AlPc/ZnPc-based oncological photodynamic therapy for a selective eradication of leukemic cells from ovarian tissue

De novo design of a nanoregulator for the dynamic restoration of ovarian tissue in cryopreservation and transplantation

The cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue underscore its paramount importance in safeguarding reproductive capacity and ameliorating reproductive disorders. However, challenges persist in ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation (OTC-T), including the risk of tissue damage and dysfunction. Consequently, there has been a compelling exploration into the realm of nanoregulators to refine and enhance these procedures. This review embarks on a meticulous examination of the intricate anatomical structure of the ovary and its microenvironment, thereby establishing a robust groundwork for the development of nanomodulators. It systematically categorizes nanoregulators and delves deeply into their functions and mechanisms, meticulously tailored for optimizing ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation. Furthermore, the review imparts valuable insights into the practical applications and obstacles encountered in clinical settings associated with OTC-T. Moreover, the review advocates for the utilization of microbially derived nanomodulators as a potent therapeutic intervention in ovarian tissue cryopreservation. The progression of these approaches holds the promise of seamlessly integrating nanoregulators into OTC-T practices, thereby heralding a new era of expansive applications and auspicious prospects in this pivotal domain.

Medium supplementation can influence the human ovarian cells in vitro

BACKGROUND

Cells are an essential part of the triple principles of tissue engineering and a crucial component of the engineered ovary as they can induce angiogenesis, synthesize extracellular matrix and influence follicle development. Here, we hypothesize that by changing the medium supplementation, we can obtain different cell populations isolated from the human ovary to use in the engineered ovary. To this end, we have in vitro cultured cells isolated from the menopausal ovarian cortex using different additives: KnockOut serum replacement (KO), fetal bovine serum (FBS), human serum albumin (HSA), and platelet lysate (PL).

RESULTS

Our results showed that most cells soon after isolation (pre-culture, control) and cells in KO and FBS groups were CD31- CD34- (D0: vs. CD31-CD34+, CD31 + CD34+, and CD31 + CD34- p < 0.0001; KO: vs. CD31-CD34+, CD31 + CD34+, and CD31 + CD34- p < 0.0001; FBS: vs. CD31-CD34+ and CD31 + CD34+ p < 0.001, and vs. CD31 + CD34- p < 0.01). Moreover, a deeper analysis of the CD31-CD34- population demonstrated a significant augmentation (more than 86%) of the CD73+ and CD90+ cells (possibly fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, or pericytes) in KO- and FBS-based media compared to the control (around 16%; p < 0.001). Still, in the CD31-CD34- population, we found a higher proportion (60%) of CD90+ and PDPN+ cells (fibroblast-like cells) compared to the control (around 7%; vs PL and KO p < 0.01 and vs FBS p < 0.001). Additionally, around 70% of cells in KO- and FBS-based media were positive for CD105 and CD146, which may indicate an increase in the number of pericytes in these media compared to a low percentage (4%) in the control group (vs KO and FBS p < 0.001). On the other hand, we remarked a significant decrease of CD31- CD34+ cells after in vitro culture using all different medium additives (HSA vs D0 p < 0.001, PL, KO, and FBS vs D0 P < 0.01). We also observed a significant increase in epithelial cells (CD326+) when the medium was supplemented with KO (vs D0 p < 0.05). Interestingly, HSA and PL showed more lymphatic endothelial cells compared to other groups (CD31 + CD34+: HSA and PL vs KO and FBS p < 0.05; CD31 + CD34 + CD90 + PDPN+: HSA and PL vs D0 p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that medium additives can influence the cell populations, which serve as building blocks for the engineered tissue. Therefore, according to the final application, different media can be used in vitro to favor different cell types, which will be incorporated into a functional matrix.

Photodynamic therapy using OR141-loaded nanovesicles for eradication of leukemic cells from ovarian tissue

In 2020, the estimated number of new leukemia cases was higher than 30,000 in girls between 0 and 19 years old. Due to cancer treatment, some of these patients may lose both endocrine and reproductive functions. Transplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue is not advised after cancer remission because it has a high risk of reintroducing malignant cells in the patient, potentially leading to leukemia recurrence. To safely transplant the ovarian tissue from these patients and restore their fertility, our goal was to develop a photodynamic therapy (PDT) strategy to eliminate leukemia ex vivo. To this end, we designed, optimized, and characterized OR141-loaded niosomes (ORN) to develop the most effective formulation for ex vivo purging ovarian fragments from chronic myelogenous leukemia cells. After establishing the best ORN formulation, the PDT efficiency of optimized ORN was determined for human ovarian stromal cells and acute myeloid leukemia cell line (HL60). Blank niosomes treatment on ovarian stromal cells causes no significant toxicity, showing that the composition of the nanoparticle is not toxic. On the other hand, the in vitro studies showed that while ovarian stromal cells were still viable (82.04 ± 2.79%) after the treatment by 0.5 µM ORN, the same treatment yielded 95.43 ± 3.89% toxicity and cell death in the cancer cells. In conclusion, our results showed that our novel PDT procedure could be a promising strategy to destroy leukemia cells in ovarian tissue fragments allowing safe transplantation in cancer survivors.

Nanoemulsion applications in photodynamic therapy

Nanoemulsion, or nanoscaled-size emulsions, is a thermodynamically stable system formed by blending two immiscible liquids, blended with an emulsifying agent to produce a single phase. Nanoemulsion science has advanced rapidly in recent years, and it has opened up new opportunities in a variety of fields, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food, and cosmetics. Nanoemulsion has been recognized as a potential drug delivery technology for various drugs, such as photosensitizing agents (PS). In photodynamic therapy (PDT), PSs produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species under specific light irradiation, which oxidize the surrounding tissues. Over the past decades, the idea of PS-loaded nanoemulsions has received researchers' attention due to their ability to overcome several limitations of common PSs, such as limited permeability, non-specific phototoxicity, hydrophobicity, low bioavailability, and self-aggregation tendency. This review aims to provide fundamental knowledge of nanoemulsion formulations and the principles of PDT. It also discusses nanoemulsion-based PDT strategies and examines nanoemulsion advantages for PDT, highlighting future possibilities for nanoemulsion use.

Secure transplantation by tissue purging using photodynamic therapy to eradicate malignant cells

The field of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for treating various malignant neoplasms has been given researchers' attention due to its ability to be a selective and minimally invasive cancer therapy strategy. The possibility of tumor cell infection and hence high recurrence rates in cancer patients tends to restrict autologous transplantation. So, the photodynamic tissue purging process, which consists of selective photoinactivation of the malignant cells in the graft, is defined as a compromising strategy to purify contaminated tissues before transplantation. In this strategy, the direct malignant cells' death results from the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through the activation of a photosensitizer (PS) by light exposure in the presence of oxygen. Since new PS generations can effectively penetrate the tissue, PDT could be an ideal ex vivo tissue purging protocol that eradicates cancer cells derived from various malignancies. The challenge is that the applied pharmacologic ex vivo tissue purging should efficiently induce tumor cells with minor influence on normal tissue cells. This review aims to provide an overview of the current status of the most effective PDT strategies and PS development concerning their potential application in ex vivo purging before hematopoietic stem cell or ovarian tissue transplantation.