An erythrocyte membrane coated mimetic nano-platform for chemo-phototherapy and multimodal imaging

The Application of Nanoparticle-Based Imaging and Phototherapy for Female Reproductive Organs Diseases

Various female reproductive disorders affect millions of women worldwide and bring many troubles to women's daily life. Let alone, gynecological cancer (such as ovarian cancer and cervical cancer) is a severe threat to most women's lives. Endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and other chronic diseases-induced pain have significantly harmed women's physical and mental health. Despite recent advances in the female reproductive field, the existing challenges are still enormous such as personalization of disease, difficulty in diagnosing early cancers, antibiotic resistance in infectious diseases, etc. To confront such challenges, nanoparticle-based imaging tools and phototherapies that offer minimally invasive detection and treatment of reproductive tract-associated pathologies are indispensable and innovative. Of late, several clinical trials have also been conducted using nanoparticles for the early detection of female reproductive tract infections and cancers, targeted drug delivery, and cellular therapeutics. However, these nanoparticle trials are still nascent due to the body's delicate and complex female reproductive system. The present review comprehensively focuses on emerging nanoparticle-based imaging and phototherapies applications, which hold enormous promise for improved early diagnosis and effective treatments of various female reproductive organ diseases.

Gamabufotalin loaded micro-nanocomposites for multimodal therapy of metastatic TNBC by efficiently inducing ICD

Gamabufotalin (CS-6), a main active compound derived from Chinese medicine Chansu, exhibits a robust inhibitory effect on programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Despite its potential for tumor therapy, the medical application of CS-6 is constrained by its hydrophobic nature, lack of targeting capability, and weak immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect. To address these limitations and improve the therapeutic efficiency of this drug against metastatic TNBC, we designed a new kind of CS-6@CPB-S.lux that integrates carboxy-Prussian blue nanoparticles (CPB NPs), CS-6, and attenuated Salmonella typhimurium (S.lux) for TNBC therapy. In vitro and in vivo results have confirmed that CS-6@CPB NPs were efficiently delivered to neoplastic tissue by the tumor hypoxic chemotaxis property of S.lux, wherein the nanomedicine induced significant tumor cell necroptosis and apoptosis via photothermal therapy (PTT) of CPB NPs and chemotherapy of CS-6, which elicited ICD and inhibited PD-L1 expression, resulting in dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and effector T cells activation to comprehensively eliminate tumors. Additionally, the CS-6@CPB-S.lux + Laser treatment significantly transformed the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), enhancing antitumor immunity through promoting the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages into antitumorigenic M1 and reducing Tregs recruitment. Consequently, this comprehensive therapy not only inhibited primary and abscopal tumor progression but also prevented TNBC metastasis, which significantly prolonged survival time in animal models. In summary, these findings indicated an alternative approach for metastatic TNBC therapy.

New insights into red blood cells in tumor precision diagnosis and treatment

Red blood cells (RBCs), which function as material transporters in organisms, are rich in materials that are exchanged with metabolically active tumor cells. Recent studies have demonstrated that tumor cells can regulate biological changes in RBCs, including influencing differentiation, maturation, and morphology. RBCs play an important role in tumor development and immune regulation. Notably, the novel scientific finding that RBCs absorb fragments of tumor-carrying DNA overturns the conventional wisdom that RBCs do not contain nucleic acids. RBC membranes are excellent biomimetic materials with significant advantages in terms of their biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity, non-specific adsorption resistance, and biodegradability. Therefore, RBCs provide a new research perspective for the development of tumor liquid biopsies, molecular imaging, drug delivery, and other tumor precision diagnosis and treatment technologies.

Biomimetic Prussian blue nanocomplexes for chemo-photothermal treatment of triple-negative breast cancer by enhancing ICD

Drug-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) can efficiently inhibit tumor growth and recurrence through the release of tumor-associated antigens which activate both local and systemic immune responses. Pyroptosis has emerged as an effective means for inducing ICD; however, the development of novel pyroptosis inducers to specifically target tumor cells remains a pressing requirement. Herein, we report that Cinobufagin (CS-1), a main ingredient of Chansu, can effectively induce pyroptosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, making it a potential therapeutic agent for this kind of tumor. However, the application of CS-1 in vivo is extremely limited by the high dosage/long-term usage and non-selectivity caused by systemic toxicity. To address these drawbacks, we developed a new nanomedicine by loading CS-1 into Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs). The nanomedicine can release CS-1 in a photothermal-controlled manner inherited in PB NPs. Furthermore, hybrid membrane (HM) camouflage was adopted to improve the immune escape and tumor-targeting ability of this nanomedicine, as well. In vitro assays demonstrated that the chemo-photothermal combination treatment produced high-level ICD, ultimately fostering the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs). In vivo anti-tumor assessments further indicated that this strategy not only efficiently inhibited primary growth of MDA-MB-231 cells and 4T1 cells-bearing models but also efficiently attenuated distant tumor growth in 4T1 xenograft model. This was mechanistically achieved throuh the promotion of DCs maturation, infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocyte into the tumor, and the inhibition of Treg cells. In summary, this work provides a novel strategy for efficient TNBC therapy by using nanomaterials-based multimodal nanomedicine through rational design.

Prussian blue nano-enzyme-assisted photodynamic therapy effectively eradicates MRSA infection in diabetic mouse skin wounds

Antibiotic therapy can induce the generation of severe bacterial resistance, further challenging the usability of currently available drugs and treatment options. Therefore, it is essential to develop new strategies to effectively eradicate drug-resistant bacteria. Herein, we have reported a combinational strategy for the eradication of drug-resistant bacteria by using chlorin e6 (Ce6) loaded Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs). This nanocomplex showed strong catalase activity and photodynamic properties. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CPB-Ce6 NPs effectively kill MRSA by generating ROS under laser irradiation. Meanwhile, the nano-enzyme activity of CPB NPs can decompose H2O2 in the bacterial microenvironment to upregulate the O2 level, which in turn alleviates hypoxia in the microenvironment and improves the antibacterial effect of PDT. In vivo results demonstrated that CPB-Ce6 NPs with laser irradiation effectively cleared MRSA and promoted infected wound repair in a diabetic mouse model and normal mice through upregulating VEGF. Moreover, CPB-Ce6 NPs showed excellent biosafety profiles in vitro and in vivo. From our point of view, this PDT based on PB NPs with nano-enzyme activity may provide an effective treatment for infections associated with drug-resistant microbes and tissue repair.

Multi-Targeted Peptide-Modified Gold Nanoclusters for Treating Solid Tumors in the Liver

Apoptosis and autophagy determine the fate of cancer cells. However, simply promoting apoptosis of tumor cells is limited in the treatment of unresectable solid liver tumors. Generally, autophagy is considered the anti-apoptotic "guardian". But the pro-apoptotic effects of autophagy can be activated by excessive endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Here, amphiphilic peptide-modified glutathione (GSH)-gold nanocluster aggregates (AP₁ P₂ -PEG NCs) were designed with the enrichment of solid liver tumors and the prolonged stress in the ER, which can achieve the mutual promotion of autophagy and apoptosis in liver tumor cells. In this study, orthotopic and subcutaneous liver tumor models show the anti-tumor effectiveness of AP₁ P₂ -PEG NCs, with a better antitumor effect than sorafenib, biosafety (Lethal Dose, 50% (LD₅₀ ) of 827.3 mg kg^-1 ), wide therapeutic window (non-toxic in 20 times of therapeutic concentration) and high stability (blood half-life of 4 h). These findings identify an effective strategy to develop peptide-modified gold nanocluster aggregates with low toxicity, high potency, and selectivity for solid liver tumors treatment.

Erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged Prussian blue nanocomplexes for combinational therapy of triple-negative breast cancer

Although combined photodynamic/photothermal therapy (PDT/PTT) has been used for cancer theranostics recently, their therapeutic efficacy has been compromised by the low O₂ partial pressure and high concentration of GSH in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Thus, the construction of intelligent TME-responsive nanocomplexes is a powerful strategy for addressing the above issues. In this study, MnO₂-coated Prussian blue nanocomplexes (PM NPs) were designed as O₂ suppliers and GSH depletion agents to reprogram the TME. Subsequently, tumor-targeting peptide (RGD)-modified erythrocyte membrane vesicles loaded with photosensitizer (Ce6) were used to camouflage PM NPs (PMRCR NPs). Importantly, the prepared PMRCR NPs exhibited excellent photothermal performance with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 44.9%. Moreover, the in vitro PDT/PTT was enhanced, by which the cell viability was reduced to 21.4%, which is lower than the 55.6% (PDT) and 66.7% (PTT) of PMRCR NPs with a single laser treatment. By modeling 4T1 tumor-bearing mice, the combined PDT/PTT of PMRCR NPs greatly inhibited tumor growth, and after 20 days, a tumor inhibition rate of 92.9% was achieved. This work provides a promising strategy by developing TME-reprogrammed multifunctional nanocomplexes to enhance PDT/PTT antitumor efficacy.

Anti-BCMA surface engineered biomimetic photothermal nanomissile enhances multiple myeloma cell apoptosis and overcomes the disturbance of NF-κB signaling in vivo

Conventional chemotherapy for multiple myeloma (MM) faces the challenges of a low complete remission rate and transformation to recurrence/refractory. The current MM first-line clinical drug Bortezomib (BTZ) faces the problem of enhanced tolerance and nonnegligible side effects. B cell maturation antigen (BCMA), for its important engagement in tumor signaling pathways and novel therapy technologies such as Chimeric antigen receptor T-Cell immunotherapy (CAR-T) and Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC), has been identified as an ideal target and attracted attention in anti-MM therapy. Emerging nanotechnology provided feasible methods for drug delivery and new therapeutic strategies such as photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein, we developed a BCMA-Targeting biomimetic photothermal nanomissile BTZ@BPQDs@EM @anti-BCMA (BBE@anti-BCMA) by integration of BTZ, black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs), Erythrocyte membrane (EM) and BCMA antibody (anti-BCMA). We hypothesized that this engineered nanomissile could attack tumor cells in triple ways and achieve effective treatment of MM. Consequently, the intrinsic biomimetic nature of EM and the active targeting property of anti-BCMA enhanced the accumulation of therapeutic agents in the tumor site. Besides, owing to the decrease in BCMA abundance, the potential apoptosis-inducing ability was revealed. With the support of BPQDs' photothermal effect, Cleaved-Caspase-3 and Bax signal increased significantly, and the expression of Bcl-2 was inhibited. Furthermore, the synergistic photothermal/chemo therapy can effectively inhibit tumor growth and reverse the disorder of NF-κB in vivo. Importantly, this biomimetic nanodrug delivery system and antibody induced synergistic therapeutic strategy efficiently killed MM cells with ignorable systemic toxicity, which is a promising method for the future anticancer treatment of hematological malignancies in clinics.

Design of erythrocyte-derived carriers for bioimaging applications

Erythrocytes are physiological entities that have been exploited in both preclinical and clinical trials for the delivery of exogenous agents. Over the years, diverse erythrocyte-derived carriers (ECs) have been developed with related patents granted for industrial and commercial purposes. However, most ECs have only been exploited for drug delivery. Serious discussions regarding their applications in imaging are scarce. This article reviews the role of ECs in enhancing imaging efficiency and subsequently delineates strategies for engineering and optimising their preclinical and clinical performance. With a snapshot of the latest developments and use of ECs in imaging, directions to streamline the clinical translation of related technologies can be attained for future research.

Research Progress of Photothermal Nanomaterials in Multimodal Tumor Therapy

The aggressive growth of cancer cells brings extreme challenges to cancer therapy while triggering the exploration of the application of multimodal therapy methods. Multimodal tumor therapy based on photothermal nanomaterials is a new technology to realize tumor cell thermal ablation through near-infrared light irradiation with a specific wavelength, which has the advantages of high efficiency, less adverse reactions, and effective inhibition of tumor metastasis compared with traditional treatment methods such as surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Photothermal nanomaterials have gained increasing interest due to their potential applications, remarkable properties, and advantages for tumor therapy. In this review, recent advances and the common applications of photothermal nanomaterials in multimodal tumor therapy are summarized, with a focus on the different types of photothermal nanomaterials and their application in multimodal tumor therapy. Moreover, the challenges and future applications have also been speculated.

Cell membrane camouflaged biomimetic nanoparticles: Focusing on tumor theranostics

Nanoparticles (NPs) modified by cell membranes represent an emerging biomimetic platform that can mimic the innate biological functions resulting from the various cell membranes in biological systems. researchers focus on constructing the cell membrane camouflaged NPs using a wide variety of cells, such as red blood cell membranes (RBC), macrophages and cancer cells. Cell membrane camouflaged NPs (CMNPs) inherit the composition of cell membranes, including specific receptors, antigens, proteins, for target delivering to the tumor, escaping immune from clearance, and prolonging the blood circulation time, etc. Combining cell membrane-derived biological functions and the NP cores acted cargo carriers to encapsulate the imaging agents, CMNPs are widely developed to apply in tumor imaging techniques, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorescence imaging (FL) and photoacoustic imaging (PA). Herein, in this review, we systematically summarize the superior functions of various CMNPs in tumor imaging, especially highlighting the advanced applications in different imaging techniques, which is to provide the theoretical supports for the development of precise guided imaging and tumor treatment.

A biodegradable "Nano-donut" for magnetic resonance imaging and enhanced chemo/photothermal/chemodynamic therapy through responsive catalysis in tumor microenvironment

Prussian blue (PB) is a safe photothermal agent for tumor therapy, yet poor photothermal effect and single therapeutic function severely restrict its further clinical applications. Herein, a biodegradable "Nano-donut" (CMPB-MoS₂-PEG) is fabricated for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT)/ chemodynamic therapy (CDT)/chemotherapy through responsive catalysis in tumor microenvironment (TME). The "Nano-donut" is organically composed of Cu/Mn ions doped-PB and MoS₂. The porous donut structure of CMPB-MoS₂-PEG endows them as a carrier for delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) to tumor site. The framework of Nano-donut specifically decomposes in TME due to the reaction between Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and H₂O₂. The multivalent elements (Cu/Fe/Mn ions) decrease the bandgap and then enhance CDT by synergistically catalyzing H₂O₂ into toxic ·OH. Meanwhile, the Mn⁴⁺ also reacts with H₂O₂ to generate O₂, improving the hypoxia of TME and enhancing the chemotherapy effect of released DOX. The MoS₂ mingles in the PB, which significantly enhances photothermal conversion efficiency (η) effect of PB from 16.02% to 38.0%. In addition, Fe³⁺ as T2-weighted MR imaging agent can achieve MR imaging-guided therapy. The data clearly shows Nano-donut/DOX nanocomposites (NCs) have a remarkable inhibition for cancer cells and excellent biological safety in tumor treatment.

Macrophage membrane coated nanoparticles: a biomimetic approach for enhanced and targeted delivery

The enhanced and targeted drug delivery with low systemic toxicity and subsequent release of drugs is the major concern among researchers and pharmaceutics. Inspite of greater advancement and discoveries in...

Nanoengineered biomimetic Cu-based nanoparticles for multifunational and efficient tumor treatment

The microwave dynamic therapy (MDT) mediated by cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a promising anticancer therapeutic method. However, the therapeutic efficiency of MDT is restricted by several limitations including insufficient ROS generation, strong proangiogenic response, and low tumor-targeting efficiency. Herein, we find that Cu-based nanoparticles can produce oxygen under microwave (MW) irradiation to raise the generation of ROS, such as •O₂, •OH and ¹O₂, especially •O₂. On this basis, a nanoengineered biomimetic strategy is designed to improve the efficiency of MDT. After intravenous administration, the nanoparticles accumulate to the tumor site through targeting effect mediated by biomimetic modification, and it can continuously produce oxygen to raise the levels of ROS in tumor microenvironment under MW irradiation for MDT. Additionally, Apatinib is incorporated as antiangiogenic drug to downregulate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can effectively inhibit the tumor angiogenesis after MDT. Hence, the tumor inhibition rate is as high as 96.79%. This study provides emerging strategies to develop multifunctional nanosystems for efficient tumor therapy by MDT.

Phototheranostics Using Erythrocyte-Based Particles

There has been a recent increase in the development of delivery systems based on red blood cells (RBCs) for light-mediated imaging and therapeutic applications. These constructs are able to take advantage of the immune evasion properties of the RBC, while the addition of an optical cargo allows the particles to be activated by light for a number of promising applications. Here, we review some of the common fabrication methods to engineer these constructs. We also present some of the current light-based applications with potential for clinical translation, and offer some insight into future directions in this exciting field.

Membrane engineering of cell membrane biomimetic nanoparticles for nanoscale therapeutics

In recent years, cell membrane camouflaging technology has emerged as an important strategy of nanomedicine, and the modification on the membranes is also a promising approach to enhance the properties of the nanoparticles, such as cancer targeting, immune evasion, and phototherapy sensitivity. Indeed, diversified approaches have been exploited to re-engineer the membranes of nanoparticles in several studies. In this review, first we discuss direct modification strategy of cell membrane camouflaged nanoparticles (CM-NP) via noncovalent, covalent, and enzyme-involved methods. Second, we explore how the membranes of CM-NPs can be re-engineered at the cellular level using strategies such as genetic engineering and membranes fusion. Due to the innate biological properties and excellent biocompatibility, the functionalized cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles have been widely applied in the fields of drug delivery, imaging, detoxification, detection, and photoactivatable therapy.

Nano-Biomimetic Drug Delivery Vehicles: Potential Approaches for COVID-19 Treatment

The current COVID-19 pandemic has tested the resolve of the global community with more than 35 million infections worldwide and numbers increasing with no cure or vaccine available to date. Nanomedicines have an advantage of providing enhanced permeability and retention and have been extensively studied as targeted drug delivery strategies for the treatment of different disease. The role of monocytes, erythrocytes, thrombocytes, and macrophages in diseases, including infectious and inflammatory diseases, cancer, and atherosclerosis, are better understood and have resulted in improved strategies for targeting and in some instances mimicking these cell types to improve therapeutic outcomes. Consequently, these primary cell types can be exploited for the purposes of serving as a "Trojan horse" for targeted delivery to identified organs and sites of inflammation. State of the art and potential utilization of nanocarriers such as nanospheres/nanocapsules, nanocrystals, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles/nano-structured lipid carriers, dendrimers, and nanosponges for biomimicry and/or targeted delivery of bioactives to cells are reported herein and their potential use in the treatment of COVID-19 infections discussed. Physicochemical properties, viz., hydrophilicity, particle shape, surface charge, composition, concentration, the use of different target-specific ligands on the surface of carriers, and the impact on carrier efficacy and specificity are also discussed.

The Application of Prussian Blue Nanoparticles in Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment

Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) have attracted increasing research interest in immunosensors, bioimaging, drug delivery, and application as therapeutic agents due to their large internal pore volume, tunable size, easy synthesis and surface modification, good thermal stability, and favorable biocompatibility. This review first outlines the effect of tumor markers using PBNPs-based immunosensors which have a sandwich-type architecture and competitive-type structure. Metal ion doped PBNPs which were used as T1-weight magnetic resonance and photoacoustic imaging agents to improve image quality and surface modified PBNPs which were used as drug carriers to decrease side effects via passive or active targeting to tumor sites are also summarized. Moreover, the PBNPs with high photothermal efficiency and excellent catalase-like activity were promising for photothermal therapy and O2 self-supplied photodynamic therapy of tumors. Hence, PBNPs-based multimodal imaging-guided combinational tumor therapies (such as chemo, photothermal, and photodynamic therapies) were finally reviewed. This review aims to inspire broad interest in the rational design and application of PBNPs for detecting and treating tumors in clinical research.

Biosafety and biocompatibility assessment of Prussian blue nanoparticles in vitro and in vivo

Aim: To investigate the effects of the different morphological characteristics of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) on their biocompatibility and biosafety. Materials & methods: PB NPs with different sizes, shapes and charges were synthesized and their biosafety and biocompatibility performance were systematically compared in vitro and in vivo. Results: Increased size and positive charge of PB NPs adversely affected cell viability, while improving their peroxidase activity and photothermal conversion efficiency. In vivo analysis demonstrated good biocompatibility of PB NPs, without retention in the organs, but increased size retarded their metabolism. Meanwhile, increased size and positive charge adversely affected hepatic and renal function. Conclusion: This comprehensive exploration of biosafety and biocompatibility provides strong evidences for the use of PB NPs as nanodrug carrier and/or imaging agent.

Hybrid red blood cell membrane coated porous silicon nanoparticles functionalized with cancer antigen induce depletion of T cells

Erythrocyte-based drug delivery systems have been investigated for their biocompatibility, long circulation time, and capability to transport cargo all around the body, thus presenting enormous potential in medical applications. In this study, we investigated hybrid nanoparticles consisting of nano-sized autologous or allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) membranes encapsulating porous silicon nanoparticles (PSi NPs). These NPs were functionalized with a model cancer antigen TRP2, which was either expressed on the surface of the RBCs by a cell membrane-mimicking block copolymer polydimethylsiloxane-b-poly-2-methyl-2-oxazoline, or attached on the PSi NPs, thus hidden within the encapsulation. When in the presence of peripheral blood immune cells, these NPs resulted in apoptotic cell death of T cells, where the NPs having TRP2 within the encapsulation led to a stronger T cell deletion. The deletion of the T cells did not change the relative proportion of CD4⁺ and cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells. Overall, this work shows the combination of nano-sized RBCs, PSi, and antigenic peptides may have use in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

We report a study on the effect of red blood cell membrane based cancer antigen-functionalized nanoparticles on peripheral blood T cells. These nanoparticles induce apoptosis of T cells and they may have use in treating autoimmune diseases.

A RBC membrane-camouflaged biomimetic nanoplatform for enhanced chemo-photothermal therapy of cervical cancer

Due to the untargeted release of chemical drugs, the efficacy of chemotherapy is often compromised along with serious side effects on patients. Recently, the development of targeted delivery systems using nanomaterials as carriers has provided more alternatives for chemical drug transportation. In this study, we developed a novel targeted nanocomplex of GOQD-ICG-DOX@RBCM-FA NPs (GID@RF NPs). First, PEG modified graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) were used to co-load the photosensitizer of indocyanine green (ICG) and DOX, to form GOQD-ICG-DOX NPs (GID NPs). Then, the red blood cell membrane (RBCM) was applied for GID NP camouflage to avoid immune clearance. Finally, folic acid was used to endow the targeting ability of GID@RF NPs. MTT assay showed that the survival rate of HeLa cells reduced by 71% after treatment with GID@RF NPs and laser irradiation. Meanwhile, membrane camouflage significantly prolonged the blood circulation time and enhanced the immune evading ability of GID NPs. Moreover, the drug accumulation at tumor sites was significantly improved through the strong interaction between FA and FA receptor highly expressed on the tumor cells. In vivo assay demonstrated the strongest tumor growth inhibition ability of the combinational chemo/photothermal therapy. H&E analysis indicated no significant abnormalities in the major organs of mice undergoing GID@RF NPs treatment. The level of blood and biochemical parameters remained stable as compared to the control. In summary, this combinational therapy system provides a safe, rapid and effective alternative for the treatment of cervical cancer in the future.

PB@PDA@Ag nanosystem for synergistically eradicating MRSA and accelerating diabetic wound healing assisted with laser irradiation

The ever-growing threats of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection and chronic wound healing have created an imperative need for the development of novel antibacterial materials and therapeutic strategies, especially for diabetic patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria. In this work, the nanocomplexes named as PB@PDA@Ag were used for eradicating multidrug-resistant bacteria and accelerating wound healing of MRSA-infected diabetic model with the assistance of laser irradiation. In vitro results revealed that the combinational strategy exerted a synergistic effect for anti-MRSA through disrupting cell integrity, producing ROS, declining ATP, and oxidizing GSH, comparing with PB@PDA@Ag or NIR laser irradiation alone. Moreover, in vivo assay demonstrated that this system effectively accelerated MRSA-infected diabetic wound healing by mitigating local inflammatory response and up-regulating VEGF expression on the wound bed. Meanwhile, satisfactory biocompatibility and negligible damage to major organs were observed. Altogether, the aforementioned results indicate that the combinational therapy of PB@PDA@Ag and NIR irradiation shows a great potential application in the field of clinic infection.

Development of a nanodrug-delivery system camouflaged by erythrocyte membranes for the chemo/phototherapy of cancer

Aim: Development of a new drug-delivery system using a compound derived from Pronephrium penangianum (J5) for the treatment of cervical cancer. Materials & methods: The delivery system was developed using Prussian blue nanoparticles, camouflaged by red blood cell membrane and with folic acid surface modifications. Results: Our results showed the successful development of a nanodrug-delivery system, which increases the half-life and immune evasion ability of the drug. The mechanism of this system was through suppressing B-cell lymphoma 2 and increasing B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein and the cleaved caspase level. An in vivo study also confirmed good antitumor activity without any side effects to normal tissue. Conclusion: This drug-delivery system provides a good alternative for the treatment of cervical cancer using J5.

Cell Membrane-Camouflaged Nanocarriers for Cancer Diagnostic and Therapeutic

Cell membrane (CM)-camouflaged nanocarriers (CMNPs) are the tools of a biomimetic strategy that has attracted significant attention. With a wide range of nanoparticle cores and CMs available, various creative CMNP designs have been studied for cancer diagnosis and therapy. The various functional CM molecules available allow CMNPs to demonstrate excellent properties such as prolonged circulation time, immune escape ability, reduced systemic toxicity, and homologous targeting ability when camouflaged with CMs derived from various types of natural cells including red and white blood cells, platelets, stem cells, and cancer cells. In this review, we summarize various CMNPs employed for cancer chemotherapy, immunotherapy, phototherapy, and in vivo imaging. We also predict future challenges and opportunities for fundamental and clinical studies.

PEGylated WS2 nanodrug system with erythrocyte membrane coating for chemo/photothermal therapy of cervical cancer

The side effects of chemical drugs and multi-drug resistance are serious obstacles hindering efficient tumor therapy.