Inorganic Nanoparticles as Drug Delivery Systems and Their Potential Role in the Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia

The clinical regimens and cell membrane camouflaged nanodrug delivery systems in hematologic malignancies treatment

Hematologic malignancies (HMs), also referred to as hematological or blood cancers, pose significant threats to patients as they impact the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. Despite significant clinical strategies using chemotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell transplantation, targeted molecular therapy, or immunotherapy, the five-year overall survival of patients with HMs is still low. Fortunately, recent studies demonstrate that the nanodrug delivery system holds the potential to address these challenges and foster effective anti-HMs with precise treatment. In particular, cell membrane camouflaged nanodrug offers enhanced drug targeting, reduced toxicity and side effects, and/or improved immune response to HMs. This review firstly introduces the merits and demerits of clinical strategies in HMs treatment, and then summarizes the types, advantages, and disadvantages of current nanocarriers helping drug delivery in HMs treatment. Furthermore, the types, functions, and mechanisms of cell membrane fragments that help nanodrugs specifically targeted to and accumulate in HM lesions are introduced in detail. Finally, suggestions are given about their clinical translation and future designs on the surface of nanodrugs with multiple functions to improve therapeutic efficiency for cancers.

Targeting ferroptosis for leukemia therapy: exploring novel strategies from its mechanisms and role in leukemia based on nanotechnology

The latest findings in iron metabolism and the newly uncovered process of ferroptosis have paved the way for new potential strategies in anti-leukemia treatments. In the current project, we reviewed and summarized the current role of nanomedicine in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia through a comparison made between traditional approaches applied in the treatment and diagnosis of leukemia via the existing investigations about the ferroptosis molecular mechanisms involved in various anti-tumor treatments. The application of nanotechnology and other novel technologies may provide a new direction in ferroptosis-driven leukemia therapies. The article explores the potential of targeting ferroptosis, a new form of regulated cell death, as a new therapeutic strategy for leukemia. It discusses the mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in leukemia and how nanotechnology can enhance the delivery and efficacy of ferroptosis-inducing agents. The article not only highlights the promise of ferroptosis-targeted therapies and nanotechnology in revolutionizing leukemia treatment, but also calls for further research to overcome challenges and fully realize the clinical potential of this innovative approach. Finally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities in clinical applications of ferroptosis.

Adjuvant Novel Nanocarrier-Based Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer has the lowest survival rate due to its late-stage diagnosis, poor prognosis, and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. These factors decrease the effectiveness of treatment. They release chemokines and cytokines from the tumor microenvironment (TME). To improve the effectiveness of treatment, researchers emphasize personalized adjuvant therapies along with conventional ones. Targeted chemotherapeutic drug delivery systems and specific pathway-blocking agents using nanocarriers are a few of them. This study explored the nanocarrier roles and strategies to improve the treatment profile's effectiveness by striving for TME. A biofunctionalized nanocarrier stimulates biosystem interaction, cellular uptake, immune system escape, and vascular changes for penetration into the TME. Inorganic metal compounds scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) through their photothermal effect. Stroma, hypoxia, pH, and immunity-modulating agents conjugated or modified nanocarriers co-administered with pathway-blocking or condition-modulating agents can regulate extracellular matrix (ECM), Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF),Tyro3, Axl, and Mertk receptors (TAM) regulation, regulatory T-cell (Treg) inhibition, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) inhibition. Again, biomimetic conjugation or the surface modification of nanocarriers using ligands can enhance active targeting efficacy by bypassing the TME. A carrier system with biofunctionalized inorganic metal compounds and organic compound complex-loaded drugs is convenient for NSCLC-targeted therapy.

Insight into Steroid-Induced ONFH: The Molecular Mechanism and Function of Epigenetic Modification in Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common refractory orthopedic disease, which is one of the common causes of hip pain and dysfunction. ONFH has a very high disability rate, which is associated with a heavy burden to patients, families, and society. The pathogenesis of ONFH is not completely clear. At present, it is believed that it mainly includes coagulation dysfunction, abnormal lipid metabolism, an imbalance of osteogenic/adipogenic differentiation, and poor vascularization repair. The prevention and treatment of ONFH has always been a great challenge for clinical orthopedic surgeons. However, recent studies have emphasized that the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat steroid-induced ONFH (SONFH) is a promising therapy. This review focuses on the role and molecular mechanism of epigenetic regulation in the progress of MSCs in the treatment of SONFH, and discusses the significance of the latest research in the treatment of SONFH from the perspective of epigenetics.

Supremacy of nanoparticles in the therapy of chronic myelogenous leukemia

Background and purpose

The reciprocal translocation of the ABL gene from chromosome 9 to chromosome 22 near the BCR gene gives rise to chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The translocation results in forming the Philadelphia chromosome (BCR-ABL) tyrosine kinase. CML results in an increase in the number of white blood cells and alteration in tyrosine kinase expression. CML prognosis includes three stages, namely chronic, accelerated, and blast. The diagnosis method involves a CT scan, biopsy, and complete blood count. However, due to certain disadvantages, early diagnosis of CML is not possible by traditional methods. Nanotechnology offers many advantages in diagnosing and treating cancer.

Experimental approach

We searched PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar using the keywords Philadelphia chromosome, bionanotechnology, tyrosine kinase pathway, half-life, passive targeting, and organic and inorganic nanoparticles. The relevant papers and the classical papers in this field were selected to write about in this review.

Key results

The sensitivity and specificity of an assay can be improved by nanoparticles. Utilizing this property, peptides, antibodies, aptamers, etc., in the form of nanoparticles, can be used to detect cancer at a much earlier stage. The half-life of the drug is also increased by nanoformulation. The nanoparticle-coated drugs can easily escape from the immune system.

Conclusion

Depending on their type, nanoparticles can be categorized into organic, inorganic and hybrid. Each type has its advantages. Organic nanoparticles have good biocompatibility, inorganic nanoparticles increase the half-life of the drugs. In this review, we highlight the nanoparticles involved in treating CML.

Synergistic Combination of Letrozole and Berberine in Ascorbic Acid-Stabilized AuNPs: A Promising Solution for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a deadly disease that affects countless women worldwide. The most conventional treatments for breast cancer, such as the administration of anticancer medications such as letrozole (LTZ), pose significant barriers due to the non-selective delivery and low bioavailability of cytotoxic drugs leading to serious adverse effects and multidrug resistance (MDR). Addressing these obstacles requires an innovative approach, and we propose a combined strategy that synergistically incorporates LTZ with berberine (BBR) into stabilised AuNPs coated with ascorbic acid (AA), known as LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs. The LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs, a novel combined drug delivery system, were carefully designed to maximise the entrapment of both LTZ and BBR. The resulting spherical nanoparticles exhibited remarkable efficiency in trapping these two compounds, with rates of 58% and 54%, respectively. In particular, the average hydrodynamic diameter of these nanoparticles was determined to be 81.23 ± 4.0 nm with a PDI value of only 0.286, indicating excellent uniformity between them. Furthermore, their zeta potential was observed to be -14.5 mV, suggesting high stability even under physiological conditions. The release profiles showed that after being incubated for about 24 h at pH levels ranging from acidic (pH = 5) to basic (pH = 7), the percentage released for both drugs ranged from 56-72%. This sustained and controlled drug release can reduce any negative side effects while improving therapeutic efficacy when administered directly to cancer. MDA-MB-231 cells treated with LTZ-BBR@AA-AuNPs for 48 h exhibited IC50 values of 2.04 ± 0.011 μg/mL, indicating potent cytotoxicity against cells. Furthermore, the nanoparticles demonstrated excellent stability throughout the duration of the treatment.

Biomedical applications of nanomaterials in the advancement of nucleic acid therapy: Mechanistic challenges, delivery strategies, and therapeutic applications

In the past few decades, substantial advancement has been made in nucleic acid (NA)-based therapies. Promising treatments include mRNA, siRNA, miRNA, and anti-sense DNA for treating various clinical disorders by modifying the expression of DNA or RNA. However, their effectiveness is limited due to their concentrated negative charge, instability, large size, and host barriers, which make widespread application difficult. The effective delivery of these medicines requires safe vectors that are efficient & selective while having non-pathogenic qualities; thus, nanomaterials have become an attractive option with promising possibilities despite some potential setbacks. Nanomaterials possess ideal characteristics, allowing them to be tuned into functional bio-entity capable of targeted delivery. In this review, current breakthroughs in the non-viral strategy of delivering NAs are discussed with the goal of overcoming challenges that would otherwise be experienced by therapeutics. It offers insight into a wide variety of existing NA-based therapeutic modalities and techniques. In addition to this, it provides a rationale for the use of non-viral vectors and a variety of nanomaterials to accomplish efficient gene therapy. Further, it discusses the potential for biomedical application of nanomaterials-based gene therapy in various conditions, such as cancer therapy, tissue engineering, neurological disorders, and infections.

Polymer-Based Hydrogels Applied in Drug Delivery: An Overview

Polymer-based hydrogels are hydrophilic polymer networks with crosslinks widely applied for drug delivery applications because of their ability to hold large amounts of water and biological fluids and control drug release based on their unique physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. Current trends in the development of hydrogel drug delivery systems involve the release of drugs in response to specific triggers such as pH, temperature, or enzymes for targeted drug delivery and to reduce the potential for systemic toxicity. In addition, developing injectable hydrogel formulations that are easily used and sustain drug release during this extended time is a growing interest. Another emerging trend in hydrogel drug delivery is the synthesis of nano hydrogels and other functional substances for improving targeted drug loading and release efficacy. Following these development trends, advanced hydrogels possessing mechanically improved properties, controlled release rates, and biocompatibility is developing as a focus of the field. More complex drug delivery systems such as multi-drug delivery and combination therapies will be developed based on these advancements. In addition, polymer-based hydrogels are gaining increasing attention in personalized medicine because of their ability to be tailored to a specific patient, for example, drug release rates, drug combinations, target-specific drug delivery, improvement of disease treatment effectiveness, and healthcare cost reduction. Overall, hydrogel application is advancing rapidly, towards more efficient and effective drug delivery systems in the future.

Development and application of nanomaterials, nanotechnology and nanomedicine for treating hematological malignancies

Hematologic malignancies (HMs) pose a serious threat to patients' health and life, and the five-year overall survival of HMs remains low. The lack of understanding of the pathogenesis and the complex clinical symptoms brings immense challenges to the diagnosis and treatment of HMs. Traditional therapeutic strategies for HMs include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Although immunotherapy and cell therapy have made considerable progress in the last decade, nearly half of patients still relapse or suffer from drug resistance. Recently, studies have emerged that nanomaterials, nanotechnology and nanomedicine show great promise in cancer therapy by enhancing drug targeting, reducing toxicity and side effects and boosting the immune response to promote durable immunological memory. In this review, we summarized the strategies of recently developed nanomaterials, nanotechnology and nanomedicines against HMs and then proposed emerging strategies for the future designment of nanomedicines to treat HMs based on urgent clinical needs and technological progress.

The Power of Field-Flow Fractionation in Characterization of Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery

Asymmetric-flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) is a gentle, flexible, and powerful separation technique that is widely utilized for fractionating nanometer-sized analytes, which extend to many emerging nanocarriers for drug delivery, including lipid-, virus-, and polymer-based nanoparticles. To ascertain quality attributes and suitability of these nanostructures as drug delivery systems, including particle size distributions, shape, morphology, composition, and stability, it is imperative that comprehensive analytical tools be used to characterize the native properties of these nanoparticles. The capacity for AF4 to be readily coupled to multiple online detectors (MD-AF4) or non-destructively fractionated and analyzed offline make this technique broadly compatible with a multitude of characterization strategies, which can provide insight on size, mass, shape, dispersity, and many other critical quality attributes. This review will critically investigate MD-AF4 reports for characterizing nanoparticles in drug delivery, especially those reported in the last 10-15 years that characterize multiple attributes simultaneously downstream from fractionation.

Dasatinib: a potential tyrosine kinase inhibitor to fight against multiple cancer malignancies

Dasatinib is the 2nd generation TKI (Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor) having the potential to treat numerous forms of leukemic and cancer patients and it is 300 times more potent than imatinib. Cancer is the major cause of death globally and need to enumerate novel strategies to coping with it. Various novel therapeutics introduced into the market for ease in treating various forms of cancer. We reviewed and evaluated all the related aspects of dasatinib, which can enhance the knowledge about dasatinib therapeutics methodology, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetics, side effects, advantages, disadvantages, various kinds of interactions and its novel formulations as well.

Advanced cancer targeting using aptamer functionalized nanocarriers for site-specific cargo delivery

The non-specificity of standard anticancer therapies has profound detrimental consequences in clinical treatment. Therapeutic specificity can be precisely achieved using cutting-edge ligands. Small synthetic oligonucleotide-ligands chosen through Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) would be an unceasing innovation in using nucleic acids as aptamers, frequently referred to as "chemical antibodies." Aptamers act as externally controlled switching materials that can attach to various substrates, for example, membrane proteins or nucleic acid structures. Aptamers pose excellent specificity and affinity for target molecules and can be used as medicines to suppress tumor cell growth directly. The creation of aptamer-conjugated nanoconstructs has recently opened up innovative options in cancer therapy that are more effective and target tumor cells with minor toxicity to healthy tissues. This review focuses on a comprehensive description of the most capable classes of aptamer-tethered nanocarriers for precise recognition of cancer cells with significant development in proficiency, selectivity, and targetability for cancer therapy. Existing theranostic applications with the problems and future directions are also highlighted.

Magnetic nanoparticle embedded chitosan-based polymeric network for the hydrophobic drug delivery of paclitaxel

Safe delivery of hydrophobic drugs to the tumor site is a major problem for the scientific community. To improve the in vivo efficacy of hydrophobic drugs by avoiding solubility concerns and providing targeted delivery by nanoparticle, we have developed robust iron oxide nanoparticles coated chitosan with ([2- (methacryloyloxy) ethyl] trimethyl ammonium chloride) (METAC) [CS-IONPs-METAC-PTX] as a drug carrier for the delivery of hydrophobic drug, paclitaxel (PTX). Drug carrier was characterized using various techniques like FT-IR, XRD, FE-SEM, DLS and VSM. Maximum drug release of 93.50 ± 2.80 % from CS-IONPs-METAC-PTX occurs at pH 5.5 in 24 h. Significantly, the nanoparticles exhibited excellent therapeutic efficacy when appraised in L929 (Fibroblast) cell lines with a good cell viability profile. CS-IONPs-METAC-PTX shows excellent cytotoxic effect in MCF-7 cell lines. In 100 μg/mL concentration, CS-IONPs-METAC-PTX formulation shows 13.46 ± 0.40 % of cell viability. Selectivity index of 2.12 indicates the highly selective and safe performance of CS-IONPs-METAC-PTX. Admirable hemocompatibility of the developed polymer material demonstrating its applicability towards drug delivery. Results of the investigation substantiate that the prepared drug carrier is a potent material for the delivery of PTX.

Recent Developments in Oral Delivery of Vaccines Using Nanocarriers

As oral administration of vaccines is the preferred route due to its high patient compliance and ability to stimulate both cellular and humoral immune responses, it is also associated with several challenges that include denaturation of vaccine components in the acidic environment of the stomach, degradation from proteolytic enzymes, and poor absorption through the intestinal membrane. To achieve effective delivery of such biomolecules, there is a need to investigate novel strategies of formulation development that can overcome the barriers associated with conventional vaccine delivery systems. Nanoparticles are advanced drug delivery carriers that provide target-oriented delivery by encapsulating vaccine components within them, thus making them stable against unfavorable conditions. This review provides a detailed overview of the different types of nanocarriers and various approaches that can enhance oral vaccine delivery.

Drug Delivery Systems in Regenerative Medicine: An Updated Review

Modern drug discovery methods led to evolving new agents with significant therapeutic potential. However, their properties, such as solubility and administration-related challenges, may hinder their benefits. Moreover, advances in biotechnology resulted in the development of a new generation of molecules with a short half-life that necessitates frequent administration. In this context, controlled release systems are required to enhance treatment efficacy and improve patient compliance. Innovative drug delivery systems are promising tools that protect therapeutic proteins and peptides against proteolytic degradation where controlled delivery is achievable. The present review provides an overview of different approaches used for drug delivery.

The current status of nanotechnological approaches to therapy and drug delivery in otolaryngology: A contemporary review

Objectives/Hypothesis

To summarize the current standing of nanomedicine-based technology, particularly nanoparticles (NPs), for drug delivery and diagnostic mechanisms in otolaryngology and the otolaryngology subspecialties.

Methods

Literature searches were performed using PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE from 2010 to 2022. The search focused on original articles describing developments and applications of nanotechnology and drug delivery in otology, neurotology, cranial base surgery, head and neck oncology, laryngology, bronchoesophagology, and rhinology. Keyword searches and cross-referencing were also performed. No statistical analysis was performed.

Results

The PubMed search yielded 29 articles, and two Ovid MEDLINE searches both yielded 7 and 26 articles, respectively. Cross-referencing and keyword searches in PubMed and Google Scholar yielded numerous articles. The results indicate that currently, NPs are the most thoroughly studied nanotechnology for drug delivery and therapy in otolaryngology. Organic NPs have been utilized for drug delivery in otology and head and neck oncology due to their high biocompatibility. Inorganic NPs have similarly been utilized for drug delivery. However, inorganic NPs seem to be studied less extensively in these fields, likely due to an increased risk for heavy metal toxicity. Due to their magnetic properties, inorganic NPs have been utilized for magnetic-guided delivery in otology and thermoradiation and magnetic resonance imaging in head and neck oncology. Applications of nanotechnology to the fields of laryngology, bronchoesophagology, and rhinology have been studied less compared with otology and head and neck oncology. However, researchers have primarily employed NPs and other nanotechnologies such as nanofibers and nanoclusters for drug elution at mucosal surfaces to reduce airway and nasal inflammation.

Conclusions

Nanomedicine offers potential benefits in the treatment of patients in the field of otolaryngology due to enhanced control over drug release, cell-specific targeting, and the potential to reduce drug toxicity. Future work is needed to ensure the safety of these therapies to integrate this field of research into human therapies.

pH-Sensitive Polyacrylic Acid-Gated Mesoporous Silica Nanocarrier Incorporated with Calcium Ions for Controlled Drug Release

In this work, polyacrylic acid-functionalized MCM-41 was synthesized, which was made to interact with calcium ions, in order to realize enhanced pH-responsive nanocarriers for sustained drug release. First, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were prepared by the sol-gel method. Afterward, a (3-trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSPM) modified surface was prepared by using the post-grafting method, and then the polymerization of the acrylic acid was performed. After adding a calcium chloride solution, polyacrylic acid-functionalized MSNs with calcium-carboxyl ionic bonds in the polymeric layer, which can prevent the cargo from leaking out of the mesopore, were prepared. The structure and morphology of the modified nanoparticles (PAA-MSNs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis, etc. The controlled release of guest molecules was studied by using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The drug molecule-incorporated nanoparticles showed different releasing rates under different pH conditions. It is considered that our current materials have the potential as pH-responsive nanocarriers in the field of medical treatment.

A Quality by Design Approach in Pharmaceutical Development of Non-Viral Vectors with a Focus on miRNA

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Tumors consist of heterogeneous cell populations that have different biological properties. While conventional cancer therapy such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery does not target cancer cells specifically, gene therapy is attracting increasing attention as an alternative capable of overcoming these limitations. With the advent of gene therapy, there is increasing interest in developing non-viral vectors for genetic material delivery in cancer therapy. Nanosystems, both organic and inorganic, are the most common non-viral vectors used in gene therapy. The most used organic vectors are polymeric and lipid-based delivery systems. These nanostructures are designed to bind and protect the genetic material, leading to high efficiency, prolonged gene expression, and low toxicity. Quality by Design (QbD) is a step-by-step approach that investigates all the factors that may affect the quality of the final product, leading to efficient pharmaceutical development. This paper aims to provide a new perspective regarding the use of the QbD approach for improving the quality of non-viral vectors for genetic material delivery and their application in cancer therapy.

Drug-delivery nanoparticles for bone-tissue and dental applications

The use of nanoparticles as biomaterials with applications in the biomedical field is growing every day. These nanomaterials can be used as contrast imaging agents, combination therapy agents, and targeted delivery systems in medicine and dentistry. Usually, nanoparticles are found as synthetic or natural organic materials, such as hydroxyapatite, polymers, and lipids. Besides that, they are could also be inorganic, for instance, metallic or metal-oxide-based particles. These inorganic nanoparticles could additionally present magnetic properties, such as superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The use of nanoparticles as drug delivery agents has many advantages, for they help diminish toxicity effects in the body since the drug dose reduces significantly, increases drugs biocompatibility, and helps target drugs to specific organs. As targeted-delivery agents, one of the applications uses nanoparticles as drug delivery particles for bone-tissue to treat cancer, osteoporosis, bone diseases, and dental treatments such as periodontitis. Their application as drug delivery agents requires a good comprehension of the nanoparticle properties and composition, alongside their synthesis and drug attachment characteristics. Properties such as size, shape, core-shell designs, and magnetic characteristics can influence their behavior inside the human body and modify magnetic properties in the case of magnetic nanoparticles. Based on that, many different studies have modified the synthesis methods for these nanoparticles and developed composite systems for therapeutics delivery, adapting, and improving magnetic properties, shell-core designs, and particle size and nanosystems characteristics. This review presents the most recent studies that have been presented with different nanoparticle types and structures for bone and dental drug delivery.

Smart Drug Delivery Strategies for Cancer Therapy

Chemotherapy is one of the most widely used strategies to fight cancer, although it has disadvantages such as accumulation in healthy organs and lack of specificity by cancer cells (non-targeted molecules), among others, resulting in adverse effects on patients that limit the dose or follow-up with the same. However, the treatment can also fail due to the resistance mechanisms that cancer cells have to these agents. Because of these limitations, smart drug delivery strategies have been developed to overcome treatment challenges. These smart drug strategies are made with the aim of passively or actively releasing the drug into the tumor environment, increasing the uptake of the chemotherapeutic agent by the cancer cells, thus reducing the adverse effects on other vital organs. Also, these strategies can be guided with molecules on their surface that interact with the tumor microenvironment or with specific receptors on the cancer cell membrane, thus conferring high affinity. This mini review summarizes advances in the development of drug delivery techniques for cancer treatment, including different smart nanocarriers with single or multifunctional stimuli responsiveness. At the same time, we highlight the toxicity and delivery of these strategies in in vivo models. Despite innovation in smart delivery techniques, there are still biodistribution and customization challenges to be overcome in future research.

Polydopamine-Coated Copper-Substituted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Dual Cancer Therapy

Combinational therapy using chemodynamictherapy (CDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) is known to enhance the therapeutic outcome for cancer treatment. In this study, a biocompatible nano formulation was developed by coating polydopamine (PDA) over doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded copper-substituted mesoporous silica (CuMSN) nanoparticles. PDA coating not only allowed selective photothermal properties with an extended DOX release but also enhanced the water solubility and biocompatibility of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites displayed a monodispersed shape and pH-dependent release characteristics, with an outstanding photothermal conversion and excellent tumor cell inhibition. The cellular-uptake experiments of CuMSN@DOX@PDA in A549 cells indicated that nanoparticles (NPs) aided in the enhanced DOX uptake in tumor cells compared to free DOX with synergistic anti-cancer effects. Moreover, the cell-viability studies displayed remarkable tumor inhibition in combinational therapy over monotherapy. Thus, the synthesized CuMSN@DOX@PDA NPs can serve as a promising platform for dual cancer therapy.

Deep eutectic systems: An overview of fundamental aspects, current understanding and drug delivery applications

The deep eutectic system (DES) is a relatively new concept in the field of drug delivery science. DES is a class of eutectic mixtures comprised of two or more components, with a eutectic point far below than the melting temperature of the pure components. The strong hydrogen bonding interactions between DES constituents are responsible for significant lowering of melting point in DES. A significant number of molecules cannot reach from drug discovery phase to drug development phase because of poor biopharmaceutical attributes, such as solubility and permeability. DES can be a novel alternative to overcome these issues. In last few years DESs have been widely used in different pharmaceutical and chemical processes. However, comprehensive information regarding their drug delivery potential is not available. This review deals with fundamental aspects such as types, preparation, thermodynamics, toxicity, biodegradability and their applications in the field of drug delivery. Current challenges, future prospects and translational aspects of DES as drug delivery system have also been discussed.

Gum Acacia Functionalized Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles of Letrozole as Biocompatible Drug Delivery Carrier for Treatment of Breast Cancer

The most prevalent malignancy among postmenopausal women is breast cancer. It is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality among women. Letrozole (LTZ) is a clinically approved inhibitor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. However, due to poor aqueous solubility, non-specific binding, unwanted toxicity, and poor blood circulation hampered its clinical applications. To maximize the pharmacological effects and minimize the side effects, inorganic nanoparticles are a good alternative. Due to excellent biocompatibility and minimum cytotoxicity, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) offer distinct benefits over other metal nanoparticles. Emerging as attractive components, AuNPs and Gum acacia (GA) have been extensively studied as biologically safe nanomaterials for the treatment of cancers. This study reports the synthesis and characterization of GA stabilized gold nanoparticles (GA-AuNPs) of LTZ for breast cancer treatment. The observed particle size of optimized LTZ @ GA-AuNPs was 81.81 ± 4.24 nm in size, 0.286 ± 0.143 of polydispersity index (PDI) and −14.6 ± −0.73 mV zeta potential. The biologically synthesized LTZ @ GA-AuNPs also demonstrated dose-dependent cytotoxicity against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, with an inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 3.217 ± 0.247. We determined the hemolytic properties of the LTZ @ GA-AuNPs to evaluate the interaction between the nanoparticles and blood components. Results showed that there is no interaction between LTZ @ GA-AuNPs and blood. In conclusion, the findings indicate that LTZ @ GA-AuNPs has significant potential as a promising drug delivery carrier for treating breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

TAT for Enzyme/Protein Delivery to Restore or Destroy Cell Activity in Human Diseases

Much effort has been dedicated in the recent decades to find novel protein/enzyme-based therapies for human diseases, the major challenge of such therapies being the intracellular delivery and reaching sub-cellular organelles. One promising approach is the use of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) for delivering enzymes/proteins into cells. In this review, we describe the potential therapeutic usages of CPPs (mainly trans-activator of transcription protein, TAT) in enabling the uptake of biologically active proteins/enzymes needed in cases of protein/enzyme deficiency, concentrating on mitochondrial diseases and on the import of enzymes or peptides in order to destroy pathogenic cells, focusing on cancer cells.

Combination of cell-penetrating peptides with nanomaterials for the potential therapeutics of central nervous system disorders: a review

Although nanomedicine have greatly developed and human life span has been extended, we have witnessed the soared incidence of central nervous system (CNS) diseases including neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease), ischemic stroke, and brain tumors, which have severely damaged the quality of life and greatly increased the economic and social burdens. Moreover, partial small molecule drugs and almost all large molecule drugs (such as recombinant protein, therapeutic antibody, and nucleic acid) cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, it is especially important to develop a drug delivery system that can effectively deliver therapeutic drugs to the central nervous system for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) provide a potential strategy for the transport of macromolecules through the blood-brain barrier. This study analyzed and summarized the progress of CPPs in CNS diseases from three aspects: CPPs, the conjugates of CPPs and drug, and CPPs modified nanoparticles to provide scientific basis for the application of CPPs for CNS diseases.

Targeting immunosuppressor cells with nanoparticles in autoimmunity: How far have we come to?

Autoimmunity is the assault of immune response towards self-antigens, resulting to inflammation and tissue injury. It is staged into three phases and caused by malfunction of immune tolerance. In our body, immune tolerance is synchronized by several immunosuppressor cells such as regulatory T cells and B cells as well as myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are prominently dysregulated in autoimmunity. Hence, targeting these cell populations serve as a significant potential in the therapy of autoimmunity. Nanotechnology with its advantageous properties is shown to be a remarkable tool as drug delivery system in this field. This review focused on the development of therapeutics in autoimmune diseases utilizing various nanoparticles formulation based on two targeting approaches in autoimmunity, passive and active targeting. Lastly, this review outlined the approved present nanomedicines as well as in clinical evaluations and issues regarding the lack of translation of these nanomedicines into the market, despite the abundant of positive experimental observations.

Mechano-Responsive Piezoelectric Nanofiber as an On-Demand Drug Delivery Vehicle

The control over biodistribution and pharmacokinetics is critical to enhance the efficacy and minimize the side effects of therapeutic agents. To address the need for an on-demand drug delivery system for precise control over the release time and the quantity of drugs, we exploited the mechano-responsiveness of piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) nanofibers for drug delivery applications. The large surface area-to-volume ratio inherent to nanomaterials, together with the transformative piezoelectric properties, allowed us to use the material as an ultrasensitive and mechano-responsive drug delivery platform driven by the direct piezoelectric effect. The intrinsic negative zeta potential of the nanofibers was utilized to electrostatically load cationic drug molecules, where surface potential changes by exogenous mechanical actuation trigger the release of drug molecules. We show that the drug release kinetics of the P(VDF-TrFE) nanofibers depends on the fiber diameter, thus piezoelectric properties. We further demonstrated that the drug release quantity can be tuned by the applied pressure or dose of physiologically safe corporeal shockwaves as a mechanical stimulus in in vitro and ex vivo models. Overall, we demonstrated the utility of piezoelectric electrospun nanofibers for mechano-responsive controlled drug release.

Evaluation of nanoparticle drug-delivery systems used in preclinical studies

Multifunctional nanoparticles have been identified as a promising drug-delivery system for sustainable drug release. The structural and size tunability and disease-targeting ability of nanoparticles have made them more suitable for multiple drug loading and delivery, thereby enhancing therapeutic results through synergistic effects. Nanoparticulate carriers with specific features such as target specificity and stimuli-responsiveness enable selective drug delivery with lower potential side effects. In this review we have classified the recently published articles on polymeric and inorganic nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery into three different categories based on functionality and discussed their efficiency for drug delivery and their therapeutic outcomes in preclinical models. Most of the drug-loaded nanodelivery systems discussed have demonstrated negligible or very low systemic toxicity throughout the experimental period in animal models compared with free drug administration. In addition, some challenges associated with the translation of nanoparticle-based drug carrier responses to clinical application are highlighted.

Think Big, Start Small: How Nanomedicine Could Alleviate the Burden of Rare CNS Diseases

The complexity and organization of the central nervous system (CNS) is widely modulated by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), which both act as biochemical, dynamic obstacles impeding any type of undesirable exogenous exchanges. The disruption of these barriers is usually associated with the development of neuropathologies which can be the consequence of genetic disorders, local antigenic invasions, or autoimmune diseases. These disorders can take the shape of rare CNS-related diseases (other than Alzheimer's and Parkinson's) which a exhibit relatively low or moderate prevalence and could be part of a potential line of treatments from current nanotargeted therapies. Indeed, one of the most promising therapeutical alternatives in that field comes from the development of nanotechnologies which can be divided between drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools. Unfortunately, the number of studies dedicated to treating these rare diseases using nanotherapeutics is limited, which is mostly due to a lack of interest from industrial pharmaceutical companies. In the present review, we will provide an overview of some of these rare CNS diseases, discuss the physiopathology of these disorders, shed light on how nanotherapies could be of interest as a credible line of treatment, and finally address the major issues which can hinder the development of efficient therapies in that area.

Synthesis of 2-deoxy-d-glucose coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles for application in targeted delivery of the Pt(iv) prodrug of cisplatin – a novel approach in chemotherapy

Pt(IV) prodrug of cisplatin was loaded on 2DG functionalized silica coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The formulation alone exhibited biocompatibility whereas Pt(IV) loaded formulation exhibited cytotoxicity comparable with cisplatin.