Implementation of two different experimental designs for screening and optimization of process parameters for metformin-loaded carboxymethyl chitosan formulation

Optimizing long-term stability of siRNA using thermoassemble ionizable reverse pluronic-Bcl2 micelleplexes

Thermosassemble Ionizable Reverse Pluronic (TIRP) platform stands out for its distinctive combination of thermoassemble and ionizable features, effectively overcoming challenges in previous siRNA delivery systems. This study opens up a formation for long-term stabilization, and high loading of siRNA, specifically crafted for targeting oncogenic pathways. TIRP-Bcl2 self-assembles into a unique micelle structure with a nanodiameter of 75.8 ± 5.7 nm, efficiently encapsulating Bcl2 siRNA while maintaining exceptional colloidal stability at 4 °C for 8 months, along with controlled release profiles lasting 180 h. The dual ionizable headgroup enhance the siRNA loading and the revers pluronic unique structural orientation enhance the stability of the siRNA. The thermoassemble of TIRP-Bcl2 facilitates flexi-rigid response to mild hyperthermia, enhancing deep tissue penetration and siRNA release in the tumor microenvironment. This responsive behavior improves intracellular uptake and gene silencing efficacy in cancer cells. TIRP, with its smaller particle size and reverse pluronic nature, efficiently transports siRNA across the blood-brain barrier, holding promise for revolutionizing glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. TIRP-Bcl2 shows significant potential for precise, personalized therapies, promising prolonged siRNA delivery and in vitro/in vivo stability. This research opens avenues for further exploration and clinical translation of this innovative nanocarrier system across different cancers.

Effect of variables on exemestane-loaded albumin nanoparticles: statistical optimization and anti-cancer activity in MCF-7 cell lines

This research aimed to evaluate the effect of variables on exemestane-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (EXE-BSA NPs) to improve anti-breast cancer activity. EXE-BSA NPs were optimized using 32 factorial design, wherein the concentration of BSA (X1) and sonication time (X2) were independent variables and particle size (Y1) and %w/w entrapment efficiency (Y2) were dependent variables. The statistical optimization revealed a significant effect of BSA concentration on both variables, whereas sonication time affected only particle size. The optimized EXE-BSA NPs were spherical with 124.1 ± 2.62 nm particle size, 83.95 ± 1.06% w/w drug entrapment, and exhibited a biphasic release of 100% (w/w) drug over 72 h. The optimized formulation induced cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell lines with an IC50 value of 21.46 µg/mL by MTT assay, almost half the free drug (54.87 µg/mL). Thus, statistically optimized EXE-BSA NPs were effective in MCF-7 cell lines and can be explored to treat estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Human Serum Albumin Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Optimization and Immobilization with Antituberculosis Drugs

The aim of this study was to create nanoparticles of human serum albumin immobilized with anti-TB drugs (rifampicin, isoniazid) using the desolvation method. Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied to study the effect of albumin, urea, L-cysteine, rifampicin and isoniazid concentration on particle size, polydispersity and loading degree of the drugs. The optimized nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average particle size of 216.7 ± 3.7 nm and polydispersity of 0.286 ± 4.9. The loading degree of rifampicin and isoniazid in the optimized nanoparticles were 44% and 27%, respectively. The obtained nanoparticles were examined by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); the results showed the absence of drug-polymer interactions. The drug release from the polymer matrix was studied using dialysis membranes.

WZB117 Decorated Metformin-Carboxymethyl Chitosan Nanoparticles for Targeting Breast Cancer Metabolism

The "Warburg effect" provides a novel method for treating cancer cell metabolism. Overexpression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and downregulation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) have been identified as biomarkers of abnormal cancer cell metabolism. Metformin (MET) is an effective therapy for breast cancer (BC), but its efficacy is largely reliant on the concentration of glucose at the tumor site. We propose a WZB117 (a GLUT1 inhibitor)-OCMC (O-carboxymethyl-chitosan)-MET combo strategy for simultaneous GLUT1 and mTOR targeting for alteration of BC metabolism. WZB117 conjugated polymeric nanoparticles were 225.67 ± 11.5 nm in size, with a PDI of 0.113 ± 0.16, and an encapsulation of 72.78 6.4%. OCMC pH-dependently and selectively releases MET at the tumor site. MET targets the mTOR pathway in cancer cells, and WZB117 targets BCL2 to alter GLUT1 at the cancer site. WZB117-OCMC-MET overcomes the limitations of MET monotherapy by targeting mTOR and BCL2 synergistically. WZB117-OCMC-MET activates AMPK and suppresses mTOR in a Western blot experiment, indicating growth-inhibitory and apoptotic characteristics. AO/EB and the cell cycle enhance cellular internalization as compared to MET alone. WZB117-OCMC-MET affects cancer cells' metabolism and is a promising BC therapeutic strategy.

Folic Acid Functionalized Diallyl Trisulfide-Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Targeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer

DATS (diallyl trisulfide), an anti-oxidant and cytotoxic chemical derived from the plant garlic, has been found to have potential therapeutic activity against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Its hydrophobicity, short half-life, lack of target selectivity, and limited bioavailability at the tumor site limit its efficacy in treating TNBC. Overexpression of the Folate receptor on the surface of TNBC is a well-known target receptor for overcoming off-targeting, and lipid nanoparticles solve the limitations of limited bioavailability and short half-life. In order to overcome these constraints, we developed folic acid (FA)-conjugated DATS-SLNs in this research. The design of experiment (DoE) method was employed to optimize the FA-DATS-SLNs' nanoformulation, which resulted in a particle size of 168.2 ± 3.78 nm and a DATS entrapment of 71.91 ± 6.27%. The similarity index between MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines demonstrates that FA-DATS-SLNs are more therapeutically efficacious in the treatment of aggravating TNBC. Higher cellular internalization and efficient Bcl2 protein downregulation support the hypothesis that functionalization of the FA on the surface of DATS-SLNs improves anticancer efficacy when compared with DATS and DATS-SLNs. FA-functionalized DATS-SLNs have demonstrated to be a promising therapeutic strategy for TNBC management.

Chitosan: A versatile bio-platform for breast cancer theranostics

Breast cancer is considered one of the utmost neoplastic diseases globally, with a high death rate of patients. Over the last decades, many approaches have been studied to early diagnose and treat it, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and MRI and biomarker tests; do not show the optimal efficacy. These existing approaches are accompanied by severe side effects, thus recognizing these challenges, a great effort has been done to find out the new remedies for breast cancer. Main finding: Nanotechnology opened a new horizon to the treatment of breast cancer. Many nanoparticulate platforms for the diagnosis of involved biomarkers and delivering antineoplastic drugs are under either clinical trials or just approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is well known that natural phytochemicals are successfully useful to treat breast cancer because these natural compounds are safer, available, cheaper, and have less toxic effects. Chitosan is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. Further, it has outstanding features, like chemical functional groups that can easily modify our interest with an exceptional choice of promising applications. Abundant studies were directed to assess the chitosan derivative-based nanoformulation's abilities in delivering varieties of drugs. However, the role of chitosan in diagnostics and theranostics not be obligated. The present servey will discuss the application of chitosan as an anticancer drug carrier such as tamoxifen, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, etc. and also, its role as a theranostics (i.e. photo-responsive and thermo-responsive) moieties. The therapeutic and theranostic potential of chitosan in cancer is promising and it seems that to have a good potential to get to the clinic.

A Review on Drug Delivery System for Tumor Therapy

In recent years, with the development of nanomaterials, the research of drug delivery systems has become a new field of cancer therapy. Compared with conventional antitumor drugs, drug delivery systems such as drug nanoparticles (NPs) are expected to have more advantages in antineoplastic effects, including easy preparation, high efficiency, low toxicity, especially active tumor-targeting ability. Drug delivery systems are usually composed of delivery carriers, antitumor drugs, and even target molecules. At present, there are few comprehensive reports on a summary of drug delivery systems applied for tumor therapy. This review introduces the preparation, characteristics, and applications of several common delivery carriers and expounds the antitumor mechanism of different antitumor drugs in delivery carriers in detail which provides a more theoretical basis for clinical application of personalized cancer nanomedicine in the future.

Microfluidic-based synthesized carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles containing metformin for diabetes therapy: In vitro and in vivo assessments

This work was aimed to synthesize novel crosslinked carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (CMCS NPs) containing metformin hydrochloride (MET) using microfluidics (MF) and evaluate their performance for diabetes therapy. The field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images and dynamic light scattering (DLS) results showed that the NPs average size was 77 ± 19 nm with a narrow size distribution. They exhibited a high encapsulation efficiency (∼90 %) and the controlled drug release while crosslinking using CaCl₂. Eventually, the in vivo assessments dedicated an increased body weight up to 7.94 % and a decreased blood glucose level amount of 43.58 % for MF MET-loaded CMCS NPs with respect to the free drug in diabetic rats. Also, the results of histopathological studies revealed the size of the pancreatic islets to be 2.32 μm² and β cells intensity to be 64 cells per islet for the diabetic rats after treating with the MF-based sample. These data were close to those obtained for the healthy rats.

Design of experiments (DoE) to develop and to optimize nanoparticles as drug delivery systems

Nanotechnology has been widely applied to develop drug delivery systems to improve therapeutic performance. The effectiveness of these systems is intrinsically related to their physicochemical properties, so their biological responses are highly susceptible to factors such as the type and quantity of each material that is employed in their synthesis and to the method that is used to produce them. In this context, quality-oriented manufacturing of nanoparticles has been an important strategy to understand and to optimize the factors involved in their production. For this purpose, Design of Experiment (DoE) tools have been applied to obtain enough knowledge about the process and hence achieve high-quality products. This review aims to set up the bases to implement DoE as a strategy to improve the manufacture of nanocarriers and to discuss the main factors involved in the production of the most common nanocarriers employed in the pharmaceutical field.