A new strategy for TiO2 whiskers mediated multi-mode cancer treatment

Doxorubicin-loaded PEG-CdTe QDs conjugated with anti-CXCR4 mAbs: a novel delivery system for extramedullary multiple myeloma treatment

Extramedullary multiple myeloma (EMM) is defined as the presence of plasma cells outside the bone marrow of multiple myeloma patients, and its prognosis is poor. High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation, as a good option on early lines of therapy, has retained the survival benefit of youny EMM patients, but is intolerant for the majority of old patients because of drug cytotoxicity. To essentially address the intolerance above, we designed a CXCR4-PEG-CdTe-DOX (where CXCR4: chemokine receptor 4; PEG-CdTe: polyethylene glycol-modified cadmium telluride; DOX:doxorubicin) nanoplatform. First, CXCR4 is highly expressed in extramedullary plasma cells. Second, PEG-CdTe a drug carrier that controls drug release, can reduce adverse reactions, prolong drug (e.g, DOX) circulation time in the body, and form a targeting carrier after connecting antibodies. In vitro experiments showed CXCR4-PEG-CdTe-DOX facilitated intracellular drug accumulation through active CXCR4 targeting and released DOX into the microenvironment in a pH-controlled manner, enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and apoptosis rate of myeloma cells (U266). Therefore, targeted chemotherapy mediated by CXCR4-PEG-CdTe-DOX is a promising option for EMM treatment.

Thermosensitive nanocomposite components for combined photothermal-photodynamic therapy in liver cancer treatment

Phototherapies, in the form of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), have great application prospects in the field of biomedical science due to high precision and non-invasiveness. Because of the limited therapeutic efficacy of single phototherapy, researchers start to focus on combined PTT-PDT. Here, we designed a composite nanomaterial for PTT-PDT. H-TiO₂ mesoporous spheres were prepared by sol-gel method and hydrogenation treatment. After modification with polydopamine (PDA), they were combined with indocyanine green (ICG) and NPe6 photosensitizers and coated by thermosensitive liposomes to prepare H-TiO₂ @PDA@ICG@NPe6 @Lipo nanocomposite component. The results indicated a substantial improvement of the component in the aspects of spectral response range, photothermal conversion efficiency and light absorption performance by modification and photosensitizers, in the absence of any toxicities on cells. Thermal induction and sequential irradiation with 808 nm and 664 nm lasers induced the aggregation of H-TiO₂ @PDA@ICG@NPe6 @Lipo at the tumor site to generate hyperthermia and massive reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in decreased cell activity or even cell apoptosis and restrained growth of allograft tumors. These findings underscore the favorable effects of H-TiO₂ @PDA@ICG@NPe6 @Lipo on the combined phototherapies and provide approaches for the development of nano-drugs in the context of liver cancer.

Medical and Dental Applications of Titania Nanoparticles: An Overview

Currently, titanium oxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles are successfully employed in human food, drugs, cosmetics, advanced medicine, and dentistry because of their non-cytotoxic, non-allergic, and bio-compatible nature when used in direct close contact with the human body. These NPs are the most versatile oxides as a result of their acceptable chemical stability, lower cost, strong oxidation properties, high refractive index, and enhanced aesthetics. These NPs are fabricated by conventional (physical and chemical) methods and the latest biological methods (biological, green, and biological derivatives), with their advantages and disadvantages in this epoch. The significance of TiO₂ NPs as a medical material includes drug delivery release, cancer therapy, orthopedic implants, biosensors, instruments, and devices, whereas their significance as a dental biomaterial involves dentifrices, oral antibacterial disinfectants, whitening agents, and adhesives. In addition, TiO₂ NPs play an important role in orthodontics (wires and brackets), endodontics (sealers and obturating materials), maxillofacial surgeries (implants and bone plates), prosthodontics (veneers, crowns, bridges, and acrylic resin dentures), and restorative dentistry (GIC and composites).

Withania somnifera: Progress towards a Pharmaceutical Agent for Immunomodulation and Cancer Therapeutics

Chemotherapy is one of the prime treatment options for cancer. However, the key issues with traditional chemotherapy are recurrence of cancer, development of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, affordability, late-stage detection, serious health consequences, and inaccessibility. Hence, there is an urgent need to find innovative and cost-effective therapies that can target multiple gene products with minimal adverse reactions. Natural phytochemicals originating from plants constitute a significant proportion of the possible therapeutic agents. In this article, we reviewed the advances and the potential of Withania somnifera (WS) as an anticancer and immunomodulatory molecule. Several preclinical studies have shown the potential of WS to prevent or slow the progression of cancer originating from various organs such as the liver, cervix, breast, brain, colon, skin, lung, and prostate. WS extracts act via various pathways and provide optimum effectiveness against drug resistance in cancer. However, stability, bioavailability, and target specificity are major obstacles in combination therapy and have limited their application. The novel nanotechnology approaches enable solubility, stability, absorption, protection from premature degradation in the body, and increased circulation time and invariably results in a high differential uptake efficiency in the phytochemical’s target cells. The present review primarily emphasizes the insights of WS source, chemistry, and the molecular pathways involved in tumor regression, as well as developments achieved in the delivery of WS for cancer therapy using nanotechnology. This review substantiates WS as a potential immunomodulatory, anticancer, and chemopreventive agent and highlights its potential use in cancer treatment.

Review on metal nanoparticles as nanocarriers: current challenges and perspectives in drug delivery systems

Over the past few years, nanotechnology has been attracting considerable research attention because of their outstanding mechanical, electromagnetic and optical properties. Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field comprising nanomaterials, nanoelectronics, and nanobiotechnology, as three areas which extensively overlap. The application of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) has drawn much attention offering significant advances, especially in the field of medicine by increasing the therapeutic index of drugs through site specificity preventing multidrug resistance and delivering therapeutic agents efficiently. Apart from drug delivery, some other applications of MNPs in medicine are also well known such as in vivo and in vitro diagnostics and production of enhanced biocompatible materials and nutraceuticals. The use of metallic nanoparticles for drug delivery systems has significant advantages, such as increased stability and half-life of drug carrier in circulation, required biodistribution, and passive or active targeting into the required target site. Green synthesis of MNPs is an emerging area in the field of bionanotechnology and provides economic and environmental benefits as an alternative to chemical and physical methods. Therefore, this review aims to provide up-to-date insights on the current challenges and perspectives of MNPs in drug delivery systems. The present review was mainly focused on the greener methods of metallic nanocarrier preparations and its surface modifications, applications of different MNPs like silver, gold, platinum, palladium, copper, zinc oxide, metal sulfide and nanometal organic frameworks in drug delivery systems.

Phototherapy and optical waveguides for the treatment of infection

With rapid emergence of multi-drug resistant microbes, it is imperative to seek alternative means for infection control. Optical waveguides are an auspicious delivery method for precise administration of phototherapy. Studies have shown that phototherapy is promising in fighting against a myriad of infectious pathogens (i.e. viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa) including biofilm-forming species and drug-resistant strains while evading treatment resistance. When administered via optical waveguides, phototherapy can treat both superficial and deep-tissue infections while minimizing off-site effects that afflict conventional phototherapy and pharmacotherapy. Despite great therapeutic potential, exact mechanisms, materials, and fabrication designs to optimize this promising treatment option are underexplored. This review outlines principles and applications of phototherapy and optical waveguides for infection control. Research advances, challenges, and outlook regarding this delivery system are rigorously discussed in a hope to inspire future developments of optical waveguide-mediated phototherapy for the management of infection and beyond.

Eugenol attenuates TiO2 nanoparticles-induced oxidative damage, biochemical toxicity and DNA damage in Wistar rats: an in vivo study

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are widely used in food, edible dyes, and other commercial products. Human exposure to TiO2 NPs has raised concerns regarding their toxic potential. Various studies have evaluated the TiO2 NPs-induced toxicity, oxidative damage to the cellular components, and genotoxicity. In the present study, we examined whether co-treatment with the dietary antioxidant eugenol can attenuate or protect against TiO2 NPs-induced toxicity. We exposed the adult male Wistar rats to TiO2 NPs (150 mg/kg body weight) by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) either alone or as co-treatment with eugenol (1-10 mg/kg body weight) once a day for 14 days. The untreated rats were supplied saline and served as control. Titanium (Ti) accumulation in various tissues was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Serum levels of liver and kidney biomarkers and oxidative stress markers in the liver, kidney, and spleen were determined. A significant increase in hydrogen peroxide level confirmed that oxidative stress occurred in these tissues. TiO2 NPs induced oxidation of lipids, and decreased glutathione level and antioxidant enzyme activity in the kidney, liver, and spleen of treated rats. TiO2 NPs also increased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, and total cholesterol and decreased the blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, and total bilirubin in serum, which indicates oxidative damage to the liver and kidney. In eugenol and TiO2 NPs co-treated rats, all these changes were mitigated. Single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) of lymphocytes showed longer comet tail length in TiO2 NPs-treated groups, indicating DNA damage while tail length was reduced in eugenol and TiO2 NPs co-treated groups. Thus, it seems that eugenol can be used as a chemoprotective agent against TiO2 NPs-induced toxicity.

Insights into Theranostic Properties of Titanium Dioxide for Nanomedicine

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanostructures exhibit a broad range of theranostic properties that make them attractive for biomedical applications. TiO2 nanostructures promise to improve current theranostic strategies by leveraging the enhanced quantum confinement, thermal conversion, specific surface area, and surface activity. This review highlights certain important aspects of fabrication strategies, which are employed to generate multifunctional TiO2 nanostructures, while outlining post-fabrication techniques with an emphasis on their suitability for nanomedicine. The biodistribution, toxicity, biocompatibility, cellular adhesion, and endocytosis of these nanostructures, when exposed to biological microenvironments, are examined in regard to their geometry, size, and surface chemistry. The final section focuses on recent biomedical applications of TiO2 nanostructures, specifically evaluating therapeutic delivery, photodynamic and sonodynamic therapy, bioimaging, biosensing, tissue regeneration, as well as chronic wound healing.

Preparation and Characterization of Magnetic Fe3O4/CdWO4 and Fe3O4/CdWO4/PrVO4 Nanoparticles and Investigation of Their Photocatalytic and Anticancer Properties on PANC1 Cells

Fe3O4/CdWO4 and Fe3O4/CdWO4/PrVO4 magnetic nanoparticles were prepared at different molar ratios of PrVO4 to previous layers (Fe3O4/CdWO4) via the co-precipitation method assisted by a sonochemical procedure, in order to investigate the photocatalytic performance of these systems and their cytotoxicity properties. The physico-chemical properties of these magnetic nanoparticles were determined via several experimental methods: X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy, using a vibrating sample magnetometer and a scanning electron microscope. The average sizes of these nanoparticles were found to be in the range of 60-100 nm. The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared nanostructures was measured by methylene blue degradation under visible light (assisted by H2O2). The magnetic nanosystem with a 1:2:1 ratio of three oxide components showed the best performance by the degradation of ca. 70% after 120 min of exposure to visible light irradiation. Afterwards, this sample was used for the photodegradation of methyl orange, methyl violet, fenitrothion, and rhodamine-B pollutants. Finally, the mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction was examined by releasing ˙OH under UV light in a system including terephthalic acid, as well as O2-, OH, and hole scavengers. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of each synthesized sample was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay against the human cell line PANC1 (cancer), and its IC50 was approximately 125 mg/L.

The influence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on their cellular response to macrophage cells

As the most widely application of nanomaterials in biology and medicine, their interaction with biological system and the afterwards cellular responses would be addressed. Here, the agglomerate states of two kinds of TiO₂ NPs in culture medium were characterized and the cluster specific cellular responses in RAW264.7 cells were investigated. Owing to the smaller aggregates and more positively charged surface, 21 nm TiO₂ NPs exhibited higher cytotoxicity, which correlated with their ability to cause damage to mitochondria. While for 35 nm TiO₂ NPs, higher level of cell autophagy and stronger pro-inflammatory immune response were observed, which are responsible for their lower cytotoxicity. These results suggest that physiochemical properties of TiO₂ NPs in culture medium are important factor affecting their cellular response to RAW264.7 cells.

The application of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles in the photo-thermal therapy of melanoma cancer model

OBJECTIVES

Photo-thermal therapy (PTT) is a therapeutic method in which photon energy is converted into heat to induce hyperthermia in malignant tumor cells. In this method, energy conversion is performed by nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance induced heat efficacy. The low-cytotoxicity and high optical absorbance of NPs used in this technique are very important. In the present study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs were used as agents for PTT. For increasing water dispersibility and biocompatibility, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-TiO2 NPs (PEGylated TiO2 NPs) were synthesized and the effect of these NPs on reducing melanoma tumor size after PTT was experimentally assessed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To improve the dispersibility of TiO2 NPs in water, PEG was used for wrapping the surface of TiO2 NPs. The formation of a thin layer of PEG around the TiO2 NPs was confirmed through thermo-gravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy techniques. Forty female cancerous mice were divided into four equal groups and received treatment with NPs and a laser diode (λ = 808 nm, P = 2 W & I = 2 W/cm2) for seven min once in the period of the treatment.

RESULTS

Compared to the mice receiving only the laser therapy, the average tumor size in the mice receiving TiO2-PEG NPs with laser excitation treatment sharply decreased.

CONCLUSION

The results of animal studies showed that PEGylated TiO2 NPs were exceptionally potent in destroying solid tumors in the PTT technique.

Dual-stimuli-responsive TiO x /DOX nanodrug system for lung cancer synergistic therapy

Biological applications of nanosheets are rapidly increasing currently, which introduces new possibilities to improve the efficacy of cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel nano-drug system, doxorubicin (DOX) loaded titanium peroxide (TiO x ) nanosheets, toward the synergistic treatment of lung cancer. The precursor of TiO2 nanosheets with high specific surface area was synthesized by a modified hydrothermal process using the polymer P123 as a soft template to control the shape. TiO x nanosheets were obtained by oxidizing TiO2 nanosheets with H2O2. The anti-cancer drug DOX was effectively loaded on the surface of TiO x nanosheets. Generation of reactive oxygen species, including H2O2, ·OH and ·O2 -, was promoted from TiO x nanosheets under X-ray irradiation, which is effective for cancer radiotherapy and drug release in cancer cells. In this way, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were combined effectively for the synergistic therapy of cancers. Our results reinforce the DOX loaded TiO x nanosheets as a pH sensitive and X-ray controlled dual-stimuli-responsive drug release system. The cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and intracellular location of the formulations were evaluated in the A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cell line. Our results showed that TiO x /DOX complexes exhibited a greater cytotoxicity toward A549 cells than free DOX. This work demonstrates that the therapeutic efficacy of DOX-loaded TiO x nanosheets is strongly dependent on their loading mode and the chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy effect is improved under X-ray illumination, which provides a significant breakthrough for future applications of TiO x as a light activated drug carrier in cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticle stimulating pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo for inhibited cancer metastasis

AIMS

The interaction of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) with the immune system and the possibility of inflammation induction are of particularly interest. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) are one of the most popular manufactured nanomaterials. In this study, we focused on the immune-modulatory effect of commercial P-25 TiO₂ NPs in vivo and in vitro and their crucial role in cancer metastasis.

MAIN METHODS

The female C57BL/6 mice were injected into abdominal cavity with PBS or P-25 TiO₂ to investigate the immune-modulatory function of P-25. And breast cancer cells were intravenously (i.v.) injected into mouse to establish the liver and lung cancer metastasis model. Peritoneal macrophage was used to investigate the macrophage polarization in vitro.

KEY FINDINGS

Results showed us that peritoneal macrophage exposed to P-25 TiO₂ NPs displayed activated M1 macrophage response, as evidenced by the increased mRNA expression of interleukin-1β (IL1β), IL6, TNFα, CCR7 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). After exposure of TiO₂ NPs in vivo for 21 days, the body weights of mice decreased significantly, which were accompanied by an infiltration of immune cells in liver and spleen in 20 mg/kg BW treated group. Importantly, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in liver, spleen and the serum were amplified, which indicated the tissue and systemic inflammation induced by TiO₂ NPs. In addition, the activation of immune response induced by P-25 TiO₂ NPs was correlated with their ability to inhibit cancer metastasis.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our results delineated the stimulating pro-inflammatory response induced by P-25 TiO₂ NPs and their outcome in vivo for cancer metastasis.

Therapeutic potential of gambogic acid, a caged xanthone, to target cancer

Natural compounds have enormous biological and clinical activity against dreadful diseases such as cancer, as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. In spite of the widespread research carried out in the field of cancer therapeutics, cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases with no perfect treatment till date. Adverse side effects and the development of chemoresistance are the imperative limiting factors associated with conventional chemotherapeutics. For this reason, there is an urgent need to find compounds that are highly safe and efficacious for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Gambogic acid (GA) is a xanthone structure extracted from the dry, brownish gamboge resin secreted from the Garcinia hanburyi tree in Southeast Asia and has inherent anti-cancer properties. In this review, the molecular mechanisms underlying the targets of GA that are liable for its effective anti-cancer activity are discussed that reveal the potential of GA as a pertinent candidate that can be appropriately developed and designed into a capable anti-cancer drug.

Synthesis and evaluation of the cytotoxic and anti-proliferative properties of ZnO quantum dots against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells

Current trends in therapeutic research are the application of nanomaterial carriers for cancer therapy. One such molecule, ZnO, originally used in diagnosis and as a drug carrier, is gaining importance for its biological properties. Here, we report for the first time, the scope of ZnO QDs for enhanced cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Unlike other ZnO nanostructures, ZnO QDs are dispersed and small sized (8-10nm) which is believed to greatly increase the cellular uptake. Furthermore, the acidic tumor microenvironment attracts ZnO QDs enhancing targeted therapy while leaving normal cells less affected. Results from MTT assay demonstrated that ZnO QDs induced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells at very low concentrations (10 and 15μg/ml) as compared to other reported ZnO nanostructures. HEK-293 cells showed less toxicity at these concentrations. Confocal microscope images from DAPI staining and TUNEL assay demonstrated that ZnO QDs induced nuclear fragmentation and apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. FACS results suggested ZnO QDs treatment induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in these cells. ZnO QDs drastically decreased the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 as seen from the results of the clonogenic and wound healing assays respectively. Furthermore, our data suggested that ZnO QDs regulated apoptosis via Bax and Bcl-2 proteins as validated by immunofluorescence and western blot. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that these ultra-small sized ZnO QDs destabilize cancer cells by using its acidic tumor microenvironment thereby inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell proliferation and migration at low dosages.

Apoptotic Mechanism of Human Leukemia K562/A02 Cells Induced by Magnetic Ferroferric Oxide Nanoparticles Loaded with Wogonin

Background:

Traditional Chinese medicine wogonin plays an important role in the treatment of leukemia. Recently, the application of drug-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to increase water solubility of the drug and to enhance its chemotherapeutic efficiency has attracted much attention. Drugs coated with MNPs are becoming a promising way for better leukemia treatment. This study aimed to assess the possible molecular mechanisms of wogonin-coated MNP-Fe₃O₄ (Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄) as an antileukemia agent.

Methods:

After incubated for 48 h, the antiproliferative effects of MNPs, wogonin, or Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ on K562/A02 cells were determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The apoptotic rates of K562/A02 cells treated with either wogonin or Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ were determined by flow cytometer (FCM) assay. The cell cycle arrest in K562/A02 cells was determined by FCM assay. The elementary molecular mechanisms of these phenomena were explored by Western blot and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results:

With cell viabilities ranging from 98.76% to 101.43%, MNP-Fe₃O₄ was nontoxic to the cell line. Meanwhile, the wogonin and Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ had little effects on normal human embryonic lung fibroblast cells. The cell viabilities of the Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ group (28.64–68.36%) were significantly lower than those of the wogonin group (35.53–97.28%) in a dose-dependent manner in 48 h (P < 0.001). The apoptotic rate of K562/A02 cells was significantly improved in 50 μmol/L Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ group (34.28%) compared with that in 50 μmol/L wogonin group (23.46%; P < 0.001). Compared with those of the 25 and 50 μmol/L wogonin groups, the ratios of G0/G1-phase K562/A02 cells were significantly higher in the 25 and 50 μmol/L Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ groups (all P < 0.001). The mRNA and protein expression levels of the p21 and p27 in the K562/A02 cells were also significantly higher in the Wog-MNPs-Fe₃O₄ group compared with those of the wogonin group (all P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that MNPs were the effective drug delivery vehicles to deliver wogonin to the leukemia cells. Through increasing cells arrested at G0/G1-phase and inducing apoptosis of K562/A02 cells, MNPs could enhance the therapeutic effects of wogonin on leukemia cells. These findings indicated that MNPs loaded with wogonin could provide a promising way for better leukemia treatment.

Reactive Oxygen Species-Manipulated Drug Release from a Smart Envelope-Type Mesoporous Titanium Nanovehicle for Tumor Sonodynamic-Chemotherapy

Despite advances in drug delivery systems (DDSs), the stimuli-responsive controlled release DDSs with high spatial/temporal resolution are still the best choice. Herein, a novel type of envelope-type mesoporous titanium dioxide nanoparticle (MTN) was developed for one-demand drug delivery platform. Docetaxel (DTX) was loaded in the pores of MTN with a high drug loading efficiency (∼26%). Then β-cyclodextrin (β-CD, a bulky gatekeeper) was attached to the outer surface of MTN via a reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensitive linker to block the pores (MTN@DTX-CD). MTN@DTX-CD could entrap the DTX in the pores and allow the rapid release until a focused ultrasound (US) emerged. A large number of ROS were generated by MTN under US radiation, leading to the cleavage of the ROS-sensitive linker; thus, DTX could be released rapidly since the gatekeepers (β-CD) were detached. Besides, the generation of ROS could also be used for tumor-specific sonodynamic therapy (SDT). Studies have shown the feasibility of MTN@DTX-CD for US-triggered DTX release and sonodynamic-chemotherapy. In the in vitro and in vivo studies, by integrating SDT and chemotherapy into one system, MTN@DTX-CD showed excellent antitumor efficacy. More importantly, this novel DDS significantly decreased the side effects of DTX by avoiding the spleen and hematologic toxicity to tumor-bearing mice.