Targeted delivery of doxorubicin by Thermo/pH-responsive magnetic nanoparticles in a rat model of breast cancer

Hyaluronic acid-oleylamine and chitosan-oleic acid conjugate-based hybrid nanoparticle delivery via. dissolving microneedles for enhanced treatment efficacy in localized breast cancer

Microneedle technology offers a minimally invasive treatment strategy to deliver chemotherapeutics to localized tumors. Amalgamating the surface functionalized nanoparticles with microneedle technology can potentially deliver drugs directly to tumors and subsequently target cancer cells via, overexpressed receptors on the cell surface, thereby enhancing the treatment efficacy while reducing side effects. Here, we report cetuximab anchored hyaluronic acid-oleylamine and chitosan-oleic acid-based hybrid nanoparticle (HA-OA/CS-OA NPT)-loaded dissolving microneedles (MN) for targeted delivery of cabazitaxel (CBT) in localized breast cancer tumor. The HA-OA/CS-OA NPT was characterized for their size, surface charge, morphology, physicochemical characteristics, drug release behavior, and in vitro anti-cancer efficacy. The HA-OA/CS-OA NPT were of ~125 nm size, showed enhanced cytotoxicity and cellular uptake, and elicited a superior apoptotic response against MDA-MB-231 cells. Subsequently, the morphology and physicochemical characteristics of HA-OA/CS-OA NPT-loaded MN were also evaluated. The fabricated microneedles were of ~550 μm height and showed loading of nanoparticles equivalent to ~250 μg of CBT. The ex vivo skin permeation study revealed fast dissolution of microneedles upon hydration, while the drug permeation across the skin exhibited ~4-fold improvement in comparison to free drug-loaded MN. In vivo studies performed on DMBA-induced breast cancer in female SD rats showed a marked reduction in tumor volume after administration of drug and nanoparticle-loaded microneedles in comparison to intravenous administration of free drug. However, the HA-OA/CS-OA NPT-MN showed the highest tumor reduction and survival rate, with the lowest body weight reduction in comparison to other treatment groups, indicating its superior efficacy and low systemic toxicity. Overall, the dissolving microneedle-mediated delivery of targeted nanoparticles loaded with chemotherapeutics offers a superior alternative to conventional intravenous chemotherapy.

Different Targeting Ligands-Mediated Drug Delivery Systems for Tumor Therapy

Traditional tumor treatments have the drawback of harming both tumor cells and normal cells, leading to significant systemic toxic side effects. As a result, there is a pressing need for targeted drug delivery methods that can specifically target cells or tissues. Currently, researchers have made significant progress in developing targeted drug delivery systems for tumor therapy using various targeting ligands. This review aims to summarize recent advancements in targeted drug delivery systems for tumor therapy, focusing on different targeting ligands such as folic acid, carbohydrates, peptides, aptamers, and antibodies. The review also discusses the advantages, challenges, and future prospects of these targeted drug delivery systems.

Current views on in vivo models for breast cancer research and related drug development

INTRODUCTION

Animal models play a crucial role in breast cancer research, in particular mice and rats, who develop mammary tumors that closely resemble their human counterparts. These models allow the study of mechanisms behind breast carcinogenesis, as well as the efficacy and safety of new, and potentially more effective and advantageous therapeutic approaches. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each model is crucial to select the most appropriate one for the research purpose.

AREA COVERED

This review provides a concise overview of the animal models available for breast cancer research, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each one for searching new and more effective approaches to treatments for this type of cancer.

EXPERT OPINION

Rodent models provide valuable information on the genetic alterations of the disease, the tumor microenvironment, and allow the evaluation of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. However, in vivo models have limitations, and one of them is the fact that they do not fully mimic human diseases. Choosing the most suitable model for the study purpose is crucial for the development of new therapeutic agents that provide better care for breast cancer patients.

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.

Lutein-loaded chitosan/alginate-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles as effective targeted carriers for breast cancer treatment

Magnetic drug targeting can be a strategy for effectively delivering phytochemicals in cancer treatment. Here, we demonstrate the benefit of magnetic targeting with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for cytotoxicity enhancement of lutein (LUT) against breast cancer cells. Fabrication of LUT-loaded chitosan/alginate iron oxide nanoparticles (LUT-CS/Alg-Fe₃O₄-NPs) was optimized by a statistical approach using response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design. The optimized LUT-CS/Alg-Fe₃O₄-NPs with a balance among LUT concentration, copolymer coating, and iron ion concentration exhibited controlled size, narrow size distribution, better crystallinity, excellent saturation magnetization, and sustained-release profile. The negligible magnetic coercivity and remanent magnetization confirmed the superparamagnetism of the prepared NPs. The optimized LUT-CS/Alg-Fe₃O₄-NPs were biocompatible while exhibiting a significantly enhanced cytotoxicity towards breast cancer MCF-7 cells upon exposure to a permanent magnet compared to free LUT with a 4-fold increase, suggesting the potential of LUT-CS/Alg-Fe₃O₄-NPs as magnetically targeted delivery for breast cancer.

Folic Acid-Modified Ibrutinib-Loaded Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles for Cancer Cell Therapy with Over-Expressed Folate Receptor

The anticancer drug ibrutinib (IB), also known as PCI-32765, is a compound that irreversibly inhibits Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and was initially developed as a treatment option for B-cell lineage neoplasms. Its action is not limited to B-cells, as it is expressed in all hematopoietic lineages and plays a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment. However, clinical trials with the drug have resulted in conflicting outcomes against solid tumors. In this study, folic acid-conjugated silk nanoparticles were used for the targeted delivery of IB to the cancer cell lines HeLa, BT-474, and SKBR3 by exploiting the overexpression of folate receptors on their surfaces. The results were compared with those of control healthy cells (EA.hy926). Cellular uptake studies confirmed total internalization of the nanoparticles functionalized by this procedure in the cancer cells after 24 h, compared to nanoparticles not functionalized with folic acid, suggesting that cellular uptake was mediated by folate receptors overexpressed in the cancer cells. The results indicate that the developed nanocarrier can be used for drug targeting applications by enhancing IB uptake in cancer cells with folate receptor overexpression.

AR13 peptide-conjugated liposomes improve the antitumor efficacy of doxorubicin in mice bearing C26 colon carcinoma; in silico, in vitro, and in vivo study

Currently, liposomes have emerged as efficient and safer nano-carriers for targeted therapy in different cancers. This work aimed to employ PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®/PLD), modified with AR13 peptide, to target Muc1 on the surface of colon cancerous cells. We performed molecular docking and simulation studies (using Gromacs package) of AR13 peptide against Muc1 to analyze and visualize the peptide-Muc1 binding combination. For in vitro analysis, the AR13 peptide was post-inserted into Doxil® and verified by TLC, ¹H NMR, and HPLC techniques. The zeta potential, TEM, release, cell uptake, competition assay, and cytotoxicity studies were performed. In vivo antitumor activities and survival analysis on mice bearing C26 colon carcinoma were studied. Results showed that after 100 ns simulation, a stable complex between AR13 and Muc1 formed, and molecular dynamics analysis confirmed this interaction. In vitro analysis demonstrated significant enhancement of cellular binding and cell uptake. The results of in vivo study on BALB/c mice bearing C26 colon carcinoma, revealed an extended survival time to 44 days and higher tumor growth inhibition compared to Doxil®. Thus, the AR13 peptide could be explored as a potent ligand for Muc1, improving therapeutic antitumor efficiency in colon cancer cells.