Distributions of intravenous injected iodine nanoparticles in orthotopic u87 human glioma xenografts over time and tumor therapy

Folic acid-decorated astrocytes-derived exosomes enhanced the effect of temozolomide against glioma

A direct strategy to achieve specific treatments and reduce side effects is through cell type-specific drug delivery. Exosomes (Exos) can be modified with folic acid (FA) to prepare drug delivery systems targeting tumor cells that highly express FA receptors. This study aimed to produce an exo drug delivery system with FA decoration and temozolomide (TMZ) loading to improve the sustained TMZ release and targeting. We used DSPE-PEG2000-FA to modify exos derived from astrocyte U-87 to prepare FA-modified exos (Astro-exo-FA). TMZ was encapsulated into Astro-exo-FA or Astro-exo through electroporation to produce TMZ@Astro-exo and TMZ@Astro-exo-FA. In vitro drug release was examined using the dialysis bag method. Through cell experiments in vitro and mouse glioma models in vivo, the effect of TMZ@Astro-exo-FA on U-87 cells was determined. Exo properties were not affected by FA modification and TMZ loading. The drug release rate of TMZ@Astro-exo-FA was slower. TMZ@Astro-exo-FA uptake by U-87 cells was higher compared to TMZ@Astro-exo, indicating that TMZ@Astro-exo-FA has a stronger targeting toward U-87 cells. TMZ@Astro-exo-FA remarkably reduced U-87 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion compared with TMZ@Astro-exo and free TMZ. Treatment with TMZ@Astro-exo-FA reduced the side effects of TMZ (minimal change in body weight), prolonged survival, and inhibited tumor growth in mouse glioma models, and its efficacy was stronger than that of TMZ@Astro-exo and free TMZ. TMZ@Astro-exo-FA could enhance the effect of TMZ against glioma, providing novel ideas for drug targeting delivery and exploring exos as drug carriers against glioma.

Nanoparticles and neurodegeneration: Insights on multiple pathways of programmed cell death regulated by nanoparticles

Currently, nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively applied in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). With the rapid development and increasing exposure to the public, the potential neurotoxicity associated with NDs caused by NPs has attracted the researchers' attentions but their biosafety assessments are still far behind relevant application studies. Based on recent research, this review aims to conduct a comprehensive and systematic analysis of neurotoxicity induced by NPs. The 191 studies selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria were imported into the software, and the co-citations and keywords of the included literatures were analyzed to find the breakthrough point of previous studies. According to the available studies, the routes of NPs entering into the normal and injured brain were various, and then to be distributed and accumulated in living bodies. When analyzing the adverse effects induced by NPs, we focused on multiple programmed cell deaths (PCDs), especially ferroptosis triggered by NPs and their tight connection and crosstalk that have been found playing critical roles in the pathogenesis of NDs and their underlying toxic mechanisms. The activation of multiple PCD pathways by NPs provides a scientific basis for the occurrence and development of NDs. Furthermore, the adoption of new methodologies for evaluating the biosafety of NPs would benefit the next generation risk assessment (NGRA) of NPs and their toxic interventions. This would help ensure their safe application and sustainable development in the field of medical neurobiology.

LINC01094 Affects Glioma Cell Proliferation Through miR-204-3p

This study intends to assess LINC01094′s role in glioma cells. LINC01094 level in glioma tissue was detected by RT qPCR. After transfection of LINC01094 overexpression plasmid, LINC01094 siRNA, and si-LINC01094 and miR-204-3p inhibitor, cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT and cell invasion and migration was assessed by transwell and scratch test. LINC01094 expression in glioma tissues was significantly increased. Overexpression of LINC01094 can significantly promote cell proliferation, which was significantly inhibited after knockdown of LINC01094. In addition, silence of LINC01094 can upregulate miR-204-3p and inhibit cell proliferation and promote apoptosis induced by overexpression of LINC01094. In conclusion, LINC01094 promotes glioma cell proliferation through miR-204-3p.

miR-204-3p Regulates Glioma Cell Biological Behaviors via Targeting Protein Kinase B (AKT1)

This study assesses miR-204-3p’s role in glioma. Cells were transfected with miR-204-3pmimics, miR-204-3p inhibitor, or si-AKT1 to measure cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis. Glioma tissues showed a significantly downregulated miR-204-3p, whose knockdown can significantly promote cell proliferation, migration and invasion. However, all the above changes or cell behavior were inhibited by overexpression of miR-204-3p. miR-204-3p regulated AKT1 and its silence can promote cell proliferation and decrease apoptosis by increasing AKT1 expression. However, si-AKT1 transfection inhibited cell proliferation and promote apoptosis induced by miR-204-3p knockdown. In summary, miR-204-3p regulates glioma cell biological behaviors by targeting AKT1.

Accelerated brachytherapy with the Xoft electronic source used in association with iodine, gold, bismuth, gadolinium, and hafnium nano-radioenhancers

PURPOSE

The current study was designed to calculate the dose enhancement factor (DEF) of iodine (I), gold (Au), bismuth (Bi), gadolinium (Gd), and hafnium (Hf) nanoparticles (NP)s by Monte Carlo (MC) modeling of an electronic brachytherapy source in resection cavities of breast tumors.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The GEANT4 MC code was used for simulation of a phantom containing a water-filled balloon and a Xoft source (50 kVp) to irradiate the margins of a resected breast tumor. NPs with a diameter of 20 nm and concentrations from 1 to 5% w/w were simulated in a tumor margin with 5 mm thickness as well as a hypothetical breast model consisting of spherical island-like residual tumor-remnants. The DEFs for all NPs were calculated in both models.

RESULTS

In the margin-loaded model, for the concentration of 1% w/w heavy atom, DEFs of 2.5, 2.3, 2.1, 2, and 1.7 were calculated for Bi, Au, I, Hf, and Gd NPs (descending order), which increased, almost linearly with concentration for all NPs. Moreover, normal tissue dose behind the NP-loaded margin declined significantly depending on NP type and concentration. When modeling residual tumor islands, DEF values were very close to the margin-loaded values except for Bi and I, where DEFs of 2.55 and 1.7 were seen, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Considerable dose enhancements were obtained for the heavy atom NPs studied in the partial breast brachytherapy with a Xoft electronic source. In addition, normal tissue doses were lowered in the points beyond the NP-loaded margin. The findings revealed promising outcomes and the probability of improved tumor control for NP-aided brachytherapy with the Xoft electronic source.

Iodine nanoparticle radiotherapy of human breast cancer growing in the brains of athymic mice

About 30% of breast cancers metastasize to the brain; those widely disseminated are fatal typically in 3-4 months, even with the best available treatments, including surgery, drugs, and radiotherapy. To address this dire situation, we have developed iodine nanoparticles (INPs) that target brain tumors after intravenous (IV) injection. The iodine then absorbs X-rays during radiotherapy (RT), creating free radicals and local tumor damage, effectively boosting the local RT dose at the tumor. Efficacy was tested using the very aggressive human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC, MDA-MB-231 cells) growing in the brains of athymic nude mice. With a well-tolerated non-toxic IV dose of the INPs (7 g iodine/kg body weight), tumors showed a heavily iodinated rim surrounding the tumor having an average uptake of 2.9% iodine by weight, with uptake peaks at 4.5%. This is calculated to provide a dose enhancement factor of approximately 5.5 (peaks at 8.0), the highest ever reported for any radiation-enhancing agents. With RT alone (15 Gy, single dose), all animals died by 72 days; INP pretreatment resulted in longer-term remissions with 40% of mice surviving 150 days and 30% surviving > 280 days.