Enhanced antitumor activity of doxorubicin in breast cancer through the use of poly(butylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles

Preparation of Liposome Gel by Calcium Cross-Linking Induces the Long-Term Release of DOX to Improve the Antitumor Effect

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most commonly used anticancer drugs; however, its clinical application is greatly limited due to its toxicity and chemotherapy resistance. The delivery of DOX by liposomes (Lipos) can improve the blood circulation time in vivo and reduce toxic side effects, but the drug's accumulation in the tumor is often insufficient for effective treatment. In this study, we present a calcium cross-linked liposome gel for the encapsulation of DOX, demonstrating its superior long-term release capabilities compared to conventional Lipos. By leveraging this enhanced long-term release, we can enhance drug accumulation within tumors, ultimately leading to improved antitumor efficacy. Lipos were prepared using the thin-film dispersion method in this study. We utilized the ion-responsiveness of glutathione-gelatin (GSH-GG) to form the gel outside the Lipos and named the nanoparticles coated with GSH-GG on the outside of Lipos as Lipos@GSH-GG. The average size of Lipos@GSH-GG was around 342.9 nm, with a negative charge of -25.6 mV. The in vitro experiments revealed that Lipos@GSH-GG exhibited excellent biocompatibility and slower drug release compared to conventional Lipos. Further analysis of cellular uptake and cytotoxicity demonstrated that Lipos@GSH-GG loading DOX (DOX&Lipos@GSH-GG) exhibited superior long-term release effects and lower toxic side effects compared to Lipos loading DOX (DOX&Lipos). Additionally, the findings regarding the long-term release effect in vivo and the tumor accumulation within tumor-bearing mice of Lipos@GSH-GG suggested that, compared to Lipos, it demonstrated superior long-term release capabilities and achieved greater drug accumulation within tumors. In vivo antitumor efficacy experiments showed that DOX&Lipos@GSH-GG demonstrated superior antitumor efficacy to DOX&Lipos. Our study highlights Lipos@GSH-GG as a promising nanocarrier with the potential to enhance efficacy and safety by means of long-term release effects and may offer an alternative approach for effective antitumor therapy in the future.

Recent advances in peptide-based therapeutic strategies for breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities in female worldwide. Effective therapies with low side effects for breast cancer treatment and prevention are, accordingly, urgently required. Targeting anticancer materials, breast cancer vaccines and anticancer drugs have been studied for many years to decrease side effects, prevent breast cancer and suppress tumors, respectively. There are abundant evidences to demonstrate that peptide-based therapeutic strategies, coupling of good safety and adaptive functionalities are promising for breast cancer therapy. In recent years, peptide-based vectors have been paid attention in targeting breast cancer due to their specific binding to corresponding receptors overexpressed in cell. To overcome the low internalization, cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) could be selected to increase the penetration due to the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between CPPs and cell membranes. Peptide-based vaccines are at the forefront of medical development and presently, 13 types of main peptide vaccines for breast cancer are being studied on phase III, phase II, phase I/II and phase I clinical trials. In addition, peptide-based vaccines including delivery vectors and adjuvants have been implemented. Many peptides have recently been used in clinical treatments for breast cancer. These peptides show different anticancer mechanisms and some novel peptides could reverse the resistance of breast cancer to susceptibility. In this review, we will focus on current studies of peptide-based targeting vectors, CPPs, peptide-based vaccines and anticancer peptides for breast cancer therapy and prevention.

Design, Preparation, and Evaluation of Osthol Poly-Butyl-Cyanoacrylate Nanoparticles with Improved In Vitro Anticancer Activity in Neuroblastoma Treatment

Osthol (osthole), known as a neuroprotective drug, has shown potent anticancer activity. However, the potential clinical application of osthol is limited due to its low water solubility and low bioavailability. Polybutyl cyanoacrylate (PBCA) has been widely used to improve the solubility of drugs with poor water solubility. In this study, an orthogonal experimental design (OED) was applied to design the preparation process of PBCA nanoparticles (NPs). Then, nanoparticles were prepared and evaluated in terms of physicochemical properties, in vitro release, and cellular uptake, etc. Further, the anti-cancer activity of osthol-PBCA NPs was demonstrated in SH-SY5Y cells. The pharmacokinetics and area under the curve (AUC) were investigated. The obtained osthol-NPs presented a spherical shape with a particle size of 110 ± 6.7 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.126, and a zeta potential of −13 ± 0.32 mV. Compared with the free osthol, the drugs in osthol-NPs presented better stability and sustained release pattern activity. In vitro analysis using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells showed that osthol-loaded nanoparticles displayed a significantly enhanced intracellular absorption process (three times) and cytotoxicity compared with free osthol (p < 0.05, increased 10−20%). The in vivo pharmacokinetic study revealed that the AUC of osthol-NPs was 3.3-fold higher than that of free osthol. In conclusion, osthol-PBCA NPs can enhance the bioactivity of osthol, being proposed as a novel, promising vehicle for drug delivery.

Hesperidin and its aglycone hesperetin in breast cancer therapy: A review of recent developments and future prospects

Breast cancer (BC) has high incidence and mortality rates, making it a major global health issue. BC treatment has been challenging due to the presence of drug resistance and the limited availability of therapeutic options for triple-negative and metastatic BC, thereby urging the exploration of more effective anti-cancer agents. Hesperidin and its aglycone hesperetin, two flavonoids from citrus species, have been extensively evaluated for their anti-cancer potentials. In this review, available literatures on the chemotherapeutic and chemosensitising activities of hesperidin and hesperetin in preclinical BC models are reported. The safety and bioavailability of hesperidin and hesperetin as well as the strategies to enhance their bioavailability are also discussed. Overall, hesperidin and hesperetin can inhibit cell proliferation, migration and BC stem cells as well as induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in vitro. They can also inhibit tumour growth, metastasis and neoplastic changes in tissue architecture in vivo. Moreover, the co-administration of hesperidin or hesperetin with doxorubicin, letrozole or tamoxifen can enhance the efficacies of these clinically available agents. These chemotherapeutic and chemosensitising activities of hesperidin and hesperetin have been linked to several mechanisms, including the modulation of signalling pathways, glucose uptake, enzymes, miRNA expression, oxidative status, cell cycle regulatory proteins, tumour suppressor p53, plasma and liver lipid profiles as well as DNA repair mechanisms. However, poor water solubility, extensive phase II metabolism and apical efflux have posed limitations to the bioavailability of hesperidin and hesperetin. Various strategies for bioavailability enhancement have been studied, including the utilisation of nano-based drug delivery systems and the co-administration of hesperetin with other flavonoids. In particular, nanoformulated hesperidin and hesperetin possess greater chemotherapeutic and chemosensitising activities than free compounds. Despite promising preclinical results, further safety and efficacy evaluation of hesperidin and hesperetin as well as their nanoformulations in clinical trials is required to ascertain their potentials to be developed as clinically useful agents for BC treatment.

Double-Coated Poly(butyl Cyanoacrylate) Nanoparticles as a Potential Carrier for Overcoming P-Gp- and BCRP-Mediated Multidrug Resistance in Cancer Cells

The present study evaluates poly (butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles (PBCA-NPs), double-coated with Tween 80 and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 20,000 as a potential carrier system for overcoming P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistant protein (BCRP)-mediated multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cell lines. Doxorubicin-loaded PBCA-NPs were prepared by the anionic polymerization method and were successively double-coated with Tween 80 and PEG 20000 at varied concentrations. MDR reversing potential was investigated by cellular uptake in P-gp overexpressing cell line. And, the outcomes were verified by modified MTT assay in P-gp or BCRP overexpressing cell lines. The findings from the cell uptake study indicate that double-coated PBCA-NPs significantly enhanced doxorubicin accumulation within the cells. MTT assays revealed that double-coated PBCA-NPs significantly potentiated the sensitivity of doxorubicin in P-gp overexpressing cells, in comparison to free doxorubicin, single-, and un-coated PBCA-NPs, respectively. Moreover, further increase in concentration with Tween 80, double-coated PBCA-NPs significantly enhanced the sensitivity of doxorubicin in BCRP overexpressing cell line, in comparison to single- and double-coated formulations (with lower concentration of Tween 80). Hence, it could be concluded that double-coated PBCA-NPs can be used as a potential carrier for enhancing doxorubicin accumulation in MDR cancer cells.

Development of Polymeric Nanoparticles for Blood-Brain Barrier Transfer-Strategies and Challenges

Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and brain cancers are difficult to treat with current drugs as their delivery efficacy to the brain is severely hampered by the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Drug delivery systems have been extensively explored in recent decades aiming to circumvent this barrier. In particular, polymeric nanoparticles have shown enormous potentials owing to their unique properties, such as high tunability, ease of synthesis, and control over drug release profile. However, careful analysis of their performance in effective drug transport across the BBB should be performed using clinically relevant testing models. In this review, polymeric nanoparticle systems for drug delivery to the central nervous system are discussed with an emphasis on the effects of particle size, shape, and surface modifications on BBB penetration. Moreover, the authors critically analyze the current in vitro and in vivo models used to evaluate BBB penetration efficacy, including the latest developments in the BBB-on-a-chip models. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives for the development of polymeric nanoparticles to combat neurological disorders are discussed.

Tumor-Targeted Delivery of Bufalin-Loaded Modified Albumin-Polymer Hybrid for Enhanced Antitumor Therapy and Attenuated Hemolysis Toxicity and Cardiotoxicity

A novel albumin polymer hybrid with a core-shell structure was designed to target delivery of bufalin, which is an antineoplastic monomer with serious cardiotoxicity. The sheath layer was composed of ursodeoxycholic acid (UA)-modified bovine serum albumin (UA-BSA), while the stable core consisted of poly n-butyl cyanoacrylate (PBCA) nanoparticles. The UA-BSA was synthetized, and the substitution degree was characterized. The physical properties of bufalin-loaded UA-modified protein-PBCA nanocomplexes (BF-uPPNCs), such as morphology, particle size, and encapsulation efficiency, were evaluated. FTIR and DSC revealed the bufalin to be in an amorphous state. Furthermore, the in vitro release study indicated a sustained release profile of BF-uPPNCs. The MTT and cellular uptake study demonstrated that BF-uPPNCs significantly improved the inhibitory effect of the bufalin accompanied with an enhanced cell uptake capacity on HepG2 cells. In addition, in vivo research demonstrated that BF-uPPNCs had a better antitumor effect coupled with improved therapeutic effect, and reduced hemolysis, vascular irritation, and cardiotoxicity. This work therefore presented a novel albumin polymer hybrid with favorable stability, efficient tumor-targeted delivery potential, and side effect reduction ability, which can be a potential vehicle for an anticancer drug.

Anticancer Drug Release System Based on Hollow Silica Nanocarriers Triggered by Tumor Cellular Microenvironments

Targeted release of anticancer drugs to tumor sites has a pivotal role in clinical oncology. pH-responsive drug delivery systems, with an intelligent and targeted release of anticancer drugs in a controllable manner based on sensitivities to the weakly acidic environments of tumor cellular microenvironments, are desirable. Herein, the design of such a pH-responsive drug delivery system is detailed using in situ amino-functionalized hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles as carriers. The drug release behavior of the pH-responsive delivery system was evaluated under an in vitro simulation of tumor cellular microenvironments. The drug delivery system has efficient drug loadings and targeted release. Zorubicin hydrochloride releasing percentage is almost up to 100% at a buffer pH of 5.0. The drug release systems described demonstrating great potential in anticancer therapy.

EO771, is it a well-characterized cell line for mouse mammary cancer model? Limit and uncertainty

Among mouse mammary tumor models, syngeneic cell lines present an advantage for the study of immune response. However, few of these models are well characterized. The tumor line EO771 is derived from spontaneous breast cancer of C57BL/6 mice. These cells are widely used but are referenced under different names: EO771, EO 771, and E0771. The characteristics of the EO771 cells are well described but some data are contradictory. This cell line presents the great interest of developing an immunocompetent neoplastic model using an orthotopic implantation reflecting the mammary tumors encountered in breast cancer patients. This review presents the phenotype characteristics of EO771 and its sensitivity to nutrients and different therapies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy.

Preparation, Characterization, and Evaluation of Cisplatin-Loaded Polybutylcyanoacrylate Nanoparticles with Improved In Vitro and In Vivo Anticancer Activities

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the cisplatin encapsulated into polybutylcyanoacrylate (PBCA) nanoparticles for the treatment of kidney cancer. The nanoformulation was successfully developed using the miniemulsion polymerization method and characterized in terms of size, size distribution, drug loading and encapsulation efficiencies, drug release behavior, in vitro cytotoxicity effects, in vivo toxicity, and therapeutic effects. Cisplatin-loaded PBCA nanoparticles were confirmed to be in nanoscale with the drug entrapment efficiency of 23% and controlled drug release profile, in which only 9% of the loaded drug was released after 48 h. The nanoparticles caused an increase in the cytotoxicity effects of cisplatin against renal cell adenocarcinoma cells (ACHN) (2.3-fold) and considerably decreased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations when compared to the standard cisplatin (1.6-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively). The nanoformulation also caused an increase in the therapeutic effects of cisplatin by 1.8-fold, in which a reduction in the mean tumor size was seen (3.5 mm vs. 6.5 mm) when compared to the standard cisplatin receiver rats. Overall, cisplatin-loaded PBCA nanoparticles can be considered as a promising drug candidate for the treatment of kidney cancer due to its potency to reduce the side effects of cisplatin and its toxicity and therapeutic effects on cancer-bearing Wistar rats.

Indocyanine Green Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles: Physicochemical Characterization and Interaction Studies with Caco-2 Cell Line by Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy

Biomedical applications of nanoparticles (NPs) have reached an increasing development in recent years. Recently, we demonstrated that newly synthesized poly (ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles (PECA-NPs) are possible antitumor agents due to their cytotoxicity for cancer cells. Indocyanine green (ICG), an amphiphilic tricarbocyanine fluorescent dye, is widely used for the detection of tumoral extension in different organs during clinical surgery. Moreover, this fluorescent agent is unstable and it has a rapid clearance in physiological conditions in vivo. In this study, ICG was charged in PECA-NPs to improve its aqueous stability and make easier its use for the identification of tumor cells. Microscopic and ultrastructural aspects concerning the related in vitro interactions between ICG-loaded NPs and tumor cell culture were investigated. Obtained results showed an effective stabilization of ICG; furthermore, color inclusions inside the cells treated with ICG-loaded NPs demonstrated the internalization of NPs with associated ICG. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis demonstrated the cytoplasmic presence of coated vesicles (Ø ≤ 100 nm), hypothesizing their involvement in the mechanism of endocytosis. Therefore, ICG-loaded NPs could be proposed as agents for tumor diagnosis, hypothesizing also in the future a specific therapeutic treatment.

Co-delivery of curcumin and Bcl-2 siRNA by PAMAM dendrimers for enhancement of the therapeutic efficacy in HeLa cancer cells

Co-delivery of therapeutic agents and small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be achieved by a suitable nanovehicle. In this work, the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin (Cur) were enhanced by entrapment in a polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer, and a polyplex was formed by grafting Bcl-2 siRNA onto the surface amine groups to produce PAMAM-Cur/Bcl-2 siRNA nanoparticles (NPs). The synthesized polyplex NPs had a particle size of ∼180 nm, and high Cur loading content of ∼82 wt%. Moreover, the PAMAM-Cur/Bcl-2 siRNA NPs showed more effective cellular uptake, and higher inhibition of tumor cell proliferation compared to PAMAM-Cur nanoformulation and free Cur, due to the combined effect of co-delivery of Cur and Bcl-2 siRNA. The newly described PAMAM-Cur/Bcl-2 siRNA polyplex NPs could be a promising co-delivery nanovehicle.

Combination of light-driven co-delivery of chemodrugs and plasmonic-induced heat for cancer therapeutics using hybrid protein nanocapsules

BACKGROUND

Improving the water solubility of hydrophobic drugs, increasing their accumulation in tumor tissue and allowing their simultaneous action by different pathways are essential issues for a successful chemotherapeutic activity in cancer treatment. Considering potential clinical application in the future, it will be promising to achieve such purposes by developing new biocompatible hybrid nanocarriers with multimodal therapeutic activity.

RESULTS

We designed and characterised a hybrid nanocarrier based on human serum albumin/chitosan nanoparticles (HSA/chitosan NPs) able to encapsulate free docetaxel (DTX) and doxorubicin-modified gold nanorods (DOXO-GNRs) to simultaneously exploit the complementary chemotherapeutic activities of both antineoplasic compounds together with the plasmonic optical properties of the embedded GNRs for plasmonic-based photothermal therapy (PPTT). DOXO was assembled onto GNR surfaces following a layer-by-layer (LbL) coating strategy, which allowed to partially control its release quasi-independently release regarding DTX under the use of near infrared (NIR)-light laser stimulation of GNRs. In vitro cytotoxicity experiments using triple negative breast MDA-MB-231 cancer cells showed that the developed dual drug encapsulation approach produces a strong synergistic toxic effect to tumoral cells compared to the administration of the combined free drugs; additionally, PPTT enhances the cytostatic efficacy allowing cell toxicities close to 90% after a single low irradiation dose and keeping apoptosis as the main cell death mechanism.

CONCLUSIONS

This work demonstrates that by means of a rational design, a single hybrid nanoconstruct can simultaneously supply complementary therapeutic strategies to treat tumors and, in particular, metastatic breast cancers with good results making use of its stimuli-responsiveness as well as its inherent physico-chemical properties.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for controlled delivery of hydrophilic and lipophilic doxorubicin for breast cancer therapy

Background: Lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs) for the controlled delivery of hydrophilic doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX.HCl) and lipophilic DOX base have been fabricated by the single step modified nanoprecipitation method.

Materials and methods: Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glicolide) (PLGA), lecithin, and 1,2-distearoyl-Sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol)-2000 (DSPE-PEG 2000) were selected as structural components.

Results: The mean particle size was 173–208 nm, with an encapsulation efficiency of 17.8±1.9 to 43.8±4.4% and 40.3±0.6 to 59. 8±1.4% for DOX.HCl and DOX base, respectively. The drug release profile was in the range 33–57% in 24 hours and followed the Higuchi model (R²=0.9867–0.9450) and Fickian diffusion (n<0.5). However, the release of DOX base was slower than DOX.HCl. The in vitro cytotoxicity studies and confocal imaging showed safety, good biocompatibility, and a higher degree of particle internalization. The higher internalization of DOX base was attributed to higher permeability of lipophilic component and better hydrophobic interaction of particles with cell membranes. Compared to the free DOX, the DOX.HCl and DOX base loaded LPHNPs showed higher antiproliferation effects in MDA-MB231 and PC3 cells.

Conclusion: Therefore, LPHNPs have provided a potential drug delivery strategy for safe, controlled delivery of both hydrophilic and lipophilic form of DOX in cancer cells.

Enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy of the low-dose doxorubicin in breast cancer via nanoparticle delivery system crosslinked hyaluronic acid

Despite the development of treatment options in breast cancer, many patients die of recurrence and metastasis. Owing to enhanced permeability and retention in solid tumor tissue, nanoparticle (NP) delivery systems have been emerged as novel strategy in cancer chemotherapy. As extracellular matrix, glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan (HA) could bind its surface receptor adhesion molecule CD44 which is strongly expressed on breast cancer. We have previously reported a doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded HA-Lys-LA X-NPs (X-NP-DOX) NP delivery system for breast cancer treatment. In this study, we further investigated the antitumor effect of X-NP-DOX NP delivery system using low-dose DOX in both in vitro and in vivo systems. We demonstrated that low-dose X-NP-DOX possessed the ability for inhibiting MCF-7 breast cancer cell growth, invasion, and migration, and inducing apoptosis in vitro. In in vivo experiments, injection of low-dose X-NP-DOX into tumor-bearing mouse resulted in significant reduction of tumor size. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling staining further revealed that low-dose X-NP-DOX induced higher percentage of apoptotic cells compared with free DOX or saline. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that low-dose X-NP-DOX inhibited Notch1 and Ras/MAPK pathways, decreased cancer stem cell population, and reduced tumorigenesis compared to free DOX in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Owing to its enhanced efficacy and higher targetability compared to free DOX, low-dose DOX delivered by NP system may be a promising novel strategy for breast cancer treatment.

Biodegradable nanocarriers coated with polymyxin B: Evaluation of leishmanicidal and antibacterial potential

Most treatments of leishmaniasis require hospitalization and present side effects or parasite resistance; innovations in drug formulation/reposition can overcome these barriers and must be pursued to increase therapeutic alternatives. Therefore, we tested polymyxin B (polB) potential to kill Leishmania amazonensis, adsorbed or not in PBCA nanoparticles (PBCAnp), which could augment polB internalization in infected macrophages. PBCAnps were fabricated by anionic polymerization and analyzed by Dynamic Light Scattering (size, ζ potential), Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (size/concentration), vertical diffusion cell (release rate), drug incorporation (indirect method, protein determination) and in vitro cell viability. Nanoparticles coated with polB (PBCAnp-polB) presented an adequate size of 261.5 ± 25.9 nm, low PDI and ζ of 1.79 ± 0.17 mV (stable for 45 days, at least). The 50% drug release from PBCAnp-polB was 6-7 times slower than the free polB, which favors a prolonged and desired release profile. Concerning in vitro evaluations, polB alone reduced in vitro amastigote infection of macrophages (10 μg/mL) without complete parasite elimination, even at higher concentrations. This behavior limits its future application to adjuvant leishmanicidal therapy or antimicrobial coating of carriers. The nanocarrier PBCAnp also presented leishmanicidal effect and surpassed polB activity; however, no antimicrobial activity was detected. PolB maintained its activity against E. coli, Pseudomonas and Klebsiella, adding antimicrobial properties to the nanoparticles. Thus, this coated drug delivery system, described for the first time, demonstrated antileishmanial and antimicrobial properties. The bactericidal feature helps with concomitant prevention/treatment of secondary infections that worst ulcers induced by cutaneous L. amazonensis, ultimately ending in disfiguring or disabling lesions.

Comparison between Polybutylcyanoacrylate Nanoparticles with Either Surface-Adsorbed or Encapsulated Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor on the Neural Differentiation of iPSCs

The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is vital in the neural differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells, and together may have therapeutic potential for neural regeneration. In this study, a multiplexed polybutylcyanoacrylate nanoparticle (PBCA NP) delivery platform was constructed, incorporating either surface-adsorbed or encapsulated BDNF for the induction of neural differentiation in induced pleuripotent stem cells (iPSCs), where tween 80 (T80) and superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) were added for central nervous system (CNS) targeting and magnetic resonance (MR) image tracking, respectively. Both methods by which the BDNF was carried resulted in loading efficiencies greater than 95%. The nanoparticle-mediated delivery of BDNF resulted in neural differentiation of iPSCs detected on immunofluorescence staining as early as 7 days, with enhanced differentiation efficiency by 1.3-fold compared to the control on flow cytometry; the delivery system of surface-adsorbed BDNF gave rise to cells that had the best neural development than the encapsulated formulation. T80-coating disrupted the in vitro blood–brain barrier model with a corresponding 1.5- to two-fold increase in permeability. SPIO-loaded PBCA NPs exhibited a concentration-dependent, rapid decay in signal intensity on the phantom MR experiment. This study demonstrates the versatility of the PBCA NP, and the surface-adsorption of BDNF is the preferred method of delivery for the differentiation of iPSCs.

Promoting Immune Efficacy of the Oral Helicobacter pylori Vaccine by HP55/PBCA Nanoparticles against the Gastrointestinal Environment

The immunogenicity of oral subunit vaccines is poor partly as a result of the harsh milieu of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For some pathogens that restrictedly inhabit the GI tract, a vaccine that works in situ may provide more potent protection than vaccines that operate parenterally. Yet, no appropriate delivery system is available for oral subunit vaccines. In this study, we designed HP55/poly( n-butylcyanoacrylate) (PBCA) nanoparticles (NPs) to carry Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) subunit vaccine CCF for oral administration in a prophylactic mice model. These NPs, which are synthesized using an interfacial polymerization method, protected the CCF antigen not only from the acidic pH in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) but also from the proteolysis in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 7.4). Oral vaccination of mice with HP55/PBCA-CCF NPs promoted the production of serum antigen-specific antibodies, mucosal secretory IgA, and proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, a Th1/Th17 response and augmented lymphocytes were found in the gastric tissue of HP55/PBCA-CCF NP-immunized mice, which might eventually limit H. pylori colonization. Collectively, these results indicate that HP55/PBCA NPs are promising carriers against the severe situation of the GI tract and thereby may be further utilized for other orally administrated vaccines or drugs.

Glutathione responsive micelles incorporated with semiconducting polymer dots and doxorubicin for cancer photothermal-chemotherapy

Nanoplatform integrated with photothermal therapy (PTT) and chemotherapy has been recognized a promising agent for enhancing cancer therapeutic outcomes, but still suffer from less controllability for optimizing their synergistic effects. We fabricated glutathione (GSH) responsive micelles incorporated with semiconducting polymer dots and doxorubicin (referred as SPDOX NPs) for combining PTT with chemotherapy to enhance cancer therapeutic efficiency. These micelles, with excellent water dispersibility, comprises of three distinct functional components: (1) the monomethoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-S-S-hexadecyl (mPEG-S-S-C₁₆), which forms the micelles, can render hydrophobic substances water-soluble and improve the colloidal stability; (2) disulfide linkages can be cleaved in a reductive environment for tumor specific drug release due to the high GSH concentrations of tumor micro-environment; (3) PCPDTBT dots and anti-cancer drug DOX that are loaded inside the hydrophobic core of the micelle can be applied to simultaneously perform PTT and chemotherapy to achieve significantly enhanced tumor killing efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. In summary, our studies demonstrated that our SPDOX NPs with simultaneous photothermal-chemotherapy functions could be a promising platform for a tumor specific responsive drug delivery system.

GE11 peptide modified and reduction-responsive hyaluronic acid-based nanoparticles induced higher efficacy of doxorubicin for breast carcinoma therapy

Novel breast carcinoma dual-targeted redox-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) based on cholesteryl-hyaluronic acid conjugates were designed for intracellular delivery of the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX). A series of reduction-responsive hyaluronic acid derivatives grafted with hydrophobic cholesteryl moiety (HA-ss-Chol) and GE11 peptide conjugated HA-ss-Chol (GE11-HA-ss-Chol) were synthesized. The obtained conjugates showed attractive self-assembly characteristics and high drug loading capacity. GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs were highly stable under conditions mimicking normal physiological conditions, while showing a fast degradation of the vehicle's structure and accelerating the drug release dramatically in the presence of intracellular reductive environment. Furthermore, the cellular uptake assay confirmed GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs were taken up by MDA-MB-231 cells through CD44- and epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated endocytosis. The internalization pathways of GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs might involve clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis. The intracellular distribution of DOX in GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs showed a faster release and more efficient nuclear delivery than the insensitive control. Enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity of GE11-HA-ss-Chol DOX-NPs further confirmed the superiority of their dual-targeting and redox-responsive capacity. Moreover, in vivo imaging investigation in MDA-MB-231 tumor-bearing mice confirmed that GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs labeled with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide, a near-infrared fluorescence dye, possessed a preferable tumor accumulation ability as compared to the single-targeting counterpart (HA-ss-Chol NPs). The antitumor efficacy showed an improved therapy efficacy and lower systemic side effect. These results suggest GE11-HA-ss-Chol NPs provide a good potential platform for antitumor drugs.

Impact of Doxorubicin Treatment on the Physiological Functions of White Adipose Tissue

White adipose tissue (WAT) plays a fundamental role in maintaining energy balance and important endocrine functions. The loss of WAT modifies adipokine secretion and disrupts homeostasis, potentially leading to severe metabolic effects and a reduced quality of life. Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic agent used clinically because of its good effectiveness against various types of cancer. However, doxorubicin has deleterious effects in many healthy tissues, including WAT, liver, and skeletal and cardiac muscles. Our objective was to investigate the effects of doxorubicin on white adipocytes through in vivo and in vitro experiments. Doxorubicin reduced the uptake of glucose by retroperitoneal adipocytes and 3T3-L1 cells via the inhibition of AMP-activated protein kinase Thr172 phosphorylation and glucose transporter 4 content. Doxorubicin also reduced the serum level of adiponectin and, to a greater extent, the expression of genes encoding lipogenic (Fas and Acc) and adipogenic factors (Pparg, C/ebpa, and Srebp1c) in retroperitoneal adipose tissue. In addition, doxorubicin inhibited both lipogenesis and lipolysis and reduced the hormone-sensitive lipase and adipose tissue triacylglycerol lipase protein levels. Therefore, our results demonstrate the impact of doxorubicin on WAT. These results are important to understand some side effects observed in patients receiving chemotherapy and should encourage new adjuvant treatments that aim to inhibit these side effects.

Enhanced antitumoral activity of doxorubicin against lung cancer cells using biodegradable poly(butylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles

Doxorubicin (Dox) is widely used for the combined chemotherapy of solid tumors. However, the use of these drug associations in lung cancer has low antitumor efficacy. To improve its efficacious delivery and activity in lung adenocarcinoma cells, we developed a biodegradable and noncytotoxic nanoplatform based on biodegradable poly(butylcyanoacrylate) (PBCA). The reproducible formulation method was based on an anionic polymerization process of the PBCA monomer, with the antitumor drug being entrapped within the nanoparticle (NP) matrix during its formation. Improved drug-entrapment efficiencies and sustained (biphasic) drug-release properties were made possible by taking advantage of the synthesis conditions (drug, monomer, and surfactant-agent concentrations). Dox-loaded NPs significantly enhanced cellular uptake of the drug in the A549 and LL/2 lung cancer cell lines, leading to a significant improvement of the drug's antitumoral activity. In vivo studies demonstrated that Dox-loaded NPs clearly reduced tumor volumes and increased mouse-survival rates compared to the free drug. These results demonstrated that PBCA NPs may be used to optimize the antitumor activity of Dox, thus exhibiting a potential application in chemotherapy against lung adenocarcinoma.