Paclitaxel-loaded star-shaped copolymer nanoparticles for enhanced malignant melanoma chemotherapy against multidrug resistance

Polymeric Nanoparticles for Delivery of Natural Bioactive Agents: Recent Advances and Challenges

In the last few decades, several natural bioactive agents have been widely utilized in the treatment and prevention of many diseases owing to their unique and versatile therapeutic effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and neuroprotective action. However, their poor aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, low GIT stability, extensive metabolism as well as short duration of action are the most shortfalls hampering their biomedical/pharmaceutical applications. Different drug delivery platforms have developed in this regard, and a captivating tool of this has been the fabrication of nanocarriers. In particular, polymeric nanoparticles were reported to offer proficient delivery of various natural bioactive agents with good entrapment potential and stability, an efficiently controlled release, improved bioavailability, and fascinating therapeutic efficacy. In addition, surface decoration and polymer functionalization have opened the door to improving the characteristics of polymeric nanoparticles and alleviating the reported toxicity. Herein, a review of the state of knowledge on polymeric nanoparticles loaded with natural bioactive agents is presented. The review focuses on frequently used polymeric materials and their corresponding methods of fabrication, the needs of such systems for natural bioactive agents, polymeric nanoparticles loaded with natural bioactive agents in the literature, and the potential role of polymer functionalization, hybrid systems, and stimuli-responsive systems in overcoming most of the system drawbacks. This exploration may offer a thorough idea of viewing the polymeric nanoparticles as a potential candidate for the delivery of natural bioactive agents as well as the challenges and the combating tools used to overcome any hurdles.

Polymeric Nanoparticles as Tunable Nanocarriers for Targeted Delivery of Drugs to Skin Tissues for Treatment of Topical Skin Diseases

The topical route is the most appropriate route for the targeted delivery of drugs to skin tissues for the treatment of local skin diseases; however, the stratum corneum (SC), the foremost layer of the skin, acts as a major barrier. Numerous passive and active drug delivery techniques have been exploited to overcome this barrier; however, these modalities are associated with several detrimental effects which restrict their clinical applicability. Alternatively, nanotechnology-aided interventions have been extensively investigated for the topical administration of a wide range of therapeutics. In this review, we have mainly focused on the biopharmaceutical significance of polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) (made from natural polymers) for the treatment of various topical skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD), skin infection, skin cancer, acute-to-chronic wounds, and acne. The encapsulation of drug(s) into the inner core or adsorption onto the shell of PNPs has shown a marked improvement in their physicochemical properties, avoiding premature degradation and controlling the release kinetics, permeation through the SC, and retention in the skin layers. Furthermore, functionalization techniques such as PEGylation, conjugation with targeting ligand, and pH/thermo-responsiveness have shown further success in optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of PNPs for the treatment of skin diseases. Despite enormous progress in the development of PNPs, their clinical translation is still lacking, which could be a potential future perspective for researchers working in this field.

Efficient Tumor Eradication at Ultralow Drug Concentration via Externally Controlled and Boosted Metallic Iron Magnetoplasmonic Nanocapsules

With the aim to locally enhance the efficacy of cancer nanotherapies, here we present metal iron based magnetoplasmonic drug-loaded nanocapsules (MAPSULES), merging powerful external magnetic concentration in the tumor and efficient photothermal actuation to locally boost the drug therapeutic action at ultralow drug concentrations. The MAPSULES are composed of paclitaxel-loaded polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles partially coated by a nanodome shape iron/silica semishell. The iron semishell has been designed to present a ferromagnetic vortex for incorporating a large quantity of ferromagnetic material while maintaining high colloidal stability. The large iron semishell provides very strong magnetic manipulation via magnetophoretic forces, enabling over 10-fold higher trapping efficiency in microfluidic channels than typical superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Moreover, the iron semishell exhibits highly damped plasmonic behavior, yielding intense broadband absorbance in the near-infrared biological windows and photothermal efficiency similar to the best plasmonic nanoheaters. The in vivo therapeutic assays in a mouse xenograft tumor model show a high amplification of the therapeutic effects by combining magnetic concentration and photothermal actuation in the tumor, leading to a complete eradication of the tumors at ultralow nanoparticle and drug concentration (equivalent to only 1 mg/kg PLGA nanoparticles containing 8 μg/kg of paclitaxel, i.e., 100-500-fold lower than the therapeutic window of the free and PLGA encapsulated drug and 13-3000-fold lower than current nanotherapies combining paclitaxel and light actuation). These results highlight the strength of this externally controlled and amplified therapeutic approach, which could be applied to locally boost a wide variety of drugs for different diseases.

Fraxetin Interacts Additively with Cisplatin and Mitoxantrone, Antagonistically with Docetaxel in Various Human Melanoma Cell Lines-An Isobolographic Analysis

Malignant melanoma is a skin cancer characterized by rapid development, poor prognosis and high mortality. Due to the frequent drug resistance and/or early metastases in melanoma, new therapeutic methods are urgently needed. The study aimed at assessing the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of scoparone and fraxetin in vitro, when used alone and in combination with three cytostatics: cisplatin, mitoxantrone, and docetaxel in four human melanoma cell lines. Our experiments showed that scoparone in the concentration range tested up to 200 µM had no significant effect on the viability of human malignant melanoma (therefore, it was not possible to evaluate it in combination with other cytostatics), while fraxetin inhibited cell proliferation with IC₅₀ doses in the range of 32.42-73.16 µM, depending on the cell line. Isobolographic analysis allowed for the assessment of the interactions between the studied compounds. Importantly, fraxetin was not cytotoxic to normal keratinocytes (HaCaT) and melanocytes (HEMa-LP), although it slightly inhibited their viability at high concentrations. The combination of fraxetin with cisplatin and mitoxantrone showed the additive interaction, which seems to be a promising direction in melanoma therapy. Unfortunately, the combination of fraxetin with docetaxel may not be beneficial due to the antagonistic antiproliferative effect of both drugs used in the mixture.

How to Treat Melanoma? The Current Status of Innovative Nanotechnological Strategies and the Role of Minimally Invasive Approaches like PTT and PDT

Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer, the incidence and mortality of which are increasing worldwide. Its extensive degree of heterogeneity has limited its response to existing therapies. For many years the therapeutic strategies were limited to surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Fortunately, advances in knowledge have allowed the development of new therapeutic strategies. Despite the undoubted progress, alternative therapies are still under research. In this context, nanotechnology is also positioned as a strong and promising tool to develop nanosystems that act as drug carriers and/or light absorbents to potentially improve photothermal and photodynamic therapies outcomes. This review describes the latest advances in nanotechnology field in the treatment of melanoma from 2011 to 2022. The challenges in the translation of nanotechnology-based therapies to clinical applications are also discussed. To sum up, great progress has been made in the field of nanotechnology-based therapies, and our understanding in this field has greatly improved. Although few therapies based on nanoparticulate systems have advanced to clinical trials, it is expected that a large number will come into clinical use in the near future. With its high sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexed measurement capacity, it provides great opportunities to improve melanoma treatment, which will ultimately lead to enhanced patient survival rates.

Lipid- and TPGS-Based Core-Shell-Type Nanocapsules Endowed with High Paclitaxel Loading and Enhanced Anticancer Potential

The current study elucidates the improved drug loading of paclitaxel (PTX) in lipid- and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS)-based core-shell-type lipid nanocapsules (PTX-TPGS-LNC) for augmenting the therapeutic efficacy and curbing the toxicity. PTX-TPGS-LNCs were formulated by employing anti-solvent precipitation technique and displayed a particle size of 162.1 ± 4.70 nm and % practical drug loading of 15.04 ± 2.44%. Electron microscopy revealed that PTX-TPGS-LNCs have spherical morphology and the inner core was surrounded by a relatively lighter region, i.e., layer of lipids and TPGS. The nature of loaded PTX inside the PTX-TPGS-LNC was also confirmed using DSC and PXRD analysis. The in vitro release study showed biphasic and sustained release pattern of PTX from PTX-TPGS-LNC and it showed ~ threefold higher PTX uptake in MCF-7 cell line in comparison to free PTX. Moreover, it was apparent from the cytotoxicity assay that PTX-TPGS-LNC displayed higher cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells and revealed ~ 2.92-fold decrease in IC₅₀ value as against free PTX when incubated for 72 h. The apoptotic index in case of PTX-TPGS-LNC was ~ twofold higher than free PTX. The pharmacokinetic profile of PTX-TPGS-LNC revealed a ~ 3.18-fold increase in t_1/2 and a ~ 2.62-fold higher AUC_(0→∞) compared to Intaxel^®. Finally, treatment with PTX-TPGS-LNC demonstrated significant lowering in the % tumor burden and serum toxicity markers compared to marketed formulation Intaxel^®. Thus, the lipid- and TPGS-based core-shell-type LNC with high PTX loading can advance the existing standards of therapy for overshadowing cancer.

Simultaneous chemotherapy/sonodynamic therapy of the melanoma cancer cells using a gold-paclitaxel nanostructure

Nanodrug delivery systems are novel strategies for tumor treatment since delivery of chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel (PTX) is associated with substantial challenges due to its poor aqueous solubility. In addition, sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a promising approach that can increase the uptake, accumulation, and dispersion of desirable amounts of the drugs by activating sonosensitizer and enhancing cell membrane permeability. Herein, gold-paclitaxel nanoparticles (Au-PTX NPs) were synthesized and characterized to evaluate the cytotoxicity toward C540 cancer cells in comparison of free PTX, AuNPs, and AuNPs+free PTX in the absence and presence of ultrasound radiation. Evidence shows that AuNPs have a median diameter size of 95.0 ± 15.4, while the size of Au-PTX NPs is roughly 219.7 ±  40.4 nm. Negative zeta-potential results indicate high stability and good dispersion of nanoparticles. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay results revealed that Au-PTX NPs increased the cytotoxicity compared to other treatment groups that ensure the great potential of AuNPs as a promising nano-carrier for PTX drug delivery. Moreover, the viability of C540 cells treated by Au-PTX NPs under ultrasound radiation was decreased significantly by generating more reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon STD, with representing synergism effects confirming the role of gold nanoparticles as an excellent sonosensitizer and the role of SDT as an adjunctive treatment method with chemotherapy.

Nanoparticle-Based Combination Therapy for Melanoma

Melanoma is a cutaneous carcinoma, and its incidence is rapidly increasing with every year. The treatment options for melanoma have been comprehensively studied. Conventional treatment methods (e.g., radiotherapy, chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy) with surgical removal inevitably cause serious complications; moreover, resistance is common. Nanoparticles (NPs) combined with conventional methods are new and promising options to treat melanoma, and many combinations have been achieving good success. Due to their physical and biological features, NPs can help target intended melanoma cells more efficiently with less damage. This creates new hope for a better treatment strategy for melanoma with minimum damage and maximum efficacy.

Dacarbazine-Loaded Targeted Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhancing Malignant Melanoma Therapy

Dacarbazine (DTIC) dominates chemotherapy for malignant melanoma (MM). However, the hydrophobicity, photosensitivity, instability, and toxicity to normal cells of DTIC limit its efficacy in treating MM. In the present study, we constructed star-shaped block polymers nanoparticles (NPs) based on Cholic acid -poly (lactide-co-glycolide)-b-polyethylene glycol (CA-PLGA-b-PEG) for DTIC encapsulation and MM targeted therapy. DTIC-loaded CA-PLGA-b-PEG NPs (DTIC-NPs) were employed to increase the drug loading and achieve control release of DTIC, followed by further modification with nucleic acid aptamer AS1411 (DTIC-NPs-Apt), which played an important role for active targeted therapy of MM. In vitro, DTIC-NPs-Apt showed good pH-responsive release and the strongest cytotoxicity to A875 cells compared with DTIC-NPs and free DTIC. In vivo results demonstrated that the versatile DTIC-NPs-Apt can actively target the site of MM and exhibited excellent anti-tumor effects with no obvious side effects. Overall, this research provided multi-functional NPs, which endow a new option for the treatment of MM.

Engineered Sumoylation-Deficient Prdx6 Mutant Protein-Loaded Nanoparticles Provide Increased Cellular Defense and Prevent Lens Opacity

Aberrant Sumoylation-mediated protein dysfunction is involved in a variety of oxidative and aging pathologies. We previously reported that Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6K^{(lysine)122/142R(Arginine)} linked to the TAT-transduction domain gained stability and protective efficacy. In the present study, we formulated wild-type TAT-HA-Prdx6^WT and Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-loaded poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) to further enhance stability, protective activities, and sustained delivery. We found that in vitro and subconjuctival delivery of Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-NPs provided a greater protection of lens epithelial cells (LECs) derived from human and Prdx6^-/--deficient mouse lenses against oxidative stress, and it also delayed the lens opacity in Shumiya cataract rats (SCRs) than TAT-HA-Prdx6^WT-NPs. The encapsulation efficiencies of TAT-HA-Prdx6-NPs were ≈56%-62%. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses showed that the NPs were spherical, with a size of 50-250 nm and a negative zeta potential (≈23 mV). TAT-HA-Prdx6 analog-NPs released bioactive TAT-HA-Prdx6 (6%-7%) within 24 h. Sumoylation-deficient TAT-HA-Prdx6-NPs provided 35% more protection by reducing the oxidative load of LECs exposed to H₂O₂ compared to TAT-HA-Prdx6^WT-NPs. A subconjuctival delivery of TAT-HA-Prdx6 analog-NPs demonstrated that released TAT-HA-Prdx6^K122/142R could reduce lens opacity by ≈60% in SCRs. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that the subconjuctival delivery of Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-NPs is efficiently cytoprotective and provide a proof of concept for potential use to delay cataract and oxidative-related pathobiology in general.

Nanoformulations of Coumarins and the Hybrid Molecules of Coumarins with Potential Anticancer Effects

Coumarins are the secondary metabolites of some plants, fungi, and bacteria. Coumarins and the hybrid molecules of coumarins are the compounds which have been widely studied for their potential anticancer effects. They belong to benzopyrone chemical class, more precisely benzo-α-pyrones, where benzene ring is fused to pyrone ring. In nature, coumarins are found in higher plants like Rutaceae and Umbelliferae and some essential oils like cinnamon bark oil, cassia leaf oil and lavender oil are also rich in coumarins. The six main classes of coumarins are furanocoumarins, dihydrofuranocoumarins, pyrano coumarins, pyrone substituted coumarins, phenylcoumarins and bicoumarins. As well as their wide range of biological activities, coumarins and the hybrid molecules of coumarins are proven to have an important role in anticancer drug development due to the fact that many of its derivatives have shown an anticancer activity on various cell lines. Osthol, imperatorin, esculetin, scopoletin, umbelliprenin, angelicine, bergamottin, limettin, metoxhalen, aurapten and isopimpinellin are some of these coumarins. This review summarizes the anticancer effects of coumarins and their hybrid molecules including the novel pharmaceutical formulations adding further information on the topic for the last ten years and basically focusing on the structureactivity relationship of these compounds in cancer.

Green synthesis of methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) copolymer using zinc proline as a biocompatible initiator for irinotecan delivery to colon cancer in vivo

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is the most commonly described biocompatible copolymer used in biomedical applications. In this work, a green synthetic approach based on the biocompatible zinc proline complex, as an initiator for PLGA synthesis, is reported for the first time for the synthesis of methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (mPEG-PLGA). mPEG-PLGA with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity was synthesised. Its potential for delivery of irinotecan (Ir), a poorly water-soluble chemotherapeutic drug used for the treatment of colon and pancreatic cancer, was studied. Nanoparticles of controlled size (140-160 nm), surface charge (∼-10 mV), release properties and cytotoxicity against CT-26 (colon) and BxPC-3 (pancreatic) cancer cells, were prepared. Tumor accumulation was confirmed by optical imaging of fluorescently labelled nanoparticles. Unlike Tween® 80 coated NP-Ir, the Pluronic® F-127 coated NP-Ir exhibits significant tumor growth delay compared to untreated and blank formulation treated groups in the CT-26 subcutaneous tumor model, after 4 treatments of 30 mg irinotecan per kg dose. Overall, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the newly synthesized copolymer, via a green route, is proven to be nontoxic, requires fewer purification steps and has potential applications in drug delivery.

Nanocarriers for treatment of dermatological diseases: Principle, perspective and practices

Skin diseases are the fourth leading non-fatal skin conditions that act as a burden and affect the world economy globally. This condition affects the quality of a patient's life and has a pronounced impact on both their physical and mental state. Treatment of these skin conditions with conventional approaches shows a lack of efficacy, long treatment duration, recurrence of conditions, systemic side effects, etc., due to improper drug delivery. However, these pitfalls can be overcome with the applications of nanomedicine-based approaches that provide efficient site-specific drug delivery at the target site. These nanomedicine-based strategies are evolved as potential treatment opportunities in the form of nanocarriers such as polymeric and lipidic nanocarriers, nanoemulsions along with emerging others viz. carbon nanotubes for dermatological treatment. The current review focuses on challenges faced by the existing conventional treatments along with the topical therapeutic perspective of nanocarriers in treating various skin diseases. A total of 213 articles have been reviewed and the application of different nanocarriers in treating various skin diseases has been explained in detail through case studies of previously published research works. The toxicity related aspects of nanocarriers are also discussed.

Applications of Nanomaterials for Theranostics of Melanoma

Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer with a very high mortality rate. Early diagnosis of the disease, the utilization of more potent pharmacological agents, and more effective drug delivery systems are essential to achieve an optimal treatment plan. The applications of nanotechnology to improve therapeutic efficacy and early diagnosis for melanoma treatment have received great interest among researchers and clinicians. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of utilizing various nanomaterials for theranostics of melanoma. The key importance of using nanomaterials for theranostics of melanoma is to improve efficacy and reduce side effects, ensuring safe implementation in clinical use. As opposed to conventional in vitro diagnostic methods, in vivo medical imaging technologies have the advantages of being a type of non-invasive, real-time monitoring. Several common nanoparticles, including ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, and carbon-based nanoparticles, have been applied to deliver chemotherapeutic agents for the theranostics of melanoma. The application of nanomaterials for theranostics in molecular imaging (MRI, PET, US, OI, etc.) plays an important role in targeting drug delivery of melanoma, by monitoring the distribution site of the molecular imaging probe and the therapeutic drug in the body in real-time. Hence, it is worthwhile to anticipate the approval of these nanomaterials for theranostics in molecular imaging by the US Food and Drug Administration in clinical trials.

In vivo Serum Enabled Production of Ultrafine Nanotherapeutics for Cancer Treatment

Systemic delivery of hydrophobic anti-cancer drugs with nanocarriers, particularly for drug-resistant and metastatic cancer, remain a challenge because of the difficulty to achieve high drug loading, while maintaining a small hydrodynamic size and colloid stability in blood to ensure delivery of an efficacious amount of drug to tumor cells. Here we introduce a new approach to address this challenge. In this approach, nanofibers of larger size with good drug loading capacity are first constructed by a self-assembly process, and upon intravascular injection and interacting with serum proteins in vivo, these nanofibers break down into ultra-fine nanoparticles of smaller size that inherit the drug loading property from their parent nanofibers. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach with a clinically available anti-cancer drug: paclitaxel (PTX). In vitro, the PTX-loaded nanoparticles enter cancer cells and induce cellular apoptosis. In vivo, they demonstrate prolonged circulation in blood, induce no systemic toxicity, and show high potency in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis in both mouse models of aggressive, drug-resistant breast cancer and melanoma. This study points to a new strategy toward improved anti-cancer drug delivery and therapy.

Construction and evaluation of hyaluronic acid-based copolymers as a targeted chemotherapy drug carrier for cancer therapy

Melanoma (MM) is a highly aggressive skin cancer with limited treatment options. Although chemotherapy has been using for advanced melanoma treatment, the lack of targetability, the poor biocompatibility and the severe side effects still hamper the wide applications of chemotherapy agents in MM management. Herein, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymeric hyaluronic acid nanoparticle (HANP) encapsulated with Paclitaxel (PTX) was developed for MM targeted therapy. Our results showed that PTX at 37 ± 2.1% (w/w) was able to be loaded into HANP with over 5 d of stability under physiological conditions. In vitro, HANP/PTX presented hyaluronidase-dependent drug release. Compared to free PTX, HANP/PTX demonstrated a 6-75 times higher growth inhibition in five different cancer cells, while only presenting minimum toxicity to normal cells. After intravenous administration at a 10 mg kg^-1 equivalent dose of PTX, HANP/PTX significantly ablated MM tumor growth in a mouse model. As confirmed by ¹⁸F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, the tumors started to respond to the HANP/PTX as early as 7 d after the initial treatment, which will significantly benefit for personalized treatment. In conclusion, the HANP/PTX nanocomplex demonstrated great promise as a translational nanomedicine for cancer chemotherapy.

Nanotechnology approaches in the current therapy of skin cancer

Skin cancer is a high burden disease with a high impact on global health. Conventional therapies have several drawbacks; thus, the development of effective therapies is required. In this context, nanotechnology approaches are an attractive strategy for cancer therapy because they enable the efficient delivery of drugs and other bioactive molecules to target tissues with low toxic effects. In this review, nanotechnological tools for skin cancer will be summarized and discussed. First, pathology and conventional therapies will be presented, followed by the challenges of skin cancer therapy. Then, the main features of developing efficient nanosystems will be discussed, and next, the most commonly used nanoparticles (NPs) described in the literature for skin cancer therapy will be presented. Subsequently, the use of NPs to deliver chemotherapeutics, immune and vaccine molecules and nucleic acids will be reviewed and discussed as will the combination of physical methods and NPs. Finally, multifunctional delivery systems to codeliver anticancer therapeutic agents containing or not surface functionalization will be summarized.

Multifunctional nanoplatform based on star-shaped copolymer for liver cancer targeting therapy

With high morbidity and death rates, liver cancer has become one of the most common cancers in the world. But, most chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs have high toxicity as well as low specificity. To improve the treatment modalities and enhance the therapeutic effect of liver cancer, a brand new liver-targeting nanoparticle (NP), Ent-11α-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (5 F)-loaded cholic acid (CA)-functionalized star-shaped poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lactobionic acid (LA) (5 F-loaded CA-PLGA-PEG-LA), was developed. The particle size, zeta potential, size distribution, surface morphology, drug loading content, drug encapsulation efficiency and drug release of 5 F-loaded NPs were characterized. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry showed that the prepared NPs could be internalized by HepG2 cells. Furthermore, the cellular uptake efficiency of coumarin 6-loaded CA-PLGA-PEG-LA NPs was much better in compare with that of CA-PLGA-PEG and CA-PLGA NPs. Moreover, LA-conjugated NPs (CA-PLGA-PEG-LA NPs) enhanced fluorescence of HepG2 cells via ligand-mediated endocytosis. The antitumor effects of 5 F-loaded NPs were evaluated by the MTT assay in vitro and by a xenograft tumor model in vivo, demonstrating that targeted 5 F-loaded CA-PLGA-PEG-LA NPs were significantly superior to free 5 F and 5 F-loaded CA-PLGA-PEG NPs. All the results indicated the 5 F-loaded CA-PLGA-PEG-LA NPs can be employed as a novel potentially targeting drug delivery system for liver cancer therapy.

Strategizing biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles to cross the biological barriers for cancer targeting

The biological barriers in the body have been fabricated by nature to protect the body from foreign molecules. The successful delivery of drugs is limited and being challenged by these biological barriers including the gastrointestinal tract, brain, skin, lungs, nose, mouth mucosa, and immune system. In this review article, we envisage to understand the functionalities of these barriers and revealing various drug-loaded biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles to overcome these barriers and deliver the entrapped drugs to cancer targeted site. Apart from it, tissue-specific multifunctional ligands, linkers and transporters when employed imparts an effective active delivery strategy by receptor-mediated transcytosis. Together, these strategies enable to deliver various drugs across the biological membranes for the treatment of solid tumors and malignant cancer.

Diclofenac-Derived Hybrids for Treatment of Actinic Keratosis and Squamous Cell Carcinoma

In this work, hybrid compounds 1-4 obtained by conjugation of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, with natural molecules endowed with antioxidant and antiproliferative activity were prepared. The antiproliferative activity of these hybrids was evaluated on immortalized human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), an actinic keratosis (AK) model, and on human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells (A431). Hybrid 1 presented the best activity in both cell models. Self-assembling surfactant nanomicelles have been chosen as the carrier to drive the hybrid 1 into the skin; the in vitro permeation through and penetration into pig ear skin have been evaluated. Among the nanostructured formulations tested, Nano3Hybrid20 showed a higher tendency of the hybrid 1 to be retained in the skin rather than permeating it, with a desirable topical and non-systemic action. On these bases, hybrid 1 may represent an attractive lead scaffold for the development of new treatments for AK and SCC.

Biotin-Modified Polylactic- co-Glycolic Acid Nanoparticles with Improved Antiproliferative Activity of 15,16-Dihydrotanshinone I in Human Cervical Cancer Cells

15,16-Dihydrotanshinone I (DI), a natural compound isolated from a traditional Asian functional food Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge, is known for its anticancer activity. However, poor solubility of DI limits its desirable anticancer application. Herein, polylactic- co-glycolic acid (PLGA) was functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and biotin to form copolymers PEG-PLGA (PPA) and biotin-PEG-PLGA (BPA). DI was encapsulated in copolymers PPA and BPA to obtain DI-PPA-NPs (NPs = nanoparticles) and DI-BPA-NPs, respectively. The particle size and its distribution, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro releasing capacity of DI-BPA-NPs were characterized by biophysical methods. MTT assay was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of free DI, DI-PPA-NPs, and DI-BPA-NPs in human cervical cancer Hela cells. DI-BPA-NPs showed the highest cytotoxicity on Hela cells with an IC₅₀ value of 4.55 ± 0.631 μM, while it was 8.20 ± 0.849 and 6.14 ± 0.312 μM for DI and DI-PPA-NPs in 72 h, respectively. The superior antiproliferative activity was supported by the fact that DI-BPA-NPs could be preferentially internalized by Hela cells, owing to their specific interaction between biotin and overexpressed biotin receptors. In addition, DI-BPA-NPs effectively inhibited Hela cell proliferation by inducing G2/M phase cycle arrest and decreasing the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level by 31.50 ± 2.29% in 5 min. In summary, DI-BPA-NPs shows improved antiproliferative activity against human cervical cancer as comparing with free DI, demonstrating its application potential in cancer therapy.

Paclitaxel loaded vitamin E-TPGS nanoparticles for cancer therapy

Localised and targeted potential of nanocarrier for the eminent anticancer agent paclitaxel (PTX) could provide a great platform towards improvement of efficacy with reduction in associated toxicities, whereas incorporation of TPGS could further facilitate delivery in MDR through alteration of its inherent physicochemical properties. Current article therefore puts into perspective on nanocarrier-based recent researches of PTX with special stress towards TPGS-nanoparticle-mediated delivery in the improvement of cancer treatment and then accompanied with the discussion on distinct influence of the fabrication process. Such dynamic fabrications of the nanoparticulate therapy stimulate cellular interaction with frontier area for future research in tumor targeting potential.

Photodynamic Therapy for Metastatic Melanoma Treatment: A Review

This review article is based on specifically targeted nanoparticles that have been used in the treatment of melanoma. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, within 2017 an estimated 9730 people will die due to invasive melanoma. Conventional treatments for nonmalignant melanoma include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. For the treatment of metastatic melanoma, 3 therapeutic agents have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration: dacarbazine, recombinant interferon α-2b, and high-dose interleukin 2. Photodynamic therapy is an alternative therapy that activates a photosensitizer at a specific wavelength forming reactive oxygen species which in turn induces cell death; it is noninvasive with far less side effects when compared to conventional treatments. Nanoparticles are generally conjugated to photosynthetic drugs, since they are biocompatible, stabile, and durable, as well as have a high loading capacity, which improve either passive or active photosensitizer drug delivery to targeted cells. Therefore, various photosynthetic drugs and nanoparticle drug delivery systems specifically targeted for melanoma were analyzed in this review article in relation to either their passive or their active cellular uptake mechanisms in order to deduce the efficacy of photodynamic therapy treatment for metastatic melanoma which currently remains ongoing. The overall findings from this review concluded that no current photodynamic therapy studies have been performed in relation to active nanoparticle platform photosensitizer drug carrier systems for the treatment of metastatic melanoma, and so this type of research requires further investigation into developing a more efficient active nano-photosensitizer carrier smart drug that can be conjugated to specific cell surface receptors and combinative monoclonal antibodies so that a further enhanced and more efficient form of targeted photodynamic therapy for the treatment of metastatic melanoma can be established.

Chemodrug delivery using integrin-targeted PLGA-Chitosan nanoparticle for lung cancer therapy

In this study, we report the efficacy of RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) peptide-modified polylactic acid-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-Chitosan nanoparticle (CSNP) for integrin α_vβ₃ receptor targeted paclitaxel (PTX) delivery in lung cancer cells and its impact on normal cells. RGD peptide-modified chitosan was synthesized and then coated onto PTX-PLGA nanoparticles prepared by emulsion-solvent evaporation. PTX-PLGA-CSNP-RGD displayed favorable physicochemical properties for a targeted drug delivery system. The PTX-PLGA-CSNP-RGD system showed increased uptake via integrin receptor mediated endocytosis, triggered enhanced apoptosis, and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and more overall cytotoxicity than its non-targeted counterpart in cancer cells. PTX-PLGA-CSNP-RGD showed less toxicity in lung fibroblasts than in cancer cells, may be attributed to low drug sensitivity, nevertheless the study invited close attention to their transient overexpression of integrin α_vβ₃ and cautioned against corresponding uptake of toxic drugs, if any at all. Whereas, normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells with poor integrin α_vβ₃ expression showed negligible toxicity to PTX-PLGA-CSNP-RGD, at equivalent drug concentrations used in cancer cells. Further, the nanoparticle demonstrated its capacity in targeted delivery of Cisplatin (CDDP), a drug having physicochemical properties different to PTX. Taken together, our study demonstrates that PLGA-CSNP-RGD is a promising nanoplatform for integrin targeted chemotherapeutic delivery to lung cancer.

Protective effects on myocardial infarction model: delivery of schisandrin B using matrix metalloproteinase-sensitive peptide-modified, PEGylated lipid nanoparticles

Purpose

Schisandrin B (Sch B) is clinically applied for the treatment of hepatitis and ischemic disease. However, its clinical efficacy is limited due to the poor solubility and low bioavailability. This study aimed to develop matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive peptide-modified, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified (PEGylated) solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) for loading Sch B (MMP-Sch B SLNs), and to evaluate the therapeutic effect in the myocardial infarction model.

Methods

PEG lipid and MMP-targeting peptide conjugate were synthesized. MMP-Sch B SLNs were prepared by solvent displacement technique. The physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics of SLNs were investigated. In vivo effects on infarct size was evaluated in rats.

Results

The successful synthesis of lipid-peptide conjugate was confirmed. MMP-Sch B SLNs had a particle size of 130 nm, a zeta potential of 18.3 mV, and a sustained-release behavior. Higher heart drug concentration and longer blood circulation times were achieved by Sch B loaded SLNs than the drug solution according to the pharmacokinetic and biodistribution results. The best therapeutic efficacy was exhibited by MMP-Sch B SLNs by reducing the infarction size to the greatest extent.

Conclusion

The modified SLNs may be a good choice for delivery of Sch B for the treatment of myocardial infarction.