Hyaluronic acid-coated shikonin liposomes for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer via targeting tumor cells and amplification of oxidative stress

Review of recent preclinical and clinical research on ligand-targeted liposomes as delivery systems in triple negative breast cancer therapy

Triple-negative breast Cancer (TNBC) is one of the deadliest types, making up about 20% of all breast cancers. Chemotherapy is the traditional manner of progressed TNBC treatment; however, it has a short-term result with a high reversibility pace. The lack of targeted treatment limited and person-dependent treatment options for those suffering from TNBC cautions to be the worst type of cancer among breast cancer patients. Consequently, appropriate treatment for this disease is considered a major clinical challenge. Therefore, various treatment methods have been developed to treat TNBC, among which chemotherapy is the most common and well-known approach recently studied. Although effective methods are chemotherapies, they are often accompanied by critical limitations, especially the lack of specific functionality. These methods lead to systematic toxicity and, ultimately, the expansion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) cancer cells. Therefore, finding novel and efficient techniques to enhance the targeting of TNBC treatment is an essential requirement. Liposomes have demonstrated that they are an effective method for drug delivery; however, among a large number of liposome-based drug delivery systems annually developed, a small number have just received authorization for clinical application. The new approaches to using liposomes target their structure with various ligands to increase therapeutic efficiency and diminish undesired side effects on various body tissues. The current study describes the most recent strategies and research associated with functionalizing the liposomes' structure with different ligands as targeted drug carriers in treating TNBCs in preclinical and clinical stages.

Phytochemicals Target Multiple Metabolic Pathways in Cancer

Cancer metabolic reprogramming is a complex process that provides malignant cells with selective advantages to grow and propagate in the hostile environment created by the immune surveillance of the human organism. This process underpins cancer proliferation, invasion, antioxidant defense, and resistance to anticancer immunity and therapeutics. Perhaps not surprisingly, metabolic rewiring is considered to be one of the "Hallmarks of cancer". Notably, this process often comprises various complementary and overlapping pathways. Today, it is well known that highly selective inhibition of only one of the pathways in a tumor cell often leads to a limited response and, subsequently, to the emergence of resistance. Therefore, to increase the overall effectiveness of antitumor drugs, it is advisable to use multitarget agents that can simultaneously suppress several key processes in the tumor cell. This review is focused on a group of plant-derived natural compounds that simultaneously target different pathways of cancer-associated metabolism, including aerobic glycolysis, respiration, glutaminolysis, one-carbon metabolism, de novo lipogenesis, and β-oxidation of fatty acids. We discuss only those compounds that display inhibitory activity against several metabolic pathways as well as a number of important signaling pathways in cancer. Information about their pharmacokinetics in animals and humans is also presented. Taken together, a number of known plant-derived compounds may target multiple metabolic and signaling pathways in various malignancies, something that bears great potential for the further improvement of antineoplastic therapy.

Nanoparticle-based materials in anticancer drug delivery: Current and future prospects

The past decade has witnessed a breakthrough in novel strategies to treat cancer. One of the most common cancer treatment modalities is chemotherapy which involves administering anti-cancer drugs to the body. However, these drugs can lead to undesirable side effects on healthy cells. To overcome this challenge and improve cancer cell targeting, many novel nanocarriers have been developed to deliver drugs directly to the cancerous cells and minimize effects on the healthy tissues. The majority of the research studies conclude that using drugs encapsulated in nanocarriers is a much safer and more effective alternative than delivering the drug alone in its free form. This review provides a summary of the types of nanocarriers mainly studied for cancer drug delivery, namely: liposomes, polymeric micelles, dendrimers, magnetic nanoparticles, mesoporous nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and quantum dots. In this review, the synthesis, applications, advantages, disadvantages, and previous studies of these nanomaterials are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the future opportunities and possible challenges of translating these materials into clinical applications are also reported.

Promising Nanomedicines of Shikonin for Cancer Therapy

Malignant tumor, the leading cause of death worldwide, poses a serious threat to human health. For decades, natural product has been proven to be an essential source for novel anticancer drug discovery. Shikonin (SHK), a natural molecule separated from the root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, shows great potential in anticancer therapy. However, its further clinical application is significantly restricted by poor bioavailability, adverse effects, and non-selective toxicity. With the development of nanotechnology, nano drug delivery systems have emerged as promising strategies to improve bioavailability and enhance the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. To overcome the shortcoming of SHK, various nano drug delivery systems such as liposomes, polymeric micelles, nanoparticles, nanogels, and nanoemulsions, were developed to achieve efficient delivery for enhanced antitumor effects. Herein, this review summarizes the anticancer pharmacological activities and pharmacokinetics of SHK. Additionally, the latest progress of SHK nanomedicines in cancer therapy is outlined, focusing on long circulation, tumor targeting ability, tumor microenvironment responsive drug release, and nanosystem-mediated combination therapy. Finally, the challenges and prospects of SHK nanomedicines in the future clinical application are spotlighted.

Emerging theranostics to combat cancer: a perspective on metal-based nanomaterials

OBJECTIVE

Theranostics, encompassing diagnostics and therapeutics, has emerged as a critical component of cancer treatment. Metal-based theranostics is one such next-generation nanotechnology-based drug delivery system with a myriad of benefits in pre-clinical and clinical medication for the deadly diseases like cancer, where early detection can actually be life-saving.

SIGNIFICANCE

Metal theranostics have shown promising outcomes in terms of anticancer medication monitoring, targeted drug delivery, and simultaneous detection and treatment of early-stage cancer.

METHODS

For collection of literature data, different search engines including Google scholar, SciFinder, PubMed, ScienceDirect have been employed. With key words like, cancer, theranostics, metal nanoparticles relevant and appropriate data have been generated.

RESULTS

Noninvasive administration of the active drug is made possible by theranostics nanoparticulate systems' ability to aggregate at the tumor site and offer morphological and biochemical characteristics of the tumor site. The recent advancement of metal-based theranostics including metallic nanoparticles, metal oxides, metal sulfides, nanocomposites, etc. has been explored at length in this article.

CONCLUSION

The review highlights emerging applications in terms of molecular imaging, targeted therapy and different diagnostic approaches of metal theranostics. Possible challenges faced by nanotheranostics in terms of clinical immersion and toxicological aspects which need to be addressed at depth are also discussed at the end.

Hyaluronic acid-based nano drug delivery systems for breast cancer treatment: Recent advances

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among females worldwide, and high resistance to drugs and metastasis rates are the leading causes of death in BC patients. Releasing anti-cancer drugs precisely to the tumor site can improve the efficacy and reduce the side effects on the body. Natural polymers are attracting extensive interest as drug carriers in treating breast cancer. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural polysaccharide with excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and non-immunogenicity and is a significant component of the extracellular matrix. The CD44 receptor of HA is overexpressed in breast cancer cells and can be targeted to breast tumors. Therefore, many researchers have developed nano drug delivery systems (NDDS) based on the CD44 receptor tumor-targeting properties of HA. This review examines the application of HA in NDDSs for breast cancer in recent years. Based on the structural composition of NDDSs, they are divided into HA NDDSs, Modified HA NDDSs, and HA hybrid NDDSs.