Functionalised molybdenum disulfide nanosheets for co-delivery of doxorubicin and siRNA for combined chemo/gene/photothermal therapy on multidrug-resistant cancer

Promotion effects and mechanisms of molybdenum disulfide on the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes in soil

The rapid development of nanotechnology has aroused considerable attentions toward understanding the effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) on the propagation of antibiotic resistance. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is an extensively used ENM and poses potential risks associated with environmental exposure; nevertheless, the role of MoS₂ toward antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer remains largely unknown. Herein, it was discovered that MoS₂ nanosheets accelerated the horizontal transfer of RP4 plasmid across Escherichia coli in a dose-dependent manner (0.5-10 mg/L), with the maximum transfer frequency 2.07-fold higher than that of the control. Integration of physiological, transcriptomics, and metabolomics analyses demonstrated that SOS response in bacteria was activated by MoS₂ due to the elevation of oxidative damage, accompanied by cell membrane permeabilization. MoS₂ promoted bacterial adhesion and intercellular contact via stimulating the secretion of extracellular polysaccharides. The ATP levels were maximally increased by 305.7 % upon exposure to MoS₂, and the expression of plasmid transfer genes was up-regulated, contributing to the accelerated plasmid conjugation and increased ARG abundance in soil. Our findings highlight the roles of emerging ENMs (e.g., MoS₂) in ARGs dissemination, which is significant for the safe applications and risk management of ENMs under the development scenarios of nanotechnology.

Potential and Progress of 2D Materials in Photomedicine for Cancer Treatment

Over the last decades, photomedicine has made a significant impact and progress in treating superficial cancer. With tremendous efforts many of the technologies have entered clinical trials. Photothermal agents (PTAs) have been considered as emerging candidates for accelerating the outcome from photomedicine based cancer treatment. Besides various inorganic and organic candidates, 2D materials such as graphene, boron nitride, and molybdenum disulfide have shown significant potential for photothermal therapy (PTT). The properties such as high surface area to volume, biocompatibility, stability in physiological media, ease of synthesis and functionalization, and high photothermal conversion efficiency have made 2D nanomaterials wonderful candidates for PTT to treat cancer. The targeting or localized activation could be achieved when PTT is combined with chemotherapies, immunotherapies, or photodynamic therapy (PDT) to provide better outcomes with fewer side effects. Though significant development has been made in the field of phototherapeutic drugs, several challenges have restricted the use of PTT in clinical use and hence they have not yet been tested in large clinical trials. In this review, we attempted to discuss the progress, properties, applications, and challenges of 2D materials in the field of PTT and their application in photomedicine.

Progress of Nanomaterials-Based Photothermal Therapy for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the top 15 most prevalent cancers worldwide. However, the current treatment models for OSCC (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination therapy) present several limitations: damage to adjacent healthy tissue, possible recurrence, low efficiency, and severe side effects. In this context, nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive research attention. This paper reviews the latest progress in the application of biological nanomaterials for PTT in OSCC. We divide photothermal nanomaterials into four categories (noble metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, metal compounds, and organic nanomaterials) and introduce each category in detail. We also mention in detail the drug delivery systems for PTT of OSCC and briefly summarize the applications of hydrogels, liposomes, and micelles. Finally, we note the challenges faced by the clinical application of PTT nanomaterials and the possibility of further improvement, providing direction for the future research of PTT in OSCC treatment.

A functionalized graphene oxide with improved cytocompatibility for stimuli-responsive co-delivery of curcumin and doxorubicin in cancer treatment

Nowadays, the usage of nanoparticles in various fields such as drug delivery, attracts the attention of many researchers in the treatment of cancers. Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the novel drug delivery systems which is used broadly owing to its unique features. In this survey, doxorubicin (DOX) was accompanied by natural medicine, curcumin (CUR), to diminish its side effects and enhance its efficiency. Cytotoxicity assay in human gastric cancer (AGS), prostate cancer (PC3), and ovarian cancer (A2780), was evaluated. Also, the uptake of DOX and CUR into cells, was assessed using a fluorescence microscope. Moreover, real-time PCR was applied for the evaluation of the expression of RB1 and CDK2 genes, which were involved in the cell cycle. In both separate and simultaneous forms, DOX and CUR were loaded with high efficiency and the release behavior of both drugs was pH-sensitive. The higher release rate was attained at pH 5.5 and 42 °C for DOX (80.23%) and CUR (13.06), respectively. The intensity of fluorescence in the free form of the drugs, was higher than the loaded form. In the same concentration, the free form of CUR and DOX were more toxic than the loaded form in all cell lines. Also, free drugs showed more impact on the expression of RB1 and CDK2 genes. Co-delivery of CUR and DOX into the mentioned cell lines, was more effective than the free form of CUR and DOX due to its lower toxicity to normal cells.

Development of Tailor-Made Dendrimer Ternary Complexes for Drug/Gene Co-Delivery in Cancer

Cancer gene therapy, mediated by non-viral systems, remains a major research focus. To contribute to this field, in this work we reported on the development of dendrimer drug/gene ternary complexes. This innovative approach explored the great capacity of both polyamidoamine (PAMAM)-paclitaxel (PTX) conjugate and polyethylenimine (PEI) polymers to complex a p53-encoding plasmid DNA (pDNA), highlighting the utility of considering two compacting agents. The pDNA complexation capacity has been investigated as function of the nitrogen to phosphate groups ratio (N/P), which revealed to be a tailoring parameter. The physicochemical properties of the conceived ternary complexes were revealed and were found to be promising for cellular transfection. Furthermore, the formulated co-delivery systems demonstrated to be biocompatible. The ternary systems were able of cellular internalization and payload intracellular release. Confocal microscopy studies showed the co-localization of stained pDNA with the nucleus of cancer cells, after transfection mediated by these carriers. From this achievement, p53 gene expression occurred with the production of protein. Moreover, the activation of caspase-3 indicated apoptosis of cancer cells. This work represents a great progress on the design of dendrimer drug/gene co-delivery systems towards a more efficient cancer therapy. In this way, it instigates further in vitro studies concerning the evaluation of their therapeutic potential, expectedly supported by the synergistic effect, in tumoral cells.