Evaluation of selenium nanoparticles and doxorubicin effect against hepatocellular carcinoma rat model cytogenetic toxicity and DNA damage

Oxidative stress modulating nanomaterials and their biochemical roles in nanomedicine

Many pathological conditions are predominantly associated with oxidative stress, arising from reactive oxygen species (ROS); therefore, the modulation of redox activities has been a key strategy to restore normal tissue functions. Current approaches involve establishing a favorable cellular redox environment through the administration of therapeutic drugs and redox-active nanomaterials (RANs). In particular, RANs not only provide a stable and reliable means of therapeutic delivery but also possess the capacity to finely tune various interconnected components, including radicals, enzymes, proteins, transcription factors, and metabolites. Here, we discuss the roles that engineered RANs play in a spectrum of pathological conditions, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, infections, and inflammation. We visualize the dual functions of RANs as both generator and scavenger of ROS, emphasizing their profound impact on diverse cellular functions. The focus of this review is solely on inorganic redox-active nanomaterials (inorganic RANs). Additionally, we deliberate on the challenges associated with current RANs-based approaches and propose potential research directions for their future clinical translation.

Biosynthesis and characterization of selenium nanoparticles from Andrographis alata: Assessment of their potential antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's and wound healing properties

Recently, there has been a lot of focus on the environmentally friendly, specifically plant-based, synthesis of nanoparticles. The extract of leaves from Andrographis alata (A. alata) was used in the current work as a reducing agent to create selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), which will be used in biological applications (antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's and wound healing properties). As part of detailed characterization, the UV-Vis spectra showed an absorption peak at 274 nm with a size in the range of 55-75 nm were shown in morphological investigations using EDS, DLS and SEM analysis to have crystalline spherical-shaped structures. Against several harmful bacterial strains, SeNPs demonstrated a remarkable antibacterial effectiveness. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of synthesized SeNPs completely prevented the development of various pathogens. Furthermore, bio-reduced SeNPs showed high cholinesterase inhibition efficacy and good antipotential Alzheimer's. According to the current research, treatment with biosynthesized SeNPs stimulates faster wound healing in NIH3T3 murine fibroblast cell lines without cytotoxicity. Different in vitro biological experiments also showed that, when compared with the extract of A. alata, bio-reduced SeNPs had considerable antibacterial, antioxidant effects, antidiabetic, anti-Alzheimer's and wound healing. In general, the findings demonstrate the efficacy and prospective therapeutic uses of SeNPs.

A DFT approach for finding therapeutic potential of graphyne as a nanocarrier in the doxorubicin drug delivery to treat cancer

In the present work, the drug-loading efficacy of graphyne (GYN) for doxorubicin (DOX) drug is investigated for the first time by using density functional theory (DFT). Doxorubicin drug is effective in the cure of numerous types of cancer including bone cancer, gastric, thyroid, bladder, ovarian, breast, and soft tissue cancer. Doxorubicin drug prevents the cell division process by intercalating in the double-helix of DNA and stopping its replication. The optimized, geometrical, energetic, and excited-state characteristics of graphyne (GYN), doxorubicin drug (DOX), and doxorubicin-graphyne complex (DOX@GYN complex) are calculated to see how effective it is as a carrier. The DOX drug interacted with GYN with an adsorption-energy of -1.57 eV (gas-phase). The interaction of GYN with DOX drug is investigated using NCI (non-covalent interaction) analysis. The findings of this analysis showed that the DOX@GYN complex has weak forces of interaction. Charge transfer from doxorubicin drug to GYN during DOX@GYN complex formation is described by charge-decomposition analysis and HOMO-LUMO analysis. The increased dipole-moment (8.41 D) of the DOX@GYN in contrast with therapeutic agent DOX and GYN indicated that the drug will move easily in the biochemical system. Furthermore, the photo-induced electron-transfer process is explored for excited states, and it reveals that upon interaction, fluorescence-quenching will occur in the complex DOX@GYN. In addition, the influence of the positive and negative charge states on the GYN and DOX@GYN is also considered. Overall, the findings indicated that the GYN could be exploited as an effective drug-transporter for the delivery of doxorubicin drug. Investigators will be inspired to look at another 2D nanomaterials for drug transport applications as a result of this theoretical work.

Phytochemical screening of Prunus avium for its antioxidative and anti-mutagenic potential against DMBA-induced hepatocarcinogenesis

Scope

Prunus avium fruit is the richer source of phenolics known to exert anticancer and anti-invasive activities. The study aimed at elucidating antiproliferative and chemo-preventive potential of sweet cherries (P. avium) against the in vivo hepatocarcinoma model.

Methods and results

The quantification of ultrasound-assisted extract (UAE) of P. avium depicted anthocyanins, ferulic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, syringic acid and p- and m-coumaric acids as major phytochemicals. The hepatocarcinoma (HCC) was induced in rats through intraperitoneal administration of DMBA (20 mg/kg B.W) once a week for the period of eight weeks. The intragastric administration of P. avium UAE, as cotreatment (500 mg/Kg B.W) to treatment group, significantly (p < 0.01) attenuated the raised serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as total oxidative stress (TOS) and enhanced total antioxidant capacity TAOC in contrast to diseased rats. Moreover, microscopic examination of hepatic tissues confirmed the pleomorphism, nests of neoplastic hepatocytes and necrosis in HCC-bearing rats as compared to extract-fed rats, where these necrotic changes were suppressed. Besides, qRT-PCR analysis of hepatic tissues demonstrated the higher mRNA expression of CHEK1, CHEK2 and P21/CDKN1α genes, while downexpression of ATM gene in extract fed rats, further denoting the anti-mutagenic potential.

Conclusion

Consequently, the polyphenol-rich sweet cherries UAE exhibited antiproliferative and chemo-preventive potential by reducing tumor biomarkers, serum transaminases and oxidative stress, as well as enhancing antioxidant status. It further upregulated the downstream targets of ATM signaling cascade.

Attenuation of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in a rat model by combination therapy of diacerein and gold nanoparticles: a histopathological and immunohistochemical study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of combined therapy of diacerein and gold nanoparticles (AuNP) on diethylnitrosamine (DEN) induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a rat model. Normal healthy and DEN-induced (HCC) rats were divided into five groups. Group I healthy rats served as normal control, Group II untreated HCC rats, Group III HCC rats administered diacerein, Group IV HCC rats administered AuNP, and Group V HCC rats administered diacerein and AuNP. All treatments were given once daily for 4 weeks. Liver morphology and necroinflammation in all groups were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome for fibrosis, and immunohistochemistry assays for expression of TNF-α, IL-6, β-catenin, and caspase-3. Liver sections from Group II HCC rats showed loss of lobular architecture, thick fibrous tissue deposition, leukocyte infiltration, degenerated hepatocytes and HCC neoplastic nodules surrounded by extensive fibrosis. Group II had high expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and β-catenin, and low caspase-3 expression as compared to Group I. HCC rats treated with the combined therapy of diacerein and AuNP (Group V) showed markedly decreased HCC lesions, significant necroinflammation reduction (p ˂ 0.05) and 90% reduction in fibrosis as compared to Group II HCC + diacerein. This combined therapy also reduced (p ˂ 0.05) TNF-α, IL-6, β-catenin expression and increased caspase-3 expression. In conclusion, diacerein combined with AuNP synergistically attenuated the severity of HCC lesions by reducing necroinflammation and fibrosis, decreased TNF-α, IL-6, β-catenin expression, and increased caspase-3 expression for apoptosis.

Testicular Effect of Selenium Nanoparticles on Monosodium Glutamate Induced Alteration in Male Albino Rats

<b>Background and Objective:</b> The flavor enhancer Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is mostly utilized in Asian and West African cuisines, especially in West African and Asian dishes. However, due to its availability, largely without labeling, in many food products, unintentional overuse of this food additive may occur. The objective of this study was to find out how selenium nanoparticles affected the toxicity of MSG in male albino rats' testicles. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> As 35 Wistar male rats partitioned into 5 groups: G1: Control rats, G2: Received Se-NPs at 0.4 mg kg¹ b.wt., orally, G3: Injected with MSG at a daily dose of 4 g kg¹ b.wt., intraperitoneally (IP), G4: Ingested a daily oral dose of Se-NPs for 7 successive days and on the 7th day, received the first dose of MSG IP 4 g kg¹ b.wt., then received both treatments till the end of the study and G5: Administered a daily oral dose of 4 g kg¹ MSG, followed by Se-NPs at a daily dose of 0.4 mg kg¹ b.wt., the experiment continued for 28 days. Serum testosterone hormone, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), the levels of serum lipid peroxidation (MDA), reduced Glutathione (GSH), Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) were estimated and samples from testis were separated for histological analysis. <b>Results:</b> The MSG treatment induced a significant decline in the values of serum testosterone, FSH, LH, GSH, GSH-Px and SOD. It also increased the values of serum MDA and LDH and spermatic arrest. While, the administration of Se-NPs orally before MSG treatment resulted in a decline in the values of serum MDA and LDH, an elevation in the values of serum GSH, GSH-PX and SOD, testosterone, FSH, LH and reappearance of sperm. <b>Conclusion:</b> The use of Se-NPs as a protector exhibited more improvement in values of estimated hormones and oxidative stress markers than using it as a therapy.

Ameliorative potential of manganese nanoparticles with low-level ionizing radiation against experimentally induced hepatocarcinogenesis

Nanotechnology is a rich field with infinite possibilities of drug designs for cancer treatment. We aimed to biosynthesize manganese nanoparticles (Mn NPs) using Lactobacillus helveticus to investigate its anticancer synergistic effect with low-dose gamma radiation on HCC-induced rats. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN) (20 mg/kg BW, 5 times a week for 6 weeks) induced HCC in rats. Rats received Mn NPs (5 mg/kg BW/day) by gastric gavage over 4 weeks concomitant with single dose of gamma radiation (γ-R) (0.25 Gy). Characterization, cytotoxicity, and anticancer activity of Mn NPs were evaluated. DEN-induced significant liver dysfunction (alanine transaminase activity ALT, total proteins, and albumin levels) associated with significant increase in lipid peroxidation levels with reduction in super oxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, DEN intoxication is sponsored for remarkable increase in levels of Alfa-fetoprotein, tumor necrosis factor α, vascular endothelial growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta with remarkable decrease in caspase 3 and cytochrome c. Treatment with Mn NPs (4.98-11.58 nm) and single dose gamma radiation evoked significant repair in ALT, total protein, and albumin accompanied with balanced oxidative status, diminished inflammatory biomarkers, angiogenic factor, and growth factor with restoration in apoptotic factors. Mn NPs revealed obvious in vitro cytotoxic activity against HepG2 cell line in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings were well appreciated with the histopathological study. In conclusion, a new approach of the single or combined use of Mn NPs with low-dose γ-radiation regimens as promising paradigm for HCC treatment is recommended.

In-vitro and in-vivo investigation of amygdalin, metformin, and combination of both against doxorubicin on hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a potentially life-threatening cancer. In the current study, anti-HCC efficacy of amygdalin, or metformin alone or in combination in comparison to doxorubicin was studied.

MAIN METHODS

Both in-vitro and in-vivo based models. HepG-2 and Huh-7 cell lines as established in-vitro model for HCC were treated with different concentrations of indicated drugs to evaluate the cytotoxicity and determine IC₅₀ for 24, 48 and 72 h. Moreover, the effect of different treatments on apoptosis and cell cycle using flow cytometric analysis were studied. Hepatocellular carcinoma induced in rats by diethyl-nitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride was established, to further investigate the efficacy of indicated drugs. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase were measured by spectrophotometer, alpha-fetoprotein, cytochrome-c, caspase-3 and malondialdehyde were measured by ELISA, and liver biopsies were also evaluated histopathologically.

KEY FINDINGS

In-vitro results showed that the combination has a promising effect when compared to amygdalin or metformin alone as it is more cytotoxic and have higher ability for induction of apoptosis and arresting cell cycle. In-vivo doxorubicin has a good effect for treating HCC. Also, the combination showed a promising prognostic effect depending on the cytotoxic activity and tumor marker when compared to amygdalin or metformin alone.

SIGNIFICANCE

Based on the current data, it was hypothesized that amygdalin and metformin especially when used in combination will be a promising approach with low side effects for enhancement of HCC.

Therapeutic Potential and Main Methods of Obtaining Selenium Nanoparticles

This review presents the latest data on the importance of selenium nanoparticles in human health, their use in medicine, and the main known methods of their production by various methods. In recent years, a multifaceted study of nanoscale complexes in medicine, including selenium nanoparticles, has become very important in view of a number of positive features that make it possible to create new drugs based on them or significantly improve the properties of existing drugs. It is known that selenium is an essential trace element that is part of key antioxidant enzymes. In mammals, there are 25 selenoproteins, in which selenium is a key component of the active site. The important role of selenium in human health has been repeatedly proven by several hundred works in the past few decades; in recent years, the study of selenium nanocomplexes has become the focus of researchers. A large amount of accumulated data requires generalization and systematization in order to improve understanding of the key mechanisms and prospects for the use of selenium nanoparticles in medicine, which is the purpose of this review.

Selenium Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications: From Development and Characterization to Therapeutics

Selenium (Se) is an essential element to human health that can be obtained in nature through several sources. In the human body, it is incorporated into selenocysteine, an amino acid used to synthesize several selenoproteins, which have an active center usually dependent on the presence of Se. Although Se shows several beneficial properties in human health, it has also a narrow therapeutic window, and therefore the excessive intake of inorganic and organic Se-based compounds often leads to toxicity. Nanoparticles based on Se (SeNPs) are less toxic than inorganic and organic Se. They are both biocompatible and capable of effectively delivering combinations of payloads to specific cells following their functionalization with active targeting ligands. Herein, the main origin of Se intake, its role on the human body, and its primary biomedical applications are revised. Particular focus will be given to the main therapeutic targets that are explored for SeNPs in cancer therapies, discussing the different functionalization methodologies used to improve SeNPs stability, while enabling the extensive delivery of drug-loaded SeNP to tumor sites, thus avoiding off-target effects.

Molecular engineering of the last-generation CNTs in smart cancer therapy by grafting PEG-PLGA-riboflavin

In this work, the effect of environment and additives on the self-assembly and delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) have been studied. A microfluidic system with better control over molecular interactions and high surface to volume ratio has superior performance in comparison to the bulk system. Moreover, carbon nanotube (CNT) and CNT-doped structures have a high surface area to incorporate the DOX molecules into a polymer and the presence of functional groups can influence the polymer-drug interactions. In this work, the interactions of DOX with both the polymeric complex and the nanotube structure have been investigated. For quantification of the interactions, H-bonding, gyration radius, root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), Gibbs free energy, radial distribution function (RDF), energy, and Solvent Accessible Surface Area (SASA) analyses have been performed. The most stable micelle-DOX interaction is attributed to the presence of BCN in the microfluidic system according to the gyration radius and RMSD. Meanwhile, for DOX-doped CNT interaction the phosphorus-doped CNT in the microfluidic system is more stable. The highest electrostatic interaction can be seen between polymeric micelles and DOX in the presence of BCN. For nanotube-drug interaction, phosphorus-doped carbon nanotubes in the microfluidic system have the largest electrostatic interaction with the DOX. RDF results show that in the microfluidic system, nanotube-DOX affinity is larger than that of nanotube-micelle.

Apoptosis oxidative damage-mediated and antiproliferative effect of selenylated imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and in vivo

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines (IP) and organoselenium compounds have been widely exploited in medicinal chemistry due to their pharmacological activities. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has few treatment options, and unfortunately, the prognosis is poor. Thus, the development of novel therapeutic drugs is urgent. The present study aimed at evaluating the antitumor mechanism of selenylated IP against HepG2 cells and in vivo. The selenylated IP named IP-Se-06 (3-((2-methoxyphenyl)selanyl)-7-methyl-2-phenylimidazol[1,2-a]pyridine) showed high cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC₅₀ ] = 0.03 µM) and selectivity for this tumor cell line. At nontoxic concentration, IP-Se-06 decreased the protein levels of Bcl-xL and increased the levels of p53, leading to inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. This compound decreased the level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 protein and changed the levels of proteins involved in the drive of the cell cycle, tumor growth, and survival (cyclin B1, cyclin-dependent kinase 2). In addition, IP-Se-06 decreased the number of cells in the S phase. In addition, IP-Se-06 led to increased generation of reactive oxygen species, changed antioxidant defenses, and caused DNA fragmentation. Finally, IP-Se-06 significantly inhibited the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumors in mice, increased survival time, and inhibited angiogenesis. Therefore, IP-Se-06 may be an important compound regarding the development of a therapeutic drug for HCC treatment.

Role of flavonoids against adriamycin toxicity

Doxorubicin (DOX), or adriamycin, is an anthracycline antineoplastic drug widely used in the chemotherapy of a large variety of cancers due to its potency and action spectrum. However, its use is limited by the toxicity on healthy cells and its acute and chronic side effects. One of the developed strategies to attenuate DOX toxicity is the combined therapy with bioactive compounds such as flavonoids. This review embraces the role of flavonoids on DOX treatment side effects. Protective properties of some flavonoidss against DOX toxicity have been investigated and observed mainly in heart but also in liver, kidney, brain, testis or bone marrow. Protective mechanisms involve reduction of oxidative stress by decrease of ROS levels and/or increase antioxidant defenses and interferences with autophagy, apoptosis and inflammation. Studies in cancer cells have reported that the anticancer activity of DOX was not compromised by the flavonoids. Moreover, some of them increased DOX efficiency as anti-cancer drug even in multidrug resistant cells.

Impact of surface functionalization on the toxicity and antimicrobial effects of selenium nanoparticles considering different routes of entry

Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were first designed as nutritional supplements, but they are attractive also for use in diagnostic and therapeutic systems owing to their biocompatibility and protective effects. This study aimed to examine if different SeNPs stabilization strategies affect their (i) antimicrobial activity against bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and (ii) toxicity to human cells of different biological barriers i.e., skin, oral and intestinal mucosa. For surface stabilization, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), poly-L-lysine (PLL) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) were used rendering neutral, positively and negatively charged SeNPs, respectively. The SeNPs (primary size ~80 nm) showed toxic effects in human cells in vitro and in bacteria S. aureus, but not in E. coli and yeast S. cerevisiae. Toxicity of SeNPs (24 h IC₅₀) ranged from 1.4 to >100 mg Se/L, depending on surface functionalization (PLL > PAA > PVP) and was not caused by ionic Se. At subtoxic concentrations, all SeNPs were taken up by all human cell types, induced oxidative stress response and demonstrated genotoxicity. As the safety profile of SeNPs was dependent not only on target cells (mammalian cells, bacteria, yeast), but also on surface functionalization, these aspects should be considered during development of novel SeNPs-based biomedical products.

Cadmium sulfide-induced toxicity in the cortex and cerebellum: In vitro and in vivo studies

Living organisms have an innate ability to regulate the synthesis of inorganic materials, such as bones and teeth in humans. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) can be utilized as a quantum dot that functions as a unique light-emitting semiconductor nanocrystal. The increased use in CdS has led to an increased inhalation and ingestion rate of CdS by humans which requires a broader appreciation for the acute and chronic toxicity of CdS. We investigated the toxic effects of CdS on cerebellar cell cultures and rat brain. We employed a 'green synthesis' biosynthesis process to obtain biocompatible material that can be used in living organisms, such as Viridibacillus arenosi K64. Nanocrystal formation was initiated by adding CdCl2 (1 mM) to the cell cultures. Our in vitro results established that increased concentrations of CdS (0.1 μg/mL) lead to decreased cell viability as assessed using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidant status (TOS). The in vivo studies showed that exposure to CdS (1 mg/kg) glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and 8-hydroxy-2' -deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were increased. Collectively, we describe a model system that addresses the process from the synthesis to the neurotoxicity assessment for CdS both in vitro and in vivo. These data will be beneficial in establishing a more comprehensive pathway for the understanding of quantum dot-induced neurotoxicity.

Time-dependent simvastatin administration enhances doxorubicin toxicity in neuroblastoma

Statins have a primary indication for the reduction and management of hypercholesterolemia; however, evidence shows that statins have the ability to increase the toxicity of chemotherapeutics within cancer cells by inducing anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic, and anti-angiogenic effects. More recently, lipophilic statins have shown complex interaction with energy metabolism, specifically acute mitochondrial dysfunction and delayed inhibition of glycolysis. With the goal to demonstrate that statin-mediated enhancement of chemotherapeutics is time-dependent, we hypothesized that the lipophilic statin simvastatin, in conjunction with variable co-exposure of doxorubicin or cisplatin, will enhance the toxicity of these drugs in neuroblastoma. Utilizing human SK-N-AS neuroblastoma cells, we assessed cell proliferation, necrosis, caspase activation, and overall apoptosis of these cells. After determining the toxicity of simvastatin at 48 h post-treatment, 10μM was chosen as the intervention concentration. We found that significant cell death resulted from 1.0μM dose of doxorubicin with 24 h pre-treatment of simvastatin. On the other hand, simvastatin enhancement of cisplatin toxicity was only observed in the co-exposure model. As doxorubicin has strict dosage limits due to its primary off-target toxicity in cardiac muscle, we further compared the effects of this drug combination on rat H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. We found that simvastatin did not enhance doxorubicin toxicity in this cell line. We conclude that simvastatin provides time-dependent sensitization of neuroblastoma cells to doxorubicin toxicity, and our results provide strong argument for the consideration of simvastatin as an adjuvant in doxorubicin-based chemotherapy programs.

pH-sensitive loading/releasing of doxorubicin using single-walled carbon nanotube and multi-walled carbon nanotube: A molecular dynamics study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Doxorubicin is one of the drugs used to treat cancer, and many studies have been conducted to control its release. In this study, carbon nanotubes have been proposed as a doxorubicin carrier, and the effect of carboxyl functional group on the controlled release of doxorubicin has been studied.

METHODS

This study has been done by molecular dynamics simulation and was based on changing the pH as a mechanism controller.

RESULTS

This work is intended to test the efficacy of this drug carrier for the release of doxorubicin. A comparison was also made between single-walled and double-walled carbon nanotubes to answer the question of which one can be a better carrier for doxorubicin. The study of DOXORUBICIN adsorption and release showed that the DOXORUBICIN adsorption on single-walled carbon nanotube and multi-walled carbon nanotube in neutral pH was stronger than it was in acidic pH, which could be due to the electrostatic interactions between the carboxyl group of nanotubes and DOXORUBICIN. Based on this and according to the investigation of hydrogen bonds, diffusion coefficients, and other results it was clear that the drug release in acidic pH was appropriate for body conditions. Since cancer tissues pH is acidic, this shows the suitability of carbon nanotube in drug delivery and DOXORUBICIN release in cancer tissues. In addition, it was shown that the blood pH (pH = 7) is suitable for DOXORUBICIN loading on the carbon nanotube and carbon nanotube-DOXORUBICIN linkage remained stable at this pH; accordingly, the carbon nanotube could deliver DOXORUBICIN in blood quite well and release it in cancerous tissues. This suggests the carbon nanotubes as a promising drug carrier in the cancer therapy which can be also investigated in experiments.

CONCLUSION

It was revealed that the bonds between multi-walled carbon nanotube and DOXORUBICIN was stronger and this complex had a slower release in the cancer tissues compared to the single-walled carbon nanotube; this can be regarded as an advantage over the single-walled carbon nanotube in the DOXORUBICIN delivery and release.

Selenium-Alleviated Hepatocyte Necrosis and DNA Damage in Cyclophosphamide-Treated Geese by Mitigating Oxidative Stress

Selenium (Se) has been well recognized as an immune-enhancing agent with antioxidant and anti-tumor properties. The commonly used chemotherapy drug, cyclophosphamide (CTX), induces liver injury by increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. However, little is known about how Se alleviates CTX-induced liver injury in geese. In this study, 90 male Magang geese (3 days old) were randomly allocated into three groups (control, CTX, and Se + CTX group) with three replicates per group and ten geese per replicate. The control and CTX groups were fed a basal diet (Se content was 0.03 mg/kg). The Se + CTX group was fed a basal diet containing 0.44 mg/kg sodium selenite (Se content was 0.2 + 0.03 mg/kg). The control group was injected with 0.5 mL saline, while the CTX and Se + CTX groups were injected with CTX at 40 mg/kg body weight per day on days 21-23. The liver index, liver histology, and ultra-micromorphology detected antioxidant enzyme activity in the liver and serum. In addition, we detected the liver marker enzymes and protein levels in serum, and hepatocyte DNA damage. Se could alleviate liver development dysregulation, hepatocyte structural damage, the disturbances in antioxidant enzyme (GPx, CAT, and SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the serum and liver. Besides, Se could alleviate the dysregulation of liver marker enzyme (ALT and AST) activity and protein (ALB and TP) levels in the serum, and DNA migration induced by CTX. In conclusion, Se may inhibit hepatocyte necrosis and DNA damage by inhibiting CTX-induced oxidative stress.

Molecular dynamics simulation of Doxorubicin loading with N-isopropyl acrylamide carbon nanotube in a drug delivery system

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Doxorubicin is one of the common drugs used for cancer therapy. Molecular dynamics were applied to investigate the loading of Doxorubicin with thermosensitive N-isopropyl acrylamide Carbon nanotube carrier.

METHODS

The results showed that the smaller polymer chain length has more decrease of gyration radius. A decrease of gyration radius resulted in more concentrated aggregation with stronger bonds. Therefore, the shorter the polymer chain lengths, the more stable polymer interaction and better Doxorubicin delivery. Smaller polymers also form more hydrogen bonds with the drug leading to stronger and more stable carriers.

RESULTS

A lower amount of wall shear stress was found near the inner wall of the artery, distal to the plaque region (stenosis), and in both percentages of stenosis the maximum wall shear stress will accrue in the middle of the stenosis; however it is much more in the higher rate of stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicated that N-isopropyl acrylamide - Carbon nanotube is suitable for the delivery of Doxorubicin, and five mer N-isopropyl acrylamide is the optimum carrier for Doxorubicin loading.

An update on the mechanisms related to cell death and toxicity of doxorubicin and the protective role of nutrients

Doxorubicin (DOX), is a very effective chemotherapeutic agent against cancer whose clinical use is limited by toxicity. Different strategies have been proposed to attenuate toxicity, including combined therapy with bioactive compounds. This review update mechanisms of action and toxicity of doxorubicin and the role of nutrients like vitamins (A, C, E), minerals (selenium) and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Protective activities against DOX toxicity in liver, kidney, skin, bone marrow, testicles or brain have been reported, but these have not been evaluated for all of the reviewed nutrients. In most cases oxidation-related effects were present either, by reducing ROS levels and/or increasing antioxidant defenses. Antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms are also commonly reported. In some cases, interferences with autophagy and calcium homeostasis also have shown to be affected. Notwithstanding, there is a wide variety in duration and doses of treatment tested for both, compounds and DOX, which make difficult to compare the results of the studies. In spite of the reduction of DOX cardiotoxicity in health models, DOX anti-cancer activity in cancer cell lines or xenograft models usually did not result compromised when this has been evaluated. Importantly, clinical studies are needed to confirm all the observed effects.

Effects of BCc1 nanoparticle and its mixture with doxorubicin on survival of murine 4T1 tumor model

Background: Our previous findings showed that BCc1, a nanoparticle designed based on nanochelating technology, can be considered a new anti-cancer nanoparticle if confirmed by complementary studies.

Goal: In the present study, we investigated the effects of the BCc1 nanoparticle alone on some gene expressions influencing the apoptosis pathway, and also the effect of the mixture of BCc1 nanoparticle and doxorubicin on survival.

Method: Using an in vitro study, the effects of the BCc1 nanoparticle on Bax, Bcl2, p53, Caspase7 and p21 gene expressions were assessed after a 24-h treatment using real-time PCR in MCF-7 and MEFs; in addition, using an in vivo study, 4T1 tumor-bearing female Balb/c mice were treated with different doses of the BCc1 nanoparticle and doxorubicin alone and together and then their mean and median survival was evaluated.

Result: The results showed that the BCc1 nanoparticle increased gene expressions of RB, p53, Caspase7, p21, and Bax and decreased gene expressions of Bcl2 in MCF-7 significantly, but no change was observed in MEFs expressions. The findings revealed that the BCc1 nanoparticle, when used orally, had the highest mean and median survival time. A mixture of a high dose of the BCc1 nanoparticle (1 mg/kg) and a low dose of doxorubicin (0.1 mg/kg) showed synergistic effects on enhanced life span, while doxorubicin dose was prescribed approximately 50 times less than the murine applicable dose (5 mg/kg).

Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the BCc1 nanoparticle not only has the potential to become a novel nanomedicine for cancer therapy, but it can also provide the basis of a new medicine for cancer management when mixed with a lower applicable dose of doxorubicin.