Sequential delivery of synergistic drugs by silica nanocarriers for enhanced tumour treatment

Dual-Drug Delivery by Anisotropic and Uniform Hybrid Nanostructures: A Comparative Study of the Function and Substrate-Drug Interaction Properties

By utilizing nanoparticles to upload and interact with several pharmaceuticals in varying methods, the primary obstacles associated with loading two or more medications or cargos with different characteristics may be addressed. Therefore, it is feasible to evaluate the benefits provided by co-delivery systems utilizing nanoparticles by investigating the properties and functions of the commonly used structures, such as multi- or simultaneous-stage controlled release, synergic effect, enhanced targetability, and internalization. However, due to the unique surface or core features of each hybrid design, the eventual drug-carrier interactions, release, and penetration processes may vary. Our review article focused on the drug's loading, binding interactions, release, physiochemical, and surface functionalization features, as well as the varying internalization and cytotoxicity of each structure that may aid in the selection of an appropriate design. This was achieved by comparing the actions of uniform-surfaced hybrid particles (such as core-shell particles) to those of anisotropic, asymmetrical hybrid particles (such as Janus, multicompartment, or patchy particles). Information is provided on the use of homogeneous or heterogeneous particles with specified characteristics for the simultaneous delivery of various cargos, possibly enhancing the efficacy of treatment techniques for illnesses such as cancer.

Integrative Metabolomics, Proteomics and Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals Liver Toxicity of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

As pharmaceutical excipients, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted considerable concern based on potential risks to the public. The impact of MSNs on biochemical metabolism is poorly understood, and few studies have compared the effects of MSNs administered via different routes. To evaluate the hepatotoxicity of MSNs, metabolomics, proteomics and transcriptomic analyses were performed in mice after intravenous (20 mg/kg/d) or oral ad-ministration (200 mg/kg/d) of MSNs for 10 days. Intravenous injection induced significant hepatic injury based on pathological inspection and increased the levels of AST/ALT and the inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-a. Omics data suggested intravenous administration of MSNs perturbed the following metabolites: succinate, hypoxanthine, GSSG, NADP+, NADPH and 6-phosphogluconic acid. In addition, increases in GPX, SOD3, G6PD, HK, and PFK at proteomic and transcriptomic levels suggested elevation of glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway, synthesis of glutathione and nucleotides, and antioxidative pathway activity, whereas oxidative phosphorylation, TCA and mitochondrial energy metabolism were reduced. On the other hand, oral administration of MSNs disturbed inflammatory factors and metabolites of ribose-5-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconate, GSSG, and NADP+ associated with the pentose phosphate pathway, glutathione synthesis and oxidative stress albeit to a lesser extent than intravenous injection despite the administration of a ten-fold greater dose. Overall, systematic biological data suggested that intravenous injection of nanoparticles of pharmaceutical excipients substantially affected hepatic metabolism function and induced oxidative stress and inflammation, whereas oral administration exhibited milder effects compared with intravenous injection.

Synthesis of pH-responsive cyclometalated iridium(III) complex and its application in the selective killing of cancerous cells

Cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes are promising candidates as photosensitizers (PSs) in photodynamic therapy (PDT). The challenge in PDT is the selective killing of cancerous cells over the neighboring normal cells. In this work, a pH-responsive cyclometalated iridium(III) complex (probe 1) was designed and synthesized as an effective PS to selectively kill cancerous cells, with 3-(2-pyridyl)benzaldehyde used as the main ligand and 1-(2-pyridyl)-β-carboline used as an ancillary ligand. Probe 1 shows enhanced photoluminescence emission and higher ¹O₂ quantum yield in an acidic environment compared to a neutral solution, which led to remarkable phototoxicity toward cancerous cells and high selectivity for killing cancerous cells over normal cells within 10 min. This work demonstrates that the cyclometalated iridium(III) complex with acidic pH-responsive photoluminescence emission and high ¹O₂ generation is an effective alternative PS for selectively killing cancerous cells.

Smart Nanoparticles for Chemo-Based Combinational Therapy

Cancer is a heterogeneous and complex disease. Traditional cancer therapy is associated with low therapeutic index, acquired resistance, and various adverse effects. With the increasing understanding of cancer biology and technology advancements, more strategies have been exploited to optimize the therapeutic outcomes. The rapid development and application of nanomedicine have motivated this progress. Combinational regimen, for instance, has become an indispensable approach for effective cancer treatment, including the combination of chemotherapeutic agents, chemo-energy, chemo-gene, chemo-small molecules, and chemo-immunology. Additionally, smart nanoplatforms that respond to external stimuli (such as light, temperature, ultrasound, and magnetic field), and/or to internal stimuli (such as changes in pH, enzymes, hypoxia, and redox) have been extensively investigated to improve precision therapy. Smart nanoplatforms for combinational therapy have demonstrated the potential to be the next generation cancer treatment regimen. This review aims to highlight the recent advances in smart combinational therapy.

Preparation and Applications of Organo-Silica Hybrid Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for the Co-Delivery of Drugs and Nucleic Acids

Combination therapies rely on the administration of more than one drug, with independent mechanisms of action, aiming to enhance the efficiency of the treatment. For an optimal performance, the implementation of such therapies requires the delivery of the correct combination of drugs to a specific cellular target. In this context, the use of nanoparticles (NP) as platforms for the co-delivery of multiple drugs is considered a highly promising strategy. In particular, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) have emerged as versatile building blocks to devise complex drug delivery systems (DDS). This review describes the design, synthesis, and application of MSNs to the delivery of multiple drugs including nucleic acids for combination therapies.

A. Ali L, Daurat M, Mattana E, Gary-Bobo M. Biological Assessment of Laser-Synthesized Silicon Nanoparticles Effect in Two-Photon Photodynamic Therapy on Breast Cancer MCF-7 Cells

Driven by their distinctive physiological activities, biological properties and unique theranostic modalities, silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) are one of the promising materials for the development of novel multifunctional nanoplatforms for biomedical applications. In this work, we assessed the possibility to use laser-synthesized Si NPs as photosensitizers in two-photon excited photodynamic therapy (TPE-PDT) modality. Herein, we used an easy strategy to synthesize ultraclean and monodispersed SiNPs using laser ablation and fragmentation sequences of silicon wafer in aqueous solution, which prevent any specific purification step. Structural analysis revealed the spherical shape of the nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution centered at the mean size diameter of 62 nm ± 0.42 nm, while the negative surface charge of -40 ± 0.3 mV ensured a great stability without sedimentation over a long period of time. In vitro studies on human cancer cell lines (breast and liver) and healthy cells revealed their low cytotoxicity without any light stimulus and their therapeutic potential under TPE-PDT mode at 900 nm with a promising cell death of 45% in case of MCF-7 breast cancer cells, as a consequence of intracellular reactive oxygen species release. Their luminescence emission inside the cells was clearly observed at UV-Vis region. Compared to Si nanoparticles synthesized via chemical routes, which are often linked to additional modules with photochemical and photobiological properties to boost photodynamic effect, laser-synthesized SiNPs exhibit promising intrinsic therapeutic and imaging properties to develop advanced strategy in nanomedicine field.

Influence of the Surface Functionalization on the Fate and Performance of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles have been broadly applied as drug delivery systems owing to their exquisite features, such as excellent textural properties or biocompatibility. However, there are various biological barriers that prevent their proper translation into the clinic, including: (1) lack of selectivity toward tumor tissues, (2) lack of selectivity for tumoral cells and (3) endosomal sequestration of the particles upon internalization. In addition, their open porous structure may lead to premature drug release, consequently affecting healthy tissues and decreasing the efficacy of the treatment. First, this review will provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of the different approximations that have been implemented into mesoporous silica nanoparticles to overcome each of such biological barriers. Afterward, the potential premature and non-specific drug release from these mesoporous nanocarriers will be addressed by introducing the concept of stimuli-responsive gatekeepers, which endow the particles with on-demand and localized drug delivery.