The in vivo behavior and antitumor activity of doxorubicin-loaded poly(γ-benzyl l-glutamate)-block-hyaluronan polymersomes in Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing BalB/c mice

Evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer activities and molecular docking of Moringa oleifera seed oil extract against experimental model of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in Swiss female albino mice

The current research intended to evaluate the antitumor properties of Moringa oleifera oil extract (MOE). Fifty-six female Swiss albino mice were employed in this study. Animals were assigned into four groups: control (C) group, moringa oil extract (MOE) group administered (500 mg/kg b. wt) MOE daily via gavage, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) group and EAC group administered daily with (500 mg/kg b.wt) MOE for two weeks (EAC/MOE). The results showed that MOE significantly ameliorated the EAC increase in body weight and reduced the EAC cell viability. In addition, they upgraded the levels of hepatic and renal functions, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress markers and EAC-induced hepatic and renal histopathological changes. Treatment of EAC with MOE induced antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and normalized most of the tested parameters besides the histopathological alterations in both renal and hepatic tissues. HPLC for the MOE identified Cinnamic acid, Ellagic acid, Quercetin, Gallic acid, Vanillin and Hesperidin as major compounds. The molecular docking study highlighted the virtual binding of the identified compounds inside the GSH and SOD proteins, especially for Quercetin which exhibited promising binding affinity with good interactive binding mode with the key amino acids. These results demonstrate that the antitumor constituents of MOE against EAC induced oxidative stress and inflammation by preventing oxidative damage and controlling EAC increase.

α-Tocopherol Polyethylene Glycol 1000 Succinate-Based Cationic Liposome for the Intracellular Delivery of Doxorubicin in MDA-MB-231 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cell Line

Present research work reports the development of doxorubicin (DOX) loaded α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)-coated cationic liposomes. The developed formulation was evaluated for its anticancer potential and intracellular uptake against the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Moreover, hemocompatibility studies were also done on human blood red blood cells for the determination of blood compatibility. The prepared doxorubicin-loaded TPGS liposomes (DOX-LIPO-TPGS) and doxorubicin-loaded cationic liposomes (DOX-LIPO+-TPGS) reveal vesicle size (177.5 ± 2.5 and 201.7 ± 2.3 nm), polydispersity index (0.189 ± 0.01 and 0.218 ± 0.02), zeta potential (-36.9 ± 0.7 and 42 ± 0.9 mv), and % entrapment efficiency (65.88% ± 3.7% and 74.5% ± 3.9%). Furthermore, in vitro, drug release kinetics of the drug alone and drug from formulation shows sustained release behavior of developed formulation with 99.98% in 12 h and 80.98% release of the drug in 72 h, respectively. In addition, cytotoxicity studies and cellular DOX uptake on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line depict higher cytotoxic and drug uptake potential with better hemocompatibility of DOX-LIPO+-TPGS with respect to DOX. The data from the study revealed that TPGS plays an important role in enhancing the formulation's quality attributes like stability, drug release, cytotoxicity, and hemocompatibility behavior. This may serve that TPGS-coated cationic liposome as a vital candidate for the treatment of cancer and drug delivery in case of breast cancer.

Polymersome-based protein drug delivery - quo vadis?

Protein-based therapeutics are an attractive alternative to established therapeutic approaches and represent one of the fastest growing families of drugs. While many of these proteins can be delivered using established formulations, the intrinsic sensitivity of proteins to denaturation sometimes calls for a protective carrier to allow administration. Historically, lipid-based self-assembled structures, notably liposomes, have performed this function. After the discovery of polymersome-based targeted drug-delivery systems, which offer manifold advantages over lipid-based structures, the scientific community expected that such systems would take the therapeutic world by storm. However, no polymersome formulations have been commercialised. In this review article, we discuss key obstacles for the sluggish translation of polymersome-based protein nanocarriers into approved pharmaceuticals, which include limitations imparted by the use of non-degradable polymers, the intricacies of polymersome production methods, and the complexity of the in vivo journey of polymersomes across various biological barriers. Considering this complex subject from a polymer chemist's point of view, we highlight key areas that are worthy to explore in order to advance polymersomes to a level at which clinical trials become worthwhile and translation into pharmaceutical and nanomedical applications is realistic.

MiR-199 Aggravates Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Targeting TAF9b

The clinical application of doxorubicin (DOX) is limited because of its cardiotoxicity. However, the pathogenic mechanism of DOX and the role of miRNA in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remain to be further studied. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-199 in DOX-mediated cardiotoxicity. A mouse model of myocardial cell injury induced by DOX was established. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression changes of miR-199 and TATA-binding protein associated factor 9B (TAF9b) in DOX-induced cardiac injury. Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining and flow cytometry. The expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins, namely, Bax and Bcl-2, were detected by qPCR. The expression of Beclin-1 and LC3b was detected by western blotting. The binding effect of miR-199 with TAF9b was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. In this study, overexpression of miR-199 could promote cardiotoxicity. Inhibition of miR-199 could alleviate DOX-mediated myocardial injury. Further studies showed that miR-199 targeted TAF9b. Moreover, miR-199 promoted apoptosis of myocardial cells and aggravated autophagy. Furthermore, we demonstrated that TAF9B knockdown reversed the myocardial protective effect of miR-199 inhibitors. Therefore, miR-199 promoted DOX-mediated cardiotoxicity by targeting TAF9b, thereby aggravating apoptosis and regulating autophagy.

Inverting glucuronidation of hymecromone in situ by catalytic nanocompartments

Glucuronidation is a metabolic pathway that inactivates many drugs including hymecromone. Adverse effects of glucuronide metabolites include a reduction of half-life circulation times and rapid elimination from the body. Herein, we developed synthetic catalytic nanocompartments able to cleave the glucuronide moiety from the metabolized form of hymecromone in order to convert it to the active drug. By shielding enzymes from their surroundings, catalytic nanocompartments favor prolonged activity and lower immunogenicity as key aspects to improve the therapeutic solution. The catalytic nanocompartments (CNCs) consist of self-assembled poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) diblock copolymer polymersomes encapsulating β-glucuronidase. Insertion of melittin in the synthetic membrane of these polymersomes provided pores for the diffusion of the hydrophilic hymecromone-glucuronide conjugate to the compartment inside where the encapsulated β-glucuronidase catalyzed its conversion to hymecromone. Our system successfully produced hymecromone from its glucuronide conjugate in both phosphate buffered solution and cell culture medium. CNCs were non-cytotoxic when incubated with HepG2 cells. After being taken up by cells, CNCs produced the drug in situ over 24 hours. Such catalytic platforms, which locally revert a drug metabolite into its active form, open new avenues in the design of therapeutics that aim at prolonging the residence time of a drug.

Light-Triggered Efficient Sequential Drug Delivery of Biomimetic Nanosystem for Multimodal Chemo-, Antiangiogenic, and Anti-MDSC Therapy in Melanoma

In view of the multiple pathological hallmarks of tumors, nanosystems for the sequential delivery of various drugs whose targets are separately located inside and outside tumor cells are desired for improved cancer therapy. However, current sequential delivery is mainly achieved through enzyme- or acid-dependent degradation of the nanocarrier, which would be influenced by the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment, and unloading efficiency of the drug acting on the target outside tumor cells is usually unsatisfactory. Here, a light-triggered sequential delivery strategy based on a liposomal formulation of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded small-sized polymeric nanoparticles (DOX-NP) and free sunitinib in the aqueous cavity, is developed. The liposomal membrane is doped with photosensitizer porphyrin-phospholipid (PoP) and hybridized with red blood cell membrane to confer biomimetic features. Near-infrared light-induced membrane permeabilization triggers the "ultrafast" and "thorough" release of sunitinib (100% release in 5 min) for antiangiogenic therapy and also myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) inhibition to reverse the immunosuppressive tumor environment. Subsequently, the small-sized DOX-NP liberated from the liposomes is more easily uptaken by tumor cells for improved immunogenic chemotherapy. RNA sequencing and immune-related assay indicates therapeutic immune enhancement. This light-triggered sequential delivery strategy demonstrates the potency in cancer multimodal therapy against multiple targets in different spatial positions in tumor microenvironment.

Hyaluronic acid-based drug nanocarriers as a novel drug delivery system for cancer chemotherapy: A systematic review

Chemotherapy is the most common treatment strategy for cancer patients. Nevertheless, limited drug delivery to cancer cells, intolerable toxicity, and multiple drug resistance are constant challenges of chemotherapy. Novel targeted drug delivery strategies by using nanoparticles have attracted much attention due to reducing side effects and increasing drug efficacy. Therefore, the most important outcome of this study is to answer the question of whether active targeted HA-based drug nanocarriers have a significant effect on improving drug delivery to cancer cells.This study aimed to systematically review studies on the use of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based nanocarriers for chemotherapy drugs. The two databases MagIran and SID from Persian databases as well as international databases PubMed, WoS, Scopus, Science Direct, Embase, as well as Google Scholar were searched for human studies and cell lines and/or xenograft mice published without time limit until 2020. Keywords used to search included Nanoparticle, chemotherapy, HA, Hyaluronic acid, traditional medicine, natural medicine, chemotherapeutic drugs, natural compound, cancer treatment, and cancer. The quality of the studies was assessed by the STROBE checklist. Finally, studies consistent with inclusion criteria and with medium- to high-quality were included in the systematic review.According to the findings of studies, active targeted HA-based drug nanocarriers showed a significant effect on improving drug delivery to cancer cells. Also, the use of lipid nanoparticles with a suitable coating of HA have been introduced as biocompatible drug carriers with high potential for targeted drug delivery to the target tissue without affecting other tissues and reducing side effects. Enhanced drug delivery, increased therapeutic efficacy, increased cytotoxicity and significant inhibition of tumor growth, as well as high potential for targeted chemotherapy are also reported to be benefits of using HA-based nanocarriers for tumors with increased expression of CD44 receptor.

Metal Phenolic Network-Integrated Multistage Nanosystem for Enhanced Drug Delivery to Solid Tumors

Metal-phenolic networks (MPNs) are an emerging class of supramolecular surface modifiers with potential use in various fields including drug delivery. Here, the development of a unique MPN-integrated core-satellite nanosystem (CS-NS) is reported. The "core" component of CS-NS comprises a liposome loaded with EDTA (a metal ion chelator) in the aqueous core and DiR (a near-infrared photothermal transducer) in the bilayer. The "satellite" component comprises mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) encapsulating doxorubicin and is coated with a Cu²⁺ -tannic acid MPN. Liposomes and MSNs self-assemble into the CS-NS through adhesion mediated by the MPN. When irradiated with an 808 nm laser, CS-NS liberated the entrapped EDTA, leading to Cu²⁺ chelation and subsequent disassembly of the core-satellite nanostructure. Photo-conversion from the large assembly to the small constituent particles proceeded within 5 min. Light-triggered CS-NS disassembly enhanced the carrier and cargo penetration and accumulation in tumor spheroids in vitro and in orthotopic murine mammary tumors in vivo. CS-NS is long circulating in the blood and conferred improved survival outcomes to tumor-bearing mice treated with light, compared to controls. These results demonstrate an MPN-integrated multistage nanosystem for improved solid tumor treatment.

Biomimetic Liposomal Nanoplatinum for Targeted Cancer Chemophototherapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer is limited by tumor hypoxia. Platinum nanoparticles (nano-Pt) as a catalase-like nanoenzyme can enhance PDT through catalytic oxygen supply. However, the cytotoxic activity of nano-Pt is not comprehensively considered in the existing methods to exert their multifunctional antitumor effects. Here, nano-Pt are loaded into liposomes via reverse phase evaporation. The clinical photosensitizer verteporfin (VP) is loaded in the lipid bilayer to confer PDT activity. Murine macrophage cell membranes are hybridized into the liposomal membrane to confer biomimetic and targeting features. The resulting liposomal system, termed "nano-Pt/VP@MLipo," is investigated for chemophototherapy in vitro and in vivo in mouse tumor models. At the tumor site, oxygen produced by nano-Pt catalyzation improves the VP-mediated PDT, which in turn triggers the release of nano-Pt via membrane permeabilization. The ultrasmall 3-5 nm nano-Pt enables better penetration in tumors, which is also facilitated by the generated oxygen gas, for enhanced chemotherapy. Chemophototherapy with a single injection of nano-Pt/VP@MLipo and light irradiation inhibits the growth of aggressive 4T1 tumors and their lung metastasis, and prolongs animal survival without overt toxicity.

pH-responsive polymersome-mediated delivery of doxorubicin into tumor sites enhances the therapeutic efficacy and reduces cardiotoxic effects

The delivery of therapeutics into sites of action by using cargo-delivery platforms potentially minimizes their premature degradation and fast clearance from the bloodstream. Additionally, drug-loaded stimuli-responsive supramolecular assemblies can be produced to respond to the inherent features of tumor microenvironments, such as extracellular acidosis. We report in this framework the use of pH-responsive polymersomes (PSs) manufactured using poly([N-(2-hydroxypropyl)] methacrylamide)₃₅-b-poly[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate]₇₅ as the building unit (PHPMA₃₅-b-PDPA₇₅). The self-assemblies were produced with desired size towards long circulation time and tumor accumulation (hydrodynamic diameter - D_H ~ 100 nm), and they could be successfully loaded with 10% w/w DOX (doxorubicin), while maintaining colloidal stability. The DOX loaded amount is presumably mainly burst-released at the acidic microenvironment of tumors thanks to the pH-switchable property of PDPA (pKa ~ 6.8), while reduced drug leakage has been monitored in pH 7.4. Compared to the administration of free DOX, the drug-loaded supramolecular structures greatly enhanced the therapeutic efficacy with effective growth inhibition of EL4 lymphoma tumor model and 100% survival rate in female C57BL/6 black mice over 40 days. The approach also led to reduced cardiotoxic effect. These features highlight the potential application of such nanotechnology-based treatment in a variety of cancer therapies where low local pH is commonly found, and emphasize PHPMA-based nanomedicines as an alternative to PEGylated formulations.

Functional Glycopolypeptides: Synthesis and Biomedical Applications

Employing natural-based renewable sugar and saccharide resources to construct functional biopolymer mimics is a promising research frontier for green chemistry and sustainable biotechnology. As the mimics/analogues of natural glycoproteins, synthetic glycopolypeptides attracted great attention in the field of biomaterials and nanobiotechnology. This review describes the synthetic strategies and methods of glycopolypeptides and their analogues, the functional self-assemblies of the synthesized glycopolypeptides, and their biological applications such as biomolecular recognition, drug/gene delivery, and cell adhesion and targeting, as well as cell culture and tissue engineering. Future outlook of the synthetic glycopolypeptides was also discussed.

A self-assembled pH/enzyme dual-responsive prodrug with PEG deshielding for multidrug-resistant tumor therapy

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major obstacles for tumor therapy. Intake by receptor-mediated endocytosis enables molecules to bypass ABC transporter efflux, which is the primary mechanism of MDR. Here, we developed a novel pH/enzyme dual-responsive polypeptide prodrug to reverse multidrug resistance. This drug is composed of pH/MMP2-sensitive nanoparticles (MSNPs) self-assembled from mPEG-peptide-DOX. MSNPs can overcome sequential physiological barriers of multidrug resistance by prolonging the circulation time through PEGylation, enhancing tumor accumulation through passive targeting, increasing tumor penetration by enzyme-sensitive PEG deshielding, bypassing ABC transporter efflux by undergoing receptor-mediated endocytosis, and inducing sufficient DOX release from nanoparticles triggered by lysosomal pH. The reversal of MDR by MSNPs was evaluated in MCF-7/ADR cells and nude mice bearing tumors consisting of MCF-7/ADR cells. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that the MSNPs can effectively reverse MDR. Thus, MSNPs may constitute a potentially promising strategy for overcoming MDR in clinical applications.

Design of Soft Nanocarriers Combining Hyaluronic Acid with Another Functional Polymer for Cancer Therapy and Other Biomedical Applications

The rapid advancement in medicine requires the search for new drugs, but also for new carrier systems for more efficient and targeted delivery of the bioactive molecules. Among the latter, polymeric nanocarriers have an increasingly growing potential for clinical applications due to their unique physical and chemical characteristics. In this regard, nanosystems based on hyaluronic acid (HA), a polysaccharide which is ubiquitous in the body, have attracted particular interest because of the biocompatibility, biodegradability and nonimmunogenic property provided by HA. Furthermore, the fact that hyaluronic acid can be recognized by cell surface receptors in tumor cells, makes it an ideal candidate for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. In this review, we compile a comprehensive overview of the different types of soft nanocarriers based on HA conjugated or complexed with another polymer: micelles, nanoparticles, nanogels and polymersomes. Emphasis is made on the properties of the polymers used as well as the synthetic approaches for obtaining the different HA-polymer systems. Fabrication, characterization and potential biomedical applications of the nanocarriers will also be described.

Heparosan as a potential alternative to hyaluronic acid for the design of biopolymer-based nanovectors for anticancer therapy

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are important components of the extracellular matrix that have attracted great interest for drug delivery and pharmaceutical applications due to their diverse biological functions. Among GAGs, heparosan (Hep), a biosynthetic precursor of heparin, has recently emerged as a promising building block for the design of nanoparticles with stealth properties. Though this non-sulfated polysaccharide has a chemical structure very close to that of hyaluronic acid (HA), it distinguishes from HA in that it is biologically inert in the extracellular spaces in the body. In this study, we designed Hep- and HA-based nanogels (NGs) that differ only in the chemical nature of the hydrophilic shell. The nanogels were prepared in a very straightforward way from Hep and HA modified with a thermoresponsive copolymer properly designed to induce self-assembly below room temperature. This versatile synthetic approach also enabled further shell-crosslinking allowing an increase in the colloidal stability. After careful characterization of the un-crosslinked and crosslinked Hep and HA NGs in terms of size (Z-average diameters of un-crosslinked and crosslinked NGs ∼110 and 150 nm) and morphology, they were injected intravenously into tumor-bearing mice for biodistribution experiments. Interestingly, these show that the liver uptake of Hep nanogels is remarkably reduced and tumor accumulation significantly improved as compared to HA nanogels (intensity ratios of tumor-to-liver of 2.2 and 1.4 for the un-crosslinked and crosslinked Hep NGs versus 0.11 for the un-crosslinked and crosslinked HA ones). These results highlight the key role played by the shell-forming GAGs on the in vivo fate of nanogels, which correlates with the specific biological properties of Hep and HA.

Encapsulation of Gold Nanorods with Porphyrins for the Potential Treatment of Cancer and Bacterial Diseases: A Critical Review

Cancer and bacterial diseases have been the most incidental diseases to date. According to the World Health Report 2018, at least every family is affected by cancer around the world. In 2012, 14.1 million people were affected by cancer, and that figure is bound to increase to 21.6 million in 2030. Medicine therefore sorts out ways of treatment using conventional methods which have been proven to have many side effects. Researchers developed photothermal and photodynamic methods to treat both cancer and bacterial diseases. These methods pose fewer effects on the biological systems but still no perfect method has been synthesized. The review serves to explore porphyrin and gold nanorods to be used in the treatment of cancer and bacterial diseases: porphyrins as photosensitizers and gold nanorods as delivery agents. In addition, the review delves into ways of incorporating photothermal and photodynamic therapy aimed at producing a less toxic, more efficacious, and specific compound for the treatment.

Multivalent and multifunctional polysaccharide-based particles for controlled receptor recognition

Polysaccharides represent a versatile class of building blocks that are used in macromolecular design. By choosing the appropriate saccharide block, various physico-chemical and biological properties can be introduced both at the level of the polymer chains and the resulting self-assembled nanostructures. Here, we synthetized amphiphilic diblock copolymers combining a hydrophobic and helical poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) PBLG and two polysaccharides, namely hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminarin (LAM). The copolymers could self-assemble to form particles in water by nanoprecipitation. In addition, hybrid particles containing both HA and LAM in different ratios were obtained by co-nanoprecipitation of the two copolymers. By controlling the self-assembly process, five particle samples with different morphologies and compositions were developed. The interaction between the particles and biologically relevant proteins for HA and LAM, namely CD44 and Dectin-1 respectively, was evaluated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We demonstrated that the particle-protein interaction could be modulated by the particle structure and composition. It is therefore suggested that this method based on nanoprecipitation is a practical and versatile way to obtain particles with controllable interactions with proteins, hence with the appropriate biological properties for biomedical applications such as drug delivery.

Hyaluronated imatinib liposomes with hybrid approach to target CD44 and P-gp overexpressing MDR cancer: an in-vitro, in-vivo and mechanistic investigation

Multi Drug Resistance (MDR) of cancer cells is a constant threat to the clinically used drugs as well as new drug development. In present work, we aimed to assess in-vitro as well as in-vivo efficacy of the developed Imatinib loaded liposomes in MDR cancer. An array of tests was also carried out to comprehensively understand the bio-mechanism that enable these nanocarriers to modulate P-gp activity. Hyaluronic acid coated, Imatinib mesylate containing lipsomes (HA-LIPO-IM) were analysed through in-vitro and in-vivo studies in MDR cancer cells and tumour models. Effect of developed hyaluronated liposomes on various biomolecular mechanisms was also evaluated. Around 3.5 times lower IC₅₀ for HA-LIPO-IM in comparison to drug solution in HT-29 and Colo-320 cells proved the enhanced action of the drug in MDR cells. HA-LIPO formulations were demonstrated to have inhibitory effect on ATPase enzyme. Molecular masking of Imatinib mesylate and CD-44 mediated endocytosis were also found responsible for anti-MDR effect. In-vivo studies revealed the prolonged tumour accumulation and 4-fold increase in tumour regression efficacy of HA-LIPO-IM in comparison to free drug solution. The work demonstrated the target specific accumulation of HA-LIPO-IM in CD-44 overexpressing cancer cells through P-gp modulation.

A Tumor Vascular-Targeted Interlocking Trimodal Nanosystem That Induces and Exploits Hypoxia

Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) is a recently approved strategy for treating solid tumors. However, the exacerbated hypoxic stress makes tumor eradication challenging with such a single modality approach. Here, a new graphene oxide (GO)-based nanosystem for rationally designed, interlocking trimodal cancer therapy that enables VTP using photosensitizer verteporfin (VP) (1) with codelivery of banoxantrone dihydrochloride (AQ4N) (2), a hypoxia-activated prodrug (HAP), and HIF-1α siRNA (siHIF-1α) (3) is reported. The VTP-induced aggravated hypoxia is highly favorable for AQ4N activation into AQ4 (a topoisomerase II inhibitor) for chemotherapy. However, the hypoxia-induced HIF-1α acts as a "hidden brake," through downregulating CYP450 (the dominant HAP-activating reductases), to substantially hinder AQ4N activation. siHIF-1α is rationally adopted to suppress the HIF-1α expression upon hypoxia and further enhance AQ4N activation. This trimodal nanosystem significantly delays the growth of PC-3 tumors in vivo compared to the control nanoparticles carrying VP, AQ4N, or siHIF-1α alone or their pairwise combinations. This multimodal nanoparticle design presents, the first example exploiting VTP to actively induce hypoxia for enhanced HAP activation. It is also revealed that HAP activation is still insufficient under hypoxia due to the hidden downregulation of the HAP-activating reductases (CYP450), and this can be well overcome by GO nanoparticle-mediated siHIF-1α intervention.

Application of active targeting nanoparticle delivery system for chemotherapeutic drugs and traditional/herbal medicines in cancer therapy: a systematic review

Patients treated with conventional cancer chemotherapy suffer from side effects of the drugs due to non-selective action of chemotherapeutic drugs to normal cells. Active targeting nanoparticles that are conjugated to targeting ligands on the surface of nanoparticles play an important role in improving drug selectivity to the cancer cell. Several chemotherapeutic drugs and traditional/herbal medicines reported for anticancer activities have been investigated for their selective delivery to cancer cells by active targeting nanoparticles. This systematic review summarizes reports on this application. Literature search was conducted through PubMed database search up to March 2017 using the terms nanoparticle, chemotherapy, traditional medicine, herbal medicine, natural medicine, natural compound, cancer treatment, and active targeting. Out of 695 published articles, 61 articles were included in the analysis based on the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The targeting ligands included proteins/peptides, hyaluronic acid, folic acid, antibodies/antibody fragments, aptamer, and carbohydrates/polysaccharides. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that active targeting nanoparticles increase selectivity in cellular uptake and/or cytotoxicity over the conventional chemotherapeutic drugs and non-targeted nanoparticle platform, particularly enhancement of drug efficacy and safety. However, clinical studies are required to confirm these findings.

Folate conjugated vs PEGylated phytosomal casein nanocarriers for codelivery of fungal- and herbal-derived anticancer drugs

Aim: Monascin and ankaflavin, the major fractions of the fungal-derived monascus yellow pigments, were incorporated with the herbal drug, resveratrol (RSV) within the core of folate-conjugated casein micelles (FA–CAS MCs, F1) for active targeting. PEGylated RSV-phospholipid complex bilayer enveloping casein-loaded micelles (PEGPC–CAS MCs) were also developed as passive-targeted nanosystem. Results: FA– and PEGPC–CAS MCs demonstrated a proper size with monomodal distribution, sustained drug release profiles and good hemocompatibility. The coloaded MCs showed superior cytotoxicity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells compared with free drugs. Both nanosystems exerted excellent in vivo antitumor efficacy in breast cancer bearing mice with PEGylated MCs showing comparable tumor regression to folate-conjugated MCs. Conclusion: Evergreen nanoplatforms coloaded with monascus yellow pigments and RSV were effective for breast cancer treatment.

Phytosomal bilayer-enveloped casein micelles for codelivery of monascus yellow pigments and resveratrol to breast cancer

Aim: Multireservoir nanocarriers were fabricated for delivering antineoplastic drug cocktail from herbal and fungal origin. Monascus yellow pigments (MYPs), monascin and ankaflavin, were isolated from red-mold rice, and incorporated within casein micelles (CAS MCs) along with the herbal drug, resveratrol (RSV). Both drugs (MYPs and RSV) were simultaneously incorporated into the hydrophobic core of CAS MCs. Alternatively, MYPs-loaded CAS MCs were enveloped within RSV-phytosomal bilayer elaborating multireservoir nanocarriers. Results: Cytotoxicity studies confirmed the superiority of multireservoir nanocarriers against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The in vivo antitumor efficacy was revealed by reduction of the tumor volume and growth biomarkers. Conclusion: Multireservoir CAS nanocarriers for codelivery of both MYPs and RSV may be promising alternative to traditional breast cancer therapy.

PeptoSomes for Vaccination: Combining Antigen and Adjuvant in Polypept(o)ide-Based Polymersomes

In this work, the first vaccine is reported based on a PeptoSome, which contains a model antigen (SIINFEKL) and adjuvant (CpG). PeptoSomes are polypept(o)ide-based polymersomes built of a block-copolymer with polysarcosine (PSar) as the hydrophilic block (X _n = 111) and poly(benzyl-glutamic acid) (PGlu(OBn)) as the hydrophobic one (X _n = 46). The polypept(o)ide is obtained with low dispersity index of 1.32 by controlled ring-opening polymerization. Vesicle formation by dual centrifugation technique allows for loading of vesicles up to 40 mol%. PeptoSomes are characterized by multiangle dynamic light scattering, static light scattering, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryoTEM). The PeptoSomes have a hydrodynamic radius of 39.2 nm with a low dispersity (µ ₂ = 0.1). The ρ-ratio R _g /R _h of 0.95 already indicates that vesicles are formed, which can be confirmed by cryoTEM. Loaded PeptoSomes deliver the antigen (SIINFEKL) and an adjuvant (CpG) simultaneously into dendritic cells (DCs). Upon cellular uptake, dendritic cells are stimulated and activated, which leads to expression of cluster of differentiation CD80, CD86, and MHCII, but induces excretion of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNFα). Furthermore, DC-mediated antigen-specific T-cell proliferation is achieved, thus underlining the enormous potential of PeptoSomes as a versatile platform for vaccination.

Block Copolymer Based Nanoparticles for Theranostic Intervention of Cervical Cancer: Synthesis, Pharmacokinetics, and in Vitro/in Vivo Evaluation in HeLa Xenograft Models

Polymer-based nanoparticles have proven to be viable carriers of therapeutic agents. In this study, we have developed nanoparticles (NPs) from polypeptide-polyethylene glycol based triblock and diblock copolymers. The synthesized block copolymers poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(glutamic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (GEG) and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(glutamic acid) (EG) conjugated with folic acid for targeting specificity (EGFA) have been used to encapsulate methotrexate (MTX) to form M-GEG and M-EGFA NPs aimed at passive and active targeting of cervical carcinoma. In-vitro SRB cytotoxicity and hemolysis assays revealed that these NPs were cytocompatible to healthy human cells and hemocompatible to human RBCs. Cellular uptake by FACS demonstrated their prompt internalization by human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells and points toward an apoptotic mechanism of cell kill as confirmed by AO/EB staining as well as histological analysis of explanted HeLa tumors. Pharmacokinetics and biodistribution studies were performed in New Zealand albino rabbits and HeLa xenografted Athymic mice models, respectively, by radiolabeling these NPs with ^99mTc. Passive tumor accumulation and active targeting of MTX-loaded polymeric nanoparticles to folate expressing cells were confirmed by intravenous administration of these ^99mTc-labeled M-GEG and M-EGFA NPs in HeLa tumor bearing nude mice and clearly visualized by whole-body gamma-SPECT images of these mice. Survival studies of these xenografted mice established the antiproliferative effect of these MTX-loaded NPs while corroborating the targeting effect of folic acid. These studies proved that the M-GEG NPs and M-EGFA NPs could be effective alternatives to conventional chemotherapy along with simultaneous diagnostic abilities and thus potentially viable theranostic options for human cervical carcinoma.

Capsaicin-loaded folic acid-conjugated lipid nanoparticles for enhanced therapeutic efficacy in ovarian cancers

In this study, folic acid-conjugated lipid nanoparticles were successfully prepared to enhance the active targeting of capsaicin (CAP) in ovarian cancers. The particles were nanosized and exhibited a controlled release of drug in the physiological conditions. The folic acid (FA)-conjugated system exhibited a remarkably higher uptake of nanoparticles in the cancer cells compared to that of non-targeted system. The folate-conjugated CAP-loaded lipid nanoparticles (CFLN) upon interacting with cancer cells were internalized via receptor-mediated endocytosis mechanism and resulted in higher concentration in the cancer cells. Consistently, CFLN showed a remarkably higher toxic effect compared to that of non-targeted nanoparticle system. CFLN showed significantly higher cancer cell apoptosis with nearly 39% of cells in apoptosis chamber (early and late) compared to only ∼21% and ∼11% for CAP-loaded lipid nanoparticles (CLN) and CAP. The loading of drug in the lipid nanoparticle system extended the drug retention in the blood circulation and allowed the active targeting to specific cancer cells. The prolonged circulation of drug attributed to the antifouling property of polyethylene glycol molecule in the structure. Overall, study highlights that using targeting moiety could enhance the therapeutic response of nanomedicines in the treatment of solid tumors.

Synergism of co-delivered nanosized antioxidants displayed enhanced anticancer efficacy in human colon cancer cell lines

Combination of chemopreventive and/or therapeutic agents is the imminent smart approach to cope up with cancer because it may act on multiple targets through different pathways. In the present study, we have synthesized multiple chemopreventive and/or therapeutic agents (Curcumin, Quercetin and Aspirin) loaded nanoparticles by simple cation-anion interaction among the amine groups of chitosan (CS) and phosphate groups of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP). These nanosized bioactive materials (CS-SHMP-CQA-NPs) were well characterized and found most effective in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) compared to other cancer cell lines. Triplex chemopreventive and/or therapeutic agents-loaded NPs were synergistically inducing apoptosis in HCT-116 cells compared to two-chemopreventive agents-loaded NPs as evident by an increase in sub-G₁ cells (percent), and chromatin condensation along with the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Interestingly, Chou–Talalay analysis revealed that CS-SHMP-CQA-NPs showed strong synergistic effect in its all doses. Thus, our study demonstrates that nanoparticles based bioactive materials significantly inhibit the growth of HCT-116 cells and thus could be a promising approach for colon cancer chemoprevention.

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Multiple antioxidants loaded nanoparticle base bioactive materials have been synthesized.

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This nanoparticular bioactive materials (CS-SHMP-CQA-NPs) were well characterized and found most effective in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) compared to other cancer cell lines.

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Nanosized bioactivematerial inhibited HCT-116 cells synergistically, could be a promising approach for colon cancer chemotherapy.

ATN-161 Peptide Functionalized Reversibly Cross-Linked Polymersomes Mediate Targeted Doxorubicin Delivery into Melanoma-Bearing C57BL/6 Mice

PHSCN peptide (licensed as ATN-161) is an effective α₅β₁ integrin inhibitor that has advanced to phase II clinical trials to treat solid tumors. Here we developed ATN-161 functionalized self-cross-linkable and intracellularly de-cross-linkable polymersomes (ATN/SCID-Ps) for highly efficient and targeted delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) into B16F10 melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice. ATN/SCID-Ps exhibited a high loading capacity of DOX·HCl. The size of DOX-loaded ATN/SCID-Ps (DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps) decreased from 150 to 88 nm with increasing ATN surface densities from 0 to 100% (mol/mol). DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps were robust with low drug leakage under physiological conditions while quickly releasing DOX with the addition of 10 mM glutathione. MTT assay results displayed that DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps induced ATN density-dependent antitumor activity to α₅β₁ integrin overexpressing B16F10 melanoma cells, in which 56% ATN-161 was optimal. Flow cytometry and CLSM studies revealed significantly more efficient internalization and cytoplasmic DOX release in B16F10 cells for DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps than for DOX-SCID-Ps (nontargeting control) as well as clinically used pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (DOX-LPs). DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps displayed a long blood circulation time (elimination half-life = 4.13 h) and 4 times higher DOX accumulation in B16F10 bearing C57BL/6 mice than DOX-LPs. Interestingly, DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps exhibited a superior maximum-tolerated dose of over 100 mg DOX·HCl/kg, 10 times higher than DOX-LPs. Remarkably, DOX-ATN/SCID-Ps could significantly inhibit the growth of aggressive B16F10 melanoma with little adverse effects via either multiple or single injection of total dosage of 100 mg DOX·HCl/kg, resulting in greatly improved survival rates as compared to DOX-LPs. ATN/SCID-Ps are appealing nanovehicles for targeted chemotherapy of α₅β₁ integrin positive solid tumors.

Synthetic polypeptides: from polymer design to supramolecular assembly and biomedical application

This review highlights the recent advances in the chemical design, supramolecular assembly, and biomedical application of synthetic polypeptides fromN-carboxyanhydrides.

Layer-by-layer-coated lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles for active tumor targeting of rapamycin

Aim: This work spotlights on fabrication of CD44-tropic, layer-by-layer (LbL) coated, liquid crystalline nanoparticles of rapamycin (Rap-LbL-LCNPs) to enhance its water solubility and enable its anticancer use. Methods: Rap-LCNPs were fabricated using hydrotrope method and then coated using LbL self-assembly technique. Results: LbL coating strategy successfully reduced monoolein-induced hemolysis and increased LCNPs serum stability. Lyophilized Rap-LbL-LCNPs were successfully sterilized using γ-radiations. In CD44-overexpressed MDA-MB-231 cells, Rap-LbL-LCNPs demonstrated superior cytotoxicity compared with the nontargeted formulation. Rap-LbL-LCNPs showed 3.35-fold increase in bioavailability compared with free drug. Rap-LbL-LCNPs significantly inhibited tumor growth, enhanced animal survival and reduced nephrotoxic and hyperglycemic effects of Rap. Conclusion: LbL coating strategy of Rap-LCNPs could serve as a promising approach that facilitates Rap use in cancer therapy.

Hyaluronic acid grafted PLGA copolymer nanoparticles enhance the targeted delivery of Bromelain in Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma

Rapidly increasing malignant neoplastic disease demands immediate attention. Several dietary compounds have recently emerged as strong anti-cancerous agents. Among, Bromelain (BL), a protease from pineapple plant, was used to enhance its anti-cancerous efficacy using nanotechnology. In lieu of this, hyaluronic acid (HA) grafted PLGA copolymer, having tumor targeting ability, was developed. BL was encapsulated in copolymer to obtain BL-copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) that ranged between 140 to 281nm in size. NPs exhibited higher cellular uptake and cytotoxicity in cells with high CD44 expression as compared with non-targeted NPs. In vivo results on tumor bearing mice showed that NPs were efficient in suppressing the tumor growth. Hence, the formulation could be used as a self-targeting drug delivery cargo for the remission of cancer.

Efficacious delivery of protein drugs to prostate cancer cells by PSMA-targeted pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes

Protein drugs as one of the most potent biotherapeutics have a tremendous potential in cancer therapy. Their application is, nevertheless, restricted by absence of efficacious, biocompatible, and cancer-targeting nanosystems. In this paper, we report that 2-[3-[5-amino-1-carboxypentyl]-ureido]-pentanedioic acid (Acupa)-decorated pH-responsive chimaeric polymersomes (Acupa-CPs) efficiently deliver therapeutic proteins into prostate cancer cells. Acupa-CPs had a unimodal distribution with average sizes ranging from 157-175 nm depending on amounts of Acupa. They displayed highly efficient loading of both model proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome C (CC), affording high protein loading contents of 9.1-24.5 wt.%. The in vitro release results showed that protein release was markedly accelerated at mildly acidic pH due to the hydrolysis of acetal bonds in the vesicular membrane. CLSM and MTT studies demonstrated that CC-loaded Acupa10-CPs mediated efficient delivery of protein drugs into PSMA positive LNCaP cells leading to pronounced antitumor effect, in contrast to their non-targeting counterparts and free CC. Remarkably, granzyme B (GrB)-loaded Acupa10-CPs caused effective apoptosis of LNCaP cells with a low half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.6 nM. Flow cytometry and CLSM studies using MitoCapture™ revealed obvious depletion of mitochondria membrane potential in LNCaP cells treated with GrB-loaded Acupa10-CPs. The preliminary in vivo experiments showed that Acupa-CPs had a long circulation time with an elimination phase half-life of 3.3h in nude mice. PSMA-targeted, pH-responsive, and chimaeric polymersomes have appeared as efficient protein nanocarriers for targeted prostate cancer therapy.

Towards self-assembled hybrid artificial cells: novel bottom-up approaches to functional synthetic membranes

There has been increasing interest in utilizing bottom-up approaches to develop synthetic cells. A popular methodology is the integration of functionalized synthetic membranes with biological systems, producing "hybrid" artificial cells. This Concept article covers recent advances and the current state-of-the-art of such hybrid systems. Specifically, we describe minimal supramolecular constructs that faithfully mimic the structure and/or function of living cells, often by controlling the assembly of highly ordered membrane architectures with defined functionality. These studies give us a deeper understanding of the nature of living systems, bring new insights into the origin of cellular life, and provide novel synthetic chassis for advancing synthetic biology.

Polymeric nanoparticles for targeted treatment in oncology: current insights

Chemotherapy, a major strategy for cancer treatment, lacks the specificity to localize the cancer therapeutics in the tumor site, thereby affecting normal healthy tissues and advocating toxic adverse effects. Nanotechnological intervention has greatly revolutionized the therapy of cancer by surmounting the current limitations in conventional chemotherapy, which include undesirable biodistribution, cancer cell drug resistance, and severe systemic side effects. Nanoparticles (NPs) achieve preferential accumulation in the tumor site by virtue of their passive and ligand-based targeting mechanisms. Polymer-based nanomedicine, an arena that entails the use of polymeric NPs, polymer micelles, dendrimers, polymersomes, polyplexes, polymer–lipid hybrid systems, and polymer–drug/protein conjugates for improvement in efficacy of cancer therapeutics, has been widely explored. The broad scope for chemically modifying the polymer into desired construct makes it a versatile delivery system. Several polymer-based therapeutic NPs have been approved for clinical use. This review provides an insight into the advances in polymer-based targeted nanocarriers with focus on therapeutic aspects in the field of oncology.

Multifunctional ATRP based pH responsive polymeric nanoparticles for improved doxorubicin chemotherapy in breast cancer by proton sponge effect/endo-lysosomal escape

Folic acid and trastuzumab functionalized pH responsive polymeric nanoparticles for intracellular doxorubicin delivery in breast cancer.

Amine-modified hyaluronic acid-functionalized porous silicon nanoparticles for targeting breast cancer tumors

Active targeting of nanoparticles to receptor-overexpressing cancer cells has great potential for enhancing the cellular uptake of nanoparticles and for reducing fast clearance of the nanoparticles from the body. Herein, we present a preparation method of a porous silicon (PSi)-based nanodelivery system for breast cancer targeting, by covalently conjugating a synthesized amide-modified hyaluronic acid (HA(+)) derived polymer on the surface of undecylenic acid-modified thermally hydrocarbonized PSi (UnTHCPSi) nanoparticles. The resulting UnTHCPSi-HA(+) nanoparticles showed relatively small size, reduced polydispersibility, high biocompatibility, improved colloidal and human plasma stability, as well as enhanced cellular interactions and internalization. Moreover, we demonstrated that the enhanced cellular association of UnTHCPSi-HA(+) relies on the capability of the conjugated HA(+) to bind and consequently target CD44 receptors expressed on the surface of breast cancer cells, thus making the HA(+)-functionalized UnTHCPSi nanoparticles a suitable and promising nanoplatform for the targeting of CD44-overexpressing breast tumors and for drug delivery.