A DiR loaded tumor targeting theranostic cisplatin-icodextrin prodrug nanoparticle for imaging guided chemo-photothermal cancer therapy

A non-invasive osteopontin-targeted phase changeable fluorescent nanoprobe for molecular imaging of myocardial fibrosis

Due to the elevated fatality rate of cardiovascular diseases, myocardial fibrosis emerges as a prominent pathological alteration in the majority of heart ailments and their associated pathologies, thereby augmenting the likelihood of sudden cardiac death. Consequently, the prompt and obligatory identification of myocardial fibrosis assumes paramount importance in averting malignant incidents among patients afflicted with cardiac disorders. Herein, with higher expression osteopontin (OPN) found in cardiac fibrosis tissue, we have developed a dual-modality imaging probe, namely OPN targeted nanoparticles (OPN@PFP-DiR NPs), which loaded perfluoropentane (PFP) for ultrasound (US) and 1,1-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,3-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR) for near-infrared fluorescence (NIR) of molecular imaging, to investigate the molecular features of cardiac fibrosis using US and NIR imaging. Subsequently, the OPN@PFP-DiR NPs were administered intravenously to a mouse model of myocardial infarction (MI). The US and NIR molecular imaging techniques were employed to visualize the accumulation of the nanoparticles in the fibrotic myocardium. Hence, this research presents a valuable noninvasive, cost-effective, and real-time imaging method for evaluating cardiac fibrosis, with promising clinical applications.

A Phase-Change Mediated Intelligent Nanoplatform for Chemo/Photothermal/Photodynamic Therapy of Cancer

Up to now, chemotherapy is still the main strategy for cancer treatment. However, the emergence of chemo-resistance and systemic side effects often seriously affects the treatment and prognosis. Herein, an intelligent nanoplatform based on dendritic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (DMON) is constructed. The encapsulated phase-change material, 1-tetradecanol (TD) can serve as a "doorkeeper" and enable the responsive release of drugs based on the temperature changes. Meanwhile, polyethylene glycol (PEG) is used to improve the dispersibility and biocompatibility. Cisplatin is chosen as the model of chemotherapy drug, which is co-loaded with indocyanine green (ICG) in DMON to produce DMON-PEG-cisplatin/ICG-TD (DPCIT). Exciting, the hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species induced by ICG under the NIR-laser irradiation will initiate a phase transition of TD to release cisplatin, thus leading a combined therapy (chemo/photothermal/photodynamic therapy). The results indicated that under laser irradiation, DPCIT can kill cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth efficiently. In addition, the designed nanoplatform reveals minimal systemic toxicity in vivo, in contrast, the distinct liver damage can be observed by the direct treatment of cisplatin. Overall, this research may provide a general approach for the targeted delivery and controlled release of chemotherapy drugs to realize a cooperatively enhanced multimodal tumor therapy.

Reduction-responsive worm-like nanoparticles for synergistic cancer chemo-photodynamic therapy

Chemo-photodynamic therapy shows great potential for cancer treatment. However, the rational integration of chemotherapeutic agents and photosensitizers to construct an intelligent nanoplatform with synergistic therapeutic effect is still a great challenge. In this work, curcumin-loaded reduction-responsive prodrug nanoparticles of new indocyanine green (Cur@IR820-ss-PEG) were developed for synergistic cancer chemo-photodynamic therapy. Cur@IR820-ss-PEG exhibit high drug loading content and special worm-like morphology, contributing to their efficient cellular uptake. Due to the presence of the disulfide bond between IR820 and PEG, Cur@IR820-ss-PEG display reduction responsive drug release behaviors. The efficient cellular uptake and reduction triggered drug release of Cur@IR820-ss-PEG lead to their enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity against 4T1cells as compared to the mixture of IR820 and curcumin (IR820/Cur) under laser irradiation. Besides, Cur@IR820-ss-PEG exhibit prolonged blood half-life time, better tumor accumulation and retention, enhanced tumor hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) suppression effect as compared to IR820/Cur. In vivo antitumor activity study, Cur@IR820-ss-PEG effectively inhibit the tumor angiogenesis, which potentiates the PDT efficacy and leads to the best in vivo antitumor effect of Cur@IR820-ss-PEG. This work provides a novel and relatively simple strategy for synergistic cancer chemo-photodynamic therapy.

Precise fibrin decomposition and tumor mechanics modulation with hydroxyethyl starch-based smart nanomedicine for enhanced antitumor efficacy

Chemotherapy is a conventional cancer treatment in clinical settings. Although numerous nano drug delivery systems have been developed, the chemotherapeutic effect is greatly limited by abnormal tumor mechanics in solid tumors. Tumor stiffening and accumulated solid stress compress blood vessels and inhibit drug delivery to tumor cells, becoming critical challenges for chemotherapy. By loading doxorubicin (DOX), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and fibrin targeting peptide CREKA (Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala) within pH responsive amphiphilic block polymers, pyridyldithio-hydroxyethyl starch-Schiff base-polylactic acid (PA-HES-pH-PLA), we report a smart nanomedicine, DOX@CREKA/tPA-HES-pH-PLA (DOX@CREKA/tPA-HP), which exhibits a potent antitumor efficacy. In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) 4T1 tumors, DOX@CREKA/tPA-HP precisely targeted and effectively decomposed fibrin matrix. By measuring Young's Modulus of tumor slices and quantifying tumor openings, we demonstrated that DOX@CREKA/tPA-HP remarkably reduced tumor stiffness and solid stress. Consequently, the alleviated tumor mechanics decompressed tumor blood vessels, promoted drug delivery, and led to amplified antitumor effect. Our work reveals that decomposing fibrin is a significant means for modulating tumor mechanics, and DOX@CREKA/tPA-HP is a promising smart nanomedicine for treating TNBC.