Synergistic apoptotic effects of apigenin TPGS liposomes and tyroservatide: implications for effective treatment of lung cancer

Apigenin: A Bioflavonoid with a Promising Role in Disease Prevention and Treatment

Apigenin is a powerful flavone compound found in numerous fruits and vegetables, and it offers numerous health-promoting benefits. Many studies have evidenced that this compound has a potential role as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound, making it a promising candidate for reducing the risk of pathogenesis. It has also been found to positively affect various systems in the body, such as the respiratory, digestive, immune, and reproductive systems. Apigenin is effective in treating liver, lung, heart, kidney, neurological diseases, diabetes, and maintaining good oral and skin health. Multiple studies have reported that this compound is capable of suppressing various types of cancer through the induction of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest, suppressing cell migration and invasion, reduction of inflammation, and inhibiting angiogenesis. When used in combination with other drugs, apigenin increases their efficacy, reduces the risk of side effects, and improves the response to chemotherapy. This review broadly analyzes apigenin's potential in disease management by modulating various biological activities. In addition, this review also described apigenin's interaction with other compounds or drugs and the potential role of nanoformulation in different pathogeneses. Further extensive research is needed to explore the mechanism of action, safety, and efficacy of this compound in disease prevention and treatment.

Developing a rapid analytical method for simultaneous determination of apigenin and gallic acid: validation and application in a nanoliposomal formulation

OBJECTIVE

Apigenin and gallic acid are natural compounds that are useful as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents, especially when used together in combination. Therefore, the development and validation of a simultaneous method of analysis for both compounds in pure form and when encapsulated in an advanced delivery system such as liposomes would be useful.

METHODS

Analysis was performed using C18 column under isocratic conditions. The mobile phase was acetonitrile: water containing 0.2% orthophosphoric acid at a ratio of 67:33, flow rate 1 ml/min, and detection wavelength 334 nm for apigenin and 271 nm for gallic acid.

RESULTS

The assay method was linear at the concentration range (5-600 µg/mL) with R2 of 1 for both drugs. The method was also shown to be precise and robust with RSD less than 2% with LOD (0.12, 0.1 µg/mL) and LOQ (4.14, 3.58 µg/mL) for apigenin and gallic acid respectively. The method was also applicable for the determination of the entrapment efficiency of both drugs when co-loaded in a nanoliposomal formulation.

CONCLUSION

The described HPLC method was shown to be suitable, sensitive, and reproducible for the simultaneous identification and quantification of apigenin and gallic acid. The analytical results were accurate and precise, with good recovery, low limit of detection, and the chromatographic assay was accomplished in less than 3 min, suggesting the suitability of the method for routine analysis of both drugs in pharmaceutical formulations.

Anti-inflammatory activities of flavonoid derivates

Background and purpose

Flavonoids are a group of phytochemicals found abundantly in various plants. Scientific evidence has revealed that flavonoids display potential biological activities, including their ability to alleviate inflammation. This activity is closely related to their action in blocking the inflammatory cascade and inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory factors. However, as flavonoids typically have poor bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profile, it is quite challenging to establish these compounds as a drug. Nevertheless, progressive advancements in drug delivery systems, particularly in nanotechnology, have shown promising approaches to overcome such challenges.

Review approach

This narrative review provides an overview of scientific knowledge about the mechanism of action of flavonoids in the mitigation of inflammatory reaction prior to delivering a comprehensive discussion about the opportunity of the nanotechnology-based delivery system in the preparation of the flavonoid-based drug.

Key results

Various studies conducted in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials have deciphered that the anti-inflammatory activities of flavonoids are closely linked to their ability to modulate various biochemical mediators, enzymes, and signalling pathways involved in the inflammatory processes. This compound could be encapsulated in nanotechnology platforms to increase the solubility, bioavailability, and pharmacological activity of flavonoids as well as reduce the toxic effects of these compounds.

Conclusion

In Summary, we conclude that flavonoids and their derivates have given promising results in their development as new anti-inflammatory drug candidates, especially if they formulate in nanoparticles.

Encapsulation of Hydrophobic Apigenin into Small Unilamellar Liposomes Coated with Chitosan Through Ethanol Injection and Spray Drying

Despite the multiple health benefits, natural flavonoid apigenin has poor aqueous solubility that restricts its delivery in foods. This study investigated the potential of spray-dried chitosan-coated liposomes prepared from scalable methods for the food industry as the delivery carriers for apigenin. Apigenin-loaded small unilamellar liposomes produced from ethanol injection had an encapsulation efficiency of 74.88 ± 5.31%. They were electrostatically stabilised via chitosan coating (0.25% w/v) and spray-dried. Spray-dried chitosan-coated apigenin liposomes (SCAL) exhibited the following powder characteristics: yield 66.62 ± 3.08%, moisture content 4.33 ± 0.56%, water activity 0.2242 ± 0.0548, particle size 10.97 ± 1.55 μm, nearly spherical morphology with wrinkles and dents under microscopic observation. Compared with the unencapsulated apigenin, SCAL demonstrated improved aqueous solubility (10.22 ± 0.18 mg/L), higher antioxidant capacity, and stability against simulated gastrointestinal digestion. The chitosan coating gave a slower in-vitro release of apigenin in SCAL (77.0 ± 6.2%) than that of uncoated apigenin liposomes (94.0 ± 5.3%) at 12 h. The apigenin release kinetics from SCAL could be represented by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R2 = 0.971). These findings suggest that SCAL could be a promising delivery system of apigenin for functional food applications.

Phosphorothioated amino-AS1411 aptamer functionalized stealth nanoliposome accelerates bio-therapeutic threshold of apigenin in neoplastic rat liver: a mechanistic approach

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of death globally. Even though the progressive invention of some very potent therapeutics has been seen, the success is limited due to the chemotherapeutic resistance and recurrence in HCC. Advanced targeted treatment options like immunotherapy, molecular therapy or surface-engineered nanotherapeutics could offer the benefits here owing to drug resistance over tumor heterogenicity. We have developed tumor-sensing phosphorothioate and amino-modified aptamer (AS1411)-conjugated stealth nanoliposomes, encapsulating with apigenin for precise and significant biodistribution of apigenin into the target tumor to exploit maximum bio-therapeutic assistances. The stable aptamer functionalized PEGylated nanoliposomes (Apt-NLCs) had an average vesicle size of 100-150 nm, a smooth surface, and an intact lamellarity, as ensured by DLS, FESEM, AFM, and Cryo-TEM. This study has specified in vitro process of optimum drug (apigenin) extrusion into the cancer cells by nucleolin receptor-mediated cellular internalization when delivered through modified AS1411 functionalized PEGylated nanoliposomes and ensured irreversible DNA damage in HCC. Significant improvement in cancer cell apoptosis in animal models, due to reduced clearance and higher intratumor drug accumulation along with almost nominal toxic effect in liver, strongly supports the therapeutic potential of aptamer-conjugated PEGylated nanoliposomes compared to the nonconjugated formulations in HCC. The study has established a robust superiority of modified AS1411 functionalized PEGylated nanoliposomes as an alternative drug delivery approach with momentous reduction of HCC tumor incidences.

The Preparation of Apigenin Nanoparticles and the Study of Their Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor Activities In Vitro

Apigenin (API) has many biological activities, but its poor solubility limits its clinical application. In this research, API nanoparticles were prepared by the liquid antisolvent precipitation (LAP) technique, which effectively improved the solubility and bioavailability of API. Through the design of a single-factor test, the effects of the type and dosage of surfactants, API concentration, the antisolvent to solvent volume ratio, the speed and time of stirring, the temperature of precipitation, and the dropping speed on the MPS (mean particle size) of API nanosuspension were carried out. The optimum technological conditions were determined as follows: 5 mg/mL of tween 80 as a surfactant, 20 mg/mL of API, an antisolvent/solvent volume ratio of 10, a 1200 r/min stirring speed for 5 min, a 45 °C precipitation temperature, and a 1 mL/min dropping speed. Under the optimum conditions, we obtained API nanosuspension with 170.5 nm MPS and then it was freeze-dried to obtain the API nanoparticles. Moreover, we characterized the API nanoparticles by SEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TG. Results showed that although API nanoparticles transformed into an amorphous form, their internal chemical structure had not been changed and had a higher solubility. Finally, API nanoparticles’ anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by observing the effect of API on nitric oxide (NO) production and IL-10 production toward RAW264.7 cells induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Moreover, the anti-tumor effect of API was determined by testing cell viability and apoptosis. The results suggested that API nanoparticles exhibited much better anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities compared to raw API.

Molecular insights and therapeutic implications of nanoengineered dietary polyphenols for targeting lung cancer: part II

Flavonoids represent a major group of polyphenolic compounds. Their capacity to inhibit tumor proliferation, cell cycle, angiogenesis, migration and invasion is substantially responsible for their chemotherapeutic activity against lung cancer. However, their clinical application is limited due to poor aqueous solubility, low permeability and quick blood clearance, which leads to their low bioavailability. Nanoengineered systems such as liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers and nanotubes can considerably enhance the targeted action of the flavonoids with improved efficacy and pharmacokinetic properties, and flavonoids can be successfully translated from bench to bedside through various nanoengineering approaches. This review addresses the therapeutic potential of various flavonoids and highlights the cutting-edge progress in the nanoengineered systems that incorporate flavonoids for treating lung cancer.

Apigenin in cancer therapy: From mechanism of action to nano-therapeutic agent

Apigenin (APG) is a flavonoid presence in beverages, vegetables, and fruits containing anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral activities, as well as cancer management properties. There is growing evidence that APG presented extensive anti-cancer effects in several cancer types by modulating various cellular processes, including angiogenesis, apoptosis, metastasis, autophagy, cell cycle, and immune responses, through activation or inhibition of different cell signaling pathways and molecules. By emerging nanotechnology and its advent in the biomedicine field, cancer therapy has been changed based on nanotechnology-based delivery systems. APG nanoformulations have been used to target tumor cells specifically, improve cellular uptake of APG, and overcome limitations of the free form of APG, such as low solubility and poor bioavailability. In this review, the biotherapeutic activity of APG and its mechanisms, both in free form and nanoformulation, toward cancer cells are discussed to shed some light on APG anti-tumor activity in different cancers.

Apigenin in cancer prevention and therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal models

BACKGROUND

Apigenin is being increasingly recognized as a cancer chemopreventive agent. We aimed to investigate the anticancer effects of Apigenin in in-vivo studies to know its present research status and how close or how far it is from the clinics.

METHODS

Several electronic databases such as PubMed, Springer, Cochrane, and ctri.gov.in were searched to fetch the relevant articles. We focused only on published animal studies that reported the anticancer effects of Apigenin against various cancers. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias for each analysis, and the conflicting views were resolved later by consensus.

RESULTS

A total of 25 studies focused on the anticancer effects of Apigenin on various cancer types, including liver, prostate, pancreatic, lung, nasopharyngeal, skin, colon, colorectal, colitis-associated carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, leukemia, renal cell carcinoma, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, and breast cancer were included. Overall, Apigenin reduces tumor volume (SMD=-3.597, 95% CI: -4.502 to -2.691, p < 0.001), tumor-weight (SMD=-2.213, 95% CI: -2.897 to -1.529, p < 0.001), tumor number (SMD=-1.081, 95% CI: -1.599 to -0.563, p < 0.001) and tumor load (SMD=-1.556, 95% CI: -2.336 to -0.776, p < 0.001). Further, it has no significant effect on the animal's body-weight (SMD=-0.345, 95% CI: -0.832 to 0.143, p = 0.165). Apigenin exerts anti-tumor effects mainly by inducing apoptosis/cell-cycle arrest.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis suggests that Apigenin has potential anticancer effects against various cancers. However, the poor symmetry of the funnel plot suggested publication bias. Thus, it warrants further research to evaluate the potential of Apigenin alone or as an adjuvant for cancer treatment.

Preparation of Liposomal Raloxifene-Graphene Nanosheet and Evaluation of Its In Vitro Anticancer Effects

Background

In current years, researchers have shown their prime interest in developing multifunctional drug delivery systems, especially against cancers, for effective anticancer outcomes.

Methodology

Raloxifene (RLX) loaded liposomal-graphene nanosheet (GNS) was developed. The novelty of this work was to enhance the solubilization of RLX and improvement of its bioavailability in the disease area. So, the selection of optimized formula design of experiment was implemented which produced the desired formula with the particle size of 156.333 nm. Further, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, and thermodynamic stability of optimized formulation were evaluated. The optimized formulation exhibited prolonged release of RLX for a longer period of 24 h, which can minimize the dose-related toxicity of the drug. Furthermore, optimized formulation demonstrated remarkable thermodynamic stability in terms of phase separation, creaming, and cracking.

Results

The cytotoxicity study on the A549 cell line exhibited significant ( P < .05) results in favor of optimized formulation than the free drug. The apoptotic activity was carried out by Annexin V staining and Caspase 3 analysis, which demonstrated remarkable promising results for optimized liposomal formulation.

Conclusion

From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that the novel optimized liposomal formulation could be pondered as a novel approach for the treatment of lung cancer.

Amplification of Ferroptosis with Liposomal Nanoreactor Cooperates with Low-Toxic Doxorubicin Apoptosis for Enhanced Tumor Chemotherapy

Despite the remarkable tumor inhibition effect of doxorubicin (DOX), its cardiotoxicity severly limits the clinical dosage and further impairs the chemotherapy efficacy. To improve the biosafety and effectiveness of conventional...

Vitamin E Oil Incorporated Liposomal Melphalan and Simvastatin: Approach to Obtain Improved Physicochemical Characteristics of Hydrolysable Melphalan and Anticancer Activity in Combination with Simvastatin Against Multiple Myeloma

The objective of this research was to develop vitamin E oil (VEO)-loaded liposomes for intravenous delivery and to study the VEO effect on melphalan (MLN) loading, release, and stability. Further, the research aim was to determine the in vitro anticancer activity and in vivo systemic toxicity of MLN and simvastatin (SVN) combinations, for repurposing SVN in multiple myeloma. The liposomes were prepared by thin-film hydration technique. The optimized liposomes were surface modified with Pluronic F108, lyophilized, and evaluated for mean particle size, MLN content and release behavior, and in vitro hemolysis, cytotoxicity, and macrophage uptake characteristics. Further, in vivo acute toxicity of plain MLN + SVN combination was determined in comparison to their liposomal combination. The VEO alone and in combination with D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) has significantly increased the MLN and SVN loading. The reconstituted liposomes showed the mean particle size below 200 nm (cryo-transmission electron microscope analysis also revealed the liposome formation). In presence of VEO, the liposomes have shown substantially controlled drug release, lower hemolysis, sustained cytotoxicity, lower phagocytosis, and moderately improved chemical stability. Besides, the effect of liposomal combination on mice bodyweight is found substantially lower than the plain drug combination. In conclusion, the VEO could be used along with phospholipids and cholesterol to develop liposomal drugs with improved physicochemical characteristics. Further, the interesting cytotoxicity study results indicated that SVN could be repurposed in combination with anticancer drug MLN against multiple myeloma; liposomal drugs could be preferred to obtain improved efficacy with decreased systemic toxicity.

Micro- and nanoformulations of paclitaxel based on micelles, liposomes, cubosomes, and lipid nanoparticles: Recent advances and challenges

The diterpenoid molecule paclitaxel (PTX), extracted from the Western yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, is a promising anticancer drug specifically in clinical use for ovarian and breast cancers. However, its wider use is hampered by adverse effects and emerging resistance in cancer cells. Micelles, liposomes, cubosomes, and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have the potential to reduce or even remove complications associated with the use of PTX. Herein, we provide an overview of micro- and nanoformulations of PTX based on micelles, liposomes, cubosomes and LNPs to improve the therapeutic effects of this drug both in vitro and in vivo.

TPGS-Modified Long-Circulating Liposomes Loading Ziyuglycoside I for Enhanced Therapy of Myelosuppression

Background

Ziyuglycoside I (ZgI), an active ingredient isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Sanguisorba officinalis L, has been demonstrated to increase the leucocytes and protect hematopoietic stem cells. However, the poor solubility and a short half-life of ZgI limit its bioavailability and efficacy. The D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) has been widely used to increase the solubility, improve the encapsulation rate, and extend the half-life of drugs.

Methods

Here, we formulated the TPGS-modified long-circulating liposomes loading ZgI with a sustained drug release and enhanced therapy for myelosuppression. ZgI-TPGS-liposomes were manufactured using a thin-film hydration technique, followed by characterizations of physicochemical properties, including the particle size, zeta potential, TEM, SEM, FTIR, XRD, stability, drug loading (DL), encapsulation efficiency (EE). The in vitro and in vivo delivery efficiency were further evaluated by cellular uptake, in vitro drug release and in vivo pharmacokinetics. Finally, therapeutic effect on myelosuppression was investigated.

Results

The ZgI-TPGS-liposomes had an particle size of 97.89 ± 1.42 nm and ZP of −28.65 ± 0.16 mV. It exhibited DL of 9.06 ± 0.76% and EE of 92.34 ± 3.83%, along with excellent storage stability, cellular uptake and sustained drug release to free ZgI and liposomes without TPGS. Additionally, the TPGS modified liposomes significantly enhanced the therapeutic effect of ZgI on CTX induced myelosuppression, which can be confirmed in the apoptosis inhibition and cell viability promotion of CTX injured HSPC-1 cells. Also, the mice in vivo pharmacodynamics demonstrated that TPGS liposomes promoted ZgI increasing the numbers of leucocytes and neutrophils in myelosuppression mice induced by CTX.

Conclusion

Our research suggest that TPGS-modified long-circulating liposomes loading ziyuglycoside I has potential application in myelosuppression therapy.

Current Insight into the Therapeutic Potential of Phytocompounds and their Nanoparticle-based Systems for Effective Management of Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer and the primary cause of cancer-related death in both men and women worldwide. Due to diagnosis at an advanced stage, it is associated with high mortality in the majority of patients. At present, various treatment approaches are available such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. However, all these approaches usually cause serious side effects like degeneration of normal cells, bone marrow depression, alopecia, extensive vomiting, etc. To overcome the aforementioned problems, researchers have focused on the alternative therapeutic approach in which various natural compounds are reported, which possessed anti-lung cancer activity. Phytocompounds exhibit their anti-lung cancer activity via targeting various cell-signaling pathways, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and regulating antioxidant status and detoxification. Apart from the excellent anti-cancer activity, clinical administration of phytocompounds is confined because of their high lipophilicity and low bioavailability. Therefore, researchers show their concern in the development of a stable, safe, and effective approach of treatment with minimal side effects by the development of nanoparticle-based delivery of these phytocompounds to the target site. Targeted delivery of phytocompound through nanoparticles overcomes the aforementioned problems. In this article, the molecular mechanism of phytocompounds, their emerging combination therapy, and their nanoparticles-based delivery systems in the treatment of lung cancer have been discussed.

Research Progress in Flavonoids as Potential Anticancer Drug Including Synergy with Other Approaches

BACKGROUND

In chemotherapy for cancer, conventional drugs aim to target the rapidly growing and dividing cells at the early stages. However, at an advanced stage, cancer cells become less susceptible because of the multidrug resistance and the recruitment of alternative salvage pathways for their survival. Besides, owing to target non-selectivity, healthy proliferating cells also become vulnerable to the damage. The combination therapies offered using flavonoids to cure cancer not only exert an additive effect against cancer cells by targetting supplementary cell carnage pathways but also hampers the drug resistance mechanisms. Thus, the review aims to discuss the potential and pharmacokinetic limitations of flavonoids in cancer treatment. Further successful synergistic studies reported using flavonoids to treat cancer has been described along with potential drug delivery systems.

METHODS

A literature search was done by exploring various online databases like Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar with the specific keywords like "Anticancer drugs", "flavonoids", "oncology research", and "pharmacokinetics".

RESULTS

Dietary phytochemicals, mainly flavonoids, hinder cell signalling responsible for multidrug resistance and cancer progression, primarily targeting cancer cells sparing normal cells. Such properties establish flavonoids as a potential candidate for synergistic therapy. However, due to low absorption and high metabolism rates, the bioavailability of flavonoids becomes a challenge. Such challenges may be overcome using novel approaches like derivatization, and single or co-delivery nano-complexes of flavonoids with conventional drugs. These new approaches may improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic of flavonoids.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the application of flavonoids as a potential anticancer phytochemical class in combination with known anti-cancer drugs/nanoparticles. It also discusses flavonoid's pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics issues and ways to overcome such issues. Moreover, it covers successful methodologies employed to establish flavonoids as a safe and effective phytochemical class for cancer treatment.

Rationalizing the therapeutic potential of apigenin against cancer

BACKGROUND

Despite the remarkable advances made in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer during the past couple of decades, it remains the second largest cause of mortality in the world, killing approximately 9.6 million people annually. The major challenges in the treatment of the advanced stage of this disease are the development of chemoresistance, severe adverse effects of the drugs, and high treatment cost. Therefore, the development of drugs that are safe, efficacious, and cost-effective remains a 'Holy Grail' in cancer research. However, the research over the past four decades shed light on the cancer-preventive and therapeutic potential of natural products and their underlying mechanism of action. Apigenin is one such compound, which is known to be safe and has significant potential in the prevention and therapy of this disease.

AIM

To assess the literature available on the potential of apigenin and its analogs in modulating the key molecular targets leading to the prevention and treatment of different types of cancer.

METHOD

A comprehensive literature search has been carried out on PubMed for obtaining information related to the sources and analogs, chemistry and biosynthesis, physicochemical properties, biological activities, bioavailability and toxicity of apigenin.

KEY FINDINGS

The literature search resulted in many in vitro, in vivo and a few cohort studies that evidenced the effectiveness of apigenin and its analogs in modulating important molecular targets and signaling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, NF-κB, MAPK/ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, etc., which play a crucial role in the development and progression of cancer. In addition, apigenin was also shown to inhibit chemoresistance and radioresistance and make cancer cells sensitive to these agents. Reports have further revealed the safety of the compound and the adaptation of nanotechnological approaches for improving its bioavailability.

SIGNIFICANCE

Hence, the present review recapitulates the properties of apigenin and its pharmacological activities against different types of cancer, which warrant further investigation in clinical settings.

Apigenin as Tumor Suppressor in Cancers: Biotherapeutic Activity, Nanodelivery, and Mechanisms With Emphasis on Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its propensity for early local and distant spread, affected patients possess extremely poor prognosis. Currently applied treatments are not effective enough to eradicate all cancer cells, and minimize their migration. Besides, these treatments are associated with adverse effects on normal cells and organs. These therapies are not able to increase the overall survival rate of patients; hence, finding novel adjuvants or alternatives is so essential. Up to now, medicinal herbs were utilized for therapeutic goals. Herbal-based medicine, as traditional biotherapeutics, were employed for cancer treatment. Of them, apigenin, as a bioactive flavonoid that possesses numerous biological properties (e.g., anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects), has shown substantial anticancer activity. It seems that apigenin is capable of suppressing the proliferation of cancer cells via the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Besides, apigenin inhibits metastasis via down-regulation of matrix metalloproteinases and the Akt signaling pathway. In pancreatic cancer cells, apigenin sensitizes cells in chemotherapy, and affects molecular pathways such as the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1). Herein, the biotherapeutic activity of apigenin and its mechanisms toward cancer cells are presented in the current review to shed some light on anti-tumor activity of apigenin in different cancers, with an emphasis on pancreatic cancer.

Emerging role of phytochemicals in targeting predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic biomarkers of lung cancer

Lung-cancer is the foremost cause of cancer in humans worldwide, of which 80-85% cases are composed of non-small cell lung carcinoma. All treatment decisions depend on the pattern of biomarkers selection to enhance the response to the targeted therapies. Although advanced treatments are available for lung-cancer, the disease treatment remains not adequate. There are several synthetic chemotherapeutic agents available for the treatment of lung cancer. However, due to their toxic effect, survival rate is still 15-18%. Besides, medicinal plants are a huge reservoir of natural products that provide protective effects against lung cancer. Likewise, successful studies of potential phytochemicals in targeting lung-cancer biomarkers have created a novel paradigm for the discovery of potent drugs against lung-cancer. Hence, to defeat severe toxicity and resistance towards the synthetic drugs, detailed studies are required regarding the available phytochemicals and targets responsible for the treatment of lung-cancer. The present review provides a comprehensive information about the lung-cancer biomarkers under the classification of predictive, prognostic, and diagnostic type. Moreover, it discusses and enlists the phytochemicals with mode of action against different biomarkers, effective doses in in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, the limitations associated with usage of phytochemicals as a drug to prevent/cure lung-cancer and the latest techniques employed to overcome such issues.

Apigenin inhibits growth and migration of fibroblasts by suppressing FAK signaling

The naturally occurring compound apigenin has many biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and anticancer effects. Although hypertrophic scar formation is a common surgical complication, there is still no good treatment for it. In the present study, we examined the effect of apigenin on hypertrophic scar. After isolating fibroblasts from human hypertrophic scars, we assess the effects of apigenin on fibroblast cell survival, apoptosis and migration. The results showed that apigenin dose-dependently inhibited the growth and migration of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts. By inhibiting FAK kinase activity and FAK phosphorylation, apigenin also inhibited activation of the FAK signaling pathway. Apigenin thus appears to inhibit the growth and migration of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by inhibiting FAK signaling. This suggests apigenin could potentially provide a new option for the treatment of hypertrophic scars.

Effective Chemotherapy of Lung Cancer Using Bovine Serum Albumin-Coated Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles

Background

Successful chemotherapy of lung cancer relies largely on the use of a good drug delivery system (DDS). We successfully constructed a hybrid DDS comprised of hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles and bovine serum albumin (BSA).

Material/Methods

The HAP nanoparticles were selected as the core to encapsulate the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), followed by surface modification of BSA as a stabilizer and shielding corona to finally prepare the hybrid DDS (BSA/HAP/DOX).

Results

The following characterizations revealed that BSA/HAP nanoparticles have high stability, high biocompatibility, and good DOX-loading capability to meet in vivo applications. Moreover, BSA/HAP/DOX can enhance the cellular uptake of drug in A549 cells (lung cancer cells). Most importantly, BSA/HAP had better in vivo tumor targetability than bare HAP nanoparticles, which resulted in stronger anticancer efficacy both in vitro and in vivo than free DOX or HAP/DOX, and greatly decreased the adverse effects of free DOX.

Conclusions

Our hybrid DDS shows potential to be applied in more advanced application of cancer therapy.

Folic acid decorated metal-organic frameworks loaded with doxorubicin for tumor-targeted chemotherapy of osteosarcoma

Effective cancer therapy usually requires the assistance of well-designed drug carriers. In order to increase the drug accumulation to tumor tissue as well as to reduce the side effects of drug carriers, the hybrid drug delivery system (DDS) was developed by integrating folic acid (FA) and a metal-organic framework (MOF). The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was preloaded into the MOF nanoparticles during the synthesis process of the MOF nanoparticles. After surface modification with FA, the resulting FA/MOF/DOX nanoparticles were capable of serving as a biocompatible osteosarcoma targeting a DDS to enhance the chemotherapy of osteosarcoma. The dynamic light scattering method revealed that the obtained FA/MOF/DOX nanoparticles were particles with a size around 100 nm. Moreover, FA/MOF/DOX nanoparticles could enhance the delivery efficacy of DOX into MG63 (human osteosarcoma) cells as compared to FA free nanoparticles (MOF/DOX), in which a folate receptor (FR) might be involved. It was worth mentioning that in vitro [methylthio tetrazole (MTT) study in the MG63 cells] and in vivo (anticancer study in the MG63 xenograft model) assays both revealed that FA/MOF/DOX nanoparticles possessed stronger anticancer capability than free DOX or MOF/DOX nanoparticles.

Doxorubicin combined with betulinic acid or lonidamine in RGD ligand-targeted pH-sensitive micellar system for ovarian cancer treatment

Synergistic combination therapy involving the integration of chemotherapeutics and chemosensitizers into micelles has demonstrated great potential for tumor-specific location release. Here, the natural product betulinic acid (BA) and chemical drug lonidamine (LN) were used as chemosensitizers in combination with doxorubicin (DOX) for ovarian cancer treatment. We designed pH-sensitive peptide derivatives and constructed an all-in-one multifunctional multidrug pH-sensitive targeting delivery system for the synergistic co-delivery of DOX and BA (or LN). The combination of DOX and BA was found to elicit better therapeutic effects and lower cardiotoxicity than the DOX and LN combination in Skvo3 cells. Further, loading DOX/BA into the present micellar systems enabled burst release at the tumor location, leading to enhanced anti-tumor effects and reduced off-target effects. More importantly, DOX/BA micelles elicited fewer adverse effects on cardiac function and leukocyte counts in Skvo3 subcutaneous xenograft models. These features suggest that the designed micelles represent a promising multifunctional strategy for the efficient treatment of ovarian cancer.

The combined administration of parthenolide and ginsenoside CK in long circulation liposomes with targeted tLyp-1 ligand induce mitochondria-mediated lung cancer apoptosis

BACKGROUND

Combinations of natural products with low toxicities using tumor-targeting carriers may improve cancer treatment. The combined parthenolide and ginsenoside compound K (CK) within tLyp-1 liposomes, with the aim of improving the efficacy of lung cancer treatment.

RESULTS

In vitro studies in A549 human pulmonary adenocarcinoma cells demonstrated that parthenolide/CK tLyp-1 liposomes increased reactive oxygen species levels and induced mitochondrial apoptosis. It enters into cells via receptor-mediated uptake and micropinocytosis, followed by endosomal/lysosomal escape. In vivo studies illustrated that it produced a greater antitumor effect than combined administration of these compounds, with minimal toxicity.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study indicated that combined application of natural products in nanocarriers could offer attractive therapeutic options.

Comparison of hyaluronic acid-based micelles and polyethylene glycol-based micelles on reversal of multidrug resistance and enhanced anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based block copolymer micelles and hyaluronic acid (HA)-based grafted copolymer micelles have been widely investigated in chemotherapy. In this study, to evaluate the differences among HA-based grafted polymer micelles, PEG-based block polymer micelles and the mixed of these two micelles in enhancing antitumor effects and overcoming MDR, two amphiphilic vitamin E succinate (VES) derivatives, HA VES (HA-g-VES) and PEG 2000 VES (TPGS2k), were applied as nanocarriers to prepare HA-VES micelles (HA-PMs), TPGS2k micelles (TPGS2k-PMs) and the mixed micelles (HA/TPGS2k-PMs) for the co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and curcumin (Cur). With the addition of TPGS2k, the particle size of HA/TPGS2k-PMs (153.37 ± 1.00 nm) was smaller than that of HA-PMs (223.83 ± 1.84) but significantly larger than that of TPGS2k-PMs (about 20 nm). The loading efficiency of HA/TPGS2k-PMs was 7.10%, which was lower than HA-PMs (8.31 ± 0.15%) but higher than TPGS2k-PMs (4.38 ± 0.24%). In vitro, HA/TPGS2k-PMs and TPGS2k-PMs exhibited higher cytotoxicity and reversal MDR effects than HA-PMs in MCF-7/Adr cells. However, HA/TPGS2k-PMs, HA-PMs and TPGS2k-PMs all significantly improved the tumor biodistribution, the antitumor effects and reduced the side effects of DOX in 4T1-tumor-bearing mice, but these three micelles displayed no differences in vivo. Therefore, EPR passive targeting effects caused by PEGylated micelles and CD44 active targeting effects caused by HA-based micelles have no significant variance in the delivery of antitumor drugs by i.v.

Triphenylphosphonium and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-modified, tanshinone IIA-loaded lipid-polymeric nanocarriers for the targeted therapy of myocardial infarction

Background

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Currently, the best treatment options for myocardial infarction focus on the restoration of blood flow as soon as possible, which include reperfusion therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention, and therapeutic thrombolytic drugs.

Materials and methods

In the present study, we report the development of lipid-polymeric nanocarriers (LPNs) for mitochondria-targeted delivery of tanshinone IIA (TN). D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) was linked to the triphenylphosphonium (TPP) cation. The LPNs were fabricated by nanoprecipitation method. LPNs were evaluated in vitro and in vivo in comparison with free drugs and other similar nanocarriers.

Results

The mean diameter of TN/nanoparticles (NPs) was 89.6 nm, while that of TN/LPNs was 121.3 nm. The zeta potential of TN/NPs and TN/LPNs was −33.6 and −22.3 mV, respectively. Compared with free TN and TN/NPs, TN/LPNs exhibited significantly improved compatibility and therapeutic efficiency. In addition, the in vivo pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and infarct therapy studies in Sprague Dawley rats showed that TPP-TPGS/TN/LPNs had better efficiency than their nonmodified TN/LPNs counterparts in all respects.

Conclusion

These results indicated that the TPP-TPGS/TN/LPNs were promising nanocarriers for efficient delivery of cardiovascular drugs and other therapeutic agents for the treatment of CVDs.

Preparation, characterization and antitumor activity evaluation of apigenin nanoparticles by the liquid antisolvent precipitation technique

The present work aimed to apply the liquid antisolvent precipitation (LAP) method for preparing the apigenin nanoparticles and thereby improving the solubility and bioavailability of apigenin. The different experimental parameters on particle size were optimized through central composite design (CCD) using the Design-Expert® software. Under the optimum conditions, the particle size of the apigenin nanosuspension was about 159.2 nm. In order to get apigenin nanoparticles, the freeze-drying method was selected and the mannitol was used as a cryoprotectant. Then the solid state properties of the apigenin nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo gravimetric (TG), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results obtained displayed that the apigenin nanoparticles exhibited near-spherical shape and could be transformed into an amorphous form. In addition, the dissolving test, the bioavailability in rats, and the antitumor activity were also studied. The experimental results showed that the solubility of the apigenin nanoparticles were about 29.61 times and 64.81 times of raw apigenin in artificial gastric juice and in artificial intestinal juice, respectively, and the apigenin nanoparticles showed higher dissolution rates compared to raw apigenin, and was about 6.08 times and 6.14 times than that of raw apigenin in artificial gastric juice and in artificial intestinal juice. The oral bioavailability of apigenin nanoparticles was about 4.96 times higher than that of the raw apigenin, but the apigenin nanoparticles had no toxic effect on the organs of rats. In addition, the apigenin nanoparticles had a higher inhibition to HepG2 cells by lower IC50 than that of raw apigenin.