Bifunctional scaffolds for the photothermal therapy of breast tumor cells and adipose tissue regeneration

Polylysine-modified near-infrared-emitting carbon dots assemblies: Amplification of tumor accumulation for enhanced tumor photothermal therapy

A key challenge to enhance the therapeutic outcome of photothermal therapy (PTT) is to improve the efficiency of passive targeted accumulation of photothermal agents at tumor sites. Carbon dots (CDs) are an ideal choice for application as photothermal agents because of their advantages such as adjustable fluorescence, high photothermal conversion efficiency, and excellent biocompatibility. Here, we synthesized polylysine-modified near-infrared (NIR)-emitting CDs assemblies (plys-CDs) through post-solvothermal reaction of NIR-emitting CDs with polylysine. The encapsulated structure of plys-CDs was confirmed by determining morphological, chemical, and luminescent properties. The particle size of CDs increased to approximately 40 ± 8 nm after polylysine modification and was within the size range appropriate for achieving superior enhanced permeability and retention effect. Plys-CDs maintained a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 54.9 %, coupled with increased tumor site accumulation, leading to a high efficacy in tumor PTT. Thus, plys-CDs have a great potential for application in photothermal ablation therapy of tumors.

Nanotechnology and bioengineering approaches to improve the potency of mesenchymal stem cell as an off-the-shelf versatile tumor delivery vehicle

Targeting actionable mutations in oncogene-driven cancers and the evolution of immuno-oncology are the two prominent revolutions that have influenced cancer treatment paradigms and caused the emergence of precision oncology. However, intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity are the main challenges in both fields of precision cancer treatment. In other words, finding a universal marker or pathway in patients suffering from a particular type of cancer is challenging. Therefore, targeting a single hallmark or pathway with a single targeted therapeutic will not be efficient for fighting against tumor heterogeneity. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess favorable characteristics for cellular therapy, including their hypoimmune nature, inherent tumor-tropism property, straightforward isolation, and multilineage differentiation potential. MSCs can be loaded with various chemotherapeutics and oncolytic viruses. The combination of these intrinsic features with the possibility of genetic manipulation makes them a versatile tumor delivery vehicle that can be used for in vivo selective tumor delivery of various chemotherapeutic and biological therapeutics. MSCs can be used as biofactory for the local production of chemical or biological anticancer agents at the tumor site. MSC-mediated immunotherapy could facilitate the sustained release of immunotherapeutic agents specifically at the tumor site, and allow for the achievement of therapeutic concentrations without the need for repetitive systemic administration of high therapeutic doses. Despite the enthusiasm evoked by preclinical studies that used MSC in various cancer therapy approaches, the translation of MSCs into clinical applications has faced serious challenges. This manuscript, with a critical viewpoint, reviewed the preclinical and clinical studies that have evaluated MSCs as a selective tumor delivery tool in various cancer therapy approaches, including gene therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Then, the novel nanotechnology and bioengineering approaches that can improve the potency of MSC for tumor targeting and overcoming challenges related to their low localization at the tumor sites are discussed.

Advanced gene nanocarriers/scaffolds in nonviral-mediated delivery system for tissue regeneration and repair

Tissue regeneration technology has been rapidly developed and widely applied in tissue engineering and repair. Compared with traditional approaches like surgical treatment, the rising gene therapy is able to have a durable effect on tissue regeneration, such as impaired bone regeneration, articular cartilage repair and cancer-resected tissue repair. Gene therapy can also facilitate the production of in situ therapeutic factors, thus minimizing the diffusion or loss of gene complexes and enabling spatiotemporally controlled release of gene products for tissue regeneration. Among different gene delivery vectors and supportive gene-activated matrices, advanced gene/drug nanocarriers attract exceptional attraction due to their tunable physiochemical properties, as well as excellent adaptive performance in gene therapy for tissue regeneration, such as bone, cartilage, blood vessel, nerve and cancer-resected tissue repair. This paper reviews the recent advances on nonviral-mediated gene delivery systems with an emphasis on the important role of advanced nanocarriers in gene therapy and tissue regeneration.

Smart composite scaffold to synchronize magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy for efficient breast cancer therapy

Combination of different therapies is an attractive approach for cancer therapy. However, it is a challenge to synchronize different therapies for maximization of therapeutic effects. In this work, a smart composite scaffold that could synchronize magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy was prepared by hybridization of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded thermosensitive liposomes with biodegradable polymers. Irradiation of alternating magnetic field (AMF) could not only increase the scaffold temperature for magnetic hyperthermia but also trigger the release of Dox for chemotherapy. The two functions of magnetic hyperthermia and chemotherapy were synchronized by switching AMF on and off. The synergistic anticancer effects of the composite scaffold were confirmed by in vitro cell culture and in vivo animal experiments. The composite scaffold could efficiently eliminate breast cancer cells under AMF irradiation. Moreover, the scaffold could support proliferation and adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells for adipose tissue reconstruction after anticancer treatment. In vivo regeneration experiments showed that the composite scaffolds could effectively maintain their structural integrity and facilitate the infiltration and proliferation of normal cells within the scaffolds. The composite scaffold possesses multi-functions and is attractive as a novel platform for efficient breast cancer therapy.

Implantable, 3D-Printed Alginate Scaffolds with Bismuth Sulfide Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Local Breast Cancer via Enhanced Radiotherapy

Surgical removal of tumor tissue remains the primary clinical approach for addressing breast cancer; however, complete tumor excision is challenging, and the remaining tumor cells can lead to tumor recurrence and metastasis over time, which substantially deteriorates the life quality of the patients. With the aim to improve local cancer radiotherapy, this work reports the fabrication of alginate (Alg) scaffolds containing bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3@BSA) nanoradiosensitizers using three-dimensional (3D) printing. Under single-dose X-ray irradiation in vitro, Alg-Bi2S3@BSA scaffolds significantly increase the formation of reactive oxygen species, enhance the inhibition of breast cancer cells, and suppress their colony formation capacity. In addition, scaffolds implanted under tumor tissue in murine model show high therapeutic efficacy by reducing the tumor volume growth rate under single-dose X-ray irradiation, while histological observation of main organs reveals no cytotoxicity or side effects. 3D-printed Alg-Bi2S3@BSA scaffolds produced with biocompatible and biodegradable materials may potentially lower the recurrence and metastasis rates in breast cancer patients by inhibiting residual tumor cells following postsurgery as well as exhibit anticancer properties in other solid tumors.

Breast cancer brain metastasis: from etiology to state-of-the-art modeling

Currently, breast carcinoma is the most common form of malignancy and the main cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The metastasis of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other organs in the body, notably the lungs, bones, brain, and liver, is what causes breast cancer to ultimately be fatal. Brain metastases occur in as many as 30% of patients with advanced breast cancer, and the 1-year survival rate of these patients is around 20%. Many researchers have focused on brain metastasis, but due to its complexities, many aspects of this process are still relatively unclear. To develop and test novel therapies for this fatal condition, pre-clinical models are required that can mimic the biological processes involved in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM). The application of many breakthroughs in the area of tissue engineering has resulted in the development of scaffold or matrix-based culture methods that more accurately imitate the original extracellular matrix (ECM) of metastatic tumors. Furthermore, specific cell lines are now being used to create three-dimensional (3D) cultures that can be used to model metastasis. These 3D cultures satisfy the requirement for in vitro methodologies that allow for a more accurate investigation of the molecular pathways as well as a more in-depth examination of the effects of the medication being tested. In this review, we talk about the latest advances in modeling BCBM using cell lines, animals, and tissue engineering methods.

Nanotechnology-based photo-immunotherapy: a new hope for inhibition of melanoma growth and metastasis

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and there is a need for the development of effective anti-melanoma therapies as it shows high metastatic ability and low response rate. In addition, it has been identified that traditional phototherapy could trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD) to activate antitumor immune response, which could not only effectively arrest primary tumor growth, but also exhibit superior effects in terms of anti-metastasis, anti-recurrence for metastatic melanoma treatment However, the limited tumor accumulation of photosensitizers/photothermal agents and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment severely weaken the immune effects. The application of nanotechnology facilitates a higher accumulation of photosensitizers/photothermal agents at the tumor site, which can thus improve the antitumor effects of photo-immunotherapy (PIT). In this review, we summarize the basic principles of nanotechnology-based PIT and highlight novel nanotechnologies that are expected to enhance the antitumor immune response for improved therapeutic efficacy.

Composite Scaffolds of Gelatin and Fe3 O4 Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia-Based Breast Cancer Treatment and Adipose Tissue Regeneration

Postsurgical treatment of breast cancer remains a challenge with regard to killing residual cancer cells and regenerating breast defects. To prepare composite scaffolds for postoperative use, gelatin is chemically modified with folic acid (FA) and used for hybridization with citrate-modified Fe₃ O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃ O₄ -citrate NPs) to fabricate Fe₃ O₄ /gelatin composite scaffolds which pore structures are controlled by free ice microparticles. The composite scaffolds have large spherical pores that are interconnected to facilitate cell entry and exit. The FA-functionalized composite scaffolds have the ability to capture breast cancer cells. The Fe₃ O₄ /gelatin composite scaffolds possess a high capacity for magnetic-thermal conversion to ablate breast cancer cells during alternating magnetic field (AMF) irradiation. In addition, the composite scaffolds facilitate the growth and adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells. The composite scaffolds have multiple functions for eradication of residual cancer cells under AMF irradiation and for regeneration of resected adipose tissue when AMF is off.

Stepwise photothermal therapy and chemotherapy by composite scaffolds of gold nanoparticles, BP nanosheets and gelatin immobilized with doxorubicin-loaded thermosensitive liposomes

In recent years, the synergistic effect of photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy has been recognized as an effective strategy for cancer treatment. Controlling the PTT temperature and drug release profile is desirable for minimizing the unexpected damage to normal cells. In this study, a smart platform of stepwise PTT and chemotherapy has been developed by using composite porous scaffolds of biodegradable black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets, gold nanorods(AuNRs), doxorubicin (Dox)-encapsulated thermosensitive liposomes and biodegradable polymers. Under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation, the composite scaffolds could attain high and low local temperatures before and after BP degradation, respectively. Dox release from the composite scaffolds could be controlled by the temperature change. In vitro cell culture and in vivo animal experiments indicated that a strong synergistic effect of PTT and chemotherapy could be achieved at an early stage of treatment before BP degradation, and a mild hyperthermia effect was shown for chemotherapy in the late stage after BP degradation. Moreover, the composite scaffolds after the complete release of Dox could support the proliferation of mesenchymal stem cells. The composite scaffolds showed a synergistic effect of stepwise PTT and chemotherapy for breast cancer elimination and promoted stem cell activities after killing cancer cells.

Antitumor Applications of Photothermal Agents and Photothermal Synergistic Therapies

As a new tumor treatment strategy, photothermal therapy (PTT) has the advantages of accuracy, ease of administration, a high efficiency and low side effects. Photothermal transduction agents (PTAs) are the key factor which play an important role in PTT. The mechanism of PTT is discussed in detail. The photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) can be improved by increasing the light absorption and reducing the light scattering of photothermal conversion agents. Additionally, non-radiative relaxation path attenuation can also promote energy conversion to obtain a higher value in terms of PCE. The structure and photothermal characteristics of various kinds of PTAs (metal materials, carbon-based nanomaterials, two-dimensional nanomaterials, and organic materials) were compared and analyzed. This paper reviews the antitumor applications of photothermal synergistic therapies, including PTT combined with immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and photodynamic therapy. This review proposes that these PTAs promote the development of photothermal synergistic therapies and have a great potential in the application of tumor treatment.

Preparation of composite scaffolds composed of gelatin and Au nanostar-deposited black phosphorus nanosheets for the photothermal ablation of cancer cells and adipogenic differentiation of stem cells

Photothermal nanoparticles are important in photothermal therapy. Combining different nanoparticles can achieve a high photothermal capacity. In this study, composite nanoparticles composed of black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) and gold nanostars (BP-AuNSs) were synthesized by using BPNSs as the reductant. AuNSs were deposited on the BPNSs. The BP-AuNSs were further hybridized with porous gelatin scaffolds to prepare gelatin-BP-AuNS composite scaffolds. The gelatin-BP-AuNS composite scaffolds promoted cell migration and distribution. The synergistic effects of the BPNSs and AuNSs endowed the gelatin-BP-AuNS composite scaffolds with excellent photothermal properties. The gelatin-BP-AuNS composite scaffolds eliminated cancer cells after near infrared laser exposure and supported the adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, this gelatin-BP-AuNS composite scaffold holds promise for breast cancer therapy.

Doxorubicin-encapsulated thermosensitive liposome-functionalized photothermal composite scaffolds for synergistic photothermal therapy and chemotherapy

Synergistic therapy, especially the combination of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy, has been proposed as an effective therapeutic approach for breast cancer treatment. In this study, a smart platform for synergistic photothermal therapy and chemotherapy was developed by hybridizing doxorubicin-encapsulated thermosensitive liposomes and gold nanorods into porous scaffolds of gelatin and polyglutamic acid (Dox-lipo/AuNR/Gel/PGA). The Dox-lipo/AuNR/Gel/PGA composite scaffolds had good photothermal conversion and temperature-dependent doxorubicin release properties. Under near-infrared laser irradiation, the composite scaffolds increased the local temperature to not only kill the breast cancer cells in the scaffolds but also accelerate the release of doxorubicin to eliminate the breast cancer cells surrounding the scaffolds. In vitro cell culture and in vivo mouse experiments demonstrated that the synergistic effects of photothermal ablation combined with doxorubicin-induced inhibition of the breast cancer cells in and surrounding the composite scaffolds under near-infrared laser irradiation. Moreover, after drug release was complete, the composite scaffolds fostered human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell proliferation. These results suggested that the composite scaffolds provided synergistic photothermal therapy and chemotherapy for breast cancer cell elimination at the early stage and promoted stem cell activities at the late stage. Therefore, this composite scaffold holds great potential as a synergistic therapy platform for breast cancer treatment.

Photothermal scaffolds/surfaces for regulation of cell behaviors

Regulation of cell behaviors and even cell fates is of great significance in diverse biomedical applications such as cancer treatment, cell-based therapy, and tissue engineering. During the past decades, diverse methods have been developed to regulate cell behaviors such as applying external stimuli, delivering exogenous molecules into cell interior and changing the physicochemical properties of the substrates where cells adhere. Photothermal scaffolds/surfaces refer to a kind of materials embedded or coated with photothermal agents that can absorb light with proper wavelength (usually in near infrared region) and convert light energy to heat; the generated heat shows great potential for regulation of cell behaviors in different ways. In the current review, we summarize the recent research progress, especially over the past decade, of using photothermal scaffolds/surfaces to regulate cell behaviors, which could be further categorized into three types: (i) killing the tumor cells via hyperthermia or thermal ablation, (ii) engineering cells by intracellular delivery of exogenous molecules via photothermal poration of cell membranes, and (iii) releasing a single cell or an intact cell sheet via modulation of surface physicochemical properties in response to heat. In the end, challenges and perspectives in these areas are commented.

PLGA-collagen-BPNS Bifunctional composite mesh for photothermal therapy of melanoma and skin tissue engineering

The treatment of melanoma requires not only the elimination of skin cancer cells but also skin regeneration to heal defects. To achieve this goal, a bifunctional composite scaffold of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), collagen and black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) was prepared by hybridizing a BPNS-embedded collagen sponge with a PLGA knitted mesh. The composite mesh increased the temperature under near-infrared laser irradiation. The incorporation of BPNSs provided the PLGA-collagen-BPNS composite mesh with excellent photothermal properties for the photothermal ablation of melanoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. The PLGA-collagen-BPNS composite mesh had high mechanical strength for easy handling. The PLGA-collagen-BPNS composite mesh facilitated the proliferation of fibroblasts, promoted the expression of angiogenesis-related genes and the genes of components of the extracellular matrix for skin tissue regeneration. The high mechanical strength, photothermal ablation capability and skin tissue regeneration effects demonstrate that the bifunctional PLGA-collagen-BPNS composite mesh is a versatile and effective platform for the treatment of melanoma and the regeneration of skin defects.

Converging 2D Nanomaterials and 3D Bioprinting Technology: State-of-the-Art, Challenges, and Potential Outlook in Biomedical Applications

The development of next-generation of bioinks aims to fabricate anatomical size 3D scaffold with high printability and biocompatibility. Along with the progress in 3D bioprinting, 2D nanomaterials (2D NMs) prove to be emerging frontiers in the development of advanced materials owing to their extraordinary properties. Harnessing the properties of 2D NMs in 3D bioprinting technologies can revolutionize the development of bioinks by endowing new functionalities to the current bioinks. First the main contributions of 2D NMS in 3D bioprinting technologies are categorized here into six main classes: 1) reinforcement effect, 2) delivery of bioactive molecules, 3) improved electrical conductivity, 4) enhanced tissue formation, 5) photothermal effect, 6) and stronger antibacterial properties. Next, the recent advances in the use of each certain 2D NMs (1) graphene, 2) nanosilicate, 3) black phosphorus, 4) MXene, 5) transition metal dichalcogenides, 6) hexagonal boron nitride, and 7) metal-organic frameworks) in 3D bioprinting technology are critically summarized and evaluated thoroughly. Third, the role of physicochemical properties of 2D NMSs on their cytotoxicity is uncovered, with several representative examples of each studied 2D NMs. Finally, current challenges, opportunities, and outlook for the development of nanocomposite bioinks are discussed thoroughly.

Progress of Phototherapy Applications in the Treatment of Bone Cancer

Bone cancer including primary bone cancer and metastatic bone cancer, remains a challenge claiming millions of lives and affecting the life quality of survivors. Conventional treatments of bone cancer include wide surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, some bone cancer cells may remain or recur in the local area after resection, some are highly resistant to chemotherapy, and some are insensitive to radiotherapy. Phototherapy (PT) including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), is a clinically approved, minimally invasive, and highly selective treatment, and has been widely reported for cancer therapy. Under the irradiation of light of a specific wavelength, the photosensitizer (PS) in PDT can cause the increase of intracellular ROS and the photothermal agent (PTA) in PTT can induce photothermal conversion, leading to the tumoricidal effects. In this review, the progress of PT applications in the treatment of bone cancer has been outlined and summarized, and some envisioned challenges and future perspectives have been mentioned. This review provides the current state of the art regarding PDT and PTT in bone cancer and inspiration for future studies on PT.

Nanomaterials and their composite scaffolds for photothermal therapy and tissue engineering applications

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted broad attention as a promising method for cancer therapy with less severe side effects than conventional radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgical resection. PTT relies on the photoconversion capacity of photothermal agents (PTAs), and a wide variety of nanomaterials have been employed as PTAs for cancer therapy due to their excellent photothermal properties. The PTAs are systematically or locally administered and become enriched in cancer cells to increase ablation efficiency. In recent years, PTAs and three-dimensional scaffolds have been hybridized to realize the local delivery of PTAs for the repeated ablation of cancer cells. Meanwhile, the composite scaffolds can stimulate the reconstruction and regeneration of the functional tissues and organs after ablation of cancer cells. A variety of composite scaffolds of photothermal nanomaterials have been prepared to combine the advantages of different modalities to maximize their therapeutic efficacy with minimal side effects. The synergistic effects make the composite scaffolds attractive for biomedical applications. This review summarizes these latest advances and discusses the future prospects.

Review of a new bone tumor therapy strategy based on bifunctional biomaterials

Bone tumors, especially those in osteosarcoma, usually occur in adolescents. The standard clinical treatment includes chemotherapy, surgical therapy, and radiation therapy. Unfortunately, surgical resection often fails to completely remove the tumor, which is the main cause of postoperative recurrence and metastasis, resulting in a high mortality rate. Moreover, bone tumors often invade large areas of bone, which cannot repair itself, and causes a serious effect on the quality of life of patients. Thus, bone tumor therapy and bone regeneration are challenging in the clinic. Herein, this review presents the recent developments in bifunctional biomaterials to achieve a new strategy for bone tumor therapy. The selected bifunctional materials include 3D-printed scaffolds, nano/microparticle-containing scaffolds, hydrogels, and bone-targeting nanomaterials. Numerous related studies on bifunctional biomaterials combining tumor photothermal therapy with enhanced bone regeneration were reviewed. Finally, a perspective on the future development of biomaterials for tumor therapy and bone tissue engineering is discussed. This review will provide a useful reference for bone tumor-related disease and the field of complex diseases to combine tumor therapy and tissue engineering.

A novel multifunctional carbon aerogel-coated platform for osteosarcoma therapy and enhanced bone regeneration

Nowadays, groundbreaking strategies are urgently needed to address drug resistance, osteolysis, bone defects and other predicaments impeding the therapeutic efficacy of osteosarcoma. Among them, photothermal therapy (PTT), using systematically administrated nanoagents, exhibits attractive therapeutic efficacy, yet is powerless in bone defect regeneration. Herein, a novel multifunctional beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-Ca3(PO4)2, β-TCP) bioceramic platform-coated with carbon aerogel (CA), which was initially developed for tumor therapy, was fabricated. On account of the desirable photothermal capabilities of CA, sufficient hyperthermia is generated under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser to achieve a thorough ablation of osteosarcoma tumors. Furthermore, CA-coated surfaces provide extra roughness and a higher specific surface area, which promoted the protein recruitment ability and osteogenesis via a fibronectin (FN)-mediated signaling pathway. The photothermal therapeutic efficacy and osteogenesis capability of CA-coated β-TCP-C suggests a novel approach for the treatment of osteosarcoma and provides provoking inspiration for the prospective bio-application of CA.

Size-transformable nanohybrids with pH/redox/enzymatic sensitivity for anticancer therapy

A lack of sufficient tumor penetration and low delivery efficiency are the main reasons for the limited clinical applications of nanocarriers in cancer treatment. Tumor microenvironment responsive drug delivery systems have been attracting great interest in cancer therapy as the desired drug release can be achieved in the disease sites for optimal treatment efficiency. In this work, we developed a biodegradable nanohybrid drug delivery system with pH/redox/enzymatic sensitivity by the simple assembly of bovine serum albumin nano-units (about 5 nm) onto graphene oxide nanosheets in the presence of a naturally originating protein (gelatin). The nanoparticles can maintain a constant size under physiological conditions, while releasing 5 nm nano-units containing the drug upon triggering by the environment-mimicking protease highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, after reaching the tumor tissue, the acidic, reductive, and enzymatic microenvironments turned on the switch for DOX release, and the combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy was achieved under the trigger of near-infrared light. The nanosystems have the potential to improve the penetration ability through the depth of the tumor tissue to enhance drug intracellular delivery and antitumor bioactivity.

Folic Acid-Functionalized Composite Scaffolds of Gelatin and Gold Nanoparticles for Photothermal Ablation of Breast Cancer Cells

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has been developed as a useful therapeutic method for cancer treatment. Localization of PTT agents in cancer sites and targeting capacity are required to further increase therapeutic efficacy. In this study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and gelatin were functionalized with folic acid (FA) and hybridized to prepare FA-functionalized gelatin-AuNPs composite scaffolds. AuNPs with rod and star shapes of three sizes (40, 70, and 110 nm) were used for the hybridization to investigate the influence of AuNPs shape and size. The composite scaffolds showed porous structures with good interconnectivity. Modification with FA increased capture capacity of the composite scaffolds. Hybridization with AuNPs rendered the composite scaffold a good photothermal conversion property under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Temperature change during laser irradiation increased with the laser power intensity and irradiation time. The shape and size of AuNPs also affected their photothermal conversion property. The composite scaffold of gold nanorods 70 (FA-G/R70) had the highest photothermal conversion capacity. Breast cancer cells cultured in the FA-G/R70 composite scaffold were killed under NIR laser irradiation. Mouse subcutaneous implantation further demonstrated the excellent photothermal ablation capability of FA-G/R70 composite scaffold to breast cancer cells. The FA-functionalized composite scaffolds were demonstrated a high potential for local PPT of breast cancer.

Advances and trends of hydrogel therapy platform in localized tumor treatment: A review

Due to limitations of treatment and the stubbornness of infiltrative tumor cells, the outcome of conventional antitumor treatment is often compromised by a variety of factors, including severe side effects, unexpected recurrence, and massive tissue loss during the treatment. Hydrogel-based therapy is becoming a promising option of cancer treatment, because of its controllability, biocompatibility, high drug loading, prolonged drug release, and specific stimuli-sensitivity. Hydrogel-based therapy has good malleability and can reach some areas that cannot be easily touched by surgeons. Furthermore, hydrogel can be used not only as a carrier for tumor treatment agents, but also as a scaffold for tissue repair. In this review, we presented the latest researches in hydrogel applications of localized tumor therapy and highlighted the recent progress of hydrogel-based therapy in preventing postoperative tumor recurrence and improving tissue repair, thus proposing a new trend of hydrogel-based technology in localized tumor therapy. And this review aims to provide a novel reference and inspire thoughts for a more accurate and individualized cancer treatment.

Interaction of Immune Cells and Tumor Cells in Gold Nanorod-Gelatin Composite Porous Scaffolds

Composite porous scaffolds prepared by immobilization of photothermal nano-agents into porous scaffold have been used for both cancer therapy and tissue regeneration. However, it is not clear how the host immune cells and ablated tumor cells interact and stimulate each other in the composite scaffolds. In this research, a gold nanorod-incorporated gelatin composite scaffold with controlled spherical large pores and well interconnected small pores was fabricated by using ice particulates as a porogen. The composite porous scaffold was used for investigating the interaction between dendritic cells and photothermally ablated breast tumor cells. The composite scaffold demonstrated excellent photothermal property and the temperature change value could be adjusted by irradiation time and laser power density. The composite scaffold showed excellent photothermal ablation ability towards breast tumor cells. The photothermally ablated tumor cells induced activation of dendritic cells when immature dendritic cells were co-cultured in the composite scaffold. Consequently, the gold nanorod-incorporated gelatin composite porous scaffold should provide a useful platform for simultaneous photothermal-immune ablation of breast tumor.

Nanobiomaterials: from 0D to 3D for tumor therapy and tissue regeneration

Nanobiomaterials have attracted tremendous attention in the biomedical field. Especially in the past few years, a large number of low dimensional nanobiomaterials, including 0D nanostructures, 1D nanotubes and 2D nanosheets, were employed for tumor therapy due to their optically triggered tumor therapy effects and drug loading capacities. However, these low dimensional nanobiomaterials cannot support cell adhesion and possess poor tissue regeneration ability, thus they are not suitable for application in regenerative medicine. Three dimensional (3D) nanofiber scaffolds have attracted extensive attention in tissue regeneration, including bone, skin, nerve and cardiac tissues, due to their similar extracellular matrix structures. Additionally, many 3D scaffolds displayed bone and cartilage regeneration abilities. Therefore, to obtain materials with both tumor therapy and tissue regeneration abilities, it is meaningful and necessary to develop 3D nanobiomaterials with multifunctions. In this review, we systematically review the research progress of nanobiomaterials with varied dimensional structures including 0D, 1D, 2D and 3D, as well as evolutional functions from single tumor therapy to simultaneous tumor therapy and tissue regeneration. This review may pave the way for developing an interdisciplinary research of nanobiomaterials in combination of tumor therapy and regenerative medicine.

A novel magnetic bifunctional nanocomposite scaffold for photothermal therapy and tissue engineering

In recent years, porous bifunctional scaffolds with hyperthermal and tissue regeneration functions play an essential role in the efficient cancerous bone tumors treatment. In this work, the nanocomposite scaffolds of gelatin (polymer phase) and akermanite (ceramic phase) were prepared by entrapping carboxyl-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) and embedding magnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide into the porous matrix as photothermal conversion agents. The obtained scaffolds and their components were characterized using FTIR, FESEM, TEM, EDS, DLS, and VSM analysis. The mechanical properties of the prepared scaffolds were also investigated. The swelling behavior of the scaffolds in PBS as well as biodegradation and protein adsorption capability were evaluated. The addition of nanoparticles into the gelatin/akermanite matrix efficiently increased the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on the surface of the composite scaffold and contrarily decreased its degradation rate in the presence of lysozyme. The prepared scaffolds exhibited a high photothermal performance using NIR laser with different power intensity and irradiation time. Finally, the biocompatibility of the scaffold was confirmed using G292 osteoblastic cells through MTT assays. It can therefore be concluded that synthesized scaffolds have a great potential in bone tissue engineering and probably treatment of tumor related bone defects.

Biocompatible and multifunctional gold nanorods for effective photothermal therapy of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Functionalized gold nanorods were successfully synthesized for the effective photothermal therapy of oral cancer.

Photothermal Ablation of Cancer Cells by Albumin-Modified Gold Nanorods and Activation of Dendritic Cells

Nanoparticle-mediated photothermal therapy has been widely studied for cancer treatment. It is important to disclose how photothermally ablated tumor cells trigger immune responses. In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated gold nanorods (BSA-coated AuNRs) were prepared and used for photothermal ablation of breast tumor cells. The BSA-coated AuNRs showed high photothermal conversion efficiency and good photothermal ablation effect towards tumor cells. The ablated tumor cells were co-cultured with immature dendritic cells (DCs) through a direct cell contacting model and diffusion model to confirm the stimulatory effects of cell⁻cell interaction and soluble factors released from ablated tumor cells. The results indicated that photothermally ablated tumor cells induced immune-stimulatory responses of DCs through both cell⁻cell interaction and soluble factors. The results should be useful for synergistic photothermal-immunotherapy of primary and metastatic cancer.