Development of erianin-loaded dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres with pro-apoptotic effects and enhanced topical delivery

Research progress on the pharmacological mechanism, in vivo metabolism and structural modification of Erianin

Erianin is an important bibenzyl compound in dendrobium and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. Since Erianin was discovered, abundant results have been achieved in the in vitro synthesis, structural modification, and pharmacological mechanism research. Researchers have developed a series of simple and efficient in vitro synthesis methods to improve the shortcomings of poor water solubility by replacing the chemical structure or coating it in nanomaterials. Erianin has a broad anti-tumor spectrum and significant anti-tumor effects. In addition, Erianin also has pharmacological actions like immune regulation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, metabolism, structural modification, and pharmacological action pathways of Erianin is of great value for the utilization of Erianin. Therefore, this review conducts a relatively systematic look back at Erianin from the above four aspects, to give a reference for the evolvement and further appliance of Erianin.

Biocompatible formulation of a hydrophobic antimicrobial peptide L30 through nanotechnology principles and its potential role in mouse pneumonia model infected with Staphylococcus aureus

Hydrophobic antimicrobial peptide L30, a potential antibiotic candidate, has poor water solubility and hemolytic activity. Herein, a biocompatible nano-formulation composed of liposomes and dendritic mesoporous silica encapsulation (LDMSNs@L30) was constructed for L30 to solve the limits for its clinical development. The characterization, antimicrobial activity and therapeutic effect of LDMSNs@L30 on Staphylococcus aureus 9 (cfr+) infected mice models were investigated. LDMSNs@L30 displayed a smooth, spherical, and monodisperse nanoparticle with a hydrodynamic diameter of 177.40 nm, an encapsulation rate of 56.13%, a loading efficiency of 32.26%, a release rate of 66.5%, and effective slow-release of L30. Compared with free L30, the formulation could significantly increase the solubility of L30 in PBS with the maximum concentration from 8 μg/mL to 2.25 mg/mL and decrease the hemolytic activity of hydrophobic peptide L30 with the HC5 from 65.36 μg/mL to more than 500 μg/mL. The nano delivery system LDMSNs@L30 also exhibited higher therapeutic effects on mice models infected with S. aureus 9 (cfr+) than those of free L30 after 7 days of treatment by reducing the lung inflammation and the inflammatory cytokines levels in plasma, showing better health score and pulmonary pathological improvement. Our research suggests that nano-formulation can be expected to be a promising strategy for peptide drugs in therapeutic applications.

Bioinspired synthesis of bioactive glass nanocomposites for hyaluronic acid delivery to bone and skin

In this study, we present nanocomposites of bioactive glass (BG) and hyaluronic acid (HA) (nano-BGHA) for effective delivery of HA to skin and bone. The synthesis of the nanocomposites has been carried out through the bio-inspired method, which is a modification of the traditional Stober's synthesis as it avoids using ethanol, ammonia, synthetic surfactants, or high-temperature calcination. This environmentally friendly, bio-inspired route allowed the synthesis of mesoporous nanocomposites with an average hydrodynamic radius of ∼190 nm and an average net surface charge of ∼-21 mV. Most nanocomposites are amorphous and bioactive in nature with over 70 % cellular viability for skin and bone cell lines even at high concentrations, along with high cellular uptake (90-100 %). Furthermore, the nanocomposites could penetrate skin cells in a transwell set-up and artificial human skin membrane (StratM®), thus depicting an attractive strategy for the delivery of HA to the skin. The purpose of the study is to develop nanocomposites of HA and BG that can have potential applications in non-invasive treatments that require the delivery of high molecular weight HA such as in the case of osteoarthritis, sports injury treatments, eye drops, wound healing, and some anticancer treatments, if further investigated. The presence of BG further enhances the range to bone-related applications. Additionally, the nanocomposites can have potential cosmeceutical applications where HA is abundantly used, for instance in moisturizers, dermal fillers, shampoos, anti-wrinkle creams, etc.

Preparation of Gd-doped AuNBP@mSiO2 nanocomposites for the MR imaging, drug delivery and chemo-photothermal synergistic killing of breast cancer cells

Under near-infrared (NIR) light, gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs) exhibit a high photothermal conversion rate and photothermal stability, making them ideal mediators for photothermal therapy (PTT). In this study, highly purified AuNBPs are prepared, followed by coating their surfaces with mesoporous silica (mSiO2). The obtained AuNBP@mSiO2 nanocomplex exhibits an ellipsoidal shape with a relatively large specific surface, pore diameter and pore volume. To achieve MRI guided chemo-photothermal therapy of breast cancer cells, the nanocomplex is further coupled with the MRI contrast agent Gd-DTTA and the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). The results indicated that under NIR light irradiation, AuNBPs exhibited promising PTT effects, while the cumulative release rate of DOX was significantly enhanced to 81.40%. Moreover, the chemo-photothermal therapy approach effectively eradicated 4T1 breast cancer cells. This work successfully confirms that chemo-photothermal synergistic therapy is an effective tumor treatment strategy and demonstrates the potential application of AuNBP@mSiO2 as a nano-drug delivery platform. Additionally, it introduces new ideas for the integrated study of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Nanoparticles as a Therapeutic Delivery System for Skin Cancer Prevention and Treatment

The use of nanoparticles (NPs) as a therapeutic delivery system has expanded markedly over the past decade, particularly regarding applications targeting the skin. The delivery of NP-based therapeutics to the skin requires special consideration owing to its role as both a physical and immunologic barrier, and specific technologies must not only take into consideration the target but also the pathway of delivery. The unique challenge this poses has been met with the development of a wide panel of NP-based technologies meant to precisely address these considerations. In this review article, we describe the application of NP-based technologies for drug delivery targeting the skin, summarize the types of NPs, and discuss the current landscape of NPs for skin cancer prevention and skin cancer treatment as well as future directions within these applications.

The roles of ERIANIN in tumor and innate immunity and its' perspectives in immunotherapy

Traditional Chinese medicine has been used in China for thousands of years. In 2022, the 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine was released, aiming to enhance traditional Chinese medicine health services and improve policies and systems for high-quality traditional Chinese medicinal development by 2025. ERIANIN, the main component of the traditional Chinese medicine Dendrobium, plays an important role in anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor, antiangiogenic, and other pharmacological effects. ERIANIN has broad-spectrum antitumor effects, and its tumor-suppressive effects have been confirmed in the study of various diseases, such as precancerous lesions of the stomach, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, osteosarcoma, colorectal cancer, leukaemia, nasopharyngeal cancer and melanoma through the multiple signaling pathways. Thus, the aim of this review was to systematically summarise the research on ERIANIN with the aim of serving as a reference for future research on this compound and briefly discuss some future perspectives development of ERIANIN in combined immunotherapy.

Preparation and evaluation of chitosan skin patches containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded by doxycycline on skin wound healing

This study aims to prepare and evaluate a skin patch containing mesoporous silica nanoparticles with doxycycline for skin wound healing in a rat model. For this purpose, 84 female rats were randomly placed in four equal groups: (A) Control group with only skin defects and no therapeutic intervention; (B) Chitosan group in which a chitosan skin patch without loading any drug was placed on their skin defect; (C); The ChMesN group had a chitosan skin patch containing drug-free mesoporous silica nanoparticles; (D) ChMesND group had a skin patch loaded with doxycycline loaded with mesoporous silica nanoparticles on their skin defect. The histological results showed that on the 3rd day of the study, collagen fiber orientation was significantly higher in the ChMesND group than in the other groups. On the 7th day of the study, neovascularization, and inflammation in the ChMesND group were significantly higher and lower than in the other groups, respectively. On day 21, the most re-epithelialization was observed in the ChMesND group. It was found that on day 7, the wound area in the ChMesND group was significantly less than in other groups. On the 21st day of the study, the minimal experimental wound area was related to chitosan and ChMesND groups. Although chitosan has anti-inflammatory effects, its combination with doxycycline with several beneficial biological effects can have significant therapeutic effects with chitosan. Hence, it can be concluded that chitosan skin patch containing doxycycline can be suitable dressings for managing and accelerating the healing of skin wounds.

Erianin-Loaded Photo-Responsive Dendrimer Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles: Exploration of a Psoriasis Treatment Method

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder accompanied by excessive keratinocyte proliferation. Erianin (Eri) is an ideal drug candidate for inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis in the treatment of psoriasis. However, Eri’s poor water solubility and low penetration activity across the skin hinder its application in local medicine. In this study, we developed a novel photo-responsive dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticle-based carrier to deliver erianin, improved its bioavailability, and achieved sustained-release effects. Spiropyran (SP), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES) were conjugated to the outer surface, which allowed Eri to be released in response to UV radiation. The physicochemical properties of photo-responsive dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Eri-DMSN@FSP) were characterized via multiple techniques, such as using a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, a high-resolution transmission electron microscope, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The anti-proliferative properties and light-triggered release of erianin-loaded photo-responsive dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles were assessed via the MTT assay and a drug release study in vitro. Erianin-loaded photo-responsive dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (UV) exhibit a significantly enhanced HaCat cell-inhibiting efficacy compared to other formulations, as demonstrated by their extremely low cell viability of 10.0% (concentration: 500 mg/mL), indicating their capability to release a drug that responds to UV radiation. The cellular uptake of photo-responsive dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSN@FSP) was observed via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). These experimental results show that Eri-DMSN@FSP could be effectively endocytosed into cells and respond to ultraviolet light to release Eri, achieving a more effective psoriasis treatment. Therefore, this drug delivery system may be a promising strategy for addressing the question of Eri’s delivery and psoriasis therapy.

Skin interaction, permeation, and toxicity of silica nanoparticles: Challenges and recent therapeutic and cosmetic advances

Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) received more attention with the emergence of nanotechnology with the aim and promise of becoming innovative drug delivery systems. They have been fulfilling this objective with excellence and nowadays they play a central role in biomedical applications. New SNPs application routes are being explored such as the epidermal, dermal, and transdermal routes. With that, novel models of synthesis, functionalization, and applications constantly appear. However, it is essential that such innovations are accompanied by in-depth studies on permeation, biodistribution, metabolization, and elimination of the generated by-products. Such studies are still incipient, if not rare. This article reviews significant findings on SNPs and their skin interactions. An extensive literature review on SNPs synthesis and functionalization methodologies was performed, as well as on the skin characteristics, skin permeation mechanisms, and in vivo toxicity assessments. Furthermore, studies of the past 5 years on the main therapeutic and cosmetic products employing SNPs, with greater emphasis on in vivo and ex vivo studies were included.

Importance of the pig as a human biomedical model

[Figure: see text].

Ceramide Regulates Anti-Tumor Mechanisms of Erianin in Androgen-Sensitive and Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancers

Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy worldwide. In the early stages, the development of prostate cancer is dependent on androgens. Over time with androgen deprivation therapy, 20% of prostate cancers progress to a castration-resistant form. Novel treatments for prostate cancers are still urgently needed. Erianin is a plant-derived bibenzyl compound. We report herein that erianin exhibits anti-tumor effects in androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cells through different mechanisms. Erianin induces endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated apoptosis in androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells. It also triggers pro-survival autophagic responses, as inhibition of autophagy predisposes to apoptosis. In contrast, erianin fails to induce apoptosis in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. Instead, it results in cell cycle arrest at the M phase. Mechanistically, C16 ceramide dictates differential responses of androgen-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer cells to erianin. Erianin elevates C16 ceramide level in androgen-sensitive but not castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. Overexpression of ceramide synthase 5 that specifically produces C16 ceramide enables erianin to induce apoptosis in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. Our study provides both experimental evidence and mechanistic data showing that erianin is a potential treatment option for prostate cancers.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Dermal and Transdermal Applications

The stratum corneum, the most superficial layer of the skin, protects the body against environmental hazards and presents a highly selective barrier for the passage of drugs and cosmetic products deeper into the skin and across the skin. Nanomaterials can effectively increase the permeation of active molecules across the stratum corneum and enable their penetration into deeper skin layers, often by interacting with the skin and creating the distinct sites with elevated local concentration, acting as reservoirs. The flux of the molecules from these reservoirs can be either limited to the underlying skin layers (for topical drug and cosmeceutical delivery) or extended across all the sublayers of the epidermis to the blood vessels of the dermis (for transdermal delivery). The type of the nanocarrier and the physicochemical nature of the active substance are among the factors that determine the final skin permeation pattern and the stability of the penetrant in the cutaneous environment. The most widely employed types of nanomaterials for dermal and transdermal applications include solid lipid nanoparticles, nanovesicular carriers, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, and polymeric nanoparticles. The recent advances in the area of nanomaterial-assisted dermal and transdermal delivery are highlighted in this review.