Use of a Novel Polymer in an Animal Model of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Therapeutic delivery of CCL2 modulates immune response and restores host-microbe homeostasis

Many chronic inflammatory diseases are attributed to disturbances in host-microbe interactions, which drive immune-mediated tissue damage. Depending on the anatomic setting, a chronic inflammatory disease can exert unique local and systemic influences, which provide an exceptional opportunity for understanding disease mechanism and testing therapeutic interventions. The oral cavity is an easily accessible environment that allows for protective interventions aiming at modulating the immune response to control disease processes driven by a breakdown of host-microbe homeostasis. Periodontal disease (PD) is a prevalent condition in which quantitative and qualitative changes of the oral microbiota (dysbiosis) trigger nonresolving chronic inflammation, progressive bone loss, and ultimately tooth loss. Here, we demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of local sustained delivery of the myeloid-recruiting chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) in murine ligature-induced PD using clinically relevant models as a preventive, interventional, or reparative therapy. Local delivery of CCL2 into the periodontium inhibited bone loss and accelerated bone gain that could be ascribed to reduced osteoclasts numbers. CCL2 treatment up-regulated M2-macrophage and downregulated proinflammatory and pro-osteoclastic markers. Furthermore, single-cell ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing indicated that CCL2 therapy reversed disease-associated transcriptomic profiles of murine gingival macrophages via inhibiting the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) signaling in classically activated macrophages and inducing protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in infiltrating macrophages. Finally, 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing showed mitigation of microbial dysbiosis in the periodontium that correlated with a reduction in microbial load in CCL2-treated mice. This study reveals a novel protective effect of CCL2 local delivery in PD as a model for chronic inflammatory diseases caused by a disturbance in host-microbe homeostasis.

Pharmacological impact of microRNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Prevailing insights on molecular pathways, diagnosis, and nanomedicine treatment

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is a disease that most commonly produce tumours from the lining of the epithelial cells of the lips, larynx, nasopharynx, mouth, or oro-pharynx. It is one of the most deadly forms of cancer. About one to two percent of all neo-plasm-related deaths are attributed to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, which is responsible for about six percent of all cancers. MicroRNAs play a critical role in cell proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis, stress response, triggering apoptosis, and other physiological process. MicroRNAs regulate gene expression and provide new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic options for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In this work, the role of molecular signaling pathways related to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is emphasized. We also provide an overview of MicroRNA downregulation and overexpression and its role as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In recent years, MicroRNA nano-based therapies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma have been explored. In addition, nanotechnology-based alternatives have been discussed as a promising strategy in exploring therapeutic paradigms aimed at improving the efficacy of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and attenuating their cytotoxicity. This article also provides information on ongoing and recently completed clinical trials for therapies based on nanotechnology.

Insights into Nanomedicine for Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Head and neck cancers rank sixth among the most common cancers today, and the survival rate has remained virtually unchanged over the past 25 years, due to late diagnosis and ineffective treatments. They have two main risk factors, tobacco and alcohol, and human papillomavirus infection is a secondary risk factor. These cancers affect areas of the body that are fundamental for the five senses. Therefore, it is necessary to treat them effectively and non-invasively as early as possible, in order to do not compromise vital functions, which is not always possible with conventional treatments (chemotherapy or radiotherapy). In this sense, nanomedicine plays a key role in the treatment and diagnosis of head and neck cancers. Nanomedicine involves using nanocarriers to deliver drugs to sites of action and reducing the necessary doses and possible side effects. The main purpose of this review is to give an overview of the applications of nanocarrier systems to the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer. Herein, several types of delivery strategies, radiation enhancement, inside-out hyperthermia, and theragnostic approaches are addressed.

Modular polymer platform as a novel approach to head and neck cancer therapy

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world, with more than 300,000 deaths attributed to the disease annually. Aggressive surgical resection often with adjuvant chemoradiation is the cornerstone of treatment. However, the necessary chemoradiation treatment can result in collateral damage to adjacent vital structures causing a profound impact on quality of life. Here, we present a novel polymer of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid and polyvinyl alcohol that can serve as a versatile multidrug delivery platform as well as for detection on cross-sectional imaging while functioning as a fiduciary marker for postoperative radiotherapy and radiotherapeutic dosing. In a mouse xenograft model, the dual-layered polymer composed of calcium carbonate/thymoquinone was used for both polymer localization and narrow-field infusion of a natural therapeutic compound. A similar approach can be applied in the treatment of head and neck cancer patients, where immunotherapy and traditional chemotherapy can be delivered simultaneously with independent release kinetics.

Nanoformulation of CCL21 greatly increases its effectiveness as an immunotherapy for neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is the most commonly diagnosed extracranial solid tumor in children. The patients with aggressive metastatic disease or refractory/relapsed neuroblastoma currently face a dismally low chance of survival. Thus, there is a great need for more effective therapies for this illness. In previous studies, we, as well as others, showed that the immune cell chemoattractant C-C motif chemokine ligand 21 (CCL21) is effective as an intratumoral therapy able to slow the growth of cancers. In this current study, we developed and tested an injectable, slow-release, uniform, and optimally loaded alginate nanoformulation of CCL21 as a means to provide prolonged intratumoral treatment. The alginate-nanoformulated CCL21, when injected intratumorally into mice bearing neuroblastoma lesions, significantly prolonged survival and decreased the tumor growth rate compared to CCL21 alone, empty nanoparticles, or buffer. Notably, we also observed complete tumor clearance and subsequent full protection against tumor rechallenge in 33% of nanoformulated CCL21-treated mice. Greater intratumoral presence of nanoformulated CCL21, compared to free CCL21, at days 1 and 2 after treatment ended was confirmed through fluorescent labeling and tracking. Nanoformulated CCL21-treated tumors exhibited a general pattern of prolonged increases in anti-tumor cytokines and relatively lower levels of pro-tumor cytokines in comparison to tumors treated with CCL21 alone or buffer only. Thus, this novel nanoformulation of CCL21 is an effective treatment for neuroblastoma, and may have potential for the delivery of CCL21 to other types of solid tumors in the future and as a slow-release delivery modality for other immunotherapies.