Self-Assembled Nanomicelles as Curcumin Drug Delivery Vehicles: Impact on Solitary Fibrous Tumor Cell Protein Expression and Viability

Some things old, new and borrowed: Delivery of dabrafenib and vemurafenib to melanoma cells via self-assembled nanomicelles based on an amphiphilic dendrimer

Two clinically approved anticancer drugs targeting BRAF in melanoma patients - dabrafenib (DAB) and vemurafenib (VEM) - have been successfully encapsulated into nanomicelles formed upon self-assembly of an amphiphilic dendrimer AD based on two C₁₈ aliphatic chains and a G2 PAMAM head. The process resulted in the formation of well-defined (∼10 nm) core-shell nanomicelles (NMs) with excellent encapsulation efficiency (∼70% for DAB and ∼60% for VEM) and good drug loading capacity (∼27% and ∼24% for DAB and VEM, respectively). Dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and molecular simulation (MS) experiments were used, respectively, to determine the size and structure of the empty and drug-loaded nanomicelles (DLNMs), along with the interactions between the NMs and their cargoes. The in vitro release data revealed profiles governed by Fickian diffusion; moreover, for both anticancer molecules, an acidic environment (pH = 5.0) facilitated drug release with respect to physiological pH conditions (pH = 7.4). Finally, both DAB- and VEM-loaded NMs elicited enhanced response with respect to free drug treatments in 4 different melanoma cell lines.

The Effects of Curcumin Nanoparticles Incorporated into Collagen-Alginate Scaffold on Wound Healing of Skin Tissue in Trauma Patients

Wound healing is a biological process that is mainly crucial for the rehabilitation of injured tissue. The incorporation of curcumin (Cur) into a hydrogel system is used to treat skin wounds in different diseases due to its hydrophobic character. In this study, sodium alginate and collagen, which possess hydrophilic, low toxic, and biocompatible properties, were utilized. Collagen/alginate scaffolds were synthesized, and nanocurcumin was incorporated inside them; their interaction was evaluated by FTIR spectroscopy. Morphological studies investigated structures of the samples studied by FE-SEM. The release profile of curcumin was detected, and the cytotoxic test was determined on the L929 cell line using an MTT assay. Analysis of tissue wound healing was performed by H&E staining. Nanocurcumin was spherical, its average particle size was 45 nm, and the structure of COL/ALG scaffold was visible. The cell viability of samples was recorded in cells after 24 h incubation. Results of in vivo wound healing remarkably showed CUR-COL/ALG scaffold at about 90% (p < 0.001), which is better than that of COL/ALG, 80% (p < 0.001), and the control 73.4% (p < 0.01) groups at 14 days/ The results of the samples’ FTIR indicated that nanocurcumin was well-entrapped into the scaffold, which led to improving the wound-healing process. Our results revealed the potential of nanocurcumin incorporated in COL/ALG scaffolds for the wound healing of skin tissue in trauma patients.

Antimicrobial activity of amphiphilic nanomicelles loaded with curcumin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa alone and activated by blue laser light

The aim of this work was to assess the antimicrobial efficacy on Pseudomonas aeruginosa of nanomicelles loaded with curcumin (CUR) alone and activated by blue laser light in an antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) approach. First, free CUR in liquid suspension and loaded in three amphiphilic nanomicelles (CUR-DAPMA, CUR-SPD and CUR-SPM) were tested both on bacteria and keratinocytes. While free CUR exerted limited efficacy showing moderate cytotoxicity, a strong inhibition of bacterial growth was obtained using all three nanosystems without toxicity on eukaryotic cells. CUR-SPM emerged as the most effective, and was therefore employed in APDT experiments. Among the three sublethal blue laser (λ 445 nm) protocols tested, the ones characterized by a fluence of 18 and 30 J/cm² further decreased the antimicrobial concentration to 50 nM. The combination of blue laser APDT with CUR-SPM nanomicelles results in an effective synergistic activity that represents a promising novel therapeutic approach on resistant species.

Cytotoxicity Effects of Curcumin Loaded on Chitosan Alginate Nanospheres on the KMBC-10 Spheroids Cell Line

Purpose

Breast cancer is one of the most lethal types of cancer in women. Curcumin showed therapeutic potential against breast cancer, but applying that by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination. Moreover, poor water solubility of curcumin causes accumulation of a high concentration of curcumin and so decrease its permeability to the cell. Many strategies are employed to reduce curcumin metabolism such as adjuvants and designing novel delivery systems. Therefore, in this study sodium alginate and chitosan were used to synthesize the hydrogels that are known as biocompatible, hydrophilic and low toxic drug delivery systems. Also, folic acid was used to link to chitosan in order to actively targetfolate receptors on the cells.

Methods

Chitosan-β-cyclodextrin-TPP-Folic acid/alginate nanoparticles were synthesized and then curcumin was loaded on them. Interaction between the constituents of the particles was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Morphological structures of samples were studied by FE-SEM. Release profile of curcumin was determined by dialysis membrane. The cytotoxic test was done on the Kerman male breast cancer (KMBC-10) cell line by using MTT assay. The viability of cells was detected by fluorescent staining. Gene expression was investigated by real-time PCR.

Results

The encapsulation of curcumin into nano-particles showed an almost spherical shape and an average particle size of 155 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity investigation was indicated as dose-respond reaction against cancer breast cells after 24 h incubation. On the other hand, in vitro cell uptake study revealed active targeting of CUR-NPs into spheroids. Besides, CXCR₄ expression was detected about 30-fold less than curcumin alone. The CUR-NPs inhibited proliferation and increased apoptosis in spheroid human breast cancer cells.

Conclusion

Our results showed the potential of NPs as an effective candidate for curcumin delivery to the target tumor spheroids that confirmed the creatable role of folate receptors.

Folate-Targeted Curcumin-Encapsulated Micellar Nanosystem for Chemotherapy and Curcumin-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy

Curcumin (CUR) is a natural phenolic product used as a high-efficiency and low-toxicity anticancer drug and photosensitizer. However, it has a poor aqueous solubility and a lack of target specificity, which limits its clinical applications. Hence, we developed a folate-conjugated polymeric micelle to enhance the efficient delivery of CUR for effective cancer cell targeting and anticancer efficiency. A series of biocompatible folate-conjugated poly(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylphosphoryl- choline)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (FPM) was synthesized with different hydrophobic lengths and folate contents. The prepared CUR-loaded micelles (CUR-FPM) possessed several superior properties, including an excellent drug loading capacity (6.3 ± 1.2%), improved CUR aqueous stability, fast-sustained CUR release in an acidic environment, and efficient intracellular production of reactive oxygen species. The in vitro cytotoxicity demonstrated that the CUR-FPM micelles efficiently suppressed the growth of HeLa cells (folate-receptor overexpression) compared to that of HT-29 cells, and a competition study showed less cytotoxic effect when free folic acid blocked the folate receptor, indicating the folate conjugation played the role of targeting the specific cells well. Moreover, the CUR-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) by CUR-FPM micelles under irradiation further inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells. All these results indicate that the CUR-FPM micelles could be a promising delivery system for folate-overexpressing cancer cells, complementary chemotherapy, and CUR-mediated photodynamic therapy.

Fatty acid chain length impacts nanonizing capacity of albumin-fatty acid nanomicelles: Enhanced physicochemical property and cellular delivery of poorly water-soluble drug

This study aimed to design the ideal nanonizing vehicle for poorly water-soluble model curcumin (CCM) using fattigation-platform nanotechnology, and to investigate the effects of fatty acid salts chain length on nanonizing CCM and its efficient delivery to different cancer cells. HSA-fatty acid conjugates were synthesized by EDC/NHS coupling. Fattigation-platform nanomicelles (NMs), prepared by film hydration, exhibited uniform and spherical morphology, although, each NM varied in particle size, zeta potential, and critical micelle concentration according to the types of fatty acid. Preliminary solubility studies of albumin conjugates with 5 types of fatty acid salts of different chain lengths revealed that C14 exhibited the highest solubilization of CCM. CCM-loaded HSA-C14 NMs demonstrated the highest drug content (5.35 ± 0.48%) and loading efficiency (95.93 ± 1.87%) compared to other NMs. It exhibited enhanced drug release rate and reduced micelle size in biorelevant dissolution medium. Interestingly, this solubilization approach was well applied in poorly water-soluble docetaxel trihydrate (DTX). Preliminary solubility results of DTX was also corresponded to the stable nanonization phenomenon in biorelevant dissolution medium. Compared to the CCM EtOH solution, HSA-C14 NMs showed higher internalization in cancer cell lines A549 and MCF-7, and consequently, exhibited significantly increased cytotoxicity against both cell lines. Therefore, this study provides a new solubilization approach for poorly water-soluble drugs using fatty acid salts of different chain lengths and their micellar formations via nanonization, which could be a promising tool for targeted cancer therapy using poorly water-soluble drugs.

Perceptions and Misconceptions in Molecular Recognition: Key Factors in Self-Assembling Multivalent (SAMul) Ligands/Polyanions Selectivity

Biology is dominated by polyanions (cell membranes, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides just to name a few), and achieving selective recognition between biological polyanions and synthetic systems currently constitutes a major challenge in many biomedical applications, nanovectors-assisted gene delivery being a prime example. This review work summarizes some of our recent efforts in this field; in particular, by using a combined experimental/computation approach, we investigated in detail some critical aspects in self-assembled nanomicelles and two major polyanions—DNA and heparin.

Preparation and characterization of curcumin-loaded polymeric nanomicelles to interference with amyloidogenesis through glycation method

Amyloid fibrils, including β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrils, are protein aggregates that form under certain conditions, associated with neurodegeneration that interfere with neural synaptic transmission resulting in some neural disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study is to inhibit amyloidogenesis by using preparatory polymeric nanomicelles as therapeutic agents and also as nanocarriers for curcumin to target Aβ fibrils through the glycation method of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the presence of phosphate-buffered saline. Polymeric nanomicelles were prepared from phosphatidylethanolamine-distearoyl methoxypolyethylene glycol conjugates in the presence and absence of curcumin and then the morphological and structural characteristics of the nanomicelles were characterized in detail. Following the preparation of unloaded and curcumin-loaded nanomicelles with the desired size and properties, their effects on BSA glycation/fibrillation process were investigated. The samples were analyzed by thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence and advanced glycation end (AGE) products autofluorescence measurements. The results showed that ThT fluorescence related to the formation of β-sheets and AGE autofluorescence (associated with AGE production) decreased in the presence of curcumin-loaded nanomicelles more than other samples. In conclusion, the promising effect of curcumin-loaded nanomicelles on inhibition of amyloidogenesis through glycation process due to curcumin release and thus their ability to prevent the formation and accumulation of amyloid fibrils and so to suppress the Alzheimer's disease progression has been proven and can go for further investigations.