Emerging applications of nanoparticles for lung cancer diagnosis and therapy

Weaponizing chitosan and its derivatives in the battle against lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is a crisis of catastrophic proportions. It is a global problem and urgently requires a solution. The classic chemo drugs are lagging behind as they lack selectivity, where their side effects are spilled all over the body, and these adverse effects would be terribly tragic for LC patients. Therefore, they could make a bad situation worse, inflict damage on normal cells, and inflict pain on patients. Since our confidence in classic drugs is eroding, chitosan can offer a major leap forward in LC therapy. It can provide the backbone and the vehicle that enable chemo drugs to penetrate the hard shell of LC. It could be functionalized in a variety of ways to deliver a deadly payload of toxins to kill the bad guys. It is implemented in formulation of polymeric NPs, lipidic NPs, nanocomposites, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and phototherapeutic agents. This review is a pretty clear proof of chitosan's utility as a weapon in battling LC. Chitosan-based formulations could work effectively to kill LC cells. If a researcher is looking for a vehicle for medication for LC therapy, chitosan can be an appropriate choice.

Chitosan nanoparticles as a smart nanocarrier for gefitinib for tackling lung cancer: Design of experiment and in vitro cytotoxicity study

Due to its poor solubility and systemic side effects, gefitinib (Gef) has limited application in treatment of lung cancer. In this study, we used design of experiment (DOE) tools to gain the necessary knowledge for the synthesis of high-quality gefitinib loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Gef-CSNPs) capable of delivering and concentrating Gef at A549 cells, thereby increasing therapeutic effectiveness while decreasing adverse effects. The optimized Gef-CSNPs were characterized by SEM, TEM, DSC, XRD, and FTIR analyses. The optimized Gef-CSNPs had a particle size of 158±3.6 nm, an entrapment efficiency of 93±1.2 %, and a release of 97±0.6 % after 8 h. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the optimized Gef-CSNPs was found to be significantly higher than pure Gef (IC50 = 10.08 ± 0.76 μg/mL and IC50 = 21.65 ± 0.32 μg/mL), respectively. In the A549 human cell line, the optimized Gef-CSNPs formula outperformed pure Gef in terms of cellular uptake (3.286 ± 0.12 μg/mL and 1.777 ± 0.1 μg/mL) and apoptotic population (64.82 ± 1.25 % and 29.38 ± 1.11 %), respectively. These findings explain why researchers are so interested in using natural biopolymers to combat lung cancer, and they paint an optimistic picture of their potential as a promising tool in the fight against lung cancer.

Potential Applications of Nanoparticles in Improving the Outcome of Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer is managed using conventional therapies, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of both. Each of these therapies has its own limitations, such as the indiscriminate killing of normal as well as cancer cells, the solubility of the chemotherapeutic drugs, rapid clearance of the drugs from circulation before reaching the tumor site, the resistance of cancer cells to radiation, and over-sensitization of normal cells to radiation. Other treatment modalities include gene therapy, immunological checkpoint inhibitors, drug repurposing, and in situ cryo-immune engineering (ICIE) strategy. Nanotechnology has come to the rescue to overcome many shortfalls of conventional therapies. Some of the nano-formulated chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as nanoparticles and nanostructures with surface modifications, have been used for effective cancer cell killing and radio sensitization, respectively. Nano-enabled drug delivery systems act as cargo to deliver the sensitizer molecules specifically to the tumor cells, thereby enabling the radiation therapy to be more effective. In this review, we have discussed the different conventional chemotherapies and radiation therapies used for inhibiting lung cancer. We have also discussed the improvement in chemotherapy and radiation sensitization using nanoparticles.

Metastatic Breast Cancer: Review of Emerging Nanotherapeutics

Metastases of breast cancer (BC) are often referred to as stage IV breast cancer due to their severity and high rate of mortality. The median survival time of patients with metastatic BC is reduced to 3 years. Currently, the treatment regimens for metastatic BC are similar to the primary cancer therapeutics and are limited to conventional chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. However, metastatic BC shows organ-specific complex tumor cell heterogeneity, plasticity, and a distinct tumor microenvironment, leading to therapeutic failure. This issue can be successfully addressed by combining current cancer therapies with nanotechnology. The applications of nanotherapeutics for both primary and metastatic BC treatments are developing rapidly, and new ideas and technologies are being discovered. Several recent reviews covered the advancement of nanotherapeutics for primary BC, while also discussing certain aspects of treatments for metastatic BC. This review provides comprehensive details on the recent advancement and future prospects of nanotherapeutics designed for metastatic BC treatment, in the context of the pathological state of the disease. Furthermore, possible combinations of current treatment with nanotechnology are discussed, and their potential for future transitions in clinical settings is explored.

Advances in Lung Cancer Treatment Using Nanomedicines

Carcinoma of the lungs is among the most menacing forms of malignancy and has a poor prognosis, with a low overall survival rate due to delayed detection and ineffectiveness of conventional therapy. Therefore, drug delivery strategies that may overcome undesired damage to healthy cells, boost therapeutic efficacy, and act as imaging tools are currently gaining much attention. Advances in material science have resulted in unique nanoscale-based theranostic agents, which provide renewed hope for patients suffering from lung cancer. Nanotechnology has vastly modified and upgraded the existing techniques, focusing primarily on increasing bioavailability and stability of anti-cancer drugs. Nanocarrier-based imaging systems as theranostic tools in the treatment of lung carcinoma have proven to possess considerable benefits, such as early detection and targeted therapeutic delivery for effectively treating lung cancer. Several variants of nano-drug delivery agents have been successfully studied for therapeutic applications, such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, hydrogels, and micelles. In this Review, we present a comprehensive outline on the various types of overexpressed receptors in lung cancer, as well as the various targeting approaches of nanoparticles.

Recent Advances in Lung Cancer Therapy Based on Nanomaterials: A Review

Lung cancer is one of the commonest cancers with a significant mortality rate for both genders, particularly in men. Lung cancer is recognized as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, which threatens the lives of over 1.6 million people every day. Although cancer is the leading cause of death in industrialized countries, conventional anticancer medications are unlikely to increase patients' life expectancy and quality of life significantly. In recent years, there are significant advances in the development and applications of nanotechnology in cancer treatment. The superiority of nanostructured approaches is that they act more selectively than traditional agents. This progress led to the development of a novel field of cancer treatment known as nanomedicine. Various formulations based on nanocarriers, including lipids, polymers, liposomes, nanoparticles and dendrimers have opened new horizons in lung cancer therapy. The application and expansion of nano-agents lead to an exciting and challenging research era in pharmaceutical science, especially for the delivery of emerging anti-cancer agents. The objective of this review is to discuss the recent advances in three types of nanoparticle formulations for lung cancer treatments modalities, including liposomes, polymeric micelles, and dendrimers for efficient drug delivery. Afterward, we have summarized the promising clinical data on nanomaterials based therapeutic approaches in ongoing clinical studies.

c-Met-Targeting 19F MRI Nanoparticles with Ultralong Tumor Retention for Precisely Detecting Small or Ill-Defined Colorectal Liver Metastases

Purpose

Precisely detecting colorectal liver metastases (CLMs), the leading cause of colorectal cancer-associated mortality, is extremely important. ¹H MRI with high soft tissue resolution plays a key role in the diagnosing liver lesions; however, precise detecting CLMs by ¹H MRI is a great challenge due to the limited sensitivity. Even though contrast agents may improve the sensitivity, due to their short half-life, repeated injections are required to monitor the changes of CLMs. Herein, we synthesized c-Met-targeting peptide-functionalized perfluoro-15-crown-5-ether nanoparticles (AH111972-PFCE NPs), for highly sensitive and early diagnosis of small CLMs.

Methods

The size, morphology and optimal properties of the AH111972-PFCE NPs were characterized. c-Met specificity of the AH111972-PFCE NPs was validated by in vitro experiment and in vivo ¹⁹F MRI study in the subcutaneous tumor murine model. The molecular imaging practicability and long tumor retention of the AH111972-PFCE NPs were evaluated in the liver metastases mouse model. The biocompatibility of the AH111972-PFCE NPs was assessed by toxicity study.

Results

AH111972-PFCE NPs with regular shape have particle size of 89.3 ± 17.8 nm. The AH111972-PFCE NPs exhibit high specificity, strong c-Met-targeting ability, and precise detection capability of CLMs, especially small or ill-defined fused metastases in ¹H MRI. Moreover, AH111972-PFCE NPs could be ultralong retained in metastatic liver tumors for at least 7 days, which is conductive to the implementation of continuous therapeutic efficacy monitoring. The NPs with minimal side effects and good biocompatibility are cleared mainly via the spleen and liver.

Conclusion

The c-Met targeting and ultralong tumor retention of AH111972-PFCE NPs will contribute to increasing therapeutic agent accumulation in metastatic sites, laying a foundation for CLMs diagnosis and further c-Met targeted treatment integration. This work provides a promising nanoplatform for the future clinical application to patients with CLMs.

Gefitinib-loaded starch nanoparticles for battling lung cancer: Optimization by full factorial design and in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation

Lung cancer is the number one killer among all cancer types. For decades, clinicians have been using conventional chemotherapeutics, but they can't rely on them alone anymore, because they poison bad cells and good cells as well. Researchers exploited nanotechnology as a potential tool to develop a platform for drug delivery to improve therapeutic efficiency. A quality by design synthesis of gefitinib-loaded starch nanoparticles (Gef-StNPs) has emerged as an essential tool to study and optimize the factors included in their synthesis. Therefore, we applied design of experiment (DOE) tools to attain the essential knowledge for the synthesis of high-quality Gef-StNPs that can deliver and concentrate the gefitinib (Gef) at A549 cells, thereby improving therapeutic efficacy and minimizing adverse effects. The in vitro cytotoxicity after exposing the A549 human lung cancer cells to the optimized Gef-StNPs was found to be much higher than that of the pure Gef (IC₅₀ = 6.037 ± 0.24 and 21.65 ± 0.32 μg/mL, respectively). The optimized Gef-StNPs formula showed superiority over the pure Gef regarding the cellular uptake in A549 human cell line (3.976 ± 0.14 and 1.777 ± 0.1 μg/mL) and apoptotic population (77.14 ± 1.43 and 29.38 ± 1.11 %), respectively. The results elucidate why researchers have a voracious appetite for using natural biopolymers to combat lung cancer and paint an optimistic picture of their potential to be a promising tool in battling lung cancer.

A spotlight on alkaloid nanoformulations for the treatment of lung cancer

Numerous naturally available phytochemicals have potential anti-cancer activities due to their vast structural diversity. Alkaloids have been extensively used in cancer treatment, especially lung cancers, among the plant-based compounds. However, their utilization is limited by their poor solubility, low bioavailability, and inadequacies such as lack of specificity to cancer cells and indiscriminate distribution in the tissues. Incorporating the alkaloids into nanoformulations can overcome the said limitations paving the way for effective delivery of the alkaloids to the site of action in sufficient concentrations, which is crucial in tumor targeting. Our review attempts to assess whether alkaloid nanoformulation can be an effective tool in lung cancer therapy. The mechanism of action of each alkaloid having potential is explored in great detail in the review. In general, Alkaloids suppress oncogenesis by modulating several signaling pathways involved in multiplication, cell cycle, and metastasis, making them significant component of many clinical anti-cancerous agents. The review also explores the future prospects of alkaloid nanoformulation in lung cancer. So, in conclusion, alkaloid based nanoformulation will emerge as a potential gamechanger in treating lung cancer in the near future.

Supercritical Fluids and Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy

Nanoparticles are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to their high surface-to-volume ratio. Among the many techniques used to obtain nanoparticles, those based on supercritical fluids ensure reduced dimensions, narrow particle size distributions, and a very low or zero solvent residue in the powders. This review focuses on using supercritical carbon dioxide-based processes to obtain the nanoparticles of compounds used for the treatment or prevention of cancer. The scientific literature papers have been classified into two groups: nanoparticles consisting of a single active principle ingredient (API) and carrier/API nanopowders. Various supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) based techniques for obtaining the nanoparticles were considered, along with the operating conditions and advantages and disadvantages of each process.

Biosensors and nanotechnology for cancer diagnosis (lung and bronchus, breast, prostate, and colon): a systematic review

The second cause of death in the world has been reported to be cancer, and it has been on the rise in recent years. As a result of the difficulties of cancer detection and its treatment, the survival rate of patients is unclear. The early detection of cancer is an important issue for its therapy. Cancer detection based on biomarkers may effectively enhance the early detection and subsequent treatment. Nanomaterial-based nanobiosensors for cancer biomarkers are excellent tools for the molecular detection and diagnosis of disease. This review reports the latest advancement and attainment in applying nanoparticles to the detection of cancer biomarkers. In this paper, the recent advances in the application of common nanomaterials like graphene, carbon nanotubes, Au, Ag, Pt, and Fe₃O₄together with newly emerged nanoparticles such as quantum dots, upconversion nanoparticles, inorganics (ZnO, MoS₂), and metal-organic frameworks for the diagnosis of biomarkers related to lung, prostate, breast, and colon cancer are highlighted. Finally, the challenges, outlook, and closing remarks are given.

New Insights into the Importance of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Lung Cancer: Future Clinical Approaches

In mammals, a large part of the gene expression products come from the non-coding ribonucleotide sequences of the protein. These short and long sequences are within the range of tens to hundreds of nucleotides, encompassing more than 200 RNA molecules, and their function is known as the molecular structure of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). LncRNA molecules are unique nucleotides that have a substantial role in epigenetic regulation, transcription, and post-transcriptional modifications in different ways. According to the results of recent studies, lncRNAs have been shown to assume various roles, including tumor suppression or oncogenic functions in common types of cancer such as lung and breast cancer. These non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a pivotal role in activating transcription factors, managing the ribonucleoproteins, the framework for collecting co-proteins, intermittent processing regulations, chromatin status alterations, and maintaining the control within the cell. Cutting-edge technologies have been introduced to disclose several types of lncRNAs within the nucleus and the cytoplasm, which have accomplished important achievements that are applicable in medicine. Due to these efforts, various data centers have been created to facilitate and modify scientific information related to these molecules, including detection, classification, biological evolution, gene status, spatial structure, status, and location of these small molecules. In the present study, we attempt to present the impacts of these ncRNAs on lung cancer with an emphasis on their mechanisms and functions.

A review on engineered magnetic nanoparticles in Non-Small-Cell lung carcinoma targeted therapy

There are growing appeals forthe design of efficacious treatment options for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) as it accrues to ~ 85% cases of lung cancer. Although platinum-based doublet chemotherapy has been the main therapeutic intervention in NSCLC management, this leads to myriad of problems including intolerability to the doublet regimens and detrimental side effects due to high doses. A new approach is therefore needed and warrants the design of targeted drug delivery systems that can halt tumor proliferation and metastasis by targeting key molecules, while exhibiting minimal side effects and toxicity. This review aims to explore the rational design of magnetic nanoparticles for the development of tumor-targeting systems for NSCLC. In the review, we explore the anticancer merits of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and provide a concise incursion into its application for the invention of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles in the targeted treatment of NSCLC. Recent nanoparticle-based targeted chemotherapies for targeting angiogenesis biomarkers in NSCLC will also be reviewed to further highlight versatility of magnetic nanoparticles. These developments through molecular tuning at the nanoscale and supported by comprehensive pre-clinical studies could lead to the establishment of precise nanosystems for tumor-homing cancer therapy.

Possible Enhancement of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Colorectal Cancer Treatment when Combined with Cannabidiol

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) has a high mortality rate and is one of the most difficult diseases to manage due to tumour resistance and metastasis. The treatment of choice for CRC is reliant on the phase and time of diagnosis. Despite several conventional treatments available to treat CRC (surgical excision, chemo-, radiationand immune-therapy), resistance is a major challenge, especially if it has metastasized. Additionally, these treatments often cause unwanted adverse side effects and so it remains imperative to investigate alternative combination therapies. Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a promising treatment modality for the primary treatment of CRC, since it is non-invasive, has few side effects and selectively damages only cancerous tissues, leaving adjacent healthy structures intact. PDT involves three fundamentals: a Photosensitizer (PS) drug localized in tumour tissues, oxygen, and light. Upon PS excitation using a specific wavelength of light, an energy transfer cascade occurs, that ultimately yields cytotoxic species, which in turn induces cell death. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid compound derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, which has shown to exert anticancer effects on CRC through different pathways, inducing apoptosis and so inhibiting tumour metastasis and secondary spread. This review paper highlights current conventional treatment modalities for CRC and their limitations, as well as discusses the necessitation for further investigation into unconventional active nanoparticle targeting PDT treatments for enhanced primary CRC treatment. This can be administered in combination with CBD, to prevent CRC secondary spread and enhance the synergistic efficacy of CRC treatment outcomes, with less side effects.

A Review on Green Synthesis, Characterization and Anticancer Application of Metallic Nanoparticles

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and also the main obstacle of accelerating anticipation. It is globally recognized as overwhelmingly challenging in terms of clinical management. Cancer is taken into account because a prime lethal disease affects different organs of the body. Even with the rapid improvements in the medical sciences, there are no proper medicines to treat specific kinds of cancer. One of the fundamental issues within the malignant growth treatment is the side effect because of conventional treatment systems. Nanotechnology might be an extremely encouraging field for the therapeutic and drug areas; thus, it assumes a crucial part in improving humankind's satisfaction. In the infield of nanotechnology, a plant-mediated fusion of metal nanoparticles has been developed as a substitute to defeat the limitations of traditional synthesis approaches similar to physical and synthetic strategies. These tunable properties of nanomaterials make them progressed apparatuses in the biomedical platform particularly for the improvement of new diagnostics and focused on therapeutics for malignancy.This review incorporates the characterization of nanoparticles with size and shape and features critical uses of biosynthesized green nanomaterials in cancer theranostics.

Onco-Receptors Targeting in Lung Cancer via Application of Surface-Modified and Hybrid Nanoparticles: A Cross-Disciplinary Review

Lung cancer is among the most prevalent and leading causes of death worldwide. The major reason for high mortality is the late diagnosis of the disease, and in most cases, lung cancer is diagnosed at fourth stage in which the cancer has metastasized to almost all vital organs. The other reason for higher mortality is the uptake of the chemotherapeutic agents by the healthy cells, which in turn increases the chances of cytotoxicity to the healthy body cells. The complex pathophysiology of lung cancer provides various pathways to target the cancerous cells. In this regard, upregulated onco-receptors on the cell surface of tumor including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), integrins, transferrin receptor (TFR), folate receptor (FR), cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) receptor, etc. could be exploited for the inhibition of pathways and tumor-specific drug targeting. Further, cancer borne immunological targets like T-lymphocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and dendritic cells could serve as a target site to modulate tumor activity through targeting various surface-expressed receptors or interfering with immune cell-specific pathways. Hence, novel approaches are required for both the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancers. In this context, several researchers have employed various targeted delivery approaches to overcome the problems allied with the conventional diagnosis of and therapy methods used against lung cancer. Nanoparticles are cell nonspecific in biological systems, and may cause unwanted deleterious effects in the body. Therefore, nanodrug delivery systems (NDDSs) need further advancement to overcome the problem of toxicity in the treatment of lung cancer. Moreover, the route of nanomedicines’ delivery to lungs plays a vital role in localizing the drug concentration to target the lung cancer. Surface-modified nanoparticles and hybrid nanoparticles have a wide range of applications in the field of theranostics. This cross-disciplinary review summarizes the current knowledge of the pathways implicated in the different classes of lung cancer with an emphasis on the clinical implications of the increasing number of actionable molecular targets. Furthermore, it focuses specifically on the significance and emerging role of surface functionalized and hybrid nanomaterials as drug delivery systems through citing recent examples targeted at lung cancer treatment.

Nanocarriers-Mediated Drug Delivery Systems for Anticancer Agents: An Overview and Perspectives

Nanotechnology has been actively integrated as drug carriers over the last few years to treat various cancers. The main hurdle in the clinical management of cancer is the development of multidrug resistance against chemotherapeutic agents. To overcome the limitations of chemotherapy, the researchers have been developing technological advances for significant progress in the oncotherapy by enabling the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents at increased drug content levels to the targeted spots. Several nano-drug delivery systems designed for tumor-targeting are evaluated in preclinical and clinical trials and showed promising outcomes in cancerous tumors' clinical management. This review describes nanocarrier's importance in managing different types of cancers and emphasizing nanocarriers for drug delivery and cancer nanotherapeutics. It also highlights the recent advances in nanocarriers-based delivery systems, including polymeric nanocarriers, micelles, nanotubes, dendrimers, magnetic nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, and quantum dots (QDs). The nanocarrier-based composites are discussed in terms of their structure, characteristics, and therapeutic applications in oncology. To conclude, the challenges and future exploration opportunities of nanocarriers in chemotherapeutics are also presented.

Nano Metal based Herbal theranostics for Cancer management: coalescing nature's boon with nanotechnological advancement

Cancer is amongst the leading public health problems globally with continuously increasing prevalence rate that demands for extensive and expensive treatment. Despite availability of number of potential cancer therapies, inadequate success has been achieved due to complexity and heterogeneity of tumors. Moreover, late/ terminal stage cancer leads to multidrug resistance, excruciating side effects, recurrence, etc. This is because of low penetrability and deleterious effects of drug on non-target cells/ tissues. This requires for cost effective, efficacious, alternative/ adjunct, complementary medicines with targeted drug delivery approach. A potential strategy to resolve this difficulty is to use theranostics i.e., formulations having both a therapeutic element and an imaging agent. Phytotherapeutics have been extensively used since times immemorial, having wide acceptability, easy availability, minimal side effects and comparatively inexpensive. These herbal formulations are mostly orally administered and thus subjected to adverse pH, enzymatic degradation, poor gut absorption, low bioavailability and non-targeted delivery that ultimately lead to their poor effectiveness. Constraints associated with conventional phyto-pharmaceuticals can be improved by designing and using "Nano Delivery Systems" (NDS). The foremost aim of metal based NDS is to provide sustained drug release, site-specific action, improved patient's compliance and enhanced efficacy. Metal Nanocarriers carrying herbal drugs will avoid these obstructions, so the drug can circulate into the blood for a longer period of time and provide optimal amount of the drug to the site of action. Besides, Herbal drugs with NDS thus would be efficacious as alternative/ complementary cancer theranostics. Present review describes about novel theranostic systems employing metal nanocarriers with diagnostic and therapeutic properties as are an effective strategy for cancer treatment. These systems when conjugated with herbal drugs provide an efficient management strategy for cancer.

Preparation and Nanoencapsulation of Lectin from Lepidium sativum on Chitosan-Tripolyphosphate Nanoparticle and Their Cytotoxicity against Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells (HepG2)

Lectins are the oligomeric sugar-specific glycoprotein of nonimmune origin, are involved in the multiple biological recognition process, and have the capacity to perform a wide variety of physiological functions including antifungal, antiviral, antitumor, and cell agglutination. The main objective of the current study was to prepare lectin protein-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles via ionic gelation methods with different CS/TPP ratios and to investigate anticancer potential against HepG2 cells. The best ratio showed the mean particle size (298.10 ± 1.9 nm, 21.05 ± 0.95 mv) with optimal encapsulation efficiencies of 52.435 ± 0.09%. The cytotoxicity was evaluated against HepG2 cells, and IC₅₀ values obtained were 265 μg/ml for lectin protein and 105 μg/ml for lectin-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles, respectively. The mRNA expression of proliferation markers like GPC3 was significantly decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) during lectin protein-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticle treatment. Apoptotic genes that indicating a marked increase in expression are Caspase 3, p53, and Bax, while Bcl2 and AFP showed a downregulation of expression after treatment of HepG2 cells with lectin-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles. The preliminary findings of our study highlighted that lectin protein-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles could be a promising anticancer agent.

Noninvasive Early Detection of Calpain 2-Enriched Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using a Human Serum Albumin-Bounded Calpain 2 Nanosensor

Lung cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage due to its unrecognized symptoms, resulting in high mortality. In recent decades, research into the development of an early diagnostic method for lung cancer has expanded in order to overcome the high mortality rate. Calpain 2 (CAPN2) has been suggested as a tumor marker linked to angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and migration in non-small cell lung cancer. In this study, CAPN2 enzyme-activatable near-infrared peptide sensor linked to human serum albumin (HSA-CAPN2) was developed. Intracellular localization and strong recovered fluorescence signals of HSA-CAPN2 were observed in in vitro experiments using A549-Luc cells, and signal recovery was inhibited by ALLN (a CAPN2 inhibitor). In vivo distribution and signal recovery evaluations performed using A549-Luc cell xenograft mice revealed that HSA-CAPN2 accumulated in the tumor region and produced high fluorescent signal recovery. Three-dimensional reconstructed images using single-plane illumination microscopy after tissue clarity visualized localization of HSA-CAPN2 in tumors. In addition, ALLN pretreatment showed a significant inhibitory effect on signal recovery of HSA-CAPN2, and that inhibition was induced by downregulation of CAPN2 at the gene and protein levels followed by decreases in Ca²⁺ levels. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of HSA-CAPN2 as a sensor for CAPN2-enriched cancer.

Glutathione-responsive biodegradable polyurethane nanoparticles for lung cancer treatment

Lung cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Stimuli-responsive polymers and nanoparticles, which respond to exogenous or endogenous stimuli in the tumor microenvironment, have been widely investigated for spatiotemporal chemotherapeutic drug release applications for cancer chemotherapy. We developed glutathione (GSH)-responsive polyurethane nanoparticles (GPUs) using a GSH-cleavable disulfide bond containing polyurethane that responds to elevated levels of GSH within lung cancer cells. The polyurethane nanoparticles were fabricated using a single emulsion and mixed organic solvent method. Cisplatin-loaded GSH-sensitive nanoparticles (CGPU) displayed a GSH-dose dependent release of cisplatin. In addition, a significant reduction in in vitro survival fraction of A549 lung cancer cells was observed compared to free cisplatin of equivalent concentration (survival fraction of ~0.5 and ~0.7, respectively). The in vivo biodistribution studies showed localization of fluorescently labeled GPUs (~7% of total injected dose per gram tissue) in the lung tumor regions after mouse-tail IV injections in xenograft A549 lung tumor models. The animals exposed to CGPUs also exhibited the inhibition of lung tumor growth compared to animals administered with saline (tumor growth rate of 1.5 vs. 13 in saline) and free cisplatin (tumor growth rate of 5.9) in mouse xenograft A549 lung tumor models within 14 days. These nanoparticles have potential to be used for on-demand drug release for an enhanced chemotherapy to effectively treat lung cancer.

Dual-targeted nano-in-nano albumin carriers enhance the efficacy of combined chemo/herbal therapy of lung cancer

Aim: A Nano-in-Nano approach was exploited to facilitate incorporation of the chemotherapeutic drug etoposide (ETP) as nanosuspension, synergistically with berberine (BER) into hydrophilic albumin nanoparticles (HSA NPs).Methods: For maximal tumor targeting, HSA was modified with mannose and phenyl-boronic acid. Furthermore, different crosslinkers were investigated for sustained release of water soluble BER from HSA NPs. Results: The elaborated dual-targeted HSA NPs (216.2 nm) were spherical with high BER and ETP entrapment efficiency (69.5 and 87.6%, respectively) and loading (10.52 and 14.04%, respectively). The NPs exhibited sequential release pattern for both ETP and BER (51.55 and 34.33% over 72 h, respectively). Phenyl-boronic acid/mannose-HSA NPs demonstrated powerful cytotoxicity against A549 lung cancer cells (IC50: 12.4 μg/ml) correlated to enhanced cellular internalization. Dual-targeted NPs displayed 9.77-fold higher caspase-3 level and 3.5-fold lower VEGF level than positive control mice. Conclusion: Dual-targeted Nano-in-Nano albumin carriers could be beneficial for parenteral ETP/BER delivery to lung cancer.

Co-delivery of oxygen and erlotinib by aptamer-modified liposomal complexes to reverse hypoxia-induced drug resistance in lung cancer

Tumor hypoxia is a common feature of the tumor microenvironment and has been regarded as one of the key factors in driving the emergence of drug resistance in solid tumors. To surmount the hypoxia-associated drug resistance, we fabricated the novel multifunctional liposomal complexes (ACLEP) that could co-deliver oxygen and molecular targeted drug to overcome the hypoxia-induced drug resistance in lung cancer. The ACLEP were fabricated with liposomes anchored with anti-EGFR aptamer-conjugated chitosan to co-administrate erlotinib and PFOB to EGFR-overexpressing non-small-cell lung cancer. Our results showed that the ACLEP possessed desired physicochemistry, good biostability and controlled drug release. The entrapped PFOB in nanoparticle facilitated the uptake of ACLEP in either normoxia or hypoxic condition. Comparing to those nanoparticles loading erlotinib alone, our innovative oxygen/therapeutic co-delivery system showed a promising outcome in fighting against hypoxia-evoked erotinib resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Hence, this work presents a potent drug delivery platform to overcome hypoxia-induced chemotherapy resistance.

Impact of albumin based approaches in nanomedicine: Imaging, targeting and drug delivery

A major challenge in the field of nanomedicine is to transform laboratory innovations into commercially successful clinical products. In this campaign, a variety of nanoenabled approaches have been designed and investigated for their role in biomedical applications. The advantages associated with the unique structure of albumin imparts it with the ability to interact with variety of molecules, while the functional groups present on their surface provide base for large number of modifications making it as an ideal nanocarrier system. So far, a variety of albumin based nanoenabled approaches have been intensively exploited for effective diagnosis and personalized medicine, among them some have successfully completed their journey from lab bench to marketed products. This review focuses on the recent most promising advancement in the field of albumin based nanoenabled approaches for various biomedical applications and their potential use in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Local co-administration of gene-silencing RNA and drugs in cancer therapy: State-of-the art and therapeutic potential

Gene-silencing miRNA and siRNA are emerging as attractive therapeutics with potential to suppress any genes, which could be especially useful in combination cancer therapy to overcome multidrug resistant (MDR) cancer. Nanomedicine aims to advance cancer treatment through functional nanocarriers that delivers one or more therapeutics to cancer tissue and cells with minimal off-target effects and suitable release kinetics and dosages. Although much effort has gone into developing circulating nanocarriers with targeting functionality for systemic administration, another alternative and straightforward approach is to utilize formulations to be administered directly to the site of action, such as pulmonary and intratumoral delivery. The combination of gene-silencing RNA with drugs in nanocarriers for localized delivery is emerging with promising results. In this review, the current progress and strategies for local co-administration of RNA and drug for synergistic effects and future potential in cancer treatment are presented and discussed. Key advances in RNA-drug anticancer synergy and localized delivery systems were combined with a review of the available literature on local co-administration of RNA and drug for cancer treatment. It is concluded that advanced delivery systems for local administration of gene-silencing RNA and drug hold potential in treatment of cancer, depending on indication. In particular, there are promising developments using pulmonary delivery and intratumoral delivery in murine models, but further research should be conducted on other local administration strategies, designs that achieve effective intracellular delivery and maximize synergy and feasibility for clinical use.

Aptamer-Conjugated Chitosan-Anchored Liposomal Complexes for Targeted Delivery of Erlotinib to EGFR-Mutated Lung Cancer Cells

Lung cancer is the leading cancer and has the highest death rate. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) erlotinib has had a promising response in lung cancer therapy. Unfortunately, individuals with TKI-resistant EGFR mutations often develop acquired resistance against erlotinib. To overcome this resistance, in the present study, we developed liposomes anchored with anti-EGFR aptamer (Apt)-conjugated chitosan (Apt-Cs) as stable carriers to deliver erlotinib to the target. We loaded erlotinib into Apt-Cs-anchored liposomal complexes (Apt-CL-E) and characterized the physicochemistry of Apt-CL-E. The nanoparticles showed good biostability and a binding specificity for EGFR-mutated cancer cells guided by the Apt. The specific binding facilitated the uptake of Apt-CL-E into EGFR-mutated cancer cells. A cytotoxicity study showed an advantage of Apt-CL-E over their nontargeted liposomal counterparts in delivering erlotinib to EGFR-mutated cancer cells, resulting in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. These results provide a good platform for future in vivo animal studies with Apt-CL-E.

Novel nanoparticulate systems for lung cancer therapy: an updated review

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Conventional therapy for lung cancer is associated with lack of specificity and access to the normal cells resulting in cytotoxicity, reduced cellular uptake, drug resistance and rapid drug clearance from the body. The emergence of nanotechnology has revolutionized the treatment of lung cancer. The focus of nanotechnology is to target tumor cells with improved bioavailability and reduced toxicity. In the recent years, nanoparticulate systems have extensively been exploited in order to overcome the obstacles in treatment of lung cancer. Nanoparticulate systems have shown much potential for lung cancer therapy by gaining selective access to the tumor cells due to surface modifiability and smaller size. In this review, various novel nanoparticles (NPs) based formulations have been discussed in the treatment of lung cancer. Nanotechnology is expected to grow fast in future, and it will provide new avenues for the improved treatment of lung cancer. This review article also highlights the characteristics, recent advances in the designing of NPs and therapeutic outcomes.

Biomimetic nanomaterials: Development of protein coated nanoceria as a potential antioxidative nano-agent for the effective scavenging of reactive oxygen species in vitro and in zebrafish model

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced oxidative stress is one of the major factors responsible for initiation of several intracellular toxic events that leads to cell death. Antioxidant enzymes defence system of the body is responsible for maintaining the oxidative balance and cellular homeostasis. Several diseases are promoted by the excessive oxidative stress caused by the impaired antioxidant defence system that leads to oxidant/antioxidant imbalance in the body. In order to restore or precise the aberrant antioxidant system, a large number of catalytic nanoparticles has been screened so far. Exceptional antioxidative activity of nanoceria made it as a potential antioxidative nano-agent for the effective scavenging of toxic ROS. In this work albumin coated nanoceria (ANC) was synthesized and further characterised by various physicochemical techniques. The antioxidant and superoxide dismutase (SOD) assay confirm that the albumin coating do not alter the antioxidant potential of ANC. The biocompatibility and protective efficacy of ANC against oxidative stress was investigated both in vitro and in vivo in human lung epithelial (L-132) cells and zebrafish embryos, respectively. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) analysis corroborates the uptake of ANC by the cells. Furthermore, the semi-quantitative gene expression studies confirmed that the ANC successfully defend the cells against oxidative stress by preserving the antioxidant system of the cells. Thus, the current work open up a new avenue for the development of improved antioxidant nano-drug therapies.

Magnetic nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis and treatment: a review

Diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer have been characterized with a variety of challenges. However, with the advancement in magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) technology, many challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer are on the decline. The MNPs have led to many break-through in cancer therapy. This paper seeks to establish the role of MNPs in diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. It proposes that the existing challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer can be addressed through application of MNPs in the process.

Phytochemicals and Biogenic Metallic Nanoparticles as Anticancer Agents

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Several classes of drugs are available to treat different types of cancer. Currently, researchers are paying significant attention to the development of drugs at the nanoscale level to increase their target specificity and to reduce their concentrations. Nanotechnology is a promising and growing field with multiple subdisciplines, such as nanostructures, nanomaterials, and nanoparticles. These materials have gained prominence in science due to their size, shape, and potential efficacy. Nanomedicine is an important field involving the use of various types of nanoparticles to treat cancer and cancerous cells. Synthesis of nanoparticles targeting biological pathways has become tremendously prominent due to the higher efficacy and fewer side effects of nanodrugs compared to other commercial cancer drugs. In this review, different medicinal plants and their active compounds, as well as green-synthesized metallic nanoparticles from medicinal plants, are discussed in relation to their anticancer activities.

Field-actuated antineoplastic potential of smart and versatile PEO–bPEI electrospun scaffold by multi-staged targeted co-delivery of magnetite nanoparticles and niclosamide–bPEI complexes

A PEO–bPEI based composite nanofiber scaffold has been realized for field actuated targeted delivery of magnetite nanoparticles and bPEI–niclosamide complexes for efficient management of cancer prognosis.

Multifunctional carbon dots as efficient fluorescent nanotags for tracking cells through successive generations

In the present work biocompatible multicolour fluorescent CDs have been synthesised from casein, which labels cells and also efficiently tracks them through successive generations. Apart from this, it also exhibits inherent ability to selectively labelE. coli.

Lung cancer nanomedicine: potentials and pitfalls

Lung cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. Nanoparticle-based therapies enable targeted drug delivery for lung cancer treatment with increased therapeutic efficiency and reduced systemic toxicity. At the same time, nanomedicine has the potential for multimodal treatment of lung cancer that may involve 'all-in-one' targeting of several tumor-associated cell types in a timely and spatially controlled manner. Therapeutic approaches, however, are hampered by a translational gap between basic scientists, clinicians and pharma industry due to suboptimal animal models and difficulties in scale-up production of nanoagents. This calls for a disease-centered approach with interdisciplinary basic and clinical research teams with the support of pharma industries.

Enhancement of Cytotoxicity and Inhibition of Angiogenesis in Oral Cancer Stem Cells by a Hybrid Nanoparticle of Bioactive Quinacrine and Silver: Implication of Base Excision Repair Cascade

A poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based uniform (50-100 nm) hybrid nanoparticle (QAgNP) with positive zeta potential (0.52 ± 0.09 mV) was prepared by single emulsion solvent evaporation method with bioactive small molecule quinacrine (QC) in organic phase and silver (Ag) in aqueous phase. Physiochemical properties established it as a true hybrid nanoparticle and not a mixture of QC and Ag. Antitumor activity of QAgNP was evaluated by using various cancer cell lines including H-357 oral cancer cells and OSCC-cancer stem cell in an in vitro model system. QAgNP caused more cytotoxicity in cancer cells than normal epithelial cells by increasing BAX/BCL-XL, cleaved product PARP-1, and arresting the cells at S phase along with DNA damage. In addition, QAgNPs offered greater ability to kill the OSCC-CSCs compared to NQC and AgNPs. QAgNP offered anticancer action in OSCC-CSCs by inhibiting the base excision repair (BER) within the cells. Interestingly, alteration of BER components (Fen-1 and DNA polymerases (β, δ, and ε) and unalteration of NHEJ (DNA-PKC) or HR (Rad-51) components was noted in QAgNP treated OSCC-CSC cells. Furthermore, QAgNP significantly reduced angiogenesis in comparison to physical mixture of NQC and AgNP in fertilized eggs. Thus, these hybrid nanoparticles caused apoptosis in OSCC-CSCs by inhibiting the angiogenesis and BER in cells.

Antioxidant nanozyme: a facile synthesis and evaluation of the reactive oxygen species scavenging potential of nanoceria encapsulated albumin nanoparticles

Several diseases and disorders, including cancer are endorsed by excessive oxidative stress caused due to the incomplete removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the antioxidant defense system of the body. Therefore, present interest among the scientific community lies in the development of a highly stable, biocompatible artificial enzymatic system that possesses a high ROS scavenging activity over a period of time. In recent years, catalytic nanoparticles emerged as a potential candidate in the field of nanomedicine. Due to their inherent catalytic properties, they are exploited as an artificial enzyme (nanozyme), to reinstate or correct aberrant enzymatic activities in patients. Among them, cerium oxide nanoparticles/nanoceria (CNPs) emerged as a potent artificial redox enzyme, mimicking the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and endure a tremendous ROS scavenging potential as depicted in a surfeit of human cell lines and animal models. In the present article, a facile synthesis of biocompatible nanoceria encapsulated albumin nanoparticles (BCNPs) via desolvation technique that lead to the abatement of intracellular ROS is reported. Physico-chemical characterizations of as-prepared BCNPs corroborate the formation of a highly monodispersed, spherical and stable aqueous delivery system. Interestingly, such entrapment does not affect the enzyme mimetic activity of CNPs, as demonstrated by SOD assay. The biocompatibility and ROS scavenging potential of BCNPs were further assessed in vitro against human lung epithelial cells by cell viability assay and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. The quantitative and qualitative assessments of cellular uptake of BCNPs were done by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) analysis. Furthermore, the BCNPs preserve the cell's antioxidant defense system and protect them from oxidant-mediated apoptosis as confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Thus, the as-prepared BCNPs could provide an opportunity to be utilized as a potential candidate against ROS induced diseases and disorders.

Green synthesis of multifunctional carbon dots from coriander leaves and their potential application as antioxidants, sensors and bioimaging agents

In the present study, a facile one-step hydrothermal treatment of coriander leaves for preparing carbon dots (CDs) has been reported. Optical and structural properties of the CDs have been extensively studied by UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic, microscopic (transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy) and X-ray diffraction techniques. Surface functionality and composition of the CDs have been illustrated by elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Quenching of the fluorescence of the CDs in the presence of metal ions is of prime significance, hence CDs have been used as a fluorescence probe for sensitive and selective detection of Fe(3+) ions. Eventually, biocompatibility and bioimaging aspects of CDs have been evaluated on lung normal (L-132) and cancer (A549) cell lines. Qualitative analysis of cellular uptake of CDs has been pursued through fluorescence microscopy, while quantitative analysis using a flow cytometer provided an insight into the concentration and cell-type dependent uptake of CDs. The article further investigates the antioxidant activity of CDs. Therefore, we have validated the practicality of CDs obtained from a herbal carbon source for versatile applications.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of therapy targeting epithelial-cell adhesion-molecule aptamers for non-small cell lung cancer

Targeted, disease-specific delivery of therapeutic nanoparticles shows wonderful promise for transmitting highly cytotoxic anti-cancer agents. Using the reaction of non-small cell lung cancer (SK-MES-1 and A549 cell lines) as representative of other cancer types', the present study examines the effects of EpCAM-fluoropyrimidine RNA aptamer-decorated, DOX-loaded, PLGA-b-PEG nanopolymersomes that bond specifically to the extracellular domain of epithelial-cell adhesion molecules. Results demonstrate that EpCAM aptamer-conjugated DOX-NPs (Apt-DOX-NP) significantly enhance cellular nanoparticle uptake in SK-MES-1 and A549 cell lines and increase the cytotoxicity of the DOX payload as compared with non-targeted DOX-NP (P<0.05). Additionally, Apt-DOX-NP exhibits greater tumor inhibition in nude mice bearing SK-MES-1 non-small cell lung-cancer xenografts and reduces toxicity, as determined by loss of body weight, cardiac histopathology and animal survival rate in vivo. After a single intravenous injection of Apt-DOX-NP and DOX-NPs, tumor volume decreased 60.9% and 31.4%, respectively, in SK-MES-1-xenograft nude mice compared with members of a saline-injected control group. This study proves the potential utility of Apt-DOX-NP for therapeutic application in non-small cell lung cancer. In the future, EpCAM-targeted therapies might play a key role in treating non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer.

Bionanotherapeutics: niclosamide encapsulated albumin nanoparticles as a novel drug delivery system for cancer therapy

In this work niclosamide was encapsulated into albumin nanoparticles through a desolvation method to improve its scope of application in cancer therapy.