Investigations of potent biocompatible metal-organic framework for efficient encapsulation and delivery of Gemcitabine: biodistribution, pharmacokinetic and cytotoxicity study

Hollow MIL-125 Nanoparticles Loading Doxorubicin Prodrug and 3-Methyladenine for Reversal of Tumor Multidrug Resistance

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a key factor in chemotherapy failure and tumor recurrence. The inhibition of drug efflux and autophagy play important roles in MDR therapy. Herein, a multifunctional delivery system (HA-MIL-125@DVMA) was prepared for synergistically reverse tumor MDR. Tumor-targeted hollow MIL-125-Ti nanoparticles were used to load the doxorubicin-vitamin E succinate (DV) prodrug and 3-methyladenine (3-MA) to enhance reverse MDR effects. The pH-sensitive DV can kill tumor cells and inhibit P-gp-mediated drug efflux, and 3-MA can inhibit autophagy. HA-MIL-125@DVMA had uniformly distributed particle size and high drug-load content. The nanoparticles could effectively release the drugs into tumor microenvironment due to the rapid hydrazone bond-breaking under low pH conditions, resulting in a high cumulative release rate. In in vitro cellular experiments, the accumulation of HA-MIL-125@DVMA and HA-MIL-125@DV in MCF-7/ADR cells was significantly higher than that in the control groups. Moreover, the nanoparticles significantly inhibited drug efflux in the cells, ensuring the accumulation of the drugs in cell cytoplasm and causing drug-resistant cells' death. Importantly, HA-MIL-125@DVMA effectively inhibited tumor growth without changes in body weight in tumor-bearing mice. In summary, the combination of the acid-sensitive prodrug DV and autophagy inhibitor 3-MA in a HA-MIL-125 nanocarrier can enhance the antitumor effect and reverse tumor MDR.

Characterization of tautomeric forms of anti-cancer drug gemcitabine and their interconversion upon mechano-chemical treatment, using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and complementary methods

Gemcitabine is a widely used anti-cancer drug of pyrimidine structure, which can exist as a free base molecular form in crystals. Tautomers are structural isomers of molecules, which interconvert via proton transfer. Mechano-chemistry studies reactions of solids under mechanical impact. We investigated gemcitabine free base for the presence of specific molecular tautomers, using ATR-FTIR spectroscopic analysis, powder XRD, optical microscopy and HPLC. The amino-keto tautomer has the characteristic infrared (IR) peak of the amino group at 3390 cm-1. For the first time, the imino-keto tautomer of gemcitabine free base was detected. The imino-keto tautomer has the characteristic IR peak of the =N-H group, and its peak due to the CO group in pyrimidine ring is shifted vs. that of the amino-keto tautomer. This serves as the unique spectroscopic "fingerprints" of these tautomers. The ATR-FTIR spectroscopic analysis shows that gemcitabine free base can be enriched with the amino-keto or the imino-keto tautomer. Further, we studied the transformation of gemcitabine free base in crystals between its tautomers under conditions of liquid-assisted grinding (LAG). The imino-keto tautomer undergoes tautomerization to the amino-keto tautomer, while the amino-keto tautomer remains stable. No destruction of molecules of gemcitabine free base, when present as either tautomer, occurs during LAG as was verified by the HPLC-UV analysis. LAG is a new, straightforward, facile and fast method to interconvert tautomers in crystals, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy is a method of choice to study tautomerization reactions of pharmaceuticals. The presented approach is promising for analysis of crystals of drugs containing one or more than one tautomer, and the knowledge-driven design of composite materials, which contain specific tautomeric molecular forms of pyrimidines, purines and other biologically active heterocyclic compounds.

Nanodiamond Mediated Molecular Targeting in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Disrupting the Tumor-stromal Cross-talk, Next Hope on the Horizon?

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the foremost causes of cancer-related morbidities worldwide. Novel nanotechnology-backed drug delivery stratagems, including molecular targeting of the chemotherapeutic payload, have been considered. However, no quantum leap in the gross survival rate of patients with PDAC has been realized. One of the predominant causes behind this is tumor desmoplasia, a dense and heterogenous stromal extracellular matrix of the tumor, aptly termed tumor microenvironment (TME). It plays a pivotal role in the tumor pathogenesis of PDAC as it occupies most of the tumor mass, making PDAC one of the most stromal-rich cancers. The complex crosstalk between the tumor and dynamic components of the TME impacts tumor progression and poses a potential barrier to drug delivery. Understanding and deciphering the complex cascade of tumorstromal interactions are the need of the hour so that we can develop neoteric nano-carriers to disrupt the stroma and target the tumor. Nanodiamonds (NDs), due to their unique surface characteristics, have emerged as a promising nano delivery system in various pre-clinical cancer models and have the potential to deliver the chemotherapeutic payload by moving beyond the dynamic tumor-stromal barrier. It can be the next revolution in nanoparticle-mediated pancreatic cancer targeting.

Aspects of high-performance and bio-acceptable magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical application

This review covers extensively the synthesis & surface modification, characterization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles. For biomedical applications, consideration should be given to factors such as design strategies, the synthesis process, coating, and surface passivation. The synthesis method regulates post-synthetic change and specific applications in vitro and in vivo imaging/diagnosis and pharmacotherapy/administration. Special insights have been provided on biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity in a living system, which is imperative for their wider application in biology. These nanoparticles can be decorated with multiple contrast agents and thus can also be used as a probe for multi-mode imaging or double/triple imaging, for example, MRI-CT, MRI-PET. Similarly loading with different drug molecules/dye/fluorescent molecules and integration with other carriers have found application not only in locating these particles in vivo but simultaneously target drug delivery/hyperthermia inside the body. Studies are underway to collect the potential of these magnetically driven nanoparticles in various scientific fields such as particle interaction, heat conduction, imaging, and magnetism. Surely, this comprehensive data will help in the further development of advanced techniques for theranostics based on high-performance magnetic nanoparticles and will lead this research area in a new sustainable direction.

When metal-organic framework mediated smart drug delivery meets gastrointestinal cancers

Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract constitute one of the most common cancer types worldwide and a ∼58% increase in the global number of cases has been estimated by IARC for the next twenty years. Recent advances in drug delivery technologies have attracted scientific interest for developing and utilizing efficient therapeutic systems. The present review focuses on the use of nanoscale MOFs (Nano-MOFs) as carriers for drug delivery and imaging purposes. In pursuit of significant improvements to current gastrointestinal cancer chemotherapy regimens, systems that allow multiple concomitant therapeutic options (polytherapy) and controlled release are highly desirable. In this sense, MOF-based nanotherapeutics represent a significant step towards achieving this goal. Here, the current state-of-the-art of interdisciplinary research and novel developments into MOF-based gastrointestinal cancer therapy are highlighted and reviewed.