles. Then, the formulation employed and the cancer model used in each of these studies were identified. Finally, we examined the analytical aspects concerning carborane detection, identifying the main methodologies applied in the literature for ex vivo and in vivo analysis. The present work aims to identify the current strengths and weakness of the use of carboranes in BNCT, establishing the bottlenecks and the best strategies for future applications.

Erlotinib-Loaded Dendrimer Nanocomposites as a Targeted Lung Cancer Chemotherapy

Lung cancer is the main cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Erlotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, affecting both cancerous cell proliferation and survival. The emergence of oncological nanotechnology has provided a novel drug delivery system for erlotinib. The aims of this current investigation were to formulate two different polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer generations-generation 4 (G4) and generation 5 (G5) PAMAM dendrimer-to study the impact of two different PAMAM dendrimer formulations on entrapment by drug loading and encapsulation efficiency tests; to assess various characterizations, including particle size distribution, polydispersity index, and zeta potential; and to evaluate in vitro drug release along with assessing in situ human lung adenocarcinoma cell culture. The results showed that the average particle size of G4 and G5 nanocomposites were 200 nm and 224.8 nm, with polydispersity index values of 0.05 and 0.300, zeta potential values of 11.54 and 4.26 mV of G4 and G5 PAMAM dendrimer, respectively. Comparative in situ study showed that cationic G4 erlotinib-loaded dendrimer was more selective and had higher antiproliferation activity against A549 lung cells compared to neutral G5 erlotinib-loaded dendrimers and erlotinib alone. These conclusions highlight the potential effect of cationic G4 dendrimer as a targeting-sustained-release carrier for erlotinib.

PEGylated Erlotinib HCl Injectable Nanoformulation for Improved Bioavailability

The present study was undertaken to synthesize PEGylated monomethoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (ε-Caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) block copolymer and formulate Erlotinib HCl-loaded mPEG-PCL nanoparticles for enhancing the bioavailability of the drug. Using the ring-opening polymerization technique, PEGylated mPEG-PCL block copolymer was synthesized, and the structure of the copolymer was characterized using FTIR, ¹H-NMR, and DSC techniques. The solvent evaporation approach was used to effectively encapsulate Erlotinib HCl within block copolymeric nanoparticles. Erlotinib HCl-loaded mPEG-PCL nanoparticles had a mean particle size of 146.5 ± 2.37 nm and a zeta potential of -27.8 ± 2.77 mV. The nanoparticles had a percent entrapment efficiency of 80.78 ± 0.09%. The in vitro drug release of Erlotinib HCl-loaded copolymeric nanoparticles showed a slow and sustained release behavior which could be maintained for up to 72 h. The Korsmeyer-Peppas fitting findings indicated that the drug release process followed a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. The pharmacokinetic (PK) behavior of the developed nanoformulation was studied in albino Wistar rats, and the relative bioavailability of the optimized NP formulation given by intravenous route was found to be 187.33%. The PK data suggested that Erlotinib HCl-loaded mPEG-PCL copolymeric nanoparticles can dramatically alter the PK behavior of Erlotinib HCl and greatly improve the drug's bioavailability by as much as three times when compared to the oral formulation. As a result, it was established that the block copolymeric nanoparticles have promise for the effective encapsulation of Erlotinib HCL for an injectable formulation with increased bioavailability.

Recent Advances in Boosting EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors-Based Cancer Therapy

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a key role in signal transduction pathways associated with cell proliferation, growth, and survival. Its overexpression and aberrant activation in malignancy correlate with poor prognosis and short survival. Targeting inhibition of EGFR by small-molecular tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is emerging as an important treatment model besides of chemotherapy, greatly reshaping the landscape of cancer therapy. However, they are still challenged by the off-targeted toxicity, relatively limited cancer types, and drug resistance after long-term therapy. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of oral, pulmonary, and injectable drug delivery systems for enhanced and targeting TKI delivery to tumors and reduced side effects. Importantly, EGFR-TKI-based combination therapies not only greatly broaden the applicable cancer types of EGFR-TKI but also significantly improve the anticancer effect. The mechanisms of TKI resistance are summarized, and current strategies to overcome TKI resistance as well as the application of TKI in reversing chemotherapy resistance are discussed. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future research of EGFR-TKI-based cancer therapy.

MEK Is a Potential Indirect Target in Subtypes of Head and Neck Cancers

The poor prognosis of head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is partly due to the lack of reliable prognostic and predictive markers. The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is often activated by overexpressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and stimulates the progression of HNSCCs. Our research was performed on three human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative HNSCC-cell lines: Detroit 562, FaDu and SCC25. Changes in cell viability upon EGFR and/or MEK inhibitors were measured by the MTT method. The protein-expression and phosphorylation profiles of the EGFR-initiated signaling pathways were assessed using Western-blot analysis. The EGFR expression and pY1068-EGFR levels were also studied in the patient-derived HNSCC samples. We found significant differences between the sensitivity of the tumor-cell lines used. The SCC25 line was found to be the most sensitive to the MEK inhibitors, possibly due to the lack of feedback Akt activation through EGFR. By contrast, this feedback activation had an important role in the FaDu cells. The observed insensitivity of the Detroit 562 cells to the MEK inhibitors might have been caused by their PIK3CA mutation. Among HNSCC cell lines, EGFR-initiated signaling pathways are particularly versatile. An ERK/EGFR feedback loop can lead to Akt-pathway activation upon MEK inhibition, and it is related not only to increased amounts of EGFR but also to the elevation of pY1068-EGFR levels. The presence of this mechanism may justify the combined application of EGFR and MEK inhibitors.

Biomedical Applications of Plant Extract-Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted a lot of interest directed towards biomedical applications due in part to their outstanding anti-microbial activities. However, there have been many health-impacting concerns about their traditional synthesis methods, i.e., the chemical and physical methods. Chemical methods are commonly used and contribute to the overall toxicity of the AgNPs, while the main disadvantages of physical synthesis include high production costs and high energy consumption. The biological methods provide an economical and biocompatible option as they use microorganisms and natural products in the synthesis of AgNPs with exceptional biological properties. Plant extract-based synthesis has received a lot of attention and has been shown to resolve the limitations associated with chemical and physical methods. AgNPs synthesized using plant extracts provide a safe, cost-effective, and environment-friendly approach that produces biocompatible AgNPs with enhanced properties for use in a wide range of applications. The review focused on the use of plant-synthesized AgNPs in various biomedical applications as anti-microbial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and drug-delivery agents. The versatility and potential use of green AgNPs in the bio-medicinal sector provides an innovative alternative that can overcome the limitations of traditional systems. Thus proving green nanotechnology to be the future for medicine with continuous progress towards a healthier and safer environment by forming nanomaterials that are low- or non-toxic using a sustainable approach.

Arsenic trioxide and Erlotinib loaded in RGD-modified nanoliposomes for targeted combination delivery to PC3 and PANC-1 cell lines

During the past few years, advances in drag delivery have provided many opportunities in the treatment of various diseases and cancer. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) and Erlotinib (Erlo) are two drugs, approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer, but their use is limited in terms of the toxicity of ATO and the low solubility of Erlo. This study aimed to prepare arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-decorated nanoliposomes (NLPs) containing Erlo and ATO (NLPs-ATO-Erlo-RGD) to increase the solubility and reduce the toxicity of Erlo and ATO for cancer treatment. The results of transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering showed that NLPs were synthesized uniformly, with spherical shape morphology and particle sizes between 140 and 160 nm. High-performance liquid chromatography and ICP-MS results showed that about 90% of the drug was loaded in the NLPs. In comparison with NLPs-ATO-Erlo, NLPs-ATO-Erlo-RGD demonstrated considerable toxicity against the αvβ3 overexpressing PC3 cell line in the MTT experiment. It had no effect on the PANC-1 cell line. In addition, apoptosis assays using Annexin V/PI demonstrated that NLPs-ATO-Erlo-RGD generated the highest apoptotic rates in PC3 cells when compared with NLPs-ATO-Erlo and the combination of free ATO and Erlo. Furthermore, treatment with NLPs-ATO-Erlo-RGD in (p < 0.05) PC3 cell line significantly reduced EGFR level. It is concluded NLPs-ATO-Erlo-RGD as a novel drug delivery system may be a promising platform for the treatment of cancer.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Current Advances in Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery and MRI

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have evolved tremendously during recent years, in part due to the rapid expansion of nanotechnology and to their active magnetic core with a high surface-to-volume ratio, while their surface functionalization opened the door to a plethora of drug, gene and bioactive molecule immobilization. Taming the high reactivity of the magnetic core was achieved by various functionalization techniques, producing MNPs tailored for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular or neurological disease, tumors and cancer. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are established at the core of drug-delivery systems and could act as efficient agents for MFH (magnetic fluid hyperthermia). Depending on the functionalization molecule and intrinsic morphological features, MNPs now cover a broad scope which the current review aims to overview. Considering the exponential expansion of the field, the current review will be limited to roughly the past three years.

Targeted combined therapy in 2D and 3D cultured MCF-7 cells using metformin and erlotinib-loaded mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles

AIM

This research aims to develop potential therapeutic nanostructures (NSs) encapsulating metformin (MET) and erlotinib (ER) for combinational therapy in breast cancer.

METHODS

The ER and MET, both were loaded on mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with polyethylene glycol and methotrexate to achieve targeted NSs. The developed NSs were characterised using SEM, DLS, and FTIR. Afterward, MTT, Trypan blue, and DNA extraction assays were operated for biological evaluations in the 2D and 3D MCF-7 cells.

RESULTS

Physicochemical approaches indicated the mean diameter of 69.4 nm ± 9.5 (PDI = 0.64), and neutral charge (2 mv) for the developed NSs. MET and ER-loaded NSs exhibited 62.56% ± 4.41 and 67.73% ± 3.03 drug release amount in pH = 5.4, respectively. MTT assay revealed that ER- and MET-loaded NSs had less metabolic activity (≈ 20%) in comparison with non-targeted NSs.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our combined ER and MET-loaded targeted NSs result in a synergistic inhibitory impact on MCF-7 cells.

Synthesis, structure and in vitro antiproliferative effects of alkyne-linked 1,2,4-thiadiazole hybrids including erlotinib- and ferrocene-containing derivatives

Chemotherapy is an indispensable tool to treat cancer, therefore, the development of new drugs that can treat cancer with minimal side effects and lead to more favorable prognoses is of crucial importance. A series of eleven novel 1,2,4-thiadiazoles bearing erlotinib (a known anticancer agent), phenylethynyl, ferrocenyl, and/or ferrocenethynyl moieties were synthesized in this work and characterized by NMR, IR and mass spectroscopies. The solid-phase structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Partial isomerisation of bis(erlotinib)-1,2,4-thiadiazole into its 1,3,4-thiadiazole isomer, leading to the isolation of a 3 : 2 isomer mixture, was observed and a plausible mechanism for isomerisation is suggested. The in vitro cytostatic effect and the long-term cytotoxicity of these thiadiazole-hybrids, as well as that of erlotinib, 3,5-dichloro-1,2,4-thiadiazole and 3,5-diiodo-1,2,4-thiadiazole were investigated against A2058 human melanoma, HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma, U87 human glioma, A431 human epidermoid carcinoma, and PC-3 human prostatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Interestingly, erlotinib did not exhibit a significant cytostatic effect against these cancer cell lines. 1,2,4-Thiadiazole hybrids bearing one erlotinib moiety or both an iodine and a ferrocenethynyl group, as well as 3,5-diiodo-1,2,4-thiadiazole demonstrated good to moderate cytostatic effects. Among the synthesized 1,2,4-thiadiazole hybrids, the isomer mixture of bis-erlotinib substituted 1,2,4- and 1,3,4-thiadiazoles showed the most potent activity. This isomer mixture was proven to be the most effective in long-term cytotoxicity, too. 3,5-Diiodo-1,2,4-thiadiazole and its hybrid with one erlotinib fragment were also highly active against A431 and PC-3 proliferation. These novel compounds may serve as new leads for further study of their antiproliferative properties.

Nanotechnology Based Approach for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Targeting

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary liver cancer that has shown a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide among several types of cancers. A large variety of chemotherapeutic agents employed for the treatment have a limited success rate owing to their limited site-specific drug targeting ability. Thus, there is a demand to develop novel approaches for the treatment of HCC. With advancements in nanotechnology-based drug delivery approaches, the challenges of conventional chemotherapy have been continuously decreasing. Nanomedicines constituted of lipidic and polymeric composites provide a better platform for delivering and opening new pathways for HCC treatment. A score of nanocarriers such as surface-engineered liposomes, nanoparticles, nanotubes, micelles, quantum dots, etc., has been investigated in the treatment of HCC. These nanocarriers are considered to be highly effective clinically for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs with high site-specificity ability and therapeutic efficiency. The present review highlights the current focus on the application of nanocarrier systems using various ligand-based receptor-specific targeting strategies for the treatment and management of HCC. Moreover, the article has also included information on the current clinically approved drug therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment and updates of regulatory requirements for approval of such nanomedicines.

Designed DNA nanostructure grafted with erlotinib for non-small-cell lung cancer therapy

Chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has been employed over the past 20 years. However, poor water-solubility, low bioavailability and less drug accumulation of chemotherapeutic drugs restrict its antitumor activities in clinic. DNA nanostructures are proposed as drug carriers due to their intrinsic biocompatibility and programmability. In this work, we demonstrate a novel DNA nanocarrier grafted with erlotinib as an effective drug delivery system (DDS) for anti-cancer treatment. Specifically, erlotinib (Er), a hydrophobic small molecule drug targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is covalently conjugated with azide (N₃) modified DNA strands and subsequently self-assembled on spatially programmable erlotinib-grafted 6 × 6 × 64 nt DNA nanostructures. Thus, Er was successfully grafted on DNA carriers and transformed into a hydrophilic formulation. The antitumor efficacy was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo, and enhanced cytotoxicity toward A549 cells and the marked inhibition of tumor growth for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were observed.

Erlotinib-Loaded Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Nanocapsules Improve In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Anticlonogenic Effects on Human A549 Lung Cancer Cells

Lung cancer is the most frequent type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. This study aimed to develop erlotinib (ELB)-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocapsules (NC_ELB) and evaluated their in vitro cytotoxicity in A549 cells. The formulation was characterized in relation to hydrodynamic diameter (171 nm), polydispersity index (0.076), zeta potential (- 8 mV), drug content (0.5 mg^.mL^-1), encapsulation efficiency (99%), and pH (6.0). NC_ELB presented higher cytotoxicity than ELB in solution against A549 cells in the MTT and LIVE/DEAD cell viability assays after 24 h of treatment. The main mechanism of cytotoxicity of NC_ELB was the induction of apoptosis in A549 cells. Further, a significant decrease in A549 colony formation was verified after NC_ELB treatment in comparison with the unencapsulated drug treatment. The reduction in clonogenic capacity is very relevant as it can reduce the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis. In conclusion, erlotinib-loaded PCL nanocapsules are promising nanoparticles carriers to increase the efficacy of ELB in lung cancer treatment.