Peptide functionalized upconversion/NIR II luminescent nanoparticles for targeted imaging and therapy of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Super-enhancer-driven ameboidal-type cell migration-related MMP14 expression in tongue squamous cell carcinoma switched by BATF and ATF3

BACKGROUND

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) exhibits an aggressive biological behavior of lymph node and distant metastasis, which contributes to poorer prognosis and results in tongue function loss or death. In addition to known regulators and pathways of cell migration in TSCC, it is important to uncover pivotal switches governing tumor metastasis.

METHODS

Cancer cell migration-associated transcriptional and epigenetic characteristics were profiled in TSCC, and the specific super-enhancers (SEs) were identified. Molecular function and mechanism studies were used to investigate the pivotal switches in TSCC metastasis.

RESULTS

Ameboidal-type cell migration-related genes accompanied by transcriptional and epigenetic activity were enriched in TSCC. Meanwhile, the higher-ranked SE-related genes showed significant differences between 43 paired tumor and normal samples from the TCGA TSCC cohort. In addition, key motifs were detected in SE regions, and transcription factor-related expression levels were significantly associated with TSCC survival status. Notably, BATF and ATF3 regulated the expression of ameboidal-type cell migration-related MMP14 by switching the interaction with the SE region.

CONCLUSION

SEs and related key motifs transcriptional regulate tumor metastasis-associated MMP14 and might be potential therapeutic targets for TSCC.

Nanoparticles as drug delivery systems in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma: current status and recent progression

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common human malignancy with an estimated incidence of around 377,713 new cases worldwide in 2020. Despite the advance in clinical management, some of OSCC patients still miss the opportunity of completable resection of tumor, and have to accept medical therapies, e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy when the disease develops into the advanced stage. However, these therapies have been reported to be far from ideal due to the low efficiency of conventional delivery approaches. To obtain a better therapeutic effect, considerable attempts have been made toward to develop an effective drug delivery system (DDS). Nanoparticles (NPs) including inorganic NPs, polymer NPs, lipid NP, extracellular vesicles and cell membrane-based NPs have been evaluated as the better DDS candidates that can specifically accumulate in the tumor microenvironment along with a large amount of blood vessels. Emerging evidence suggested that NPs formulated with anticancer drugs including chemotherapeutic drugs, radiotherapy and immunotarget antibodies could remarkably improve the release and increase concentration of these drugs at the tumor site and show a better therapeutic efficacy, suggesting that NPs might serve as promising DDSs in the treatment of OSCC. Therefore, we have conducted this review to summarize recent progression and current status of diverse NPs as DDSs in this research field.

Tracking tumor heterogeneity and progression with near-infrared II fluorophores

Heterogeneous cells are the main feature of tumors with unique genetic and phenotypic characteristics, which can stimulate differentially the progression, metastasis, and drug resistance. Importantly, heterogeneity is pervasive in human malignant tumors, and identification of the degree of tumor heterogeneity in individual tumors and progression is a critical task for tumor treatment. However, current medical tests cannot meet these needs; in particular, the need for noninvasive visualization of single-cell heterogeneity. Near-infrared II (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) imaging exhibits an exciting prospect for non-invasive monitoring due to the high temporal-spatial resolution. More importantly, NIR-II imaging displays more extended tissue penetration depths and reduced tissue backgrounds because of the significantly lower photon scattering and tissue autofluorescence than traditional the near-infrared I (NIR-I) imaging. In this review, we summarize systematically the advances made in NIR-II in tumor imaging, especially in the detection of tumor heterogeneity and progression as well as in tumor treatment. As a non-invasive visual inspection modality, NIR-II imaging shows promising prospects for understanding the differences in tumor heterogeneity and progression and is envisioned to have the potential to be used clinically.

Recent advances in tumor biomarker detection by lanthanide upconversion nanoparticles

Early tumor diagnosis could reliably predict the behavior of tumors and significantly reduce their mortality. Due to the response to early cancerous changes at the molecular or cellular level, tumor biomarkers, including small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, exosomes, and circulating tumor cells, have been employed as powerful tools for early cancer diagnosis. Therefore, exploring new approaches to detect tumor biomarkers has attracted a great deal of research interest. Lanthanide upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) provide numerous opportunities for bioanalytical applications. When excited by low-energy near-infrared light, UCNPs exhibit several unique properties, such as large anti-Stoke shifts, sharp emission lines, long luminescence lifetimes, resistance to photobleaching, and the absence of autofluorescence. Based on these excellent properties, UCNPs have demonstrated great sensitivity and selectivity in detecting tumor biomarkers. In this review, an overview of recent advances in tumor biomarker detection using UCNPs has been presented. The key aspects of this review include detection mechanisms, applications in vitro and in vivo, challenges, and perspectives of UCNP-based tumor biomarker detection.

Bio-Inspired Drug Delivery Systems: From Synthetic Polypeptide Vesicles to Outer Membrane Vesicles

Nanomedicine is a broad field that focuses on the development of nanocarriers to deliver specific drugs to targeted sites. A synthetic polypeptide is a kind of biomaterial composed of repeating amino acid units that are linked by peptide bonds. The multiplied amphiphilicity segment of the polypeptide could assemble to form polypeptide vesicles (PVs) under suitable conditions. Different from polypeptide vesicles, outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are spherical buds of the outer membrane filled with periplasmic content, which commonly originate from Gram-negative bacteria. Owing to their biodegradability and excellent biocompatibility, both PVs and OMVs have been utilized as carriers in delivering drugs. In this review, we discuss the recent drug delivery research based on PVs and OMVs. These related topics are presented: (1) a brief introduction to the production methods for PVs and OMVs; (2) a thorough explanation of PV- and OMV-related applications in drug delivery including the vesicle design and biological assessment; (3) finally, we conclude with a discussion on perspectives and future challenges related to the drug delivery systems of PVs and OMVs.

A c-MET-Targeted Topical Fluorescent Probe cMBP-ICG Improves Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Detection in Humans

INTRODUCTION

The postoperative survival of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) relies on precise detection and complete resection of original tumors. The mucosal extension of the tumor is evaluated visually during surgery, but small and flat foci are difficult to detect. Real-time fluorescence imaging may improve detection of tumor margins.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the current study, a peptide-based near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence dye, c-MET-binding peptide-indocyanine green (cMBP-ICG), which specifically targets tumor via c-MET binding, was synthetized. A prospective pilot clinical trial then was conducted with oral SCC patients and intraoperatively to assess the feasibility of cMBP-ICG used to detect tumors margins. Fluorescence was histologically correlated to determine sensitivity and specificity.

RESULTS

The immunohistochemistry (IHC) results demonstrated increased c-Met expression in oral SCC compared with normal mucosa. Tumor-to-background ratios ranged from 2.71 ± 0.7 to 3.11 ± 1.2 in different concentration groups. From 10 patients with oral SCC, 60 specimens were collected from tumor margins. The sensitivity and specificity of discriminative value derived from cMBP-ICG application in humans were respectively 100% and 75%.

CONCLUSIONS

Topical application of cMBP-ICG is feasible and safe for optimizing intraoperative visualization and tumor margin detection in oral SCC patients, which could clinically increase the probability of complete resections and improve oncologic outcomes.

Towards highly efficient NIR II response up-conversion phosphor enabled by long lifetimes of Er3

The second near-infrared (NIR II) response photon up-conversion (UC) materials show great application prospects in the fields of biology and optical communication. However, it is still an enormous challenge to obtain efficient NIR II response materials. Herein, we develop a series of Er³⁺ doped ternary sulfides phosphors with highly efficient UC emissions under 1532 nm irradiation. β-NaYS₂:Er³⁺ achieves a visible UC efficiency as high as 2.6%, along with high brightness, spectral stability of lights illumination and temperature. Such efficient UC is dominated by excited state absorption, accompanied by the advantage of long lifetimes (⁴I_9/2, 9.24 ms; ⁴I_13/2, 30.27 ms) of excited state levels of Er³⁺, instead of the well-recognized energy transfer UC between sensitizer and activator. NaYS₂:Er³⁺ phosphors are further developed for high-performance underwater communication and narrowband NIR photodetectors. Our findings suggest a novel approach for developing NIR II response UC materials, and simulate new applications, eg., simultaneous NIR and visible optical communication.

Functionalized Peptide-Based Nanoparticles for Targeted Cancer Nanotherapeutics: A State-of-the-Art Review

Cancer mortality is increasing at an alarming rate across the globe. Albeit, many therapeutics are available commercially, they are not effective and have no cure up to today. Moreover, the knowledge gap in cancer therapy persists, representing a potential blind spot for the innovation of effective anticancer therapeutics. This review presents an update on current advancements in nanopeptide therapeutics. Herein, a detailed exploration of peptide-functionalized nanoparticles for the development of nanotherapeutics was carried out. Different approaches that include self-assembly nanostructures, solid phase peptide synthesis, ligand exchange, chemical reduction, and conjugation methods for assembling peptides for functionalizing nanodrugs are also highlighted. An outlook on biomedical applications is also reviewed. Additionally, a comprehensive discussion on targeted cancer cell therapy and mechanism of action are provided. The present review reflects the functional novelty of nanodrugs to improve stability, accessibility, bioavailability, and specificity toward cancerous cells. Finally, it summarizes the current challenges and future perspectives on the formulation of these nanodrugs.

Personalized Targeted Therapeutic Strategies against Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. An Evidence-Based Review of Literature

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of malignant tumor in the head and neck, with a poor prognosis mainly due to recurrence and metastasis. Classical treatment modalities for OSCC like surgery and radiotherapy have difficulties in dealing with metastatic tumors, and together with chemotherapy, they have major problems related to non-specific cell death. Molecular targeted therapies offer solutions to these problems through not only potentially maximizing the anticancer efficacy but also minimizing the treatment-related toxicity. Among them, the receptor-mediated targeted delivery of anticancer therapeutics remains the most promising one. As OSCC exhibits a heterogeneous nature, selecting the appropriate receptors for targeting is the prerequisite. Hence, we reviewed the OSCC-associated receptors previously used in targeted therapy, focused on their biochemical characteristics and expression patterns, and discussed the application potential in personalized targeted therapy of OSCC. We hope that a better comprehension of this subject will help to provide the fundamental information for OSCC personalized therapeutic planning.

Rare earth nanoparticles for sprayed and intravenous NIR II imaging and photodynamic therapy of tongue cancer

In this research, rare earth nanoparticles coupled with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and a targeted antibody (RENP-DHA-Cap) for sprayed NIR II imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tongue cancer were designed. Genetic algorithms combined with combinatorial chemistry were proposed and successfully achieved in a single optimized luminescent phosphor with enhanced NIR II and high upconversion luminescence (UCL) under a NIR laser of wavelength 980 nm or/and 808 nm. In particular, T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals can be adjusted with the Gd ion concentration. In combination with the targeted antibody of capmatinib (Cap), precise NIR II imaging for in situ tongue cancer by a simple spray method can be achieved. Most importantly, NIR II imaging and PDT treatment can be realized with RENP-DHA-capmatinib injected intravenously. This orthogonal theranostic mode with precise diagnosis under 808 nm and targeted effective treatment under 980 nm may promote tongue cancer theranostics.

Dual-molecular targeted NIR II probe with enhanced response for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma imaging

In this research, a fluorescent probe of 7-(diethylamine) coumarin derivatives with multiple binding sites to detect biothiols in tumor cell with strong NIR II luminescencein vivowas synthesized. The biothiols include cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells, and the tumor-response luminescence was proved by the cell experiment. Importantly, the monolayer functional phospholipid (DSPE-PEG) coating and aggregation induced emission (AIE) dye of TPE modification made the probe have good stability and biocompatibility with little luminescence quenching in aqueous phase, which was proved byin vitroandin vivoexperiments. The final aqueous NIR II probe combined with bevacizumab (for VEGF recognition in the cancer cells) and Capmatinib (for Met protein recognition in the cancer cells) has stronger targeted imaging on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cancer with intravenous injection. This GSH/Cys detection in the tumor cell and strong dual-molecular NIR II bioimagingin vivomay provide new strategy to tumor detection.

A Review: Potential Application and Outlook of Photothermal Therapy in Oral Cancer Treatment

As one of the most common malignant tumors, oral cancer threatens people's health worldwide. However, traditional therapies, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy can't meet the requirement of cancer cure. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted widespread attentions for its advantages of the noninvasive process, few side effects, and promising tumor ablation. Up to now, three types of photothermal agents (PTAs) have been widely employed in oral cancer therapies, which involve metallic materials, carbon-based materials, and organic materials. Previous research mainly introduced hybrid materials due to benefits from the synergistic effect of multiple functions. In this review, we present the advancement of each type PTAs for oral cancer treatment in recent years. In each part, we introduce the properties and synthesis of each PTA, summarize the current studies, and analyze their potential applications. Furthermore, we discuss the status quo and the deficiencies hindering the clinical application of PTT, based on which gives the perspective of its future developing directions.

Emergence of Nano-Dentistry as a Reality of Contemporary Dentistry

(1) Background. Nanotechnology offers significant alternative ways to solve scientific, medical, and human health issues. Dental biomaterials were improved by nanotechnology. It manufactures better materials or improves the existing ones and forms the basis of novel methods for disease diagnosis and prevention. Modern nanotechnology makes oral health care services more acceptable for patients. Nanotechnology is now important area of research, covering a broad range of applications in dentistry. (2) Methods. Relevant literature from Scopus published in English was selected using the keywords “nanoparticle” and “dentistry”. To the selected articles we applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria to choose the relevant ones. (3) Results. Based on the relevant articles, a literature review was prepared. This review provides an insight into the applications of nanotechnology in various branches of dentistry. We applied several regression models to fit number of papers versus time and chose the best one. We used it to construct the forecast and its 95%-confidence interval for the number of publications in 2022–2026. (4) Conclusions. It shows that a significant rise in papers is expected. This review familiarizes dentists with properties and benefits of nanomaterials and nanotechnology. Additionally, it can help scientists to consider the direction of their research and to plan prospective research projects.

MET-targeted NIR II luminescence diagnosis and up-conversion guided photodynamic therapy for triple-negative breast cancer based on a lanthanide nanoprobe

In this research, degradable peptide-modified upconversion nanoparticles (ZUPEA) were designed for the NIR II imaging and upconversion luminescence (UCL) guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Ultra-small rare-earth nanoparticles (RENPs) and the polymer mPEG-PLGA are polymerized into nano-microspheres via a double emulsion synthesis method, and a photosensitizer molecule (ZnPc) is added during the polymerization process to generate ZUPEA. Under 980 nm excitation, this strategy enhanced the red emission at 650 nm, showing an energy transfer efficiency of 38.3%, and the designed RENPs have better NIR II imaging abilities with a core@shell structure. These ZUPEA nanoparticles have good photodynamic therapeutic effects in vitro, and they can be degraded into small nanoparticles with a size of less than 6 nm. The cMBP-peptide-modified luminescent probe can recognize MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells in vivo when intravenously injected due to the positive targeted imaging effects of the cMBP peptide toward MET and negative targeted imaging effects relating to enhanced permeability and retention (EPR ). This specially designed ZUPEA probe with integrated diagnosis and treatment functionality provides new ideas and prospects for the use of rare-earth nanoparticles in the clinical treatment of tumors.

Exploiting the role of nanoparticles for use in hydrogel-based bioprinting applications: concept, design, and recent advances

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an emerging tissue engineering approach that aims to develop cell or biomolecule-laden, complex polymeric scaffolds with high precision, using hydrogel-based "bioinks". Hydrogels are water-swollen, highly crosslinked polymer networks that are soft, quasi-solid, and can support and protect biological materials. However, traditional hydrogels have weak mechanical properties and cannot retain complex structures. They must be reinforced with physical and chemical manipulations to produce a mechanically resilient bioink. Over the past few years, we have witnessed an increased use of nanoparticles and biological moiety-functionalized nanoparticles to fabricate new bioinks. Nanoparticles of varied size, shape, and surface chemistries can provide a unique solution to this problem primarily because of three reasons: (a) nanoparticles can mechanically reinforce hydrogels through physical and chemical interactions. This can favorably influence the bioink's 3D printability and structural integrity by modulating its rheological, biomechanical, and biochemical properties, allowing greater flexibility to print a wide range of structures; (b) nanoparticles can introduce new bio-functionalities to the hydrogels, which is a key metric of a bioink's performance, influencing both cell-material and cell-cell interactions within the hydrogel; (c) nanoparticles can impart "smart" features to the bioink, making the tissue constructs responsive to external stimuli. Responsiveness of the hydrogel to magnetic field, electric field, pH changes, and near-infrared light can be made possible by the incorporation of nanoparticles. Additionally, bioink polymeric networks with nanoparticles can undergo advanced chemical crosslinking, allowing greater flexibility to print structures with varied biomechanical properties. Taken together, the unique properties of various nanoparticles can help bioprint intricate constructs, bringing the process one step closer to complex tissue structure and organ printing. In this review, we explore the design principles and multifunctional properties of various nanomaterials and nanocomposite hydrogels for potential, primarily extrusion-based bioprinting applications. We illustrate the significance of biocompatibility of the designed nanocomposite hydrogel-based bioink for clinical translation and discuss the different parameters that affect cell fate after cell-nanomaterial interaction. Finally, we critically assess the current challenges of nanoengineering bioinks and provide insight into the future directions of potential hydrogel bioinks in the rapidly evolving field of bioprinting.

NIR-II Upconversion Photoluminescence of Er3+ Doped LiYF4 and NaY(Gd)F4 Core-Shell Nanoparticles

The availability of colloidal nano-materials with high efficiency, stability, and non-toxicity in the near infrared-II range is beneficial for biological diagnosis and therapy. Rare earth doped nanoparticles are ideal luminescent agents for bio-applications in the near infrared-II range due to the abundant energy level distribution. Among them, both excitation and emission range of Er³⁺ ions can be tuned into second biological window range. Herein, we report the synthesis of ∼15 nm LiYF₄, NaYF₄, and NaGdF₄ nanoparticles doped with Er³⁺ ions and their core-shell structures. The luminescent properties are compared, showing that Er³⁺ ions with single-doped LiYF₄ and NaYF₄ nanoparticles generate stronger luminescence than Er³⁺ ions with doped NaGdF₄, despite the difference in relative intensity at different regions. By epitaxial growth an inert homogeneous protective layer, the surface luminescence of the core-shell structure is further enhanced by about 5.1 times, 6.5 times, and 167.7 times for LiYF₄, NaYF₄, and NaGdF₄, respectively. The excellent luminescence in both visible and NIR range of these core-shell nanoparticles makes them potential candidate for bio-applications.

The Peptide Functionalized Inorganic Nanoparticles for Cancer-Related Bioanalytical and Biomedical Applications

In order to improve their bioapplications, inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are usually functionalized with specific biomolecules. Peptides with short amino acid sequences have attracted great attention in the NP functionalization since they are easy to be synthesized on a large scale by the automatic synthesizer and can integrate various functionalities including specific biorecognition and therapeutic function into one sequence. Conjugation of peptides with NPs can generate novel theranostic/drug delivery nanosystems with active tumor targeting ability and efficient nanosensing platforms for sensitive detection of various analytes, such as heavy metallic ions and biomarkers. Massive studies demonstrate that applications of the peptide-NP bioconjugates can help to achieve the precise diagnosis and therapy of diseases. In particular, the peptide-NP bioconjugates show tremendous potential for development of effective anti-tumor nanomedicines. This review provides an overview of the effects of properties of peptide functionalized NPs on precise diagnostics and therapy of cancers through summarizing the recent publications on the applications of peptide-NP bioconjugates for biomarkers (antigens and enzymes) and carcinogens (e.g., heavy metallic ions) detection, drug delivery, and imaging-guided therapy. The current challenges and future prospects of the subject are also discussed.

18F-Labeled magnetic nanovectors for bimodal cellular imaging

Surface modification of nanocarriers enables selective attachment to specific molecular targets within a complex biological environment. Besides the enhanced uptake due to specific interactions, the surface ligands can be utilized for radiolabeling applications for bimodal imaging ensured by positron emission topography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) functions in one source. Herein, we describe the surface functionalization of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) with folic acid as a target vector. Additionally, the magnetic nanocarriers were conjugated with appropriate ligands for subsequent copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition or carbodiimide coupling reactions to successfully achieve radiolabeling with the PET-emitter ¹⁸F. The phase composition (XRD) and size analysis (TEM) confirmed the formation of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (6.82 nm ± 0.52 nm). The quantification of various surface functionalities was performed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible microscopy (UV-Vis). An innovative magnetic-HPLC method was developed in this work for the determination of the radiochemical yield of the ¹⁸F-labeled NPs. The as-prepared Fe₃O₄ particles demonstrated high radiochemical yields and showed high cellular uptake in a folate receptor overexpressing MCF-7 cell line, validating bimodal imaging chemical design and a magnetic HPLC system. This novel approach, combining folic acid-capped Fe₃O₄ nanocarriers as a targeting vector with ¹⁸F labeling, is promising to apply this probe for bimodal PET/MR-studies.

A novel theranostic nanoplatform for imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is highly malignant and invasive, and current treatments are limited due to serious side effects and unsatisfactory outcomes. Here, we reported the terbium ion-doped hydroxyapatite (HATb) nanoparticle as a luminescent probe to encapsulate both the near-infrared (NIR) photothermal agent polydopamine (PDA) and anticancer doxorubicin (DOX) for imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy. The morphology, crystal structure, fluorescence, and composition of HATb-PDA-DOX were characterized. HATb-PDA showed a high DOX loading capacity. A theranostic nanoplatform showed pH/NIR responsive release properties and better antitumor outcomes in OSCC cells than monomodal chemotherapy or photothermal therapy, while keeping side effects at a minimum. Also, the luminescence signal was confirmed to be tracked and the increase of the red/green (R/G) ratio caused by the DOX release could be used to monitor the DOX release content. Furthermore, HATb-PDA-DOX plus NIR treatment synergistically promoted in vitro cell death through the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell cycle arrest, and increased cell apoptosis. Overall, this work presents an innovative strategy in designing a multifunctional nano-system for imaging-guided cancer treatment.