Stem cell therapies as a therapeutic option to counter chemo brain: a negative effect of cancer treatment

Nanobiotechnology-assisted therapies to manage brain cancer in personalized manner

There are numerous investigated factors that limit brain cancer treatment efficacy such as ability of prescribed therapy to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), tumor specific delivery of a therapeutics, transport within brain interstitium, and resistance of tumor cells against therapies. Recent breakthroughs in the field of nano-biotechnology associated with developing multifunctional nano-theranostic emerged as an effective way to manage brain cancer in terms of higher efficacy and least possible adverse effects. Keeping challenges and state-of-art accomplishments into consideration, this review proposes a comprehensive, careful, and critical discussion focused on efficient nano-enabled platforms including nanocarriers for drug delivery across the BBB and nano-assisted therapies (e.g., nano-immunotherapy, nano-stem cell therapy, and nano-gene therapy) investigated for brain cancer treatment. Besides therapeutic efficacy point-of-view, efforts are being made to explore ways projected to tune such developed nano-therapeutic for treating patients in personalized manner via controlling size, drug loading, delivery, and retention. Personalized brain tumor management based on advanced nano-therapies can potentially lead to excellent therapeutic benefits based on unique genetic signatures in patients and their individual disease profile. Moreover, applicability of nano-systems as stimulants to manage the brain cancer growth factors has also been discussed in photodynamic therapy and radiotherapy. Overall, this review offers a comprehensive information on emerging opportunities in nanotechnology for advancing the brain cancer treatment.

Neuroprotective Potential of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Following Chemotherapy

Cisplatin (CP) is extensively used in the medical oncology field for malignancy treatment, but its use is associated with neurological side effects that compromise the patients' quality of life. Cytotherapy is a new treatment strategy for tissue damage that has recently emerged. The use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) was investigated for its therapeutic potential against CP-induced chemobrain as well as various models of brain damage. This study was carried out to elucidate, for the first time, the role of the intravenous injection (IV) of BM-MSCs against CP-induced neurotoxicity in a rat model through investigation of the parameters of oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in brain tissue. A rat model of neurotoxicity was generated by intraperitoneal injection of 7.5 mg/kg CP while 2 × 10⁶ BM-MSCs was given by IV as a therapeutic dose. Injection of CP led to a significant rise in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels accompanied by a marked depletion of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione content in brain tissue in comparison to the normal control (NC) rats. Furthermore, a remarkable rise in the brain levels of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6, together with the expression of apoptotic marker caspase-3, and the downregulation of the brain expression of proliferating marker Ki-67 in brain tissue were detected in the CP group compared to the NC group. Histopathological alterations were observed in the brain tissue of the CP group. BM-MSCs mitigated the biochemical and histopathological alterations induced by CP without affecting brain cell proliferation. BM-MSCs could be used as a promising neuroprotective agent against CP-induced neurotoxicity.