Combination therapy based on targeted nano drug co-delivery systems for liver fibrosis treatment: A review

Preliminary Study on Pharmacokinetics and Antitumor Pharmacodynamics of Folic Acid Modified Crebanine Polyethyleneglycol-Polylactic Acid Hydroxyacetic Acid Copolymer Nanoparticles

Purpose

Liver cancer is associated significantly with morbidity and mortality. The combination of low-intensity ultrasound with nanomedicine delivery systems holds promise as an alternative for the treatment for liver cancer. This study focuses on the utilization of folic acid (FA) modified nanoparticles, which are loaded with fluorescent dye DiR and liquid fluorocarbon (PFP). These nanoparticles have the potential to enhance liver cancer targeting under ultrasound stimulation and future applications in vivo.

Methods

The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of folic acid-modified Crebanine polyethylene glycol-polylactic acid copolymer nanoparticles (FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs) were investigated. The pharmacokinetic parameters, liver targeting, and in vivo distribution were assessed. Additionally, the inhibitory impacts of FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs in combination with ultrasonic irradiation on the proliferation and acute toxicity of H22 cells of mouse hepatoma were investigated in vitro. The tumor targeting and anti-tumor efficacy of FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs were assessed utilizing a small animal in vivo imaging system and an in situ hepatocellular carcinoma transplantation model, respectively.

Results

The pharmacokinetic studies and tissue distribution tests demonstrated that FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs conspicuously prolonged the half-life and retention time of the drug in rats, and the liver targeting effect was pronounced. Additionally, the in vivo acute toxicity test indicated that FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs had minimal adverse reactions and could fulfill the aim of attenuating the drug. The outcomes of the animal experiments further substantiated that FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs had a longer retention time at the tumor site, a superior anti-tumor effect, and less damage to liver and kidney tissue.

Conclusion

The integration of FA-Cre@PEG-PLGA NPs with ultrasound irradiation demonstrated exceptional safety and potent anti-tumor efficacy in vivo, presenting a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of liver cancer through the combination of ultrasound technology with a nanomedicine delivery system.

Progress and challenges in the translation of cancer nanomedicines

With the booming development of nanotechnology, nanomedicines have made considerable progress in the pharmaceutical field. However, the number of nanodrugs approved for clinical treatment is very limited. The main obstacles stem from the complexity of nanomedicine composition, tumor heterogeneity, complexity and incomplete understanding of nanotumor interactions, uncontrollable scaling, high production costs, and uncertainty of regulations and standards. This review article described the current stage of nanomedicines and highlighted the challenges, strategies, and opportunities for clinical translation of nanomedicines.

Emerging Trends in Hybrid Nanoparticles: Revolutionary Advances and Promising Biomedical Applications

Modern nanostructures must fulfill a wide range of functions to be valuable, leading to the combination of various nano-objects into hierarchical assemblies. Hybrid Nanoparticles (HNPs), comprised of multiple types of nanoparticles, are emerging as nanoscale structures with versatile applications. HNPs offer enhanced medical benefits compared to basic combinations of distinct components. They address the limitations of traditional nanoparticle delivery systems, such as poor water solubility, nonspecific targeting, and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. HNPs also facilitate the transition from anatomical to molecular imaging in lung cancer diagnosis, ensuring precision. In clinical settings, the selection of nanoplatforms with superior reproducibility, cost-effectiveness, easy preparation, and advanced functional and structural characteristics is paramount. This study aims toextensively examine hybrid nanoparticles, focusing on their classification, drug delivery mechanisms, properties of hybrid inorganic nanoparticles, advancements in hybrid nanoparticle technology, and their biomedical applications, particularly emphasizing the utilization of smart hybrid nanoparticles. PHNPs enable the delivery of numerous anticancer, anti-leishmanial, and antifungal drugs, enhancing cellular absorption, bioavailability, and targeted drug delivery while reducing toxic side effects.

Biopolymers in Drug and Gene Delivery Systems 2.0

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the design and development of biopolymer-based delivery systems for a wide range of applications, including cancer therapy, gene editing, regenerative medicine, and vaccine delivery [...].

Mesoporous polydopamine based biominetic nanodrug ameliorates liver fibrosis via antioxidation and TGF-β/SMADS pathway

Early intervention of liver fibrosis can prevent its further irreversible progression. Both excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) and transforming growth factor beta(TGF-β)/drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (SMADS) pathway balance disorder promote the progression of hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, but existing therapeutic strategies failed to focus on those two problems. A new biomimetic mesoporous polydopamine nandrug (MPO) was constructed for liver fibrosis therapy with multiple targets and reliable biosafety. The MPO was formed by mesoporous polydopamine (mPDA) which has the effect of ROS elimination and encapsulated with anti-fibrotic drug -oxymatrine (OMT) which can intervene liver fibrosis targeting TGF-β/SMADSpathway. Particularly, the nanodrug was completed by macrophage-derived exosome covering. The MPO was confirmed to possess a desired size distribution with negative zeta potential and exhibite strong ROS scavenger ability. Besides, in vitro studies, MPO showed efficient endocytosis and superior intracellular ROS scavenging without cytotoxicity; in vivo studies, MPO effectively cleared the excessive ROS in liver tissue and balanced the TGF-β/SMADS pathways, which in turn inhibited HSC activation and showed superior anti-liver fibrosis therapeutic efficiency with good biological safety. Taken together, this work showed highlights the great potential of the MPO for ameliorating liver fibrosis via ROS elimination and TGF-β/SMADS balancing.

Organoids technology for advancing the clinical translation of cancer nanomedicine

The past decades have witnessed the rapid development and widespread application of nanomedicines in cancer treatment; however, the clinical translation of experimental findings has been low, as evidenced by the low percentage of commercialized nanomedicines. Incomplete understanding of nanomedicine-tumor interactions and inappropriate evaluation models are two important challenges limiting the clinical translation of cancer nanomedicines. Currently, nanomedicine-tumor interaction and therapeutic effects are mainly investigated using cell lines or mouse models, which do not recapitulate the complex tumor microenvironment in human patients. Thus, information obtained from cell lines and mouse models cannot provide adequate guidance for the rational redesign of nanomedicine. Compared with other preclinical models, tumor organoids constructed from patient-derived tumor tissues are superior in retaining the key histopathological, genetic, and phenotypic features of the parent tumor. We speculate that organoid technology would help elucidate nanomedicine-tumor interaction in the tumor microenvironment and guide the design of nanomedicine, making it a reliable tool to accurately predict drug responses in patients with cancer. This review highlighted the advantages of drug delivery systems in cancer treatment, challenges limiting the clinical translation of antitumor nanomedicines, and potential application of patient-derived organoids (PDO) in nanomedicine. We propose that combining organoids and nanotechnology would facilitate the development of safe and effective cancer nanomedicines and accelerate their clinical application. This review discussed the potential translational value of integrative research using organoids and cancer nanomedicine. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.

Pharmacological modulation of ferroptosis as a therapeutic target for liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis, which is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) materials (primarily fibrillar collagen-I), is an abnormal repair reaction and pathological outcome of chronic liver diseases caused by alcohol abuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections. Liver fibrosis often progresses to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Ferroptosis, characterized by lipid peroxidation, is a form of iron-dependent non-apoptotic cell death, and recent studies have reported that ferroptosis contribute to the development of liver fibrosis. Moreover, several agents have demonstrated therapeutic effects in experimental liver fibrosis models by inducing hepatic stellate cell (HSCs) ferroptosis. This review delineates the specific mechanism by which ferroptosis contributes to the development of liver fibrosis. Specifically, we focused on the different types of therapeutic agents that can induce HSCs ferroptosis and summarize their pharmacological effectiveness for liver fibrosis treatment. We suggest that HSCs ferroptosis may be a potential useful target of novel therapies for preventing and treating liver fibrosis.

The Current State of the Art in PARP Inhibitor-Based Delivery Nanosystems

Poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]–ribose) polymerases inhibitors (PARPi), the first clinically approved drug that exhibits synthetic lethality, are moving to the forefront of cancer treatments. Currently, the oral bioavailability of PARPi is quite low; thus, it is a major challenge to effectively and safely deliver PARPi during clinical cancer therapy. Nanotechnology has greatly advanced the development of drug delivery. Based on the basic characteristics and various forms of nanoparticles, drug delivery systems can prolong the time that drugs circulate, realize the controlled release of drugs, provide drugs with an active targeting ability, and spatiotemporally present combination treatment. Furthermore, nanosystems may not only enhance drug efficiency but also reduce adverse side effects. This review focuses on strategies involving nanoparticle-based delivery for PARPi, including single administration and codelivery with other agents. We believe that nanosystems have great potential in advancing PARPi efficacy for cancer therapy.