Targeted delivery of doxorubicin into tumor cells by nanostructured lipid carriers conjugated to anti-EGFRvIII monoclonal antibody

Analytical Techniques for Characterizing Tumor-Targeted Antibody-Functionalized Nanoparticles

The specific interaction between cell surface receptors and corresponding antibodies has driven opportunities for developing targeted cancer therapies using nanoparticle systems. It is challenging to design and develop such targeted nanomedicines using antibody ligands, as the final nanoconjugate's specificity hinges on the cohesive functioning of its components. The multicomponent nature of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles also complicates the characterization process. Regardless of the type of nanoparticle, it is essential to perform physicochemical characterization to establish a solid foundation of knowledge and develop suitable preclinical studies. A meaningful physicochemical evaluation of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles should include determining the quantity and orientation of the antibodies, confirming the antibodies' integrity following attachment, and assessing the immunoreactivity of the obtained nanoconjugates. In this review, the authors describe the various techniques (electrophoresis, spectroscopy, colorimetric assays, immunoassays, etc.) used to analyze the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies and discuss the main results.

Surface Functionalized Lipid Nanoparticles in Promoting Therapeutic Outcomes: An Insight View of the Dynamic Drug Delivery System

Compared to the conventional approach, nanoparticles (NPs) facilitate a non-hazardous, non-toxic, non-interactive, and biocompatible system, rendering them incredibly promising for improving drug delivery to target cells. When that comes to accomplishing specific therapeutic agents like drugs, peptides, nucleotides, etc., lipidic nanoparticulate systems have emerged as even more robust. They have asserted impressive ability in bypassing physiological and cellular barriers, evading lysosomal capture and the proton sponge effect, optimizing bioavailability, and compliance, lowering doses, and boosting therapeutic efficacy. However, the lack of selectivity at the cellular level hinders its ability to accomplish its potential to the fullest. The inclusion of surface functionalization to the lipidic NPs might certainly assist them in adapting to the basic biological demands of a specific pathological condition. Several ligands, including peptides, enzymes, polymers, saccharides, antibodies, etc., can be functionalized onto the surface of lipidic NPs to achieve cellular selectivity and avoid bioactivity challenges. This review provides a comprehensive outline for functionalizing lipid-based NPs systems in prominence over target selectivity. Emphasis has been put upon the strategies for reinforcing the therapeutic performance of lipidic nano carriers' using a variety of ligands alongside instances of relevant commercial formulations.

Technological advances in the use of viral and non-viral vectors for delivering genetic and non-genetic cargos for cancer therapy

The burden of cancer is increasing globally. Several challenges facing its mainstream treatment approaches have formed the basis for the development of targeted delivery systems to carry and distribute anti-cancer payloads to their defined targets. This site-specific delivery of drug molecules and gene payloads to selectively target druggable biomarkers aimed at inducing cell death while sparing normal cells is the principal goal for cancer therapy. An important advantage of a delivery vector either viral or non-viral is the cumulative ability to penetrate the haphazardly arranged and immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment of solid tumours and or withstand antibody-mediated immune response. Biotechnological approaches incorporating rational protein engineering for the development of targeted delivery systems which may serve as vehicles for packaging and distribution of anti-cancer agents to selectively target and kill cancer cells are highly desired. Over the years, these chemically and genetically modified delivery systems have aimed at distribution and selective accumulation of drug molecules at receptor sites resulting in constant maintenance of high drug bioavailability for effective anti-tumour activity. In this review, we highlighted the state-of-the art viral and non-viral drug and gene delivery systems and those under developments focusing on cancer therapy.

Lipid Nanoparticles Functionalized with Antibodies for Anticancer Drug Therapy

Nanotechnology takes the lead in providing new therapeutic options for cancer patients. In the last decades, lipid-based nanoparticles-solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), liposomes, and lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles-have received particular interest in anticancer drug delivery to solid tumors. To improve selectivity for target cells and, thus, therapeutic efficacy, lipid nanoparticles have been functionalized with antibodies that bind to receptors overexpressed in angiogenic endothelial cells or cancer cells. Most papers dealing with the preclinical results of antibody-conjugated nanoparticles claim low systemic toxicity and effective tumor inhibition, which have not been successfully translated into clinical use yet. This review aims to summarize the current "state-of-the-art" in anticancer drug delivery using antibody-functionalized lipid-based nanoparticles. It includes an update on promising candidates that entered clinical trials and some explanations for low translation success.

Lipid-engineered nanotherapeutics for cancer management

Cancer causes significant mortality and morbidity worldwide, but existing pharmacological treatments are greatly limited by the inherent heterogeneity of cancer as a disease, as well as the unsatisfactory efficacy and specificity of therapeutic drugs. Biopharmaceutical barriers such as low permeability and poor water solubility, along with the absence of active targeting capabilities, often result in suboptimal clinical results. The difficulty of successfully reaching and destroying tumor cells is also often compounded with undesirable impacts on healthy tissue, including off-target effects and high toxicity, which further impair the ability to effectively manage the disease and optimize patient outcomes. However, in the last few decades, the development of nanotherapeutics has allowed for the use of rational design in order to maximize therapeutic success. Advances in the fabrication of nano-sized delivery systems, coupled with a variety of surface engineering strategies to promote customization, have resulted in promising approaches for targeted, site-specific drug delivery with fewer unwanted effects and better therapeutic efficacy. These nano systems have been able to overcome some of the challenges of conventional drug delivery related to pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and target specificity. In particular, lipid-based nanosystems have been extensively explored due to their high biocompatibility, versatility, and adaptability. Lipid-based approaches to cancer treatment are varied and diverse, including liposomal therapeutics, lipidic nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipidic carriers, lipid-polymer nanohybrids, and supramolecular nanolipidic structures. This review aims to provide an overview of the use of diverse formulations of lipid-engineered nanotherapeutics for cancer and current challenges in the field, as researchers attempt to successfully translate these approaches from bench to clinic.

Nanostructured lipid carriers: a promising drug carrier for targeting brain tumours

Background

In recent years, the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine has transformed the pharmaceutical industry with the development of novel drug delivery systems that overcome the shortcomings of traditional drug delivery systems. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), also known as the second-generation lipid nanocarriers, are one such efficient and targeted drug delivery system that has gained immense attention all across due to their myriad advantages and applications. Scientific advancements have revolutionized our health system, but still, brain diseases like brain tumour have remained formidable owing to poor prognosis and the challenging drug delivery to the brain tissue. In this review, we highlighted the application and potential of NLCs in brain-specific delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.

Main body

NLCs are lipid-based formulations with a solid matrix at room temperature and offer advantages like enhanced stability, low toxicity, increased shelf life, improved drug loading capacity, and biocompatibility over other conventional lipid-based nanocarriers such as nanoemulsions and solid lipid nanoparticles. This review meticulously articulates the structure, classification, components, and various methods of preparation exemplified with various research studies along with their advantages and disadvantages. The concept of drug loading and release has been discussed followed by a brief about stability and strategies to improve stability of NLCs. The review also summarizes various in vitro and in vivo research studies on NLCs encapsulated with cytotoxic drugs and their potential application in brain-specific drug delivery.

Conclusion

NLCs are employed as an important carrier for the delivery of food, cosmetics, and medicines and recently have been used in brain targeting, cancer, and gene therapy. However, in this review, the applications and importance of NLCs in targeting brain tumour have been discussed in detail stating examples of various research studies conducted in recent years. In addition, to shed light on the promising role of NLCs, the current clinical status of NLCs has also been summarized.

Graphical Abstract

Immunotherapy Strategy Targeting Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 and CD73 with Macrophage-Derived Mimetic Nanovesicles to Treat Bladder Cancer

Combination immunotherapy is a promising strategy to remove the inhibitory effect of the tumor microenvironment on immune effector cells, improving the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in bladder cancer. However, it is challenging to deliver multiple drugs to the tumor tissue effectively and simultaneously to ensure optimal therapeutic effects. Macrophage-derived exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (EMVs) were designed and validated as a nanoplatform for coloading and delivery of the CD73 inhibitor (AB680) and the monoclonal antibody to programmed cell death ligand 1 (aPDL1). The tumor-targeting, biosafety, and therapeutic effects of these nanocomplexes (AB680@EMVs-aPDL1), as a combined immunotherapy strategy for bladder cancer, were assessed in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate that the nanodrug system was highly stable, provided adequate biosafety, and enhanced tumor targeting in a mouse model of bladder cancer. Moreover, the CD73 inhibitor reduced extracellular adenosine production, and the combination therapy significantly promoted the activation and infiltration of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, which helped to optimally suppress tumor growth and extend median survival in vivo. Therefore, using EMVs to deliver a combination of aPDL1 and the CD73 inhibitor may be a useful combined immunotherapy strategy for treating bladder cancer.

Understanding the Potential of Genome Editing in Parkinson's Disease

CRISPR is a simple and cost-efficient gene-editing technique that has become increasingly popular over the last decades. Various CRISPR/Cas-based applications have been developed to introduce changes in the genome and alter gene expression in diverse systems and tissues. These novel gene-editing techniques are particularly promising for investigating and treating neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, for which we currently lack efficient disease-modifying treatment options. Gene therapy could thus provide treatment alternatives, revolutionizing our ability to treat this disease. Here, we review our current knowledge on the genetic basis of Parkinson's disease to highlight the main biological pathways that become disrupted in Parkinson's disease and their potential as gene therapy targets. Next, we perform a comprehensive review of novel delivery vehicles available for gene-editing applications, critical for their successful application in both innovative research and potential therapies. Finally, we review the latest developments in CRISPR-based applications and gene therapies to understand and treat Parkinson's disease. We carefully examine their advantages and shortcomings for diverse gene-editing applications in the brain, highlighting promising avenues for future research.

Nanosystem functionalization strategies for prostate cancer treatment: a review

Prostate cancer (PC) has a high morbidity and mortality rate worldwide, and the current clinical guidelines can vary depending on the stage of the disease. Drug delivery nanosystems (DDNs) can improve biopharmaceutical properties of encapsulated anti-cancer drugs by modulating their release kinetics, improving physicochemical stability and reducing toxicity. DDN can also enhance the ability of specific targeting through surface modification by coupling ligands (antibodies, nucleic acids, peptides, aptamer, proteins), thus favouring the cell internalisation process by endocytosis. The purposes of this review are to describe the limitations in the treatment of PC, explore different functionalization such as polymeric, lipid and inorganic nanosystems aimed at the treatment of PC, and demonstrate the improvement of this modification for an active target, as alternative and promising candidates for new therapies.

Specific cellular internalization and pH-responsive behavior of doxorubicin loaded PLGA-PEG nanoparticles targeted with anti EGFRvIII antibody

AIM

Antibody-conjugated nanoparticles have attracted much attention in the field of cancer treatment due to the enhancement of the tumor cell response to anticancer drugs as well as reducing the side effects of chemotherapeutic agents on healthy tissues. However, most studies in this field generally mentioned the specific cellular uptake of conjugated nanoparticles. In this study, we loaded doxorubicin (DXR: as an effective antineoplastic agent) in PLGA-PEG (D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)-(polyethylene glycol) biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) and then conjugated with anti-EGFRvIII antibody. The resulting nanoparticles had remarkable sensitivity to pH decrease and were capable of targeting specific cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To this aim, PLGA-PEG-COOH was used for the synthesis of nanoparticles and stabilized by polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) according to the nanoprecipitation method. The carboxylic groups on the surface of PLGA-PEG NPs were activated by EDC/NHS and covalently conjugated to amino groups of the monoclonal antibody. The prepared NPs were characterized by Zetasizer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting NPs were evaluated in terms of entrapment efficiency (EE), drug loading efficiency (DLE), drug-release profile, and cell internalization. Intrinsic cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT, apoptosis (Annexin V-PI) and cell cycle assays.

KEY FINDINGS

The in vitro drug release assessment of conjugated particles (MAb-DXR-PLGA NPs) showed a slow sustained DXR release in physiological pH (7.4) values, while the initial drug release was markedly higher (the 1.9 fold) in acidic pH (6.5) ranges. The selectivity for cellular internalization of MAb-DXR-PLGA NPs into U87MG vIII cells (overexpressing EGFRvIII) in comparison with U87MG cells (lacking EGFRvIII expression) was also confirmed. The MTT assay demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of MAb-DXR-PLGA NPs against U87MG vIII cells was more pronounced when compared with BSA-DXR-PLGA NPs. The results of the MTT assay were also confirmed by apoptosis and cell cycle assays.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings suggest that the designed anti-EGFRvIII MAb-DXR-PLGA NPs could be considered as a proper option for targeted drug delivery systems due to pH sensitivity and specific cellular internalization.

Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Delivery of Chemotherapeutics: A Review

The efficacy of current standard chemotherapy is suboptimal due to the poor solubility and short half-lives of chemotherapeutic agents, as well as their high toxicity and lack of specificity which may result in severe side effects, noncompliance and patient inconvenience. The application of nanotechnology has revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry and attracted increasing attention as a significant means for optimizing the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and enhancing their efficiency and safety profiles. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are lipid-based formulations that have been broadly studied as drug delivery systems. They have a solid matrix at room temperature and are considered superior to many other traditional lipid-based nanocarriers such as nanoemulsions, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) due to their enhanced physical stability, improved drug loading capacity, and biocompatibility. This review focuses on the latest advances in the use of NLCs as drug delivery systems and their preparation and characterization techniques with special emphasis on their applications as delivery systems for chemotherapeutic agents and different strategies for their use in tumor targeting.

Muscone/RI7217 co-modified upward messenger DTX liposomes enhanced permeability of blood-brain barrier and targeting glioma

Rationale: The dual-targeted drug delivery system was designed for enhancing permeation of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and providing an anti-glioma effect. As transferrin receptor (TfR) is over-expressed by the brain capillary endothelial (hCMEC/D3) and glioma cells, a mouse monoclonal antibody, RI7217, with high affinity and selectivity for TfR, was used to study the brain targeted drug delivery system. Muscone, an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) musk, was used as the "guide" drug to probe the permeability of the BBB for drug delivery into the cerebrospinal fluid. This study investigated the combined effects of TCM aromatic resuscitation and modern receptor-targeted technology by the use of muscone/RI7217 co-modified docetaxel (DTX) liposomes for enhanced drug delivery to the brain for anti-glioma effect. Methods: Cellular drug uptake from the formulations was determined using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The drug penetrating ability into tumor spheroids were visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In vivo glioma-targeting ability of formulations was evaluated using whole-body fluorescent imaging system. The survival curve study was performed to evaluate the anti-glioma effect of the formulations. Results: The results showed that muscone and RI7217 co-modified DTX liposomes enhanced uptake into both hCMEC/D3 and U87-MG cells, increased penetration to the deep region of U87-MG tumor spheroids, improved brain targeting in vivo and prolonged survival time of nude mice bearing tumor. Conclusion: Muscone and RI7217 co-modified DTX liposomes were found to show improved brain targeting and enhanced the efficacy of anti-glioma drug treatment in vivo.

Brain targeted delivery of anticancer drugs: prospective approach using solid lipid nanoparticles

A brain tumour is amongst most devastating and challenging condition to overcome with suitable treatment as the drug has to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with several physiological barriers like opsonisation by the reticuloendothelial system. Presently various techniques such as surgical, chemotherapeutic agents, and radiotherapy techniques have performed to extend the lifespan of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma, which did not maximise the overall survival of patients with a tumour. Nanotechnology is relied upon to diminish the requirement for intrusive methods for conveyance of therapeutics to the central nervous system. Colloidal nanocarriers sizing range 1-1000 nm have been utilised to cross BBB delivers the drug at cell levels with enhanced bioavailability and reduced toxicity. However, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are considered a highly flexible carrier for more successful remedially in brain tumour. The treatment of a brain tumour via SLNs is gaining greater potency due to its inimitable size and lipidic nature. This review focuses and represents the current strategies of SLNs in the brain tumour treatment with appropriate techniques adopted are highlighted. Based on this review, the authors concluded that SLNs embrace exclusive promising lipidic nanocarrier that could be utilised to target a brain tumour effectively.

Passive and active targeting in cancer therapy by liposomes and lipid nanoparticles

Considerable development in the application of injectable drug delivery systems for cancer therapy has occurred in the last few decades. These improvements include liposomes, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), and other nanoparticles with or without macromolecular conjugates. For example, liposomal doxorubicin modified by poly(ethylene glycol) (Doxil) was the first liposome with anti-cancer effects which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, whereas Abraxane (modified albumin nanoparticles loaded by paclitaxel) was recently confirmed for the treatment of breast cancer. Recently, drug delivery systems by LNPs are an emerging technology with numerous advantages over conventional liposomes and chemotherapy using free drug treatment of cancer. These properties are biocompatibility, controlled and sustained release of anti-tumor drugs, and lower toxicity. Valuable experiments on these drug delivery systems offer better treatment of multidrug-resistant cancers and lower cardiotoxicity. LNPs have been presented with high functionality in chemotherapeutic targeting of breast and prostate cancer. The basis for this targeting behavior has been shown to be both passive and active targeting. The main objective of this review was an overview of the current position of the liposome-based drug delivery systems in targeted anticancer chemotherapy.

Nobiletin Enhances Chemosensitivity to Adriamycin through Modulation of the Akt/GSK3β/β⁻Catenin/MYCN/MRP1 Signaling Pathway in A549 Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Drug resistance is a major problem in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes in Adriamycin (ADR)-resistant NSCLC A549/ADR cells compared with parental A549 cells. Among the tested phytochemicals, nobiletin (NBT) is able to overcome the ADR resistance of A549/ADR cells. NBT treatment decreased the expression of a neuroblastoma-derived MYC (MYCN) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) as well as downregulating Akt, GSK3β, and β-catenin. Consistent with these results, NBT treatment resulted in the accumulation of intracellular ADR. A combination index (CI) assay confirmed the synergistic effect of combined treatment with NBT and ADR in reducing the viability of A549/ADR cells (CI = 0.152). Combined treatment with NBT and ADR enhanced apoptosis in A549/ADR cells, as evidenced by increased caspase-3 activation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, and sub-G1 population compared to treatment with ADR alone. In vivo experiments using a mouse xenograft model revealed that combination therapy with NBT and ADR significantly reduced tumor volume by 84.15%. These data suggest that NBT can sensitize ADR-induced cytotoxicity against A549/ADR cells by inhibiting MRP1 expression, indicating that NBT could serve as an effective adjuvant agent for ADR-based chemotherapy in lung cancer.

RN765C, a low affinity EGFR antibody drug conjugate with potent anti-tumor activity in preclinical solid tumor models

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a clinically validated target and often overexpressed in some solid tumors. Both EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and ligand-blocking antibodies have been approved for treatment of NSCLC, head and neck cancers and colorectal cancers. However, clinical response is limited and often accompanied by significant toxicities due to normal tissue expression. To improve the effectiveness of targeting EGFR while minimizing the toxicities on normal tissues, we developed a low-affinity anti-EGFR antibody drug conjugate (ADC), RN765C. Potent in vitro cytotoxicity of RN765C, with nanomolar to subnanomolar EC50, was observed on a panel of cancer cell lines expressing moderate to high level of EGFR. In contrast, RN765C was less effective in killing normal human keratinocytes, presumably due to its lower receptor expression. Mechanistically, RN765C has multiple modes of action: inducing payload mediated mitotic arrest and cell death, blocking EGFR pathway signal and mediating antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity. In preclinical studies, a single dose of RN765C at 1.5-3 mg/kg was generally sufficient to induce tumor regression in multiple cell line and patient-derived xenograft models, including those that are resistant to EGFR-directed tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Our data support further investigation of RN765C in the clinic to treat EGFR expressing solid tumors.

Epidermal growth factor receptor based active targeting: a paradigm shift towards advance tumor therapy

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a cell surface receptor belonging to erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homologue (ErbB) family of tyrosine kinase. It plays critical role in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. The EGFR receptor is crucial in a variety of tumor development due to unlikely triggered by receptor overexpression, chromosomal mutation and or ligand-dependent receptor dimerization. The EGFR inhibition established a major therapeutic target in cancer therapy. The signal transduction pathway of EGFR is directly involved in tumor pathogenesis and progression. The combinatorial approach with EGFR inhibitors bring novel therapeutic regime with proved clinical efficacy. This critique briefly addressed EGFR receptor characteristics, worldwide report on various cancers and EGFR based potential targeting modalities in skin, breast, ovary, brain, lungs, pancreas, gastric and colorectal tumors and molecular pathways involved in EGFR targeting.

Carvacrol nanoemulsion evokes cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction and autophagy inhibition in doxorubicin resistant-A549 cell line

Carvacrol is a monoterpenoid flavonoid found abundantly in thyme plants. Its physiochemical instability and partial solubility in water is the principal limitation for its industrial use. Hence, we made a carvacrol nanoemulsion (CANE) using ultrasonication method and characterized it by dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique which revealed a negative surface charge (-29.89 mV) with 99.1 nm average droplet size. CANE effectively induced apoptosis in doxorubicin-resistant A549 lung carcinoma cells (A549^DR) evident by the elevated expression of apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Cytochrome C, and Cleaved caspase 3 and 9. Also, CANE displayed cell senescence leading to cell cycle arrest by reducing CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, Cyclin E, Cyclin D1 and enhancing p21 protein expression. In addition, a potential role of CANE in the inhibition of autophagy was noted by evaluating the reduced conversion of LC-3 I to II. Beside this, a down-regulation of important autophagy markers ATG5 and ATG7 and upregulation of p62 were detected in response to CANE. We conclude that the synthesized CANE has potential to cause cell senescence, cell cycle arrest, autophagy inhibition and apoptosis in A549^DR cells and could be used as a potential candidate for lung cancer therapy.