Magnetic Oleosome as a Functional Lipophilic Drug Carrier for Cancer Therapy

Unveiling the applications of membrane proteins from oil bodies: leading the way in artificial oil body technology and other biotechnological advancements

Oil bodies (OBs) function as organelles that store lipids in plant seeds. An oil body (OB) is encased by a membrane composed of proteins (e.g., oleosins, caleosins, and steroleosins) and a phospholipid monolayer. The distinctive protein-phospholipid membrane architecture of OBs imparts exceptional stability even in extreme environments, thereby sparking increasing interest in their structure and properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the structure-activity relationships determining the stability and properties of oil bodies requires a more profound exploration of the associated membrane proteins, an aspect that remains relatively unexplored. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss the structural attributes, biological functions, and properties of OB membrane proteins. From a commercial perspective, an in-depth understanding of the structural and functional properties of OBs is important for the expansion of their applications by producing artificial oil bodies (AOB). Besides exploring their structural intricacies, we describe various methods that are used for purifying and isolating OB membrane proteins. These insights may provide a foundational framework for the practical utilization of OB membrane proteins in diverse applications within the realm of AOB technology, including biological and probiotic delivery, protein purification, enzyme immobilization, astringency detection, and antibody production.

The mechanism of encapsulating curcumin into oleosomes (Lipid Droplets)

Organisms have evolved intracellular micron-sized lipid droplets to carry and protect lipids and hydrophobic minor compounds in the hydrophilic environment of cells. These droplets can be utilized as carriers of hydrophobic therapeutics by taking advantage of their biological functions. Here, we focus on the potential of plant-derived lipid droplets, known as oleosomes, as carriers for hydrophobic therapeutics, such as curcumin. By spectroscopy and confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that the oleosome membrane is permeable to hydrophobic curcumin molecules. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching shows rapid curcumin diffusion towards oleosomes, with a diffusion time in the range of seconds. Following this, quenching probes and dilatational rheology reveal that part of the loaded curcumin molecules can accumulate at the oleosome interface, and the rest settle in the inner core. Our findings shed light on the loading mechanism of the plant-derived lipid droplets and underscore the significance of molecular localization for understanding the mechanism. This work not only enhances the understanding of the loading process but also shows potential for oleosomes use as lipid carriers.

Pectin polysaccharide contribution to oleosome extraction after wet milling of rapeseed

Oleosomes are lipid composites providing energy storage in oilseeds. They possess a unique structure, comprised of a triglyceride core stabilized by a phospholipid-protein membrane, and they have shown potential to be used as ingredients in several food applications. Intact oleosomes are extracted by an aqueous process which includes soaking, milling, and gravitational separation. However, the details of the complexes formed between oleosomes, proteins and pectin polysaccharides during this extraction are not known. It was hypothesized that pectins play an important role during the oleosome separation, and different proteins will be complexed on the surface of the oleosomes, depending on the pH of extraction. Rapeseed extracts were treated with and without pectinase (Pectinex Ultra SP-L) and extracted at pH 5.7 or 8.5, as this will affect electrostatic complexation. Acidic conditions led to co-extraction of storage proteins, structured as dense oleosome emulsions, stabilized by a network of proteins and polysaccharides. Pectinase intensified this effect, highlighting pectic polysaccharides' role in bridging interactions among proteins and oleosomes under acidic conditions. The presence of this dense interstitial layer around the oleosomes protected them from coalescence during extraction. Conversely, under alkaline conditions, the extraction process yielded more purified oleosomes characterized by a larger particle size, most likely due to coalescence. Nevertheless, pectinase addition at pH 8.5 mitigated coalescence tendencies. These results contribute to a better understanding of the details of the colloidal complexes formed during extraction and can be used to modulate the composition of the extracted fractions, with significant consequences not only for yields and purity but also for the functional properties of the ingredients produced.

The potential cutaneous benefits of Carthamus tinctorius oleosomes

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) oleosomes are unique organelles that house triglycerides and fatty acids and demonstrate a natural resilience to environmental stresses. There is recent growing interest in safflower oleosomes due to their potential applications in dermatology, especially as a carrier technology to improve drug penetration through the skin. This paper explores various aspects of safflower oleosomes, including their production, safety, absorption, and applications in photoprotection and epidermal remodeling. Oleosomes have shown encouraging results in targeted drug delivery in in vitro and in vivo animal models; however, human clinical research is required to determine their efficacy and safety in dermatology. Oleosomes are comprise a novel biotechnology that has the potential to transform sustainable and natural treatments in dermatology by utilizing their unique structure. Safflower oleosomes are stable lipid molecules that can deliver small and large molecules with high efficacy. This review will examine the current research findings and prospective future applications of oleosomes.

How Magnetic Composites are Effective Anticancer Therapeutics? A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

Chemotherapy is the most prominent route in cancer therapy for prolonging the lifespan of cancer patients. However, its non-target specificity and the resulting off-target cytotoxicities have been reported. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies using magnetic nanocomposites (MNCs) for magnetothermal chemotherapy may potentially improve the therapeutic outcome by increasing the target selectivity. In this review, magnetic hyperthermia therapy and magnetic targeting using drug-loaded MNCs are revisited, focusing on magnetism, the fabrication and structures of magnetic nanoparticles, surface modifications, biocompatible coating, shape, size, and other important physicochemical properties of MNCs, along with the parameters of the hyperthermia therapy and external magnetic field. Due to the limited drug-loading capacity and low biocompatibility, the use of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as drug delivery system has lost traction. In contrast, MNCs show higher biocompatibility, multifunctional physicochemical properties, high drug encapsulation, and multi-stages of controlled release for localized synergistic chemo-thermotherapy. Further, combining various forms of magnetic cores and pH-sensitive coating agents can generate a more robust pH, magneto, and thermo-responsive drug delivery system. Thus, MNCs are ideal candidate as smart and remotely guided drug delivery system due to a) their magneto effects and guide-ability by the external magnetic fields, b) on-demand drug release performance, and c) thermo-chemosensitization under an applied alternating magnetic field where the tumor is selectively incinerated without harming surrounding non-tumor tissues. Given the important effects of synthesis methods, surface modifications, and coating of MNCs on their anticancer properties, we reviewed the most recent studies on magnetic hyperthermia, targeted drug delivery systems in cancer therapy, and magnetothermal chemotherapy to provide insights on the current development of MNC-based anticancer nanocarrier.

Metal-decorated γ-graphyne as a drug transporting agent for the mercaptopurine chemotherapy drug: a DFT study

In recent years, carbon-based two-dimensional (2D) materials have gained popularity as the carriers of various anticancer therapy drugs, which could reduce the crucial side effects by directly applying the drugs to the intended tumor cells. In this study, through first-principles density functional theory simulations, we have investigated the adsorption properties of a famous cancer chemotherapy drug called mercaptopurine (MC) on a 2D γ-graphyne (GYN) monolayer. Analyzing the geometric and electronic properties, we can summarize that the MC interaction with the pristine GYN is weak, with a small adsorption energy of -0.15 eV, which is too low for potential applications. Therefore, we have decorated the GYN monolayer with biocompatible metals such as Al, Ag, and Cu to trigger the adsorption capacity. The Al- and Cu-decorated GYN offered improved adsorption towards MC compared to the pristine case. The drug release from these metal-decorated systems was examined by creating an acidic environment. In addition, the desorption temperature of the drug from the system was also evaluated using ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. The calculations demonstrated that the Al-decorated GYN is a potential vehicle for MC drug delivery because of the favourable adsorption energy of -0.63 eV, charge transfer of 0.17e and desorption temperature above 270 K. The current research will stimulate the investigation of other low-dimensional carbon materials for drug-delivery applications.

A Review of Advanced Multifunctional Magnetic Nanostructures for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy Integrated into an Artificial Intelligence Approach

The new era of nanomedicine offers significant opportunities for cancer diagnostics and treatment. Magnetic nanoplatforms could be highly effective tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment in the future. Due to their tunable morphologies and superior properties, multifunctional magnetic nanomaterials and their hybrid nanostructures can be designed as specific carriers of drugs, imaging agents, and magnetic theranostics. Multifunctional magnetic nanostructures are promising theranostic agents due to their ability to diagnose and combine therapies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development of advanced multifunctional magnetic nanostructures combining magnetic and optical properties, providing photoresponsive magnetic platforms for promising medical applications. Moreover, this review discusses various innovative developments using multifunctional magnetic nanostructures, including drug delivery, cancer treatment, tumor-specific ligands that deliver chemotherapeutics or hormonal agents, magnetic resonance imaging, and tissue engineering. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to optimize material properties in cancer diagnosis and treatment, based on predicted interactions with drugs, cell membranes, vasculature, biological fluid, and the immune system to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of AI approaches used to assess the practical utility of multifunctional magnetic nanostructures for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, the review presents the current knowledge and perspectives on hybrid magnetic systems as cancer treatment tools with AI models.

Recent Progress of Lipid Nanoparticles-Based Lipophilic Drug Delivery: Focus on Surface Modifications

Numerous drugs have emerged to treat various diseases, such as COVID-19, cancer, and protect human health. Approximately 40% of them are lipophilic and are used for treating diseases through various delivery routes, including skin absorption, oral administration, and injection. However, as lipophilic drugs have a low solubility in the human body, drug delivery systems (DDSs) are being actively developed to increase drug bioavailability. Liposomes, micro-sponges, and polymer-based nanoparticles have been proposed as DDS carriers for lipophilic drugs. However, their instability, cytotoxicity, and lack of targeting ability limit their commercialization. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have fewer side effects, excellent biocompatibility, and high physical stability. LNPs are considered efficient vehicles of lipophilic drugs owing to their lipid-based internal structure. In addition, recent LNP studies suggest that the bioavailability of LNP can be increased through surface modifications, such as PEGylation, chitosan, and surfactant protein coating. Thus, their combinations have an abundant utilization potential in the fields of DDSs for carrying lipophilic drugs. In this review, the functions and efficiencies of various types of LNPs and surface modifications developed to optimize lipophilic drug delivery are discussed.

Biomedical applications of metallic nanoparticles in cancer: Current status and future perspectives

The current advancements in nanotechnology are as an outcome of the development of engineered nanoparticles. Various metallic nanoparticles have been extensively explored for various biomedical applications. They attract lot of attention in biomedical field due to their significant inert nature, and nanoscale structures, with size similar to many biological molecules. Their intrinsic characteristics which include electronic, optical, physicochemical and, surface plasmon resonance, that can be changed by altering certain particle characteristics such as size, shape, environment, aspect ratio, ease of synthesis and functionalization properties have led to numerous applications in various fields of biomedicine. These include targeted drug delivery, sensing, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, imaging, as well as the modulation of two or three applications. The current article also discusses about the various properties of metallic nanoparticles and their applications in cancer imaging and therapeutics. The associated bottlenecks related to their clinical translation are also discussed.

Antibody-Incorporated Nanomedicines for Cancer Therapy

Antibody-based cancer therapy, one of the most significant therapeutic strategies, has achieved considerable success and progress over the past decades. Nevertheless, obstacles including limited tumor penetration, short circulation half-lives, undesired immunogenicity, and off-target side effects remain to be overcome for the antibody-based cancer treatment. Owing to the rapid development of nanotechnology, antibody-containing nanomedicines that have been extensively explored to overcome these obstacles have already demonstrated enhanced anticancer efficacy and clinical translation potential. This review intends to offer an overview of the advancements of antibody-incorporated nanoparticulate systems in cancer treatment, together with the nontrivial challenges faced by these next-generation nanomedicines. Diverse strategies of antibody immobilization, formats of antibodies, types of cancer-associated antigens, and anticancer mechanisms of antibody-containing nanomedicines are provided and discussed in this review, with an emphasis on the latest applications. The current limitations and future research directions on antibody-containing nanomedicines are also discussed from different perspectives to provide new insights into the construction of anticancer nanomedicines.

Harnessing the Therapeutic Potential of Extracellular Vesicles for Biomedical Applications Using Multifunctional Magnetic Nanomaterials

Extracellular vesicles (e.g., exosomes) carrying various biomolecules (e.g., proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) have rapidly emerged as promising platforms for many biomedical applications. Despite their enormous potential, their heterogeneity in surfaces and sizes, the high complexity of cargo biomolecules, and the inefficient uptake by recipient cells remain critical barriers for their theranostic applications. To address these critical issues, multifunctional nanomaterials, such as magnetic nanomaterials, with their tunable physical, chemical, and biological properties, may play crucial roles in next-generation extracellular vesicles (EV)-based disease diagnosis, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. As such, one aims to provide cutting-edge knowledge pertaining to magnetic nanomaterials-facilitated isolation, detection, and delivery of extracellular vesicles and their associated biomolecules. By engaging the fields of extracellular vesicles and magnetic nanomaterials, it is envisioned that their properties can be effectively combined for optimal outcomes in biomedical applications.

Effects of ultrasound-assisted salt (NaCl) extraction method on the structural and functional properties of Oleosin

²We propose a new ultrasound-assisted salt (NaCl) Oleosin extraction method, where the addition of NaCl induces the dissociation of Oleosin subunits and promotes the unfolding of the protein spatial structure. The yield of Oleosin post extraction and purification and solubility of Oleosin obtained using the proposed method were higher than those of Oleosin extracted using traditional methods, by 17.6% and 122.9%, respectively; reduction in particle size (to 52 nm) was also noted. Hydrogen bond dissociation, increase in surface hydrophobicity, and disulfide bond formation occurred simultaneously. However, the overall structure of Oleosin was not negatively affected. The physical properties of Oleosin, such as water and oil absorption, emulsification, and antioxidant activity, were improved, and the rate of Oleosin digestion decreased during the in vitro simulated digestion process. The proposed method provides a theoretical basis for producing proteins. This method can be utilized for effective extraction of Oleosin to achieve sustained release of the produced proteins.

How plants solubilise seed fats: revisiting oleosin structure and function to inform commercial applications

Plants store triacylglycerides in organelles called oil bodies, which are important fuel sources for germination. Oil bodies consist of a lipid core surrounded by an interfacial single layer membrane of phospholipids and proteins. Oleosins are highly conserved plant proteins that are important for oil body formation, solubilising the triacylglycerides, stabilising oil bodies, and playing a role in mobilising the fuel during the germination process. The domain structure of oleosins is well established, with N- and C-terminal domains that are hydrophilic flanking a long hydrophobic domain that is proposed to protrude into the triacylglyceride core of the oil body. However, beyond this general understanding, little molecular level detail on the structure is available and what is known is disputed. This lack of knowledge limits our understanding of oleosin function and concomitantly our ability to engineer them. Here, we review the state of play in the literature regarding oleosin structure and function, and provide some examples of how oleosins can be used in commercial settings.

Stability Issues, Probable Approaches for Stabilization and Associated Patents in the Pharmaceutical Field for Oleosome, A Novel Carrier for Drug Delivery

Oleosomes are oil-containing micro-carriers of natural origin that are comprised of special oleosin proteins embedded with a monolayer of phospholipids having a triacylglycerol core. Due to their unique structure and non-toxicity in the biological system, these oil carriers are becoming very eye-catching for formulation development in the field of pharmacy. Consequently, oleosome offers emoliency, occlusivity, self-emulsification, anti-oxidant, and film-forming properties, which leads to controlled and sustained release of encapsulated bio-actives. It is also feasible to load oil-soluble ingredients, such as fragrance, vitamins (retinol), and lipophilic drug moieties inside the core. Being a natural carrier, it shows some stability issues (leakage of oil from the core, oxidation of the loaded oil, aggregation of oil droplets), which are controllable. In this review, we have focused on the various stability issues, the techniques (coating, surface modification, solvents) and how to overcome those problems, and how to load any lipophilic drug into the oil core, and we have also linked patent research works in the field of formulation development.

An Integrated Microheater Array With Closed-Loop Temperature Regulation Based on Ferromagnetic Resonance of Magnetic Nanoparticles

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) can generate localized heat in response to an external alternating magnetic field, a unique capability that has enabled a wide range of biomedical applications. Compared with other heating mechanisms such as dielectric heating and ohmic heating, MNP-based magnetic heating offers superior material specificity and minimal damage to the surrounding environment since most biological systems are non-magnetic. This paper presents a first-of-its-kind fully integrated magnetic microheater array based on the ferromagnetic resonance of MNP at Gigahertz (GHz) microwave frequencies. Each microheater pixel consists of a stacked oscillator to actuate MNP with a high magnetic field intensity and an electro-thermal feedback loop for precise temperature regulation. The four-stacked/five-stacked oscillator achieves >19.5/26.5 V_pp measured RF output swing from 1.18 to 2.62 GHz while only occupying a single inductor footprint, which eliminates the need for additional RF power amplifiers for compact pixel size (0.6 mm × 0.7 mm) and high dc-to-RF energy efficiency (45%). The electro-thermal feedback loop senses the local temperature and enables closed-loop temperature regulation by controlling the biasing voltage of the stacked oscillator, achieving a measured maximum/RMS temperature error of 0.53/0.29 °C. In the localized heating demonstration, two PDMS membranes mixed with and without MNP are attached to the microheater array chip, respectively, and their surface temperatures are monitored by an infrared (IR) camera. Only the area above the inductor (∼0.03 mm²) is efficiently heated up to 43 °C for the MNP-PDMS membrane, while the baseline temperature stays <37.8 °C for the PDMS membrane without MNP.

Lipid nanovesicles for biomedical applications: 'What is in a name'?

Vesicles, generally defined as self-assembled structures formed by single or multiple concentric bilayers that surround an aqueous core, have been widely used for biomedical applications. They can either occur naturally (e.g. exosomes) or be produced artificially and range from the micrometric scale to the nanoscale. One the most well-known vesicle is the liposome, largely employed as a drug delivery nanocarrier. Liposomes have been modified along the years to improve physicochemical and biological features, resulting in long-circulating, ligand-targeted and stimuli-responsive liposomes, among others. In this process, new nomenclatures were reported in an extensive literature. In many instances, the new names suggest the emergence of a new nanocarrier, which have caused confusion as to whether the vesicles are indeed new entities or could simply be considered modified liposomes. Herein, we discussed the extensive nomenclature of vesicles based on the suffix "some" that are employed for drug delivery and composed of various types and proportions of lipids and others amphiphilic compounds. New names have most often been selected based on changes of vesicle lipid composition, but the payload, structural complexity (e.g. multicompartment) and new/improved proprieties (e.g. elasticity) have also inspired new vesicle names. Based on this discussion, we suggested a rational classification for vesicles.

Magnetic nanoparticles for hyperthermia in cancer treatment: an emerging tool

Cancer remains as the major cause of death worldwide. The main reason why available therapies fail is that a vicious cycle in established which initiates multiple pathways and recurrence after metastasis. Hyperthermic treatment, which involves heating tumor tissues to a moderate temperature of 40-43 °C, has emerged as an effective strategy for treating tumors. This method is highly efficient at destroying tumor cells and does not induce the side effects of conventional cancer treatments. On the other hand, hyperthermic treatment method can be co-administered with conventional treatments. Nanotechnology had created huge opportunities in almost all areas of research, including the field of hyperthermic treatment. The utilization of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) offers functionalities not possible using conventional magnetic materials. In this review, we detail recent developments and applications of MNPs for hyperthermic treatment and discuss future possibilities.

Hollow Porous Carbon Coated FeS2-Based Nanocatalysts for Multimodal Imaging-Guided Photothermal, Starvation, and Triple-Enhanced Chemodynamic Therapy of Cancer

Specific chemical reactions only happen in the tumor region and produce abundant special chemicals to in situ trigger a train of biological and pathological effects that may enable tumor-specific curative effects to treat cancer without causing serious side effects on normal cells or organs. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a rising tactic for cancer therapy, which induces cancer cell death via a localized Fenton reaction. However, the tumor therapeutic effect is limited by the efficiency of the chemical reaction and relies heavily on the catalyst. Here, we constructed hollow porous carbon coated FeS₂ (HPFeS₂@C)-based nanocatalysts for triple-enhanced CDT. Tannic acid was encapsulated in HPFeS₂@C for reducing Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, which had a better catalytic activity to accelerate the Fenton reaction. Afterward, glucose oxidase (GOx) in nanocatalysts could consume glucose in the tumor microenvironment and in situ synchronously produce H₂O₂, which could improve Fenton reaction efficiency. Meanwhile, the consumption of glucose could lead to the starvation effect for cancer starvation therapy. The photothermal effects of HPFeS₂@C could generate heat, which further sped up the Fenton process and implemented synergetic photothermal therapy/starvation therapy/CDT. The biodistribution of nanoparticles was investigated by multimodal magnetic resonance, ultrasound, and photoacoustic imaging. These nanocatalysts could trigger the catalytic Fenton reaction at a high degree, which might provide a good paradigm for nanocatalytic tumor therapy.

Combining Nanoparticles with Colloidal Bubbles: A Short Review

Ultrasound and magneto-responsive nanosized drug delivery systems have been designed as novel carriers for controlled release. Colloidal bubbles (CBs) could be designed to incorporate different materials, such as protein, lipid, polymer, surfactants, and even nanoparticles in their shell, which makes them suitable for a wide range of drug delivery applications. The interior of CBs may be filled with different gases, which is essential for conferring the characteristics of an ultrasounds contrasting agent. Manipulating the core of CBs enhances features such as stability and duration of the echogenic effect. Thus CBs derivatized with nanoparticles combine functional properties of CBs and NPs to yield a versatile theranostics platform technology.

A Multi-crosslinking Nanocapsule-Based Serial-Stimuli-Responsive Leakage-Free Drug-Delivery System In Vitro

As some stimuli utilized in conventional drug delivery systems can also be found in normal cells, it is inevitable that encapsulated drugs escape from carriers into normal cells. Based on mutual interactions among proteins, polyphenol compounds, and metal ions, we developed a serial-stimuli-responsive drug delivery system. With multi-crosslinking structure, nanocapsules can maintain the integrity of the framework, even with a certain amount of stimuli present, and eventually reach tumor cells to initiate apoptosis, and protect normal cells from being damaged. Meanwhile, the fluorescence of DOX will be quenched when encapsulated in nanocapsules. This property means that the DOX that is released from nanocapsules can be monitored in real-time based on the recovery of fluorescence. These versatile nanocapsules exhibit great potentials to treat cancer.

Programmed degradation of a hierarchical nanoparticle with redox and light responsivity for self-activated photo-chemical enhanced chemodynamic therapy

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has recently emerged as a promising treatment for cancer due to the high specificity of CDT towards tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the low efficiency of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the robust ROS defensive mechanisms in cancer cells remain critical hurdles for current CDT. Addressing both challenges in a single platform, we developed a novel redox and light-responsive (RLR) nanoparticle with a core-shell structure. Remarkably, our hierarchical RLR nanoparticle is composed of an ultrasmall Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle engineered framework of hollow carbon matrix core and a nanoflower-like MnO₂ shell. Under the abundant overexpressed glutathione (GSH) and acidic nature in TME, the RLR nanoparticle was programmed to degrade and self-activate CDT-induced cancer-killing by accelerating ROS generation via overcoming the ROS defensive mechanisms based on the depletion of intracellular GSH, the sequential production of theranostic ion species (e.g., Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺), a spatiotemporal controllable photothermal hyperthermia and a redox triggered chemotherapeutic drug release. Additionally, the carbon framework of RLR nanoparticle could collapse by leaching of iron ions. An excellent selective and near-complete tumor suppression based on the RLR nanoparticles through a strong synergy between CDT, PTT and anti-cancer drugs was demonstrated via in vitro and in vivo anti-tumoral assays.

Horizons of nanotechnology applications in female specific cancers

Female-specific cancers are the most common cancers in women worldwide. Early detection methods remain unavailable for most of these cancers, signifying that most of them are diagnosed at later stages. Furthermore, current treatment options for most female-specific cancers are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Although important milestones in molecularly targeted approaches have been achieved lately, current therapeutic strategies for female-specific cancers remain limited, ineffective and plagued by the emergence of chemoresistance, which aggravates prognosis. Recently, the application of nanotechnology to the medical field has allowed the development of novel nano-based approaches for the management and treatment of cancers, including female-specific cancers. These approaches promise to improve patient survival rates by reducing side effects, enabling selective delivery of drugs to tumor tissues and enhancing the uptake of therapeutic compounds, thus increasing anti-tumor activity. In this review, we focus on the application of nano-based technologies to the design of novel and innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the context of female-specific cancers, highlighting their potential uses and limitations.

Magnetic Drug Delivery: Where the Field Is Going

Targeted delivery of anticancer drugs is considered to be one of the pillars of cancer treatment as it could allow for a better treatment efficiency and less adverse effects. A promising drug delivery approach is magnetic drug targeting which can be realized if a drug delivery vehicle possesses a strong magnetic moment. Here, we discuss different types of magnetic nanomaterials which can be used as magnetic drug delivery vehicles, approaches to magnetic targeted delivery as well as promising strategies for the enhancement of the imaging-guided delivery and the therapeutic action.

Recent advances in magnetic fluid hyperthermia for cancer therapy

Recently, magnetic fluid hyperthermia using biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles as heat mediators for cancer therapy has been extensively investigated due to its high efficiency and limited side effects. However, the development of more efficient heat nanomediators that exhibit very high specific absorption rate (SAR) value is essential for clinical application to overcome the several restrictions previously encountered due to the large quantity of nanomaterial required for effective treatment. In this review, we focus on the current progress in the development of magnetic nanoparticles based hyperthermia therapy as well as combined therapy harnessing hyperthermia with heat-mediated drug delivery for cancer treatment. We also address the fundamental principles of magnetic hyperthermia, basics of magnetism including the effect of several parameters on heating capacity, synthetic methods and nanoparticle surface chemistry needed to design and develop an ideal magnetic nanoparticle heat mediator suitable for clinical translation in cancer therapy.

Overcoming Chemoresistance in Cancer via Combined MicroRNA Therapeutics with Anticancer Drugs Using Multifunctional Magnetic Core-Shell Nanoparticles

In this study, we report the use of a multifunctional magnetic core-shell nanoparticle (MCNP), composed of a highly magnetic zinc-doped iron oxide (ZnFe₂O₄) core nanoparticle and a biocompatible mesoporous silica (mSi) shell, for the simultaneous delivery of let-7a microRNA (miRNA) and anticancer drugs (e.g., doxorubicin) to overcome chemoresistance in breast cancer. Owing to the ability of let-7a to repress DNA repair mechanisms (e.g., BRCA1 and BRCA2) and downregulate drug efflux pumps (e.g., ABCG2), delivery of let-7a could sensitize chemoresistant breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) to subsequent doxorubicin chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the multifunctionality of our MCNPs allows for the monitoring of in vivo delivery via magnetic resonance imaging. In short, we have developed a multifunctional MCNP-based therapeutic approach to provide an attractive method with which to enhance our ability not only to deliver combined miRNA therapeutics with small-molecule drugs in both selective and effective manner but also to sensitize cancer cells for the enhanced treatment via the combination of miRNA replacement therapy using a single nanoplatform.