Micelle-like nanoparticles as carriers for DNA and siRNA

Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-Grafted Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Micelles Co-Loaded with Quercetin and DNA

The synergistic effect of drug and gene delivery is expected to significantly improve cancer therapy. However, it is still challenging to design suitable nanocarriers that are able to load simultaneously anticancer drugs and nucleic acids due to their different physico-chemical properties. In the present work, an amphiphilic block copolymer comprising a biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block and a multi-alkyne-functional biodegradable polycarbonate (PC) block was modified with a number of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) side chains applying the highly efficient azide-alkyne "click" chemistry reaction. The resulting cationic amphiphilic copolymer with block and graft architecture (MPEG-b-(PC-g-PDMAEMA)) self-associated in aqueous media into nanosized micelles which were loaded with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer drug quercetin. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were further used to form micelleplexes in aqueous media through electrostatic interactions with DNA. The obtained nanoaggregates-empty and drug-loaded micelles as well as the micelleplexes intended for simultaneous DNA and drug codelivery-were physico-chemically characterized. Additionally, initial in vitro evaluations were performed, indicating the potential application of the novel polymer nanocarriers as drug delivery systems.

Combined Photosensitive Gene Therapy Effective Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Mice Model

Introduction

Tumor hypoxia and invasion present significant challenges for the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study developed a mitochondrial targeting strategy that combined PDT and gene therapy to promote each other and address the challenges.

Methods

The positively charged amphiphilic material triphenylphosphine-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPP-TPGS, TPS) and the photosensitizer chloride e6 (Ce6) formed TPS@Ce6 nanoparticles (NPs) by hydrophobic interaction. They electrostatically condensed microRNA-34a (miR-34a) to form stable TPS@Ce6/miRNA NPs.

Results

Firstly, Ce6 disrupted the lysosomal membrane, followed by successful delivery of miR-34a by TPS@Ce6/miRNA NPs. Meanwhile, miR-34a reduced ROS depletion and further enhanced the effectiveness of PDT. Consequently, the mutual promotion between PDT and gene therapy led to enhanced anti-tumor effects. Furthermore, the TPS@Ce6/miRNA NPs promoted apoptosis by down-regulating Caspase-3 and inhibited tumor cell migration and invasion by down-regulating N-Cadherin. In addition, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the TPS@Ce6/miRNA NPs achieved excellent anti-tumor effects. These findings highlighted the enhanced anticancer effects and reduced migration of tumor cells through the synergistic effects of PDT and gene therapy.

Conclusion

Taken together, the targeted co-delivery of Ce6 and miR-34a will facilitate the application of photodynamic and genic nanomedicine in the treatment of aggressive tumors, particularly TNBC.

Progress and challenges of plant-derived nucleic acids as therapeutics in macrophage-mediated RNA therapy

Plant-derived nucleic acids, especially small RNAs have been proved by increasing evidence in the pharmacological activities and disease treatment values in macrophage meditated anti-tumor performance, immune regulating functions and antiviral activities. But the uptake, application and delivery strategies of RNAs as biodrugs are different from the small molecules and recombinant protein drugs. This article summarizes the reported evidence for cross-kingdom regulation by plant derived functional mRNAs and miRNAs. Based on that, their involvement and potentials in macrophage-mediated anti-tumor/inflammatory therapies are mainly discussed, as well as the load prospect of plant RNAs in viruses and natural exosome vehicles, and their delivery to mammalian cells through macrophage were also summarized. This review is to provide evidence and views for the plant derived RNAs as next generation of drugs with application potential in nucleic acid-based bio-therapy.

Amphiphilic Phosphorus Dendrons Associated with Anti-inflammatory siRNA Reduce Symptoms in Murine Collagen-Induced Arthritis

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise for treating rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting major cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). We developed original cationic amphiphilic phosphorus dendrons to produce dendriplexes associated with TNF-α siRNA. The dendrons were made of 10 pyrrolidinium end groups and a C17 aliphatic chain. The dendriplexes demonstrated the ability to protect siRNA from nuclease degradation and to promote macrophage uptake. Moreover, they led to potent inhibition of TNF-α expression in the lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7 in vitro model. A significant anti-inflammatory effect in the murine collagen-induced arthritis model was observed through arthritis scoring and histological observations. These results open up essential perspectives in using this original amphiphilic dendron to reduce the disease burden and improve outcomes in chronic inflammatory diseases.

Nanomedicine based strategies for oligonucleotide traversion across the blood-brain barrier

Neurological disorders are considered the most prominent cause of disability worldwide. The major hurdle in the management of neurological disorders is the existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which hinders the entry of several therapeutic moieties. In recent years, oligonucleotides have gained tremendous attention for their target specificity, diminished dose and adverse effects, thereby halting disease progression. However, enzymatic degradation, rapid clearance, limited circulation and availability at the bio-active site, etc., limit its clinical translation. Nanomedicine has opened up a breadth of opportunities in the delivery of oligonucleotides across the BBB. This review addresses the pitfalls associated with oligonucleotide delivery in traversing the BBB via nanotherapeutics for the management of brain disorders. Regulatory perspectives pertaining to hastening the clinical translation of oligonucleotide-loaded nanocarriers for brain delivery have been highlighted.

Polymeric micelles and cancer therapy: an ingenious multimodal tumor-targeted drug delivery system

Since the beginning of pharmaceutical research, drug delivery methods have been an integral part of it. Polymeric micelles (PMs) have emerged as multifunctional nanoparticles in the current technological era of nanocarriers, and they have shown promise in a range of scientific fields. They can alter the release profile of integrated pharmacological substances and concentrate them in the target zone due to their improved permeability and retention, making them more suitable for poorly soluble medicines. With their ability to deliver poorly soluble chemotherapeutic drugs, PMs have garnered considerable interest in cancer. As a result of their remarkable biocompatibility, improved permeability, and minimal toxicity to healthy cells, while also their capacity to solubilize a wide range of drugs in their micellar core, PMs are expected to be a successful treatment option for cancer therapy in the future. Their nano-size enables them to accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In this review, our major aim is to focus primarily on the stellar applications of PMs in the field of cancer therapeutics along with its mechanism of action and its latest advancements in drug and gene delivery (DNA/siRNA) for cancer, using various therapeutic strategies such as crossing blood-brain barrier, gene therapy, photothermal therapy (PTT), and immunotherapy. Furthermore, PMs can be employed as "smart drug carriers," allowing them to target specific cancer sites using a variety of stimuli (endogenous and exogenous), which improve the specificity and efficacy of micelle-based targeted drug delivery. All the many types of stimulants, as well as how the complex of PM and various anticancer drugs react to it, and their pharmacodynamics are also reviewed here. In conclusion, commercializing engineered micelle nanoparticles (MNPs) for application in therapy and imaging can be considered as a potential approach to improve the therapeutic index of anticancer drugs. Furthermore, PM has stimulated intense interest in research and clinical practice, and in light of this, we have also highlighted a few PMs that have previously been approved for therapeutic use, while the majority are still being studied in clinical trials for various cancer therapies.

Recent advances of metal-based nanoparticles in nucleic acid delivery for therapeutic applications

Recent efforts in designing nanomaterials to deliver potential therapeutics to the targeted site are overwhelming and palpable. Engineering nanomaterials to deliver biological molecules to exert desirable physiological changes, with minimized side effects and optimal dose, has revolutionized the next-generation therapy for several diseases. The rapid progress of nucleic acids as biopharmaceutics is going to alter the traditional pharmaceutics practices in modern medicine. However, enzymatic instability, large size, dense negative charge (hydrophilic for cell uptake), and unintentional adverse biological responses-such as prolongation of the blood coagulation and immune system activation-hamper the potential use of nucleic acids for therapeutic purposes. Moreover, the safe delivery of nucleic acids into the clinical setting is an uphill task, and several efforts are being put forward to deliver them to targeted cells. Advances in Metal-based NanoParticles (MNPs) are drawing attention due to the unique properties offered by them for drug delivery, such as large surface-area-to-volume ratio for surface modification, increased therapeutic index of drugs through site-specific delivery, increased stability, enhanced half-life of the drug in circulation, and efficient biodistribution to the desired targeted site. Here, the potential of nanoparticles delivery systems for the delivery of nucleic acids, specially MNPs, and their ability and advantages over other nano delivery systems are reviewed.

Nanoparticle-mediated transgene expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 in the growth restricted guinea pig placenta increases placenta nutrient transporter expression and fetal glucose concentrations

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) significantly contributes to neonatal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Currently, there are no effective treatment options for FGR during pregnancy. We have developed a nanoparticle gene therapy targeting the placenta to increase expression of human insulin-like growth factor 1 (hIGF1) to correct fetal growth trajectories. Using the maternal nutrient restriction guinea pig model of FGR, an ultrasound-guided, intraplacental injection of nonviral, polymer-based hIGF1 nanoparticle containing plasmid with the hIGF1 gene and placenta-specific Cyp19a1 promotor was administered at mid-pregnancy. Sustained hIGF1 expression was confirmed in the placenta 5 days after treatment. Whilst increased hIGF1 did not change fetal weight, circulating fetal glucose concentration were 33%-67% higher. This was associated with increased expression of glucose and amino acid transporters in the placenta. Additionally, hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment increased the fetal capillary volume density in the placenta, and reduced interhaemal distance between maternal and fetal circulation. Overall, our findings, that trophoblast-specific increased expression of hIGF1 results in changes to glucose transporter expression and increases fetal glucose concentrations within a short time period, highlights the translational potential this treatment could have in correcting impaired placental nutrient transport in human pregnancies complicated by FGR.

"Genetic scissors" CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing cutting-edge biocarrier technology for bone and cartilage repair

CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary genome editing technology with the tremendous advantages such as precisely targeting/shearing ability, low cost and convenient operation, becoming an efficient and indispensable tool in biological research. As a disruptive technique, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has a great potential to realize a future breakthrough in the clinical bone and cartilage repairing as well. This review highlights the research status of CRISPR/Cas9 system in bone and cartilage repair, illustrates its mechanism for promoting osteogenesis and chondrogenesis, and explores the development tendency of CRISPR/Cas9 in bone and cartilage repair to overcome the current limitations.

An overview of polyallylamine applications in gene delivery

A chief objective of gene transportation studies is to manipulate clinically accepted carriers that can be utilized to combat incurable diseases. Despite various strategies, efficiency and application of these vectors have been hindered, owing to different obstacles. Polyallylamine (PAA) is a synthetic water-soluble, weak base cationic polymer with different properties that could be administrated as an ideal candidate for biomedical applications such as gene delivery, drug delivery, or even tissue engineering. However, some intrinsic properties of this polymer limit its application. The two associated problems with the use of PAA in gene delivery are low transfection efficiency (because of low buffering capacity) and cytotoxic effects attributed to intense cationic character. Most of the strategies for structural modification of the PAA structure have focused on introducing hydrophobic groups to the polymeric backbone that target both cytotoxicity and transfection. In this perspective, we concentrate on PAA as a gene delivery vehicle and the existing approaches for modification of this cationic polymer to give insight to researchers for exploitation of PAA as an efficient carrier in biomedical applications.

Interventions for placental insufficiency and fetal growth restriction

Pregnancy complications adversely impact both mother and/or fetus throughout the lifespan. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) occurs when a fetus fails to reach their intrauterine potential for growth, it is the second highest leading cause of infant mortality, and leads to increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases in later life due 'fetal programming'. Abnormal placental development, growth and/or function underlies approximately 75% of FGR cases and there is currently no treatment save delivery, often prematurely. We previously demonstrated in a murine model of FGR that nanoparticle mediated, intra-placental human IGF-1 gene therapy maintains normal fetal growth. Multiple models of FGR currently exist reflecting the etiologies of human FGR and have been used by us and others to investigate the development of in utero therapeutics as discussed here. In addition to the in vivo models discussed herein, utilizing human models including in vitro (Choriocarcinoma cell lines and primary trophoblasts) and ex vivo (term villous fragments and placenta cotyledon perfusion) we have demonstrated robust nanoparticle uptake, transgene expression, nutrient transporter regulation without transfer to the fetus. For translational gene therapy application in the human placenta, there are multiple avenues that require investigation including syncytial uptake from the maternal circulation, transgene expression, functionality and longevity of treatment, impact of treatment on the mother and developing fetus. The potential impact of treating the placenta during gestation is high, wide-ranging across pregnancy complications, and may offer reduced risk of developing associated cardio-metabolic diseases in later life impacting at both an individual and societal level.

Natural and Synthetic Micelles for Delivery of Small Molecule Drugs, Imaging Agents and Nucleic Acids

The poor solubility, lack of targetability, quick renal clearance, and degradability of many therapeutic and imaging agents strongly limit their applications inside the human body. Amphiphilic copolymers having self-assembling properties can form core-shell structures called micelles, a promising nanocarrier for hydrophobic drugs, plasmid DNA, oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and imaging agents. Fabrication of micelles loaded with different pharmaceutical agents provides numerous advantages including therapeutic efficacy, diagnostic sensitivity, and controlled release to the desired tissues. Moreover, due to their smaller particle size (10-100 nm) and modified surfaces with different functional groups (such as ligands) help them to accumulate easily in the target location, enhancing cellular uptake and reducing unwanted side effects. Furthermore, the release of the encapsulated agents may also be triggered from stimuli-sensitive micelles at different physiological conditions or by an external stimulus. In this review article, we discuss the recent advancement in formulating and targeting different natural and synthetic micelles including block copolymer micelles, cationic micelles, and dendrimers-, polysaccharide- and protein-based micelles for the delivery of different therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Finally, their applications, outcomes, and future perspectives have been summarized.

RNAi-based therapeutics and tumor targeted delivery in cancer

Over the past decade, non-coding RNA-based therapeutics have proven as a great potential for the development of targeted therapies for cancer and other diseases. The discovery of the critical function of microRNAs (miRNAs) has generated great excitement in developing miRNA-based therapies. The dysregulation of miRNAs contributes to the pathogenesis of various human diseases and cancers by modulating genes that are involved in critical cellular processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, drug resistance, and tumorigenesis. miRNA (miRNA mimic, anti-miRNA/antagomir) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) can inhibit the expression of any cancer-related genes/mRNAs with high specificity through RNA interference (RNAi), thus representing a remarkable therapeutic tool for targeted therapies and precision medicine. siRNA and miRNA-based therapies have entered clinical trials and recently three novel siRNA-based therapeutics were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), indicating the beginning of a new era of targeted therapeutics. The successful clinical applications of miRNA and siRNA therapeutics rely on safe and effective nanodelivery strategies for targeting tumor cells or tumor microenvironment. For this purpose, promising nanodelivery/nanoparticle-based approaches have been developed using a variety of molecules for systemic administration and improved tumor targeted delivery with reduced side effects. In this review, we present an overview of RNAi-based therapeutics, the major pharmaceutical challenges, and the perspectives for the development of promising delivery systems for clinical translation. We also highlight the passive and active tumor targeting nanodelivery strategies and primarily focus on the current applications of nanoparticle-based delivery formulations for tumor targeted RNAi molecules and their recent advances in clinical trials in human cancers.

pH-Responsive, Two-in-One Doxorubicin and Bcl-2 siRNA-Loaded Micelleplexes for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy

The combination of chemotherapy and gene therapy is a versatile strategy for treating multi-drug-resistant cancer. Accordingly, we developed a pH-responsive triblock copolymeric carrier for delivering chemotherapeutic and genetic drugs simultaneously....

Target Nanoparticles against Pancreatic Cancer: Fewer Side Effects in Therapy

Pancreatic cancer is the most common lethal tumor in America. This lethality is related to limited treatment options. Conventional treatments involve the non-specific use of chemotherapeutical agents such as 5-FU, capecitabine, gemcitabine, paclitaxel, cisplatin, oxaliplatin, or irinotecan, which produce several side effects. This review focuses on the use of targeted nanoparticles, such as metallic nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, and carbon nanotubes as an alternative to standard treatment for pancreatic cancer. The principal objective of nanoparticles is reduction of the side effects that conventional treatments produce, mostly because of their non-specificity. Several molecular markers of pancreatic cancer cells have been studied to target nanoparticles and improve current treatment. Therefore, properly functionalized nanoparticles with specific aptamers or antibodies can be used to recognize pancreatic cancer cells. Once cancer is recognized, these nanoparticles can attack the tumor by drug delivery, gene therapy, or hyperthermia.

Dual-Functional Dendrimer Micelles with Glycyrrhizic Acid for Anti-Inflammatory Therapy of Acute Lung Injury

Dendrimer micelles with glycyrrhizic acid (GA) were developed for anti-inflammatory therapy of acute lung injury (ALI). Cholesterol was conjugated to histidine- and arginine-grafted polyamidoamine (PamHR) for micelle formation. The cholesterol-conjugated PamHR (PamHRchol) was mixed with amphiphilic GA to produce PamHRchol/GA mixed micelles. The GA integrated into the micelles had two functions: it acted as an anti-inflammatory drug and facilitated intracellular gene delivery. The PamHRchol/GA micelles formed stable complexes with plasmid DNA. Integrating GA into the micelles increased their transfection efficiency. Confocal microscopy and flow-cytometry studies confirmed that the PamHRchol/GA micelles improved cellular uptake compared with PamHRchol. A competition assay with free GA suggested that the enhanced transfection efficiency of the micelles might be due to the interaction between GA and its receptor. In addition, GA has a membrane-destabilizing effect, and a chloroquine pretreatment assay confirmed that GA increased endosomal escape. Furthermore, the PamHRchol/GA micelles reduced tumor necrosis factor-α in lipopolysaccharide-activated Raw264.7 cells, suggesting a mechanism for its anti-inflammatory effects. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of the PamHRchol/GA micelles, the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene was delivered into the lungs of mice with ALI. The PamHRchol/GA micelles had higher gene delivery efficiency into the lungs than polyethylenimine (25 kDa, PEI25k) and the PamHRchol micelles. The combined effects of the HO-1 gene and GA produced effective anti-inflammation response in the lungs of the ALI animals. Therefore, the dual-function PamHRchol/GA micelles, which acted as an anti-inflammatory drug and a gene carrier, could be a useful therapy for inflammatory lung diseases.

The impact of anionic polymers on gene delivery: how composition and assembly help evading the toxicity-efficiency dilemma

Cationic polymers have been widely studied for non-viral gene delivery due to their ability to bind genetic material and to interact with cellular membranes. However, their charged nature carries the risk of increased cytotoxicity and interaction with serum proteins, limiting their potential in vivo application. Therefore, hydrophilic or anionic shielding polymers are applied to counteract these effects. Herein, a series of micelle-forming and micelle-shielding polymers were synthesized via RAFT polymerization. The copolymer poly[(n-butyl acrylate)-b-(2-(dimethyl amino)ethyl acrylamide)] (P(nBA-b-DMAEAm)) was assembled into cationic micelles and different shielding polymers were applied, i.e., poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(4-acryloyl morpholine) (PNAM) or P(NAM-b-AA) block copolymer. These systems were compared to a triblock terpolymer micelle comprising PAA as the middle block. The assemblies were investigated regarding their morphology, interaction with pDNA, cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency, polyplex uptake and endosomal escape. The naked cationic micelle exhibited superior transfection efficiency, but increased cytotoxicity. The addition of shielding polymers led to reduced toxicity. In particular, the triblock terpolymer micelle convinced with high cell viability and no significant loss in efficiency. The highest shielding effect was achieved by layering micelles with P(NAM-b-AA) supporting the colloidal stability at neutral zeta potential and completely restoring cell viability while maintaining moderate transfection efficiencies. The high potential of this micelle-layer-combination for gene delivery was illustrated for the first time.

PnBA-b-PNIPAM-b-PDMAEA Thermo-Responsive Triblock Terpolymers and Their Quaternized Analogs as Gene and Drug Delivery Vectors

In this work, the ability of thermo-responsive poly [butyl acrylate-b-N-isopropylacrylamide-b-2-(dimethylamino) ethyl acrylate] (PnBA-b-PNIPAM-b-PDMAEA) triblock terpolymer self-assemblies, as well as of their quaternized analogs (PnBA-b-PNIPAM-b-QPDMAEA), to form polyplexes with DNA through electrostatic interactions was examined. Terpolymer/DNA polyplexes were prepared in three different amine over phosphate group ratios (N/P), and linear DNA with a 2000 base pair length was used. In aqueous solutions, the terpolymers formed aggregates of micelles with mixed PNIPAM/(Q)PDMAEA coronas and PnBA cores. The PnBA-b-PNIPAM-b-PDMAEA terpolymers’ micellar aggregates were also examined as carriers for the model hydrophobic drug curcumin (CUR). The complexation ability of the terpolymer with DNA was studied by UV–Vis spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy by investigating ethidium bromide quenching. Fluorescence was also used for the determination of the intrinsic fluorescence of the CUR-loaded micellar aggregates. The structural characteristics of the polyplexes and the CUR-loaded aggregates were investigated by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering techniques. Polyplexes were found to structurally respond to changes in solution temperature and ionic strength, while the intrinsic fluorescence of encapsulated CUR was increased at temperatures above ambient.

Multifunctional polymeric micellar nanomedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer

Polymeric micelles are a prevalent topic of research for the past decade, especially concerning their fitting ability to deliver drug and diagnostic agents. This delivery system offers outstanding advantages, such as biocompatibility, high loading efficiency, water-solubility, and good stability in biological fluids, to name a few. The multifunctional polymeric micellar architect offers the added capability to adapt its surface to meet the looked-for clinical needs. This review cross-talks the recent reports, proof-of-concept studies, patents, and clinical trials that utilize polymeric micellar family architectures concerning cancer targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, gene therapeutics, and diagnostic agents. The manuscript also expounds on the underlying opportunities, allied challenges, and ways to resolve their bench-to-bedside translation for allied clinical applications.

Delivery Systems for Nucleic Acids and Proteins: Barriers, Cell Capture Pathways and Nanocarriers

Gene therapy has been used as a potential approach to address the diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases and inherited disorders. In this line, non-viral systems have been exploited as promising alternatives for delivering therapeutic transgenes and proteins. In this review, we explored how biological barriers are effectively overcome by non-viral systems, usually nanoparticles, to reach an efficient delivery of cargoes. Furthermore, this review contributes to the understanding of several mechanisms of cellular internalization taken by nanoparticles. Because a critical factor for nanoparticles to do this relies on the ability to escape endosomes, researchers have dedicated much effort to address this issue using different nanocarriers. Here, we present an overview of the diversity of nanovehicles explored to reach an efficient and effective delivery of both nucleic acids and proteins. Finally, we introduced recent advances in the development of successful strategies to deliver cargoes.

Recent advances in peptide-targeted micelleplexes: Current developments and future perspectives

The decoding of the human genome revolutionized the understanding of how genetics influence the interplay between health and disease, in a multidisciplinary perspective. Thus, the development of exogenous nucleic acids-based therapies has increased to overcome hereditary or acquired genetic-associated diseases. Gene drug delivery using non-viral systems, for instance micelleplexes, have been recognized as promising options for gene-target therapies. Micelleplexes are core-shell structures, at a nanometric scale, designed using amphiphilic block copolymers. These can self-assemble in an aqueous medium, leading to the formation of a hydrophilic and positively charged corona - that can transport nucleic acids, - and a hydrophobic core - which can transport poor water-soluble drugs. However, the performance of these types of carriers usually is hindered by several in vivo barriers. Fortunately, due to a significant amount of research, strategies to overcome these shortcomings emerged. With a wide range of structural features, good stability against proteolytic degradation, affordable characteristic, easy synthesis, low immunogenicity, among other advantages, peptides have increasingly gained popularity as target ligands for non-viral carriers. Hence, this review addresses the use of peptides with micelleplexes illustrating, through the analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies, the potential and future perspectives of this combination.

Targeting the Dysfunctional Placenta to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes Based on Lessons Learned in Cancer

In recent decades, our understanding of the disrupted mechanisms that contribute to major obstetrical diseases, including preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes, has increased exponentially. Common to many of these obstetric diseases is placental maldevelopment and dysfunction; the placenta is a significant component of the maternal-fetal interface involved in coordinating, facilitating, and regulating maternal and fetal nutrient, oxygen and waste exchange, and hormone and cytokine production. Despite the advances in our understanding of placental development and function, there are currently no treatments for placental maldevelopment and dysfunction. However, given the transient nature and accessibility from the maternal circulation, the placenta offers a unique opportunity to develop targeted therapeutics for routine obstetric practices. Furthermore, given the similar developmental paradigms between the placenta and cancer, there is an opportunity to appropriate current knowledge from advances in targeted therapeutics in cancer treatments. In this review, we highlight the similarities between early placental development and cancer and introduce a number of targeted therapies currently being explored in cancer and pregnancy. We also propose a number of new effectors currently being targeted in cancer research that have the potential to be targeted in the development of treatments for pregnancy complications. Finally, we describe a method for targeting the placenta using nonviral polymers that are capable of delivering plasmids, small interfering RNA, and other effector nucleic acids, which could ultimately improve fetal and maternal outcomes from complicated pregnancies.

Nanoparticles as Adjuvants and Nanodelivery Systems for mRNA-Based Vaccines

Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines have shown promise against infectious diseases and several types of cancer in the last two decades. Their promise can be attributed to their safety profiles, high potency, and ability to be rapidly and affordably manufactured. Now, many RNA-based vaccines are being evaluated in clinical trials as prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. However, until recently, their development has been limited by their instability and inefficient in vivo transfection. The nanodelivery system plays a dual function in RNA-based vaccination by acting as a carrier system and as an adjuvant. That is due to its similarity to microorganisms structurally and size-wise; the nanodelivery system can augment the response by the immune system via simulating the natural infection process. Nanodelivery systems allow non-invasive mucosal administration, targeted immune cell delivery, and controlled delivery, reducing the need for multiple administrations. They also allow co-encapsulating with immunostimulators to improve the overall adjuvant capacity. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent developments and applications of biodegradable nanodelivery systems that improve RNA-based vaccine delivery and enhance the immunological response against targeted diseases.

RNA Interference Nanotherapeutics for Treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Nucleic acid therapeutics for RNA interference (RNAi) are gaining attention in the treatment and management of several kinds of the so-called "undruggable" tumors via targeting specific molecular pathways or oncogenes. Synthetic ribonucleic acid (RNAs) oligonucleotides like siRNA, miRNA, shRNA, and lncRNA have shown potential as novel therapeutics. However, the delivery of such oligonucleotides is significantly hampered by their physiochemical (such as hydrophilicity, negative charge, and instability) and biopharmaceutical features (in vivo serum stability, fast renal clearance, interaction with extracellular proteins, and hindrance in cellular internalization) that markedly reduce their biological activity. Recently, several nanocarriers have evolved as suitable non-viral vectors for oligonucleotide delivery, which are known to either complex or conjugate with these oligonucleotides efficiently and also overcome the extracellular and intracellular barriers, thereby allowing access to the tumoral micro-environment for the better and desired outcome in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This Review focuses on the up-to-date advancements in the field of RNAi nanotherapeutics utilized for GBM treatment.

Lipid-oligonucleotide conjugates for bioapplications

Lipid-oligonucleotide conjugates (LONs) are powerful molecular-engineering materials for various applications ranging from biosensors to biomedicine. Their unique amphiphilic structures enable the self-assembly and the conveyance of information with high fidelity. In particular, LONs present remarkable potential in measuring cellular mechanical forces and monitoring cell behaviors. LONs are also essential sensing tools for intracellular imaging and have been employed in developing cell-surface-anchored DNA nanostructures for biomimetic-engineering studies. When incorporating therapeutic oligonucleotides or small-molecule drugs, LONs hold promise for targeted therapy. Moreover, LONs mediate the controllable assembly and fusion of vesicles based on DNA-strand displacements, contributing to nanoreactor construction and macromolecule delivery. In this review, we will summarize the general synthesis strategies of LONs, provide some characterization analysis and emphasize recent advances in bioanalytical and biomedical applications. We will also consider the relevant challenges and suggest future directions for building better functional LONs in nanotechnology and materials-science applications.

siRNA based drug design, quality, delivery and clinical translation

Gene silencing by RNA interference represents a promising therapeutic approach. The development of carriers, e.g., polymers, lipids, peptides, antibodies, aptamers, small molecules, exosome and red blood cells, is crucial for the systemic delivery of siRNA. Cell-specific targeting ligands in the nano-carriers can improve the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and selectivity of siRNA therapeutics. The safety, effectiveness, quality and prosperity of production and manufacturing are important considerations for selecting the appropriate siRNA carriers. Efficacy of systemic delivery of siRNA requires considerations of trafficking through the blood, off-target effects, innate immune response and endosomal escape avoiding lysosomal degradation for entering into RNAi process. Multifunctional nanocarriers with stimuli-responsive properties such as pH, magnetic and photo-sensitive segments can enhance the efficacy of siRNA delivery. The improved preclinical characterization of suitable siRNA drugs, good laboratory practice, that reduce the differences between in vitro and in vivo results may increase the success of siRNA drugs in clinical settings.

Delivery of RNAi-Based Therapeutics for Bone Regeneration

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The clinical significance, target pathways, recent successes, and challenges that preclude translation of RNAi bone regenerative approaches are overviewed.

RECENT FINDINGS

RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising new therapeutic approach for bone regeneration by stimulating or inhibiting critical signaling pathways. However, RNAi suffers from significant delivery challenges. These challenges include avoiding nuclease degradation, achieving bone tissue targeting, and reaching the cytoplasm for mRNA inhibition. Many drug delivery systems have overcome stability and intracellular localization challenges but suffer from protein adsorption that results in clearance of up to 99% of injected dosages, thus severely limiting drug delivery efficacy. While RNAi has myriad promising attributes for use in bone regenerative applications, delivery challenges continue to plague translation. Thus, a focus on drug delivery system development is critical to provide greater delivery efficiency and bone targeting to reap the promise of RNAi.

Targeted Gene Silencing BRAF Synergized Photothermal Effect Inhibits Hepatoma Cell Growth Using New GAL-GNR-siBRAF Nanosystem

Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The RAF kinase inhibitors are effective in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); therefore, inhibition of the BRAF/MEK/ERK pathway has become a new therapeutic strategy for novel HCC therapy. However, targeted specific delivery systems for tumors are still significant obstacle to clinical applications. Galactose (GAL) can target the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) that is highly expressed on liver cancer cells. In this study, we designed a novel multifunctional nanomaterial GAL-GNR-siBRAF which consists of three parts, GAL as the liver cancer-targeting moiety, golden nanorods (GNR) offering photothermal capability under near infrared light, and siRNA specifically silencing BRAF (siBRAF). The nanocarrier GAL-GNR-siBRAF showed high siRNA loading capacity and inhibited the degradation of siRNA in serum. Compared with naked gold nanorods, GAL-GNR-siBRAF possessed lower biotoxicity and higher efficacy of gene silencing. Treatment with GAL-GNR-siBRAF significantly downregulated the expression of BRAF and impaired proliferation, migration, and invasion of liver cancer cells. Moreover, combinatorial photothermal effects and BRAF knockdown by GAL-GNR-siBRAF effectively given rise to tumor cell death. Therefore, our study developed a new type of targeted multi-functional nanomaterial GAL-GNR-siBRAF for the treatment of liver cancer, which provides ideas for the development of new clinical treatment methods.

Nanomedicine for Gene Delivery for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

Background:

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most severe ischemic heart disease and di-rectly leads to heart failure till death. Target molecules have been identified in the event of MI including increasing angiogenesis, promoting cardiomyocyte survival, improving heart function and restraining inflammation and myocyte activation and subsequent fibrosis. All of which are substantial in cardiomy-ocyte protection and preservation of cardiac function.

Methodology:

To modulate target molecule expression, virus and non-virus-mediated gene transfer have been investigated. Despite successful in animal models of MI, virus-mediated gene transfer is hampered by poor targeting efficiency, low packaging capacity for large DNA sequences, immunogenicity induced by virus and random integration into the human genome.

Discussion:

Nanoparticles could be synthesized and equipped on purpose for large-scale production. They are relatively small in size and do not incorporate into the genome. They could carry DNA and drug within the same transfer. All of these properties make them an alternative strategy for gene transfer. In the review, we first introduce the pathological progression of MI. After concise discussion on the current status of virus-mediated gene therapy in treating MI, we overview the history and development of nanoparticle-based gene delivery system. We point out the limitations and future perspective in the field of nanoparticle vehicle.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, we hope that this review could help to better understand how far we are with nanoparticle-facilitated gene transfer strategy and what obstacles we need to solve for utilization of na-nomedicine in the treatment of MI.

Polymeric Nanocarriers of Drug Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy

Conventional chemotherapy is the most common therapeutic method for treating cancer by the application of small toxic molecules thatinteract with DNA and causecell death. Unfortunately, these chemotherapeutic agents are non-selective and can damage both cancer and healthy tissues,producing diverse side effects, andthey can have a short circulation half-life and limited targeting. Many synthetic polymers have found application as nanocarriers of intelligent drug delivery systems (DDSs). Their unique physicochemical properties allow them to carry drugs with high efficiency,specificallytarget cancer tissue and control drug release. In recent years, considerable efforts have been made to design smart nanoplatforms, including amphiphilic block copolymers, polymer-drug conjugates and in particular pH- and redox-stimuli-responsive nanoparticles (NPs). This review is focused on a new generation of polymer-based DDSs with specific chemical functionalities that improve their hydrophilicity, drug loading and cellular interactions.Recentlydesigned multifunctional DDSs used in cancer therapy are highlighted in this review.

Nanotoxicology at the particle/micelle frontier: influence of core-polymerization on the intracellular distribution, cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of polydiacetylene micelles

The understanding of the cellular uptake and the intracellular fate of nanoparticles and their subsequent influence on cell viability is challenging as far as micelles are concerned. Such systems are dynamic by nature, existing as unimers under their critical micelle concentration (CMC), and as micelles in equilibrium with unimers above the CMC, making canonical dose-response relationships difficult to establish. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity and uptake of two micellar sytems that are relevant for drug delivery. The two micelles incorporate a poly(ethylene glycol) coating and a pentacosadiynoic core which is either polymerized (pDA-PEG micelles) or non-polymerized (DA-PEG micelles), with the aim of evaluating the influence of the micelles status ("particle-like" or "dynamic", respectively) on their toxicological profile. Intracellular distribution and cytotoxicity of polymerized and non-polymerized micelles were investigated on RAW 264.7 macrophages in order to compare any different interactions with cells. Non-polymerized micelles showed significantly higher cytotoxicity than polymerized micelles, especially in terms of cell permeabilization, correlated to a higher accumulation in cell membranes. Other potential toxicity endpoints of polymerized micelles were then thoroughly studied in order to assess possible responses resulting from their endocytosis. No specific mechanisms of cytotoxicity were observed, neither in terms of apoptosis induction, cell membrane damage, release of inflammatory mediators nor genotoxicity. These data indicate that non-polymerized micelles accumulate in the cell membrane and induce cell membrane permeabilization, resulting in significant toxicity, whereas polymerized, stable micelles are internalized by cells but exert no or very low toxicity.

Improved Nucleic Acid Therapy with Advanced Nanoscale Biotechnology

Due to a series of systemic and intracellular obstacles in nucleic acid (NA) therapy, including fast degradation in blood, renal clearance, poor cellular uptake, and inefficient endosomal escape, NAs may need delivery methods to transport to the cell nucleus or cytosol to be effective. Advanced nanoscale biotechnology-associated strategies, such as controlling the particle size, charge, drug loading, response to environmental signals, or other physical/chemical properties of delivery carriers, have provided great help for the in vivo and in vitro delivery of NA therapeutics. In this review, we introduce the characteristics of different NA modalities and illustrate how advanced nanoscale biotechnology assists NA therapy. The specific features and challenges of various nanocarriers in clinical and preclinical studies are summarized and discussed. With the help of advanced nanoscale biotechnology, some of the major barriers to the development of NA therapy will eventually be overcome in the near future.

Efficient nanocarriers of siRNA therapeutics for cancer treatment

Nanocarriers as drug delivery systems are promising and becoming popular, especially for cancer treatment. In addition to improving the pharmacokinetics of poorly soluble hydrophobic drugs by solubilizing them in a hydrophobic core, nanocarriers allow cancer-specific combination drug deliveries by inherent passive targeting phenomena and adoption of active targeting strategies. Nanoparticle-drug formulations can enhance the safety, pharmacokinetic profiles, and bioavailability of locally or systemically administered drugs, leading to improved therapeutic efficacy. Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) is rapidly developing as a personalized field of cancer treatment. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can be used to switch off specific cancer genes, in effect, "silence the gene, silence the cancer." siRNA can be used to silence specific genes that produce harmful or abnormal proteins. The activity of siRNA can be used to harness cellular machinery to destroy a corresponding sequence of mRNA that encodes a disease-causing protein. At present, the main barrier to implementing siRNA therapies in clinical practice is the lack of an effective delivery system that protects the siRNA from nuclease degradation, delivers to it to cancer cells, and releases it into the cytoplasm of targeted cancer cells, without creating adverse effects. This review provides an overview of various nanocarrier formulations in both research and clinical applications with a focus on combinations of siRNA and chemotherapeutic drug delivery systems for the treatment of multidrug resistant cancer. The use of various nanoparticles for siRNA-drug delivery, including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, inorganic nanoparticles, exosomes, and red blood cells for targeted drug delivery in cancer is discussed.

Tuning the cationic interface of simple polydiacetylene micelles to improve siRNA delivery at the cellular level

Polydiacetylene micelles were assembled from four different cationic amphiphiles and photopolymerized to reinforce their architecture. The produced micelles were systematically investigated, in interaction with siRNAs, for intracellular delivery of the silencing nucleic acids. The performances of the carrier systems were rationalized based on the cell penetrating properties of the micelles and the nature of their cationic complexing group, responsible for efficient siRNA binding and further endosomal escape.

Polymeric siRNA gene delivery - transfection efficiency versus cytotoxicity

Within the field of gene therapy, there is a considerable need for the development of non-viral vectors that are able to compete with the efficiency obtained by viral vectors, while maintaining a good toxicity profile and not inducing an immune response within the body. While there have been many reports of possible polymeric delivery systems, few of these systems have been successful in the clinical setting due to toxicity, systemic instability or gene regulation inefficiency, predominantly due to poor endosomal escape and cytoplasmic release. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of previously published polymeric non-coding RNA and, to a lesser degree, oligo-DNA delivery systems with emphasis on their positive and negative attributes, in order to provide insight in the numerous hurdles that still limit the success of gene therapy.

Biodegradable Polymers for Gene Delivery

The cellular transport process of DNA is hampered by cell membrane barriers, and hence, a delivery vehicle is essential for realizing the potential benefits of gene therapy to combat a variety of genetic diseases. Virus-based vehicles are effective, although immunogenicity, toxicity and cancer formation are among the major limitations of this approach. Cationic polymers, such as polyethyleneimine are capable of condensing DNA to nanoparticles and facilitate gene delivery. Lack of biodegradation of polymeric gene delivery vehicles poses significant toxicity because of the accumulation of polymers in the tissue. Many attempts have been made to develop biodegradable polymers for gene delivery by modifying existing polymers and/or using natural biodegradable polymers. This review summarizes mechanistic aspects of gene delivery and the development of biodegradable polymers for gene delivery.

Combination of light-driven co-delivery of chemodrugs and plasmonic-induced heat for cancer therapeutics using hybrid protein nanocapsules

BACKGROUND

Improving the water solubility of hydrophobic drugs, increasing their accumulation in tumor tissue and allowing their simultaneous action by different pathways are essential issues for a successful chemotherapeutic activity in cancer treatment. Considering potential clinical application in the future, it will be promising to achieve such purposes by developing new biocompatible hybrid nanocarriers with multimodal therapeutic activity.

RESULTS

We designed and characterised a hybrid nanocarrier based on human serum albumin/chitosan nanoparticles (HSA/chitosan NPs) able to encapsulate free docetaxel (DTX) and doxorubicin-modified gold nanorods (DOXO-GNRs) to simultaneously exploit the complementary chemotherapeutic activities of both antineoplasic compounds together with the plasmonic optical properties of the embedded GNRs for plasmonic-based photothermal therapy (PPTT). DOXO was assembled onto GNR surfaces following a layer-by-layer (LbL) coating strategy, which allowed to partially control its release quasi-independently release regarding DTX under the use of near infrared (NIR)-light laser stimulation of GNRs. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments using triple negative breast MDA-MB-231 cancer cells showed that the developed dual drug encapsulation approach produces a strong synergistic toxic effect to tumoral cells compared to the administration of the combined free drugs; additionally, PPTT enhances the cytostatic efficacy allowing cell toxicities close to 90% after a single low irradiation dose and keeping apoptosis as the main cell death mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates that by means of a rational design, a single hybrid nanoconstruct can simultaneously supply complementary therapeutic strategies to treat tumors and, in particular, metastatic breast cancers with good results making use of its stimuli-responsiveness as well as its inherent physico-chemical properties.

Peptide-based targeted polymeric nanoparticles for siRNA delivery

The development of polymer-based nanoparticulate delivery systems for siRNA is important for the clinical success of gene therapy. However, there are some major drawbacks that need to be overcome. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) has been investigated as a potential therapeutic drug to silence disease-associated genes, but its usage is limited due to the lack of effective and safe nanocarriers. In this study, DOPE-PEI, a nanoparticle consisting of the fusogenic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) conjugated with low-molecular-weight, 600 Da, branched polyethylenimine (PEI) was produced and optimized for siRNA delivery. This delivery system was modified with other components such as 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethyleneglycol)2000] (DOPE-PEG2K), DOPE-PEG3.4K-bombesin and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphoethanolamine/1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOPE/DOTAP) and tested on PC-3 cells. The conjugation of DOPE to PEI polymer (DOPE-PEI) improved the efficiency of PEI to deliver siRNA into the cytosol and knockdown genes, but demonstrated high toxicity. The addition of DOPE-PEG2K reduced cellular toxicity by masking the surface positive charge of the DOPE-PEI/siRNA complex, with the incorporation of a gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) targeting peptide and DOPE/DOTAP components improving the cellular uptake of siRNA into targeted cells and the siRNA knockdown efficiency.

Polycation Architecture and Assembly Direct Successful Gene Delivery: Micelleplexes Outperform Polyplexes via Optimal DNA Packaging

Cellular delivery of biomacromolecules is vital to medical research and therapeutic development. Cationic polymers are promising and affordable candidate vehicles for these precious payloads. However, the impact of polycation architecture and solution assembly on the biological mechanisms and efficacy of these vehicles has not been clearly defined. In this study, four polymers containing the same cationic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (D) block but placed in different architectures have been synthesized, characterized, and compared for cargo binding and biological performance. The D homopolymer and its diblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (OD) readily encapsulate pDNA to form polyplexes. Two amphiphilic block polymer variants, poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (DB) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (ODB), self-assemble into micelles, which template pDNA winding around the cationic corona to form micelleplexes. Micelleplexes were found to have superior delivery efficiency compared to polyplexes and detailed physicochemical and biological characterizations were performed to pinpoint the mechanisms by testing hypotheses related to cellular internalization, intracellular trafficking, and pDNA unpackaging. For the first time, we find that the higher concentration of amines housed in micelleplexes stimulates both cellular internalization and potential endosomal escape, and the physical motif of pDNA winding into micelleplexes, reminiscent of DNA compaction by histones in chromatin, preserves the pDNA secondary structure in its native B form. This likely allows greater payload accessibility for protein expression with micelleplexes compared to polyplexes, which tightly condense pDNA and significantly distort its helicity. This work provides important guidance for the design of successful biomolecular delivery systems via optimizing the physicochemical properties.

Cationic micelle: A promising nanocarrier for gene delivery with high transfection efficiency

Micelles have demonstrated an excellent ability to deliver several different types of therapeutic agents, including chemotherapy drugs, proteins, small-interfering RNA and DNA, into tumor cells. Cationic micelles, comprising self-assemblies of amphiphilic cationic polymers, have exhibited tremendous promise with respect to the delivery of therapy genes and gene transfection. To date, research in the field has focused on achieving an enhanced stability of the micellar assembly, prolonged circulation times and controlled release of the gene. This review focuses on the micelles as a nanosized carrier system for gene delivery, the system-related modifications for cytoplasm release, stability and biocompatibility, and clinic trials. In accordance with the development of synthetic chemistry and self-assembly technology, the structures and functionalities of micelles can be precisely controlled, and hence the synthetic micelles not only efficiently condense DNA, but also facilitate DNA endocytosis, endosomal escape, DNA uptake and nuclear transport, resulting in a comparable gene transfection of virus.

The Impact of Nylon-3 Copolymer Composition on the Efficiency of siRNA Delivery to Glioblastoma Cells

Glioblastoma multiforme is a devastating disease that has attracted enormous attention due to poor prognosis and high recurrence. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) in principle offers a promising therapeutic approach by the downregulation of disease-related genes via RNA interference. For efficient siRNA delivery to target sites, cationic polymers are often used in preclinical studies for the protection of siRNA and complex formation based on electrostatic interactions. In an effort to develop biocompatible and efficient nanocarriers with a translational outlook for optimal gene silencing at reduced toxicity, we synthesized two sets of nylon-3 copolymers with variable cationic content (DM or NM monomer) and hydrophobic subunits (CP monomer) and evaluated their suitability for in vitro siRNA delivery into glioblastoma cells. DM_0.4/CP_0.6 and NM_0.4/CP_0.6 polymers with similar subunit ratios were synthesized to compare the effect of different cationic subunits. Additionally, we utilized NM_0.2/CP_0.8 polymers to evaluate the impact of the different hydrophobic content in the polymer chain. The siRNA condensation ability and polymer–siRNA complex stability was evaluated by unmodified and modified SYBR gold assays, respectively. Further physicochemical characteristics, e.g., particle size and surface charge, were evaluated by dynamic light scattering and laser Doppler anemometry, whereas a relatively new method for polyplex size distribution analysis—tunable resistive pulse sensing—was additionally developed and compared to DLS measurements. Transfection efficiencies, the route of cell internalization, and protein knockdown abilities in glioblastoma cells were investigated by flow cytometry. Furthermore, cellular tolerability was evaluated by MTT and LDH assays. All the polymers efficiently condensed siRNA at N/P ratios of three, whereas polymers with NM cationic subunits demonstrated smaller particle size and lower polyplex stability. Furthermore, NM_0.2/CP_0.8 polyplexes with the highest hydrophobic content displayed significantly higher cellular internalization in comparison to more cationic formulations and successful knockdown capabilities. Detailed investigations of the cellular uptake route demonstrated that these polyplexes mainly follow clathrin-mediated endocytotic uptake mechanisms, implying high interaction capacity with cellular membranes. Taken together with conducive toxicity profiles, highly hydrophobic nylon-3 polymers provide an appropriate siRNA delivery agent for the potential treatment of glioblastoma.

Effects of pericytes and colon cancer stem cells in the tumor microenvironment

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one type of tumor with the highest frequency and mortality worldwide. Although current treatments increase patient survival, it is important to detect CRC in early stages; however, most CRC, despite responding favorably to treatment, develop resistance and present recurrence, a situation that will inevitably lead to death. In recent years, it has been shown that the main reason for drug resistance is the presence of colon cancer stem cells (CSC). Pericytes are also capable of tumor homing and are important cellular components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), contributing to the formation of vessels and promoting metastasis; however, they have not been considered very important as a therapeutic target in cancer. In this review, we highlight the contribution of pericytes and cancer stem cells to some classical hallmarks of cancer, namely, tumor angiogenesis, growth, metastasis, and evasion of immune destruction, and discuss therapies targeting pericytes and cancer stem cells in CRC.

Subtle changes in surface-tethered groups on PEGylated DNA nanoparticles significantly influence gene transfection and cellular uptake

PEGylation strategy has been widely used to enhance colloidal stability of polycation/DNA nanoparticles (NPs) for gene delivery. To investigate the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) terminal groups on the transfection properties of these NPs, we synthesized DNA NPs using PEG-g-linear polyethyleneimine (lPEI) with PEG terminal groups containing alkyl chains of various lengths with or without a hydroxyl terminal group. For both alkyl- and hydroxyalkyl-decorated NPs with PEG grafting densities of 1.5, 3, or 5% on lPEI, the highest levels of transfection and uptake were consistently achieved at intermediate alkyl chain lengths of 3 to 6 carbons, where the transfection efficiency is significantly higher than that of nonfunctionalized lPEI/DNA NPs. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that both alkyl- and hydroxyalkyl-decorated NPs with intermediate alkyl chain length exhibited more rapid engulfment than NPs with shorter or longer alkyl chains. This study identifies a new parameter for the engineering design of PEGylated DNA NPs.

Targeting Cancer Via Resveratrol-Loaded Nanoparticles Administration: Focusing on In Vivo Evidence

Resveratrol (RSV) is a polyphenol endowed with potential therapeutic effects in chronic diseases, particularly in cancer, the second leading cause of death worldwide in the twenty-first century. The advent of nanotechnology application in the field of drug delivery allows to overcome the constrains associated with the conventional anticancer treatments, in particular chemotherapy, reducing its adverse side effects, off target risks and surpassing cancer multidrug chemoresistance. Moreover, the use of nanotechnology-based carriers in the delivery of plant-derived anticancer agents, such as RSV, has already demonstrated to surpass the poor water solubility, instability and reduced bioavailability associated with phytochemicals, improving their therapeutic activity, thus prompting pharmaceutical developments. This review highlights the in vivo anticancer potential of RSV achieved by nanotherapeutic approaches. First, RSV physicochemical, stability and pharmacokinetic features are described. Thereupon, the chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive properties of RSV are underlined, emphasizing the RSV numerous cancer molecular targets. Lastly, a comprehensive analysis of the RSV-loaded nanoparticles (RSV-NPs) developed and administered in different in vivo cancer models to date is presented. Nanoparticles (NPs) have shown to improve RSV solubility, stability, pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in cancer tissues, enhancing markedly its in vivo anticancer activity. RSV-NPs are, thus, considered a potential nanomedicine-based strategy to fight cancer; however, further studies are still necessary to allow RSV-NP clinical translation.