Co-delivery of paclitaxel and doxorubicin using polypeptide-engineered nanogels for combination therapy of tumor

An injectable PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel for combined chemodynamic and chemotherapy of tumors

Nowadays, chemotherapy is a common clinical treatment for cancer, but it still faces many limitations and challenges. Therefore, the combination of chemotherapy and other treatments often enhances the effectiveness of treatments. Herein, an injectable hydrogel of PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX based on Cu2+, hydrophilic doxorubicin (DOX), and genetically engineered polypeptide PC10ARGD was prepared. First, Cu2+ was attached to the histidines in the PC10ARGD polypeptide by the coordination reaction to form PC10ARGD/Cu2+ hydrogel, then the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel was prepared by encapsulating the DOX into the PC10ARGD/Cu2+ hydrogel. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel displayed loose porous morphology. In vitro, reactive oxygen species production results showed that the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel could continuously produce ·OH in the presence of H2O2. In vitro MTT results showed that the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel had a good inhibitory effect on cell activity. Flow cytometry further confirmed the antitumor effect of the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel. In vivo experiment results showed that the tumor volume of mice treated with the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel was significantly inhibited compared with control groups, which was due to the combination of chemodynamic and chemotherapy. The results of body weight and blood analysis of mice showed that the PC10ARGD/Cu2+/DOX hydrogel possessed good biocompatibility.

Investigating the Impact of Network Functionalization on Protein Adsorption to Polymer Nanogels

This study explores the impact of network functionalization and chemical composition on the pH-responsive behavior of polymer nanogels and their adsorption of proteins. Using a thermodynamic theory informed by a molecular model, this work evaluates the interactions of three proteins with varying isoelectric points (insulin, myoglobin, and cytochrome c) and pH-responsive nanogels based on methacrylic acid or allylamine motifs. Three different functionalization strategies are considered, with pH-responsive segments distributed randomly, at the center, or on the surface of the polymer network. Our results show that the spatial distribution of functional units affects both the nanogels' mechanical response to pH changes and the level and localization of adsorbed proteins. The dependence of protein adsorption on the salt concentration is also investigated, with the conclusion that it is best to encapsulate proteins at low salt concentrations and aim for release at high salt concentrations. These results provide valuable information for the design of pH-responsive nanogels as vehicles for protein encapsulation, transport, and administration.

Recent advances in stimuli-responsive tailored nanogels for cancer therapy; from bench to personalized treatment

To improve the quality of health in a personalized manner, better control over pharmacologically relevant cargo formulation, organ-specific targeted delivery, and on-demand release of therapeutic agents is crucial. Significant work has been put into designing and developing revolutionary nanotherapeutics approaches for the effective monitoring and personalized treatment of disease. Nanogel (NG) has attracted significant interest because of its tremendous potential in cancer therapy and its environmental stimuli responsiveness. NG is considered a next-generation delivery technology due to its benefits like as size tunability, high loading, stimuli responsiveness, prolonged drug release via in situ gelling mechanisms, stability, and its potential to provide personalized therapy from the investigation of human genes and the genes in various types of cancers and its association with a selective anticancer drug. Stimuli-responsive NGs can be used as smart nanomedicines to detect and treat cancer and can be tuned as personalized medicine as well. This comprehensive review article's major objectives include the challenges of NGs' clinical translation for cancer treatment as well as its early preclinical successes and prospects.

Pharmacokinetics and Anti-Tumor Efficacy of PEGylated Liposomes Co-Loaded with Cisplatin and Mifepristone

Although cisplatin is an effective chemotherapy drug used against many types of cancer, it has poor bioavailability, produces severe adverse effects, and frequently leads to tumor resistance. Consequently, more effective formulations are needed. The co-administration of cisplatin with mifepristone, which counters an efflux pump drug-resistance mechanism in tumor cells, has shown important synergism, but without resolving the problem of poor bioavailability. Specificity to tumor tissue and bioavailability have been improved by co-encapsulating cisplatin and mifepristone in a liposomal formulation (L-Cis/MF), which needs further research to complete pre-clinical requirements. The aim of this current contribution was to conduct a pharmacokinetic study of cisplatin and mifepristone in male Wistar rats after administration of L-Cis/MF and the conventional (unencapsulated) formulation. Additionally, the capacity of L-Cis/MF to reduce tumor growth in male nude mice was evaluated following the implantation of xenografts of non-small-cell lung cancer. The better pharmacokinetics (higher plasma concentration) of cisplatin and mifepristone when injected in the liposomal versus the conventional formulation correlated with greater efficacy in controlling tumor growth. Future research on L-Cis/MF will characterize its molecular mechanisms and apply it to other types of cancer affected by the synergism of cisplatin and mifepristone.

Caveolin-Mediated Internalization of Fmoc-FF Nanogels in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

INTRODUCTION

Hydrogel nanoparticles, also known as nanogels (NGs), have been recently proposed as alternative supramolecular vehicles for the delivery of biologically relevant molecules like anticancer drugs and contrast agents. The inner compartment of peptide based NGs can be opportunely modified according to the chemical features of the cargo, thus improving its loading and release. A full understanding of the intracellular mechanism involved in nanogel uptake by cancer cells and tissues would further contribute to the potential diagnostic and clinical applications of these nanocarriers, allowing the fine tuning of their selectivity, potency, and activity. The structural characterization of nanogels were assessed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Nanoparticles Tracking Analysis (NTA) analysis. Cells viability of Fmoc-FF nanogels was evaluated by MTT assay on six breast cancer cell lines at different incubation times (24, 48, and 72 h) and peptide concentrations (in the range 6.25 × 10^-4 ÷ 5·10^-3 × wt%). The cell cycle and mechanisms involved in Fmoc-FF nanogels intracellular uptake were evaluated using flow cytometry and confocal analysis, respectively. Fmoc-FF nanogels, endowed with a diameter of ~130 nm and a zeta potential of ~-20.0/-25.0 mV, enter cancer cells via caveolae, mostly those responsible for albumin uptake. The specificity of the machinery used by Fmoc-FF nanogels confers a selectivity toward cancer cell lines overexpressing the protein caveolin1 and efficiently performing caveolae-mediated endocytosis.

A dual-response drug delivery system with X-ray and ROS to boost the anti-tumor efficiency of TPZ via enhancement of tumor hypoxia levels

The selective anti-tumor activity and less toxic nature of hypoxia-activated prodrugs including tirapazamine (TPZ) are harbored by hypoxia levels in tumors, the inadequacy of which leads to failure in clinical trials. Thus, the development of effective clinical applications of TPZ requires advanced strategies to intensify hypoxia levels in tumors effectively and safely. In this study, we designed and fabricated a paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded dual-response delivery system with a low dose (e.g., 2 Gy) of X-ray and reactive oxygen species on the basis of diselenide block copolymers. Upon the external X-ray stimulus, the system accurately released encapsulated PTX at tumor sites and remarkably improved tumor hypoxia levels by causing severe damage to tumor blood vessels. Subsequently, these enhanced tumor hypoxia levels effectively activated the reduction of TPZ into benzotriazinyl free radicals, which significantly improved the antitumor efficacy of our system against 4T1 breast cancer cells with an initial tumor volume of 500 mm³. Moreover, the dual-stimulus coordinated and controlled release of PTX was found to largely avoid the off-target effects of PTX on normal cells while exhibiting very limited side effects in experimental mice. The current novel strategy for regulating tumor hypoxia levels offers an effective and safe way to activate TPZ for the treatment of large solid tumors.

Peptide-Based Hydrogels: New Materials for Biosensing and Biomedical Applications

Peptide-based hydrogels have attracted increasing attention for biological applications and diagnostic research due to their impressive features including biocompatibility and biodegradability, injectability, mechanical stability, high water absorption capacity, and tissue-like elasticity. The aim of this review will be to present an updated report on the advancement of peptide-based hydrogels research activity in recent years in the field of anticancer drug delivery, antimicrobial and wound healing materials, 3D bioprinting and tissue engineering, and vaccines. Additionally, the biosensing applications of this key group of hydrogels will be discussed mainly focusing the attention on cancer detection.