Gelatinase-sensitive nanoparticles loaded with photosensitizer and STAT3 inhibitor for cancer photothermal therapy and immunotherapy

Nanomaterials-based advanced systems for photothermal / photodynamic therapy of oral cancer

The traditional clinical approaches for oral cancer consist of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and so on. However, these treatments often induce side effects and exhibit limited efficacy. Photothermal therapy (PTT) emerges as a promising adjuvant treatment, utilizing photothermal agents (PTAs) to convert light energy into heat for tumor ablation. Another innovative approach, photodynamic therapy (PDT), leverages photosensitizers (PSs) and specific wavelength laser irradiation to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), offering an effective and non-toxic alternative. The relevant combination therapies have been reported in the field of oral cancer. Simultaneously, the advancement of nanomaterials has propelled the clinical application of PTT and PDT. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of PTT and PDT is required for better application in oral cancer treatment. Here, we review the use of PTT and PDT in oral cancer, including noble metal materials (e.g., Au nanoparticles), carbon materials (e.g., graphene oxide), organic dye molecules (e.g., indocyanine green), organic molecule-based agents (e.g., porphyrin-analog phthalocyanine) and other inorganic materials (e.g., MXenes), exemplify the advantages and disadvantages of common PTAs and PSs, and summarize the combination therapies of PTT with PDT, PTT/PDT with chemotherapy, PTT with radiotherapy, PTT/PDT with immunotherapy, and PTT/PDT with gene therapy in the treatment of oral cancer. The challenges related to the PTT/PDT combination therapy and potential solutions are also discussed.

A PANoptosis pattern to predict prognosis and immunotherapy response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Individuals diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) experience a significant occurrence rate and are susceptible to premature spreading, resulting in a bleak outlook. Therapeutic approaches, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, may exhibit primary and acquired resistance during the advanced phases of HNSCC. There is currently no viable solution to tackle this issue. PANoptosis-a type of non-apoptotic cell death-is a recently identified mechanism of cellular demise that entails communication and synchronization among thermal apoptosis, apoptosis, and necrosis mechanisms. However, the extent to which PANoptosis-associated genes (PRG) contribute to the forecast and immune reaction of HNSCC remains mostly undisclosed. The present study aimed to thoroughly analyze the potential importance of PRG in HNSCC and report our discoveries. We systematically analyzed 19 PRG from previous studies and clinical data from HNSCC patients to establish a PAN-related signature and assess its prognostic, predictive potential. Afterward, the patient information was separated into two gene patterns that corresponded to each other, and the analysis focused on the connection between patient prognosis, immune status, and cancer immunotherapy. The PAN score was found to correlate with survival rates, immune systems, and cancer-related pathways. We then validated the malignant role of CD27 among them in HNSCC. In summary, we demonstrated the effectiveness of PAN.Score-based molecular clustering and prognostic features in predicting the outcome of HNSCC. The discovery we made could enhance our comprehension of the significance of PAN.Score in HNSCC and facilitate the development of more effective treatment approaches.

Targeting anticancer immunity in oral cancer: Drugs, products, and nanoparticles

Oral cavity carcinomas are the most frequent malignancies among head and neck malignancies. Oral tumors include not only oral cancer cells with different potency and stemness but also consist of diverse cells, containing anticancer immune cells, stromal and also immunosuppressive cells that influence the immune system reactions. The infiltrated T and natural killer (NK) cells are the substantial tumor-suppressive immune compartments in the tumor. The infiltration of these cells has substantial impacts on the response of tumors to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Nevertheless, cancer cells, stromal cells, and some other compartments like regulatory T cells (Tregs), macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) can repress the immune responses against malignant cells. Boosting anticancer immunity by inducing the immune system or repressing the tumor-promoting cells is one of the intriguing approaches for the eradication of malignant cells such as oral cancers. This review aims to concentrate on the secretions and interactions in the oral tumor immune microenvironment. We review targeting tumor stroma, immune system and immunosuppressive interactions in oral tumors. This review will also focus on therapeutic targets and therapeutic agents such as nanoparticles and products with anti-tumor potency that can boost anticancer immunity in oral tumors. We also explain possible future perspectives including delivery of various cells, natural products and drugs by nanoparticles for boosting anticancer immunity in oral tumors.

Integrative bioinformatics analysis reveals STAT2 as a novel biomarker of inflammation-related cardiac dysfunction in atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common critical cause of stroke and cardiac dysfunction worldwide with lifetime risks. Viral infection and inflammatory response with myocardial involvement may lead to an increase in AF-related mortality. To dissect the potential sequelae of viral infection in AF patients, especially the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), based on AF and COVID-19 databases from Gene Expression Omnibus, weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify key genes in heart tissues and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Here, HSCT, PSMB9, STAT2, and TNFSF13B were identified as common risk genes of AF and COVID-19 patients. Correlation analysis of these genes with AF and COVID-19 showed a positive disease relevance. silencing of STAT2 by small interfering RNA significantly rescued SARS-CoV-2 XBB1.5 pseudovirus-induced cardiac cell contraction dysfunction in vitro. In conclusion, we identified STAT2 may be a novel biomarker of inflammation-related cardiac dysfunction in AF.

STAT3 as a newly emerging target in colorectal cancer therapy: Tumorigenesis, therapy response, and pharmacological/nanoplatform strategies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most aggressive tumor globally, and it can be categorized into two forms: colitis-mediated CRC and sporadic CRC. The therapeutic approaches for CRC encompass surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, even with the implementation of these techniques, the 5-year survival rate for metastatic CRC remains at a mere 12-14%. In the realm of CRC treatment, gene therapy has emerged as a novel therapeutic approach. Among the crucial molecular pathways that govern tumorigenesis, STAT3 plays a significant role. This pathway is subject to regulation by cytokines and growth factors. Once translocated into the nucleus, STAT3 influences the expression levels of factors associated with cell proliferation and metastasis. Literature suggests that the upregulation of STAT3 expression is observed as CRC cells progress towards metastatic stages. Consequently, elevated STAT3 levels serve as a significant determinant of poor prognosis and can be utilized as a diagnostic factor for cancer patients. The biological and malignant characteristics of CRC cells contribute to low survival rates in patients, as the upregulation of STAT3 prevents apoptosis and promotes pro-survival autophagy, thereby accelerating tumorigenesis. Furthermore, STAT3 plays a role in facilitating the proliferation of CRC cells through the stimulation of glycolysis and promoting metastasis via the induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, an intriguing observation is that the upregulation of STAT3 can mediate resistance to 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and other anti-cancer drugs. Moreover, the radio-sensitivity of CRC diminishes with increased STAT3 expression. Compounds such as curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, and other anti-tumor agents exhibit the ability to suppress STAT3 and its associated pathways, thereby impeding tumorigenesis in CRC. Furthermore, it is worth noting that nanostructures have demonstrated anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic properties in CRC.

NIR-triggered thermosensitive polymer brush coating modified intraocular lens for smart prevention of posterior capsular opacification

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common complication after cataract surgery. Drug-eluting intraocular lens (IOLs) is a promising concept of PCO treatment in modern cataract surgery. However, the large dose of drugs in IOL leads to uncontrollable and unpredictable drug release, which inevitably brings risks of overtreatment and ocular toxicity. Herein, a low-power NIR-triggered thermosensitive IOL named IDG@P(NIPAM-co-AA)-IOL is proposed to improve security and prevent PCO by synergetic controlled drug therapy and simultaneous photo-therapy. Thermosensitive polymer brushes Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-Acrylic acid) (P(NIPAM-co-AA)) is prepared on IOL via surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization. Then, Doxorubicin (DOX) and Indocyanine green (ICG) co-loaded Gelatin NPs (IDG NPs) are loaded in P(NIPAM-co-AA) by temperature control. The IDG NPs perform in suit photodynamic & photothermal therapy (PTT&PDT), and the produced heat also provides a trigger for controllable drug therapy with a cascade effect. Such functional IOL shows excellent synergistic drug-phototherapy effect and NIR-triggered drug release behavior. And there is no obvious PCO occurrence in IDG@P(NIPAM-co-AA) IOL under NIR irradiation compared with control group. This proposed IDG@P(NIPAM-co-AA)-IOL serves as a promising platform that combines phototherapy and drug-therapy to enhance the therapeutic potential and medication safety for future clinical application of PCO treatment.

Nanobiotechnological approaches in osteosarcoma therapy: Versatile (nano)platforms for theranostic applications

Constructive achievements in the field of nanobiotechnology and their translation into clinical course have led to increasing attention towards evaluation of their use for treatment of diseases, especially cancer. Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the primary bone malignancies that affects both males and females in childhood and adolescence. Like other types of cancers, genetic and epigenetic mutations account for OS progression and several conventional therapies including chemotherapy and surgery are employed. However, survival rate of OS patients remains low and new therapies in this field are limited. The purpose of the current review is to provide a summary of nanostructures used in OS treatment. Drug and gene delivery by nanoplatforms have resulted in an accumulation of therapeutic agents for tumor cell suppression. Furthermore, co-delivery of genes and drugs by nanostructures are utilized in OS suppression to boost immunotherapy. Since tumor cells have distinct features such as acidic pH, stimuli-responsive nanoparticles have been developed to appropriately target OS. Besides, nanoplatforms can be used for biosensing and providing phototherapy to suppress OS. Furthermore, surface modification of nanoparticles with ligands can increase their specificity and selectivity towards OS cells. Clinical translation of current findings suggests that nanoplatforms have been effective in retarding tumor growth and improving survival of OS patients.

The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.

Recent Clinical and Preclinical Advances in External Stimuli-Responsive Therapies for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has long been one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide; even though treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy have been proven to benefit the patients and prolong their survival time, the overall five-year survival rate is still below 50%. Hence, the development of new therapies for better patient management is an urgent need. External stimuli-responsive therapies are emerging therapies with promising antitumor effects; therapies such as photodynamic (PDT) and photothermal therapies (PTT) have been tested clinically in late-stage HNSCC patients and have achieved promising outcomes, while the clinical translation of sonodynamic therapy (SDT), radiodynamic therapy (RDT), microwave dynamic/thermodynamic therapy, and magnetothermal/magnetodynamic therapy (MDT/MTT) still lag behind. In terms of preclinical studies, PDT and PTT are also the most extensively studied therapies. The designing of nanoparticles and combinatorial therapies of PDT and PTT can be referenced in designing other stimuli-responsive therapies in order to achieve better antitumor effects as well as less toxicity. In this review, we consolidate the advancements and limitations of various external stimuli-responsive therapies, as well as critically discuss the prospects of this type of therapies in HNSCC treatments.

The role of T-cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: From immunity to immunotherapy

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) encompass a group of complex entities of tumours affecting the aerodigestive upper tract. The main risk factors are strongly related to tobacco and alcohol consumption, but also HPV infection is often associated. Surgery, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy are the standard treatments, though the 5-year overall survival is less than 50%. The advances in genomics, molecular medicine, immunology, and nanotechnology have shed a light on tumour biology which helps clinical researchers to obtain more efficacious and less toxic therapies. Head and neck tumours possess different immune escape mechanisms including diminishing the immune response through modulating immune checkpoints, in addition to the recruitment and differentiation of suppressive immune cells. The insights into the HNSCC biology and its strong interaction with the tumour microenvironment highlights the role of immunomodulating agents. Recently, the knowledge of the immunological features of these tumours has paved the way for the discovery of effective biomarkers that allow a better selection of patients with odds of improving overall survival through immunotherapy. Specially biomarkers regarding immune checkpoint inhibitors antibodies, such as anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 in combination with standard therapy or as monotherapy. New immunotherapies to treat head and neck cancer carcinomas, such as CAR T cells and nanoparticles have been the center of attention and in this review, we discuss the necessity of finding targets for the T cell in the cancer cells to generate CAR T cells, but also the relevance of evaluating specificity and safety of those therapies.

Nano-drug delivery system for pancreatic cancer: A visualization and bibliometric analysis

Background: Nano drug delivery system (NDDS) can significantly improve the delivery and efficacy of drugs against pancreatic cancer (PC) in many ways. The purpose of this study is to explore the related research fields of NDDS for PC from the perspective of bibliometrics.

Methods: Articles and reviews on NDDS for PC published between 2003 and 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R-bibliometrix, and Microsoft Excel were comprehensively used for bibliometric and visual analysis.

Results: A total of 1329 papers on NDDS for PC were included. The number of papers showed an upward trend over the past 20 years. The United States contributed the most papers, followed by China, and India. Also, the United States had the highest number of total citations and H-index. The institution with the most papers was Chinese Acad Sci, which was also the most important in international institutional cooperation. Professors Couvreur P and Kazuoka K made great achievements in this field. JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE published the most papers and was cited the most. The topics related to the tumor microenvironment such as “tumor microenvironment”, “tumor penetration”, “hypoxia”, “exosome”, and “autophagy”, PC treatment-related topics such as “immunotherapy”, “combination therapy”, “alternating magnetic field/magnetic hyperthermia”, and “ultrasound”, and gene therapy dominated by “siRNA” and “miRNA” were the research hotspots in the field of NDDS for PC.

Conclusion: This study systematically uncovered a holistic picture of the performance of NDDS for PC-related literature over the past 20 years. We provided scholars to understand key information in this field with the perspective of bibliometrics, which we believe may greatly facilitate future research in this field.

Recent Advances in the Enzyme-Activatable Organic Fluorescent Probes for Tumor Imaging and Therapy

The exploration of advanced probes for cancer diagnosis and treatment is of high importance in fundamental research and clinical practice. In comparison with the traditional "always-on" probes, the emerging activatable probes enjoy advantages in promoted accuracy for tumor theranostics by specifically releasing or activating fluorophores at the targeting sites. The main designing principle for these probes is to incorporate responsive groups that can specifically react with the biomarkers (e. g., enzymes) involved in tumorigenesis and progression, realizing the controlled activation in tumors. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in the molecular design and biomedical application of enzyme-responsive organic fluorescent probes. Particularly, the fluorophores can be endowed with ability of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to afford the photosensitizers, highlighting the potential of these probes in simultaneous tumor imaging and therapy with rational design. We hope that this review could inspire more research interests in the development of tumor-targeting theranostic probes for advanced biological studies.

Localized, on-demand, sustained drug delivery from biopolymer-based materials

INTRODUCTION

Local drug delivery facilitiates higher concentrations of drug molecules at or near the treatment site to enhance treatment efficiency and reduce drug toxicity and other systemic side effects. However, local drug delivery systems face challenges in terms of encapsulation, delivery, and controlled release of therapeutics.

AREAS COVERED

We provide an overview of naturally derived biopolymer-based drug delivery systems for localized, sustained, and on-demand treatment. We introduce the advantages and limitations of these systems for drug encapsulation, delivery, and local release, as well as recent applications.

EXPERT OPINION

Naturally derived biopolymers like cellulose, silk fibroin, chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin are good candidates for localized drug delivery because they are readily chemically modified, biocompatible, biodegradable (with the generation of metabolically compatible degradation products), and can be processed in aqueous and ambient environments to maintain the bioactivity of various therapeutics. The tradeoff between the effective treatment dosage and the response by local healthy tissue should be balanced during the design of these delivery systems. Future directions will be focused on strategies to design tunable and controlled biodegradation rates, as well as to explore commercial utility in substituting biopolymer-based systems for currently utilized synthetic polymers for implants for drug delivery.

Progress of Nanomaterials-Based Photothermal Therapy for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the top 15 most prevalent cancers worldwide. However, the current treatment models for OSCC (e.g., surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and combination therapy) present several limitations: damage to adjacent healthy tissue, possible recurrence, low efficiency, and severe side effects. In this context, nanomaterial-based photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted extensive research attention. This paper reviews the latest progress in the application of biological nanomaterials for PTT in OSCC. We divide photothermal nanomaterials into four categories (noble metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, metal compounds, and organic nanomaterials) and introduce each category in detail. We also mention in detail the drug delivery systems for PTT of OSCC and briefly summarize the applications of hydrogels, liposomes, and micelles. Finally, we note the challenges faced by the clinical application of PTT nanomaterials and the possibility of further improvement, providing direction for the future research of PTT in OSCC treatment.

STAT3 pathway in cancers: Past, present, and future

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a member of the STAT family, discovered in the cytoplasm of almost all types of mammalian cells, plays a significant role in biological functions. The duration of STAT3 activation in normal tissues is a transient event and is strictly regulated. However, in cancer tissues, STAT3 is activated in an aberrant manner and is induced by certain cytokines. The continuous activation of STAT3 regulates the expression of downstream proteins associated with the formation, progression, and metastasis of cancers. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms of STAT3 regulation and designing inhibitors targeting the STAT3 pathway are considered promising strategies for cancer treatment. This review aims to introduce the history, research advances, and prospects concerning the STAT3 pathway in cancer. We review the mechanisms of STAT3 pathway regulation and the consequent cancer hallmarks associated with tumor biology that are induced by the STAT3 pathway. Moreover, we summarize the emerging development of inhibitors that target the STAT3 pathway and novel drug delivery systems for delivering these inhibitors. The barriers against targeting the STAT3 pathway, the focus of future research on promising targets in the STAT3 pathway, and our perspective on the overall utility of STAT3 pathway inhibitors in cancer treatment are also discussed.

A Review: Potential Application and Outlook of Photothermal Therapy in Oral Cancer Treatment

As one of the most common malignant tumors, oral cancer threatens people's health worldwide. However, traditional therapies, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy can't meet the requirement of cancer cure. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted widespread attentions for its advantages of the noninvasive process, few side effects, and promising tumor ablation. Up to now, three types of photothermal agents (PTAs) have been widely employed in oral cancer therapies, which involve metallic materials, carbon-based materials, and organic materials. Previous research mainly introduced hybrid materials due to benefits from the synergistic effect of multiple functions. In this review, we present the advancement of each type PTAs for oral cancer treatment in recent years. In each part, we introduce the properties and synthesis of each PTA, summarize the current studies, and analyze their potential applications. Furthermore, we discuss the status quo and the deficiencies hindering the clinical application of PTT, based on which gives the perspective of its future developing directions.

Sustained release of chlorogenic acid-loaded nanomicelles alleviates bone loss in mouse periodontitis

Abstract Periodontitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the periodontal supporting tissues, impinges on oral health, and is correlative with an increased risk of systemic disease. Currently, the...