Berberine loaded liquid crystalline nanostructure inhibits cancer progression in adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells in vitro

Computational and biological approaches in repurposing ribavirin for lung cancer treatment: Unveiling antitumorigenic strategies

Lung cancer is among leading causes of death worldwide. The five-year survival rate of this disease is extremely low (17.8 %), mainly due to difficult early diagnosis and to the limited efficacy of currently available chemotherapeutics. This underlines the necessity to develop innovative therapies for lung cancer. In this context, drug repurposing represents a viable approach, as it reduces the turnaround time of drug development removing costs associated to safety testing of new molecular entities. Ribavirin, an antiviral molecule used to treat hepatitis C virus infections, is particularly promising as repurposed drug for cancer treatment, having shown therapeutic activity against glioblastoma, acute myeloid leukemia, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In the present study, we thoroughly investigated the in vitro anticancer activity of ribavirin against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. From a functional standpoint, ribavirin significantly inhibits cancer hallmarks such as cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Mechanistically, ribavirin downregulates the expression of numerous proteins and genes regulating cell migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and cancer angiogenesis. The anticancer potential of ribavirin was further investigated in silico through gene ontology pathway enrichment and protein-protein interaction networks, identifying five putative molecular interactors of ribavirin (Erb-B2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 4 (Erb-B4); KRAS; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1); amphiregulin (AREG); and neuregulin-1 (NRG1)). These interactions were characterized via molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations. The results of this study highlight the potential of ribavirin as a repurposed chemotherapy against lung cancer, warranting further studies to ascertain the in vivo anticancer activity of this molecule.

Berberine and berberine nanoformulations in cancer therapy: Focusing on lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer and ranks first in cancer-related death worldwide. Due to the resistance development to conventional cancer therapy strategies, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, various natural products and their extracts have been revealed as alternatives. Berberine (BBR), which is present in the stem, root, and bark of various trees, could exert anticancer activities by regulating tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metastasis, angiogenesis, and immune responses via modulating several signaling pathways within the tumor microenvironment. Due to its poor water solubility, poor pharmacokinetics/bioavailability profile, and extensive p-glycoprotein-dependent efflux, BBR application in (pre) clinical studies is restricted. To overcome these limitations, BBR can be encapsulated in nanoparticle (NP)-based drug delivery systems, as monotherapy or combinational therapy, and improve BBR therapeutic efficacy. Nanoformulations also facilitate the selective delivery of BBR into lung cancer cells. In addition to the anticancer activities of BBR, especially in lung cancer, here we reviewed the BBR nanoformulations, including polymeric NPs, metal-based NPs, carbon nanostructures, and others, in the treatment of lung cancer.

Targeting chemokine-receptor mediated molecular signaling by ethnopharmacological approaches

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Infection and inflammation are critical to global human health status and the goal of current pharmacological interventions intends formulating medications/preventives as a measure to deal with this situation. Chemokines and their cognate receptors are major regulatory molecules in many of these ailments. Natural products have been a keen source to the drug development industry, every year contributing significantly to the growing list of FDA approved drugs. A multiverse of natural resource is employed as a part of curative regimen in folk/traditional/ethnomedicine which can be employed to discover, repurpose, and design potent medications for the diseases of clinical concern.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This review aims to systematically document the ethnopharmacologically active agents targeting the infectious-inflammatory diseases through the chemokine-receptor nexus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Articles related to chemokine/receptor modulating ethnopharmacological anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious natural sources, bioactive compounds, and formulations have been examined with special emphasis on women related diseases. The available literature has been thoroughly scrutinized for the application of traditional medicines in chemokine associated experimental methods, their regulatory outcomes, and pertinence to women's health wherever applicable. Moreover, the potential traditional regimens under clinical trials have been critically assessed.

RESULTS

A systematic and comprehensive review on the chemokine-receptor targeting ethnopharmaceutics from the available literature has been provided. The article discusses the implication of traditional medicine in the chemokine system dynamics in diverse infectious-inflammatory disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, allergic diseases, inflammatory diseases, neuroinflammation, and cancer. On this note, critical evaluation of the available data surfaced multiple diseases prevalent in women such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, cervical cancer and urinary tract infection. Currently there is no available literature highlighting chemokine-receptor targeting using traditional medicinal approach from women's health perspective. Moreover, despite being potent in vitro and in vivo setups there remains a gap in clinical translation of these formulations, which needs to be strategically and scientifically addressed to pave the way for their successful industrial translation.

CONCLUSIONS

The review provides an optimistic global perspective towards the applicability of ethnopharmacology in chemokine-receptor regulated infectious and inflammatory diseases with special emphasis on ailments prevalent in women, consecutively addressing their current status of clinical translation and future directions.

Applications and advancements of nanoparticle-based drug delivery in alleviating lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lung cancer (LC) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Cigarette smoking is among the main aetiologic factors for both ailments. These diseases share common pathogenetic mechanisms including inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue remodelling. Current therapeutic approaches are limited by low efficacy and adverse effects. Consequentially, LC has a 5-year survival of < 20%, while COPD is incurable, underlining the necessity for innovative treatment strategies. Two promising emerging classes of therapy against these diseases include plant-derived molecules (phytoceuticals) and nucleic acid-based therapies. The clinical application of both is limited by issues including poor solubility, poor permeability, and, in the case of nucleic acids, susceptibility to enzymatic degradation, large size, and electrostatic charge density. Nanoparticle-based advanced drug delivery systems are currently being explored as flexible systems allowing to overcome these limitations. In this review, an updated summary of the most recent studies using nanoparticle-based advanced drug delivery systems to improve the delivery of nucleic acids and phytoceuticals for the treatment of LC and COPD is provided. This review highlights the enormous relevance of these delivery systems as tools that are set to facilitate the clinical application of novel categories of therapeutics with poor pharmacokinetic properties.

Emerging role of tumor suppressing microRNAs as therapeutics in managing non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is the second leading cause of death across the globe after breast cancer. There are two types of LC viz. small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of all LC cases. NSCLC affects smokers and people who do not smoke and mainly arises in bronchi and peripheral lungs tissue. LC is often characterized by the alterations of key genes such as EGFR, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, ALK, MET, K-Ras and p53 and downstream signaling pathways associated with tumor growth, differentiation, and survival. Numerous miRNAs have been discovered as a result of advances in biotechnology to treat LC. Various miRNAs those have been identified to treat LC include mir-Let7, mir-34a, mir-134, mir-16-1, mir-320a, mir-148a, mir-125a-5p, mir-497, mir-29, mir-133a, and mir-29a-3p. These miRNAs target various signaling pathways that are involved in pathogenesis of LC. However, due to rapid RNAse degradation, quick clearance, and heat instability, associated with necked miRNA leads to less effective therapeutic effect against LC. Therefore, to overcome these challenges nanocarrier loaded with miRNAs have been reported. They have been found promising because they have the capacity to target the tumor as well as they can penetrate the tumors deep due to nanometer size. Some of the clinical trials have been performed using miR-34a and let-7 for the treatment of LC. In the present manuscript we highlight the role miRNAs as well as their nanoparticle in tumor suppression.

Ribavirin attenuates carcinogenesis by downregulating IL-6 and IL-8 in vitro in human lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, whereby the major contributing factors are cigarette smoking and exposure to environmental pollutants. Despite the availability of numerous treatment options, including chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate is still extremely low, highlighting the urgent need to develop novel, more effective therapeutic strategies. In this context, the repurposing of previously approved drugs is an advantage in terms of time and resources invested. Ribavirin is an antiviral drug approved for the treatment of hepatitis C, which shows potential for repurposing as an anticancer agent. Among the many signaling molecules promoting carcinogenesis, the interleukins (ILs) IL-6 and IL-8 are interesting therapeutic targets as they promote a variety of cancer hallmarks such as cell proliferation, migration, metastasis, and angiogenesis. In the present study, we show that ribavirin significantly downregulates the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in vitro in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. The results of this study shed light on the anticancer mechanisms of ribavirin, providing further proof of its potential as a repurposed drug for the treatment of lung cancer.

Zerumbone-incorporated liquid crystalline nanoparticles inhibit proliferation and migration of non-small-cell lung cancer in vitro

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer and is responsible for the highest number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) makes up the majority of lung cancer cases. Zerumbone (ZER) is natural compound commonly found in the roots of Zingiber zerumbet which has recently demonstrated anti-cancer activity in both in vitro and in vivo studies. Despite their medical benefits, ZER has low aqueous solubility, poor GI absorption and oral bioavailability that hinders its effectiveness. Liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) are novel drug delivery carrier that have tuneable characteristics to enhance and ease the delivery of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to formulate ZER-loaded LCNs and investigate their effectiveness against NSCLC in vitro using A549 lung cancer cells. ZER-LCNs, prepared in the study, inhibited the proliferation and migration of A549 cells. These inhibitory effects were superior to the effects of ZER alone at a concentration 10 times lower than that of free ZER, demonstrating a potent anti-cancer activity of ZER-LCNs. The underlying mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects by ZER-LCNs were associated with the transcriptional regulation of tumor suppressor genes P53 and PTEN, and metastasis-associated gene KRT18. The protein array data showed downregulation of several proliferation associated proteins such as AXL, HER1, PGRN, and BIRC5 and metastasis-associated proteins such as DKK1, CAPG, CTSS, CTSB, CTSD, and PLAU. This study provides evidence of potential for increasing the potency and effectiveness of ZER with LCN formulation and developing ZER-LCNs as a treatment strategy for mitigation and treatment of NSCLC.

Berberine nanostructures attenuate ß-catenin, a key component of epithelial mesenchymal transition in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. It accounts for more than 1.9 million cases each year due to its complex and poorly understood molecular mechanisms that result in unregulated cell proliferation and metastasis. β-Catenin is a developmentally active protein that controls cell proliferation, metastasis, polarity and cell fate during homeostasis and aids in cancer progression via epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Therefore, inhibition of the β-catenin pathway could attenuate the progression of LC. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid which is known for its anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, demonstrates poor solubility and bioavailability. In our study, we have encapsulated berberine into liquid crystalline nanoparticles to improve its physiochemical functions and studied if these nanoparticles target the β-catenin pathway to inhibit the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) at both gene and protein levels. We observed for the first time that berberine liquid crystalline nanoparticles at 5 µM significantly attenuate the expression of the β-catenin gene and protein. The interaction between berberine and β-catenin was further validated by molecular simulation studies. Targeting β-catenin with berberine nanoparticles represents a promising strategy for the management of lung cancer progression.

Agarwood oil nanoemulsion counteracts LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages

PURPOSE

Oxidative stress and inflammation are key pathophysiological features of chronic respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Agarwood oil obtained from Aquilaria trees has promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its clinical application is hampered by poor solubility. A viable approach to overcome this involves formulation of oily constituents into emulsions. Here, we have investigated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of an agarwood oil-based nanoemulsion (DE'RAAQSIN) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages in vitro.

METHODS

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of DE'RAAQSIN was assessed by measuring the levels of ROS and nitric oxide (NO) produced, using the DCF-DA assay and the Griess reagent assay, respectively. The molecular pathways activated by DE'RAAQSIN were investigated via qPCR.

RESULTS

LPS stimulation of RAW264.7 cells increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and ROS and resulted in the overexpression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene. Furthermore, LPS induced the upregulation of the expression of key proinflammatory genes (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and CXCL1) and of the antioxidant gene heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). DE'RAAQSIN demonstrated potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity by significantly reducing the levels of ROS and of secreted NO, simultaneously counteracting the LPS-induced overexpression of iNOS, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β, and HO-1. These findings were corroborated by in silico activity prediction and physicochemical analysis of the main agarwood oil components.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose DE'RAAQSIN as a promising alternative managing inflammatory disorders, opening the platform for further studies aimed at understanding the effectiveness of DE'RAAQSIN.

In vitro anti-cancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells

PURPOSE

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the availability of several treatment options, the five-year survival rate of NSCLC is extremely low (<20%). This underlines the necessity of more effective therapeutic alternatives. In this context, plant-derived extracts and bioactive molecules extracted from plants, known collectively as phytoceuticals, represent an extremely variegated source of bioactive compounds with potent anticancer potential. In the present study, we tested the in vitro anticancer activity of a polyherbal preparation, VEDICINALS®9, containing nine different bioactive principles extracted by medicinal plants.

METHODS

The anticancer activity of VEDICINALS®9 was investigated by measuring its impact on A549 human NSCLC cell proliferation (MTT assay and trypan blue staining), migration (wound healing assay and transwell chamber assay) and by measuring the impact on the expression of cancer-related proteins (Human XL Oncology Protein Array).

RESULTS

We show that VEDICINALS®9 at a concentration of 0.2% v/v has potent anticancer effect, significantly inhibiting A549 cell proliferation and migration. Mechanistically, this was achieved by downregulating the expression of proteins involved in cancer cell proliferation (Axl, FGF basic, enolase 2, progranulin, survivin) and migration (Dkk-1, cathepsins B and D, BCL-x, amphiregulin, CapG, u-plasminogen activator). Furthermore, treatment with VEDICINALS®9 resulted in increased expression of the oncosuppressor protein p53 and of the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our results provide proof of principle of the potent anticancer activity of the polyherbal preparation VEDICINALS®9, highlighting its enormous potential as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for lung cancer.

Berberine-loaded engineered nanoparticles attenuate TGF-β-induced remodelling in human bronchial epithelial cells

Airway remodelling occurs in chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is characterized by aberrant activation of epithelial reparation, excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and airway obstruction. The master regulator is Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β), which activates tissue repair, release of growth factors, EMT, increased cell proliferation, and reduced nitric oxide (NO) secretion. Due to its fundamental role in remodelling, TGF-β is an emerging target in the treatment of CRDs. Berberine is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic activities whose clinical application is hampered by poor permeability. To overcome these limitations, in this study, berberine was encapsulated in monoolein-based liquid crystalline nanoparticles (BM-LCNs). The potential of BM-LCNs in inhibiting TGF-β-induced remodelling features in human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) was tested. BM-LCNs significantly inhibited TGF-β-induced migration, reducing the levels of proteins upregulated by TGF-β including endoglin, thrombospondin-1, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular-endothelial growth factor, and myeloperoxidase, and increasing the levels of cystatin C, a protein whose expression was downregulated by TGF-β. Furthermore, BM-LCNs restored baseline NO levels downregulated by TGF-β. The results prove the in vitro therapeutic efficacy of BM-LCNs in counteracting TGF-β-induced remodelling features. This study supports the suitability of berberine-loaded drug delivery systems to counteract airway remodelling, with potential application as a treatment strategy against CRDs.

Advanced models for respiratory disease and drug studies

The global burden of respiratory diseases is enormous, with many millions of people suffering and dying prematurely every year. The global COVID-19 pandemic witnessed recently, along with increased air pollution and wildfire events, increases the urgency of identifying the most effective therapeutic measures to combat these diseases even further. Despite increasing expenditure and extensive collaborative efforts to identify and develop the most effective and safe treatments, the failure rates of drugs evaluated in human clinical trials are high. To reverse these trends and minimize the cost of drug development, ineffective drug candidates must be eliminated as early as possible by employing new, efficient, and accurate preclinical screening approaches. Animal models have been the mainstay of pulmonary research as they recapitulate the complex physiological processes, Multiorgan interplay, disease phenotypes of disease, and the pharmacokinetic behavior of drugs. Recently, the use of advanced culture technologies such as organoids and lung-on-a-chip models has gained increasing attention because of their potential to reproduce human diseased states and physiology, with clinically relevant responses to drugs and toxins. This review provides an overview of different animal models for studying respiratory diseases and evaluating drugs. We also highlight recent progress in cell culture technologies to advance integrated models and discuss current challenges and present future perspectives.

The effectiveness of blood-activating and stasis-transforming traditional Chinese medicines (BAST) in lung cancer progression-a comprehensive review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Blood-activating and stasis-transforming traditional Chinese medicines (BAST) are a class of herbs that have the effect of dilating blood vessels and dispersing stagnation. Modern pharmaceutical research has demonstrated that they are capable of improving hemodynamics and micro-flow, resist thrombosis and promote blood flow. BAST contain numerous active ingredients, which can theoretically regulate multiple targets at the same time and have a wide range of pharmacological effects in the treatment of diseases including human cancers. Clinically, BAST have minimal side effects and can be used in combination with Western medicine to improve patients' quality of life, lessen adverse effects and minimize the risk of recurrence and metastasis of cancers.

AIM OF THE REVIEW

We aimed to summarize the research progression of BAST on lung cancer in the past five years and present a prospect for the future. Particularly, this review further analyzes the effects and molecular mechanisms that BAST inhibit the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant studies about BSAT were collected from PubMed and Web of science.

RESULTS

Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest mortality rate. Most patients with lung cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage and are highly susceptible to metastasis. Recent studies have shown that BAST, a class of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with the function of opening veins and dispersing blood stasis, significantly improve hemodynamics and microcirculation, prevent thrombosis and promote blood flow, and thereby inhibiting the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. In the current review, we analyzed 51 active ingredients extracted from BAST. It was found that BAST and their active ingredients contribute to the prevention of invasion and metastasis of lung cancer through multiple mechanisms, such as regulation of EMT process, specific signaling pathway and metastasis-related genes, tumor blood vessel formation, immune microenvironment and inflammatory response of tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

BSAT and its active ingredients have showed promising anticancer activity and significantly inhibit the invasion and metastasis of lung cancer. A growing number of studies have realized their potential clinical significance in the therapy of lung cancer, which will provide substantial evidences for the development of new TCM for lung cancer therapy.

Interaction of polyelectrolyte-shell cubosomes with serum albumin for triggering drug release in gastrointestinal cancer

Nano-structured and functionalized materials for encapsulation, transport, targeting and controlled release of drugs are of high interest to overcome low bioavailability in oral administration. We develop lipid-based cubosomes, which are surface-functionalized with biocompatible chitosan-N-arginine and alginate, displaying internal liquid crystalline structures. Polyelectrolyte-shell (PS) cubosomes have pH-responsive characteristics profitable for oral delivery. The obtained PScubosomes can strongly interact with serum albumin, a protein which is released in the stomach under gastric cancer conditions. An effective thermodynamic PScubosome-protein interaction was characterized at pH 2.0 and 7.4 by isothermal titration calorimetry at 37 °C. A high increment of the albumin conformation transition temperature was evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry upon incubation with PScubosomes. The performed structural studies by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) revealed essential alterations in the internal liquid crystalline topology of the nanocarriers including an Im3m to Pn3m transition and a reduction of the cubic lattice parameters. The PScubosome nanoparticle interaction with serum albumin, leading to inner structural changes in a range of temperatures, promoted the release of water from the cubosomal nanochannels. Altogether, the results revealed effective interactions of the PScubosomes with albumin under simulated gastrointestinal pH conditions and suggested promising nanocarrier characteristics for triggered oral drug release.

Agarwood Oil Nanoemulsion Attenuates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Inflammation and Oxidative Stress Markers in BCi-NS1.1 Airway Epithelial Cells

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible inflammatory respiratory disease characterized by frequent exacerbations and symptoms such as cough and wheezing that lead to irreversible airway damage and hyperresponsiveness. The primary risk factor for COPD is chronic cigarette smoke exposure, which promotes oxidative stress and a general pro-inflammatory condition by stimulating pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory pathways and, simultaneously, inactivating anti-inflammatory and antioxidant detoxification pathways. These events cause progressive damage resulting in impaired cell function and disease progression. Treatments available for COPD are generally aimed at reducing the symptoms of exacerbation. Failure to regulate oxidative stress and inflammation results in lung damage. In the quest for innovative treatment strategies, phytochemicals, and complex plant extracts such as agarwood essential oil are promising sources of molecules with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, their clinical use is limited by issues such as low solubility and poor pharmacokinetic properties. These can be overcome by encapsulating the therapeutic molecules using advanced drug delivery systems such as polymeric nanosystems and nanoemulsions. In this study, agarwood oil nanoemulsion (agarwood-NE) was formulated and tested for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-treated BCi-NS1.1 airway basal epithelial cells. The findings suggest successful counteractivity of agarwood-NE against CSE-mediated pro-inflammatory effects by reducing the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-8, and GDF-15. In addition, agarwood-NE induced the expression of the anti-inflammatory mediators IL-10, IL-18BP, TFF3, GH, VDBP, relaxin-2, IFN-γ, and PDGF. Furthermore, agarwood-NE also induced the expression of antioxidant genes such as GCLC and GSTP1, simultaneously activating the PI3K pro-survival signalling pathway. This study provides proof of the dual anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of agarwood-NE, highlighting its enormous potential for COPD treatment.

Phytantriol-Based Berberine-Loaded Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles Attenuate Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages

Inflammation and oxidative stress are interrelated processes that represent the underlying causes of several chronic inflammatory diseases that include asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allergies, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Macrophages are key initiators of inflammatory processes in the body. When triggered by a stimulus such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS), these cells secrete inflammatory cytokines namely TNF-α that orchestrate the cellular inflammatory process. Simultaneously, pro-inflammatory stimuli induce the upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which catalyzes the generation of high levels of nitric oxide (NO). This, together with high concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by macrophages, mediate oxidative stress which, in turn, exacerbates inflammation in a feedback loop, resulting in the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases. Berberine is a phytochemical embedded with potent in vitro anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, whose therapeutic application is hindered by poor solubility and bioavailability. For this reason, large doses of berberine need to be administered to achieve the desired pharmacological effect, which may result in toxicity. Encapsulation of such a drug in liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) represents a viable strategy to overcome these limitations. We encapsulated berberine in phytantriol-based LCNs (BP-LCNs) and tested the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of BP-LCNs in vitro on LPS-induced mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. BP-LCNs showed potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, with significant reduction in the gene expressions of TNF-α and iNOS, followed by concomitant reduction of ROS and NO production at a concentration of 2.5 µM, which is lower than the concentration of free berberine concentration required to achieve similar effects as reported elsewhere. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the suitability for BP-LCNs both as an antioxidant and as an anti-inflammatory agent with potential application in the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Targeting the mitochondria in chronic respiratory diseases

Mitochondria are one of the basic essential components for eukaryotic life survival. It is also the source of respiratory ATP. Recently published studies have demonstrated that mitochondria may have more roles to play aside from energy production. There is an increasing body of evidence which suggest that mitochondrial activities involved in normal and pathological states contribute to significant impact to the lung airway morphology and epithelial function in respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. This review summarizes the pathophysiological pathways involved in asthma, COPD, lung cancer and highlights potential treatment strategies that target the malfunctioning mitochondria in such ailments. Mitochondria are responsive to environmental stimuli such as infection, tobacco smoke, and inflammation, which are essential in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases. They may affect mitochondrial shape, protein production and ultimately cause dysfunction. The impairment of mitochondrial function has downstream impact on the cytosolic components, calcium control, response towards oxidative stress, regulation of genes and proteins and metabolic activities. Several novel compounds and alternative medicines that target mitochondria in asthma and chronic lung diseases have been discussed here. Moreover, mitochondrial enzymes or proteins that may serve as excellent therapeutic targets in COPD are also covered. The role of mitochondria in respiratory diseases is gaining much attention and mitochondria-based treatment strategies and personalized medicine targeting the mitochondria may materialize in the near future. Nevertheless, more in-depth studies are urgently needed to validate the advantages and efficacy of drugs that affect mitochondria in pathological states.

Advances and applications of monoolein as a novel nanomaterial in mitigating chronic lung diseases

Chronic lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and the recently emerged COVID-19, are a huge threat to human health, and among the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality every year. Despite availability of various conventional therapeutics, many patients remain poorly controlled and have a poor quality of life. Furthermore, the treatment and diagnosis of these diseases are becoming increasingly challenging. In the recent years, the application of nanomedicine has become increasingly popular as a novel strategy for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, as well as follow-up of chronic lung diseases. This is attributed to the ability of nanoscale drug carriers to achieve targeted delivery of therapeutic moieties with specificity to diseased site within the lung, thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes of conventional therapies whilst minimizing the risks of adverse reactions. For this instance, monoolein is a polar lipid nanomaterial best known for its versatility, thermodynamic stability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. As such, it is commonly employed in liquid crystalline systems for various drug delivery applications. In this review, we present the applications of monoolein as a novel nanomaterial-based strategy for targeted drug delivery with the potential to revolutionize therapeutic approaches in chronic lung diseases.

Berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles inhibit non-small cell lung cancer proliferation and migration in vitro

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is reported to have a high incidence rate and is one of the most prevalent types of cancer contributing towards 85% of all incidences of lung cancer. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid which offers a broad range of therapeutical and pharmacological actions against cancer. However, extremely low water solubility and poor oral bioavailability have largely restricted its therapeutic applications. To overcome these limitations, we formulated berberine-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNs) and investigated their in vitro antiproliferative and antimigratory activity in human lung epithelial cancer cell line (A549). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), trypan blue staining, and colony forming assays were used to evaluate the anti-proliferative activity, while scratch wound healing assay and a modified Boyden chamber assay were carried out to determine the anti-migratory activity. We also investigated major proteins associated with lung cancer progression. The developed nanoparticles were found to have an average particle size of 181.3 nm with spherical shape, high entrapment efficiency (75.35%) and have shown sustained release behaviour. The most remarkable findings reported with berberine-loaded LCNs were significant suppression of proliferation, inhibition of colony formation, inhibition of invasion or migration via epithelial mesenchymal transition, and proliferation related proteins associated with cancer progression. Our findings suggest that anti-cancer compounds with the problem of poor solubility and bioavailability can be overcome by formulating them into nanotechnology-based delivery systems for better efficacy. Further in-depth investigations into anti-cancer mechanistic research will expand and strengthen the current findings of berberine-LCNs as a potential NSCLC treatment option.

Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity and Anti-Migratory Effect of Berberine–Phytantriol Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticle Formulation on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer In Vitro

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid that is commercially available for use as a supplement for the treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, the therapeutic benefits of berberine are limited by its extremely low bioavailability and toxicity at higher doses. Increasing evidence suggests that the incorporation of drug compounds in liquid crystal nanoparticles provides a new platform for the safe, effective, stable, and controlled delivery of the drug molecules. This study aimed to formulate an optimized formulation of berberine–phytantriol-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (BP-LCNs) and to investigate the in vitro anti-cancer activity in a human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line. The BP-LCN formulation possessing optimal characteristics that was used in this study had a favorable particle size and entrapment efficiency rate (75.31%) and a superior drug release profile. The potential mechanism of action of the formulation was determined by measuring the mRNA levels of the tumor-associated genes PTEN, P53, and KRT18 and the protein expression levels with a human oncology protein array. BP-LCNs decreased the proliferation, migration, and colony-forming activity of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner by upregulating the mRNA expression of PTEN and P53 and downregulating the mRNA expression of KRT18. Similarly, BP-LCNs also decreased the expression of proteins related to cancer cell proliferation and migration. This study highlights the utility of phytantriol-based LCNs in incorporating drug molecules with low GI absorption and bioavailability to increase their pharmacological effectiveness and potency in NSCLC.

Attenuation of Cigarette-Smoke-Induced Oxidative Stress, Senescence, and Inflammation by Berberine-Loaded Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles: In Vitro Study in 16HBE and RAW264.7 Cells

Cigarette smoke is considered a primary risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Numerous toxicants present in cigarette smoke are known to induce oxidative stress and airway inflammation that further exacerbate disease progression. Generally, the broncho-epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages exposed to cigarette smoke release massive amounts of oxidative stress and inflammation mediators. Chronic exposure of cigarette smoke leads to premature senescence of airway epithelial cells. This impairs cellular function and ultimately leads to the progression of chronic lung diseases. Therefore, an ideal therapeutic candidate should prevent disease progression by controlling oxidative stress, inflammation, and senescence during the initial stage of damage. In our study, we explored if berberine (an alkaloid)-loaded liquid crystalline nanoparticles (berberine-LCNs)-based treatment to human broncho-epithelial cells and macrophage inhibits oxidative stress, inflammation, and senescence induced by cigarette-smoke extract. The developed berberine-LCNs were found to have favourable physiochemical parameters, such as high entrapment efficiency and sustained in vitro release. The cellular-assay observations revealed that berberine-LCNs showed potent antioxidant activity by suppressing the generation of reactive oxygen species in both broncho-epithelial cells (16HBE) and macrophages (RAW264.7), and modulating the genes involved in inflammation and oxidative stress. Similarly, in 16HBE cells, berberine-LCNs inhibited the cigarette smoke-induced senescence as revealed by X-gal staining, gene expression of CDKN1A (p21), and immunofluorescent staining of p21. Further in-depth mechanistic investigations into antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antisenescence research will diversify the current findings of berberine as a promising therapeutic approach for inflammatory lung diseases caused by cigarette smoking.

Overcoming Multidrug Resistance of Antibiotics via Nanodelivery Systems

Antibiotic resistance has become a threat to microbial therapies nowadays. The conventional approaches possess several limitations to combat microbial infections. Therefore, to overcome such complications, novel drug delivery systems have gained pharmaceutical scientists’ interest. Significant findings have validated the effectiveness of novel drug delivery systems such as polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, metallic nanoparticles, dendrimers, and lipid-based nanoparticles against severe microbial infections and combating antimicrobial resistance. This review article comprises the specific mechanism of antibiotic resistance development in bacteria. In addition, the manuscript incorporated the advanced nanotechnological approaches with their mechanisms, including interaction with the bacterial cell wall, inhibition of biofilm formations, activation of innate and adaptive host immune response, generation of reactive oxygen species, and induction of intracellular effect to fight against antibiotic resistance. A section of this article demonstrated the findings related to the development of delivery systems. Lastly, the role of microfluidics in fighting antimicrobial resistance has been discussed. Overall, this review article is an amalgamation of various strategies to study the role of novel approaches and their mechanism to fight against the resistance developed to the antimicrobial therapies.

Recent Advances in Chronotherapy Targeting Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases contribute to a significant percentage of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The circadian rhythm is a natural biological process where our bodily functions align with the 24 h oscillation (sleep-wake cycle) process and are controlled by the circadian clock protein/gene. Disruption of the circadian rhythm could alter normal lung function. Chronotherapy is a type of therapy provided at specific time intervals based on an individual's circadian rhythm. This would allow the drug to show optimum action, and thereby modulate its pharmacokinetics to lessen unwanted or unintended effects. In this review, we deliberated on the recent advances employed in chrono-targeted therapeutics for chronic respiratory diseases.