Mannosylated solid lipid nanoparticles for lung-targeted delivery of Paclitaxel

Topical gene editing therapeutics using lipid nanoparticles: 'gene creams' for genetic skin diseases?

Patients living with inherited skin diseases have benefited from recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies that provide new or improved diagnostics. However, developing and delivering new treatments for the 'genodermatoses' remains challenging. The goal of creating topical preparations that can recover the inherent gene pathology remains largely aspirational. However, recent progress in two fields - the chemistry of topical delivery formulations (lipid nanoparticles) and the molecular biology of gene repair (CRISPR-Cas9, base and prime editing) - presents new opportunities to address this unmet need. In this review, we discuss how lipid nanoparticle delivery vehicles could be used to deliver gene-editing tools to formulate topical 'gene creams' suitable for the treatment of genodermatoses. We summarize the historical landscape of topical therapeutics and advances in gene editing that may herald an era of new therapies for patients with inherited skin disorders.

Nano-mediated strategy for targeting and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer, with over 2.1 million cases diagnosed annually worldwide. It has a high incidence and mortality rate, leading to extensive research into various treatment options, including the use of nanomaterial-based carriers for drug delivery. With regard to cancer treatment, the distinct biological and physico-chemical features of nano-structures have acquired considerable impetus as drug delivery system (DDS) for delivering medication combinations or combining diagnostics and targeted therapy. This review focuses on the use of nanomedicine-based drug delivery systems in the treatment of lung cancer, including the use of lipid, polymer, and carbon-based nanomaterials for traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and phototherapy. The review also discusses the potential of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials for drug delivery in lung cancer, and the limitations and opportunities for improving the design of nano-based materials for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Theranostic Lipid Nanoparticles for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common urological malignancy and represents a leading threat to healthcare. Recent years have seen a series of progresses in the early diagnosis and management of RCC. Theranostic lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are increasingly becoming one of the focuses in this field, because of their suitability for tumor targeting and multimodal therapy. LNPs can be precisely fabricated with desirable chemical compositions and biomedical properties, which closely match the physiological characteristics and clinical needs of RCC. Herein, a comprehensive review of theranostic LNPs is presented, emphasizing the generic tool nature of LNPs in developing advanced micro-nano biomaterials. It begins with a brief overview of the compositions and formation mechanism of LNPs, followed with an introduction to kidney-targeting approaches, such as passive, active, and stimulus responsive targeting. With examples provided, a series of modification strategies for enhancing the tumor targeting and functionality of LNPs are discussed. Thereafter, research advances on applications of these LNPs for RCC including bioimaging, liquid biopsy, drug delivery, physical therapy, and gene therapy are summarized and discussed from an interdisciplinary perspective. The final part highlights the milestone achievements of translation medicine, current challenges as well as future development directions of LNPs for the diagnosis and treatment of RCC.

Targeted and efficient delivery of rifampicin to macrophages involved in non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection via mannosylated solid lipid nanoparticles

Non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections are representative difficult-to-cure lung diseases with high incidence. Conventional treatments have several limitations such as negative side effects and increased drug resistance due to long-term administration. To overcome these limitations, there is a growing need for more stable drug delivery systems. Among the various drug delivery platforms developed thus far, solid lipid nanoparticles can be effectively loaded with hydrophobic substances and their physicochemical properties can be easily manipulated through surface modification, which makes them highly suitable drug delivery materials. Recent studies have reported the successful development of nanoparticles capable of selectively delivering drugs by targeting lectin-like receptors overexpressed on the surface of immune cells. Among these lectin-like receptors, the mannose receptor is a promising target because it is expressed on the surface of macrophages and is involved in immune activity. This study sought to synthesize rifampicin-loaded mannose surface-modified solid lipid nanoparticles (Man-RIF SLNs). The Man-RIF SLN synthesis process was first optimized, after which the characteristics of the synthesized particles were analyzed using dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface modification with mannose was confirmed through FT-IR analysis. More importantly, the synthesized Man-RIF SLNs exhibited antibacterial and anti-biofilm properties against Mycobacterium intracellulare, a causative agent of non-tuberculous lung disease. Therefore, this study demonstrated that mannose receptor-targeted rifampicin delivery through solid lipid nanoparticles can be effectively applied to the treatment of non-tuberculous lung disease. Moreover, Man-RIF SLNs could also be used for the targeted delivery of drugs to several types of carcinoma cells or immune cells, as well as to treat lung diseases.

Nanomedicine in cancer therapy

Cancer remains a highly lethal disease in the world. Currently, either conventional cancer therapies or modern immunotherapies are non-tumor-targeted therapeutic approaches that cannot accurately distinguish malignant cells from healthy ones, giving rise to multiple undesired side effects. Recent advances in nanotechnology, accompanied by our growing understanding of cancer biology and nano-bio interactions, have led to the development of a series of nanocarriers, which aim to improve the therapeutic efficacy while reducing off-target toxicity of the encapsulated anticancer agents through tumor tissue-, cell-, or organelle-specific targeting. However, the vast majority of nanocarriers do not possess hierarchical targeting capability, and their therapeutic indices are often compromised by either poor tumor accumulation, inefficient cellular internalization, or inaccurate subcellular localization. This Review outlines current and prospective strategies in the design of tumor tissue-, cell-, and organelle-targeted cancer nanomedicines, and highlights the latest progress in hierarchical targeting technologies that can dynamically integrate these three different stages of static tumor targeting to maximize therapeutic outcomes. Finally, we briefly discuss the current challenges and future opportunities for the clinical translation of cancer nanomedicines.

Mannose-Functionalized Isoniazid-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Pulmonary Delivery: In Vitro Prospects and In Vivo Therapeutic Efficacy Assessment

Resistance to isoniazid (INH) is common and increases the possibility of acquiring multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. For this study, isoniazid-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (INH-NLCs) were developed and effectively functionalized with mannose (Man) to enhance the residence time of the drug within the lungs via specific delivery and increase the therapeutic efficacy of the formulation. The mannose-functionalized isoniazid-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (Man-INH-NLC) formulation was evaluated with respect to various formulation parameters, namely, encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug loading (DL), average particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), polydispersity index (PDI), in vitro drug release (DR), and release kinetics. The in vitro inhalation behavior of the developed formulation after nebulization was investigated using an Andersen cascade impactor via the estimation of the mass median aerosolized diameter (MMAD) and geometric aerodynamic diameter (GAD) and subsequently found to be suitable for effective lung delivery. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study was carried out in a guinea pig animal model, and it was demonstrated that Man-INH-NLC has a longer residence time in the lungs with improved pharmacokinetics when compared with unfunctionalized INH-NLC, indicating the enhanced therapeutic efficacy of the Man-INH-NLC formulation. Histopathological analysis led us to determine that the extent of tissue damage was more severe in the case of the pure drug solution of isoniazid compared to the Man-INH-NLC formulation after nebulization. Thus, the nebulization of Man-INH-NLC was found to be safe, forming a sound basis for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of the drug for improved management in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Enhancement of Antimycobacterial Activity of Rifampicin Using Mannose-Anchored Lipid Nanoparticles against Intramacrophage Mycobacteria

Tuberculosis treatment requires a multidrug combination for the long-term, associated with adverse effects which lead to nonpatient compliance and the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Thus, mannose-anchored rifampicin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (M-RIF-SLNs) were developed to enhance the effect of rifampicin by selectively delivering to the macrophage, which led to the high intracellular killing of mycobacteria. The synthesized M-RIF-SLNs show a particle size of ∼100 nm and a drug loading of ∼8%. Cytotoxicity assay confirms that M-RIF-SLNs are not toxic up to 16 μg/mL (equivalent to incorporated rifampicin in SLN) toward THP-1-differentiated macrophages. An antimicrobial assay exhibits a reduction of minimum inhibitory concentration by 4-fold and 8-fold against wild-type and laboratory drug-resistant strains of M. smegmatis, respectively, compared to free rifampicin. Furthermore, mannose-functionalized SLNs loaded with coumarin-6 exhibit a higher macrophage uptake than that of unfunctionalized SLNs. Finally, higher intramacrophage clearance of M. tuberculosis H37Ra was observed with M-RIF-SLNs compared to RIF-SLNs and free rifampicin. Hence, the overall results support that the developed M-RIF-SLNs can be a promising approach for improving the antibacterial activity of rifampicin against intracellular mycobacteria residing in the alveolar macrophages.

Hydrophobically Modified Abelmoschus esculentus Polysaccharide Based Nanoparticles and Applications: A Review

Nanomaterials are indeed a nanoscale technology that deals with the creation, evaluation, fabrication, and utilization of systems at the nanometre scale by manipulating their size and shape. We consider natural polysaccharides such as promising polysaccharides, which are biodegradable, nontoxic, abundant, and inexpensive bio-polymeric precursors for preparing the materials of choice in various industries. The aim is to review different methods to produce hydrophobically modified Abelmoschus esculentus nanoparticles and study the evaluation processes of these nanoparticles as given in the literature. It proved the benefits of derivatives of gum by introducing different chemical groups. The chemical functionalization of gum mainly includes the esterification, etherification, and crosslinking reactions of the hydroxyl groups and contains a special fibre which takes sugar levels in the blood under control, providing a sugar quantity suitable for the bowels. Okra contains mucilage that helps remove poisonous chemicals and bad cholesterol, often overloads the liver. Recovering from psychological conditions, like depression, general weakness, and joint healthiness can be done with Okra. Someone additionally applied it for pulmonary inflammation, bowel irritation, and sore throat. Purgative properties okra possesses are beneficial for bowel purification. It is used to counteract the acids. Fibre okra contains a valuable nutrient for intestinal microorganisms and ensures proper intestine functionality. It also protects the mucosa of the digestive tract by covering them with an extra layer because of its alkaline nature. Nanotechnology has emerged as a critical component of pharmaceutics, with many applications in drug carriers of interest aimed at improving drug clinical outcomes such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, wound care management, atopic dermatitis, cosmeceutical, etc. Beneficial outcomes of this review are discussed briefly.

Effect of surface mannosylation on the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake of stearoyl gemcitabine-incorporated, acid-sensitive micelles

Elevated expression of C-type like receptors (CLRs) by tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) present a unique target for the delivery of anticancer agents. Stearoyl gemcitabine (GemC18)-incorporated, acid-sensitive micelles (G-AS-M) prepared with a stearoyl polyethylene glycol (PEG2000) hydrazone were surface-mannosylated in this study for potential targeted killing of tumor cells and TAMs. The surface mannosylated micelles (i.e. G-MAS-M) were significantly more cytotoxic than the G-AS-M micelles to macrophages and tumor cells that express CLRs. Surprisingly, the uptake of GemC18 in the mannosylated G-MAS-M micelles by the macrophages and tumor cells was lower than that of GemC18 in the G-AS-M micelles. The lack of correlation between the cytoxicity and cellular uptake of GemC18 in the micelles was likely caused by a reduction in the sensitivity of the hydrazone bond linking the PEG2000 to the mannosylated G-MAS-M micelles to hydrolysis, resulting in more stable micelles.

Inhalable solid lipid nanoparticles for intracellular tuberculosis infection therapy: macrophage-targeting and pH-sensitive properties

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is one of the most threatening pathogens for its latent infection in macrophages. The intracellular MTB isolated itself from drugs and could spread via macrophages. Therefore, a mannose-modified macrophage-targeting solid lipid nanoparticle, MAN-IC-SLN, loading the pH-sensitive prodrug of isoniazid (INH), was designed to treat the latent tuberculosis infection. The surface of SLNs was modified by a synthesized 6-octadecylimino-hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentanol (MAN-SA) to target macrophages, and the modified SLNs showed a higher cell uptake in macrophages (97.2%) than unmodified SLNs (42.4%). The prodrug, isonicotinic acid octylidene-hydrazide (INH-CHO), was synthesized to achieve the pH-sensitive release of INH in macrophages. The INH-CHO-loaded SLNs exhibited a pH-sensitive release profile and accomplished a higher accumulated release in pH 5.5 media (82.63 ± 2.12%) compared with the release in pH 7.4 media (58.83 ± 3.84%). Mycobacterium smegmatis was used as a substitute for MTB, and the MAN-IC-SLNs showed a fourfold increase of intracellular antibiotic efficacy and enhanced macrophage uptake because of the pH-sensitive degradation of INH-CHO and MAN-SA in SLNs, respectively. For the in vivo antibiotic efficacy test, the SLNs group displayed an 83% decrease of the colony-forming unit while the free INH group only showed a 60% decrease. The study demonstrates that macrophage targeting and pH-sensitive SLNs can be used as a promising platform for the latent tuberculosis infection. Graphical Abstract Table of contents: Macrophage-targeting and pH-sensitive solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were administrated to the lung via nebulization. Macrophage targeting was achieved by appropriate particle size and surface mannose modification with synthesized MAN-SA. After being swallowed by macrophages, the prodrug, Isonicotinic acid octylidene-hydrazide (INH-CHO), quickly released isoniazid, which was triggered by the intracellular acid environment. The SLNs exhibited higher intracellular antibiotic efficacy due to their macrophage-targeting and pH-sensitive properties.

Nanostructured lipid carrier-mediated lung targeted drug delivery system to enhance the safety and bioavailability of clofazimine

Tuberculosis (TB) disease is caused due to the infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli which reside in alveolar macrophages (AMs). Clofazimine (CLF) has been reinstated clinically for the treatment of TB. However, major challenge of using CLF is its severe side-effects after oral administration. The present research was aimed to establish the safety and enhance the bioavailability of CLF by loading it into nanostructured lipid carriers (CLF-NLCs) and mannosylated NLCs (M-CLF-NLCs) to selectively target the drug toward AMs. The safety of CLF-NLCs and M-CLF-NLCs was evaluated by in vitro hemocompatibility studies, cell viability studies on macrophage J774 cell lines, and in vivo acute inhalation toxicity studies. The bioavailability was estimated by single-dose pharmacokinetics and biodistribution studies. Hemocompatibility studies showed normal RBCs count and least hemolysis of 0.23 ± 0.081% for M-CLF-NLCs treated group. Cell viability studies revealed greater safety of NLCs than CLF-drug dispersion in the concentration range of 2.5-25 μg/ml. In vivo acute toxicity studies revealed no physiological or behavioral changes and no mortality recorded over 14 days period. In pharmacokinetic studies, a maximum concentration of the drug (C_max) of 35.44 ± 0.34 μg/g from M-CLF-NLCs after 48 h and longer residence time in lung tissues observed due to its sustained release and mannose receptor-mediated endocytosis. M-CLF-NLCs showed a maximum AUC_0-∞ value of 2691.83 h μg/ml in lungs that indicated twofold greater bioavailability as compared to CLF-drug dispersion. Thus, mannosylated NLCs can be used as promising carriers for the safe and effective delivery of CLF via inhalation route for the management of TB disease.

Preparation of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Drug Delivery and the Effects of Preparation Parameters of Solvent Injection Method

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have emerged as potential drug delivery systems for various applications that are produced from physiological, biodegradable, and biocompatible lipids. The methods used to produce SLNs and NLCs have been well investigated and reviewed, but solvent injection method provides an alternative means of preparing these drug carriers. The advantages of solvent injection method include a fast production process, easiness of handling, and applicability in many laboratories without requirement of complicated instruments. The effects of formulations and process parameters of this method on the characteristics of the produced SLNs and NLCs have been investigated in several studies. This review describes the methods currently used to prepare SLNs and NLCs with focus on solvent injection method. We summarize recent development in SLNs and NLCs production using this technique. In addition, the effects of solvent injection process parameters on SLNs and NLCs characteristics are discussed.

Targeting Strategies for Tissue-Specific Drug Delivery

Off-target effects of systemically administered drugs have been a major hurdle in designing therapies with desired efficacy and acceptable toxicity. Developing targeting strategies to enable site-specific drug delivery holds promise in reducing off-target effects, decreasing unwanted toxicities, and thereby enhancing a drug's therapeutic efficacy. Over the past three decades, a large body of literature has focused on understanding the biological barriers that hinder tissue-specific drug delivery and strategies to overcome them. These efforts have led to several targeting strategies that modulate drug delivery in both the preclinical and clinical settings, including small molecule-, nucleic acid-, peptide-, antibody-, and cell-based strategies. Here, we discuss key advances and emerging concepts for tissue-specific drug delivery approaches and their clinical translation.

Lactoferrin as Protective Natural Barrier of Respiratory and Intestinal Mucosa against Coronavirus Infection and Inflammation

Recently, the world has been dealing with a devastating global pandemic coronavirus infection, with more than 12 million infected worldwide and over 300,000 deaths as of May 15th 2020, related to a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), characterized by a spherical morphology and identified through next-generation sequencing. Although the respiratory tract is the primary portal of entry of SARS-CoV-2, gastrointestinal involvement associated with nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea may also occur. No drug or vaccine has been approved due to the absence of evidence deriving from rigorous clinical trials. Increasing interest has been highlighted on the possible preventative role and adjunct treatment of lactoferrin, glycoprotein of human secretions part of a non-specific defensive system, known to play a crucial role against microbial and viral infections and exerting anti-inflammatory effects on different mucosal surfaces and able to regulate iron metabolism. In this review, analysing lactoferrin properties, we propose designing a clinical trial to evaluate and verify its effect using a dual combination treatment with local, solubilized intranasal spray formulation and oral administration. Lactoferrin could counteract the coronavirus infection and inflammation, acting either as natural barrier of both respiratory and intestinal mucosa or reverting the iron disorders related to the viral colonization.

Improving the Oral Bioavailability of an Anti-Glioma Prodrug CAT3 Using Novel Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Containing Oleic Acid-CAT3 Conjugates

13a-(S)-3-pivaloyloxyl-6,7-dimethoxyphenanthro(9,10-b)-indolizidine (CAT3) is a novel oral anti-glioma pro-drug with a potent anti-tumor effect against temozolomide-resistant glioma in vivo. However, poor lipid solubility has limited the encapsulation efficacy during formulation development. Moreover, although the active metabolite of CAT3, 13a(S)-3-hydroxyl-6,7-dimethoxyphenanthro(9,10-b)-indolizidine (PF403), can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and approach the brain tissue with a 1000-fold higher anti-glioma activity than CAT3 in vitro, its bioavailability and Cmax were considerably low in plasma, limiting the anti-tumor efficacy. In this study, a novel oleic acid-CAT3 conjugate (OA-CAT3) was synthesized at the first time to increase the lipid solubility of CAT3. The OA-CAT3 loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (OA-CAT3-SLN) were constructed using an ultrasonic technique to enhance the bioavailability and Cmax of PF403 in plasma. Our results demonstrated that CAT3 was amorphous in the lipid core of OA-CAT3-SLN and the in vitro release was well controlled. Furthermore, the encapsulation efficacy and the zeta potential increased to 80.65 ± 6.79% and -26.7 ± 0.46 mV, respectively, compared to the normal CAT3 loaded SLN. As indicated by the high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) quantitation, the monolayer cellular transepithelial transport rate of OA-CAT3-SLN improved by 2.42-fold relied on cholesterol compared to the CAT3 suspension. Hence, the in vitro cell viability of OA-CAT3-SLN in C6 glioma cells decreased to 29.77% ± 2.13% and 10.75% ± 3.12% at 48 and 72 h, respectively. Finally, compared to the CAT3 suspension, the in vivo pharmacokinetics in rats indicated that the plasma bioavailability and Cmax of PF403 as afforded by OA-CAT3-SLN increased by 1.7- and 5.5-fold, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that OA-CAT3-SLN could be an efficacious delivery system in the treatment of glioma.

Mannosylated nanocarriers mediated site-specific drug delivery for the treatment of cancer and other infectious diseases: A state of the art review

The non-modified nanocarriers-based therapies for the treatment of cancer and other infectious diseases enhanced the chemical stability of therapeutically active agents, protected them from enzymatic degradation and extended their blood circulation time. However, the lack of specificity and off-target effects limit their applications. Mannose receptors overexpressed on antigen presenting cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages are one of the most desirable targets for treating cancer and other infectious diseases. Therefore, the development of mannosylated nanocarrier formulation is one of the most extensively explored approaches for targeting these mannose receptors. The present manuscript gives readers the background information on C-type lectin receptors followed by the roles, expression, and distribution of the mannose receptors. It further provides a detailed account of different mannosylated nanocarrier formulations. It also gives the tabular information on most relevant and recently granted patents on mannosylated systems. The overview of mannosylated nanocarrier formulations depicted site-specific targeting, enhanced pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles, and improved transfection efficiency of the therapeutically active agents. This suggests the bright future ahead for mannosylated nanocarriers in the treatment of cancer and other infectious diseases. Nevertheless, the mechanism behind the enhanced immune response by mannosylated nanocarriers and their thorough clinical and preclinical evaluation need to explore further.

Conjugating doxorubicin to polymannose: a new strategy for target specific delivery to lung cancer cells

As mannose receptors are known to be over-expressed in cancer cells, we synthesized polymannose-doxorubicin (PM-DOX) conjugates with the objective of targeting the drug to cancer cells. DOX was conjugated to oxidized PM through Schiff's linkages to obtain PM-DOX conjugates. In order to examine the superior targeting efficacy of PM-DOX conjugate, sodium alginate (SA) was conjugated to DOX by similar chemistry and compared with PM-DOX conjugate. The cytotoxicity of the conjugates was investigated in A549 cell lines using MTT Assay and the cell uptake and retention studies, were performed using flow cytometry and cell imaging. In vitro drug release studies with both PM-DOX and SA-DOX conjugates showed an initial burst release of DOX up to 37-39% at 1 h, followed by a steady release up to 58-62% at 24 h in human plasma while negligible release was observed in phosphate buffered saline. The conjugates exhibited negligible hemolytic potential to human erythrocytes compared to free DOX. The PM-DOX conjugate showed better cytotoxic potential against A549 cells at lower concentration (equivalent to 0.27 μg/mL of DOX) at 72 h compared to free DOX and SA-DOX conjugate. Further, PM-DOX conjugate showed enhanced uptake by the cells in comparison with SA-DOX conjugate thereby confirming the target specificity of PM to the cancer cells.

Hyaluronic acid conjugated multi-walled carbon nanotubes for colon cancer targeting

Purpose of the present research was to evaluate in vitro and in vivo potential of gemcitabine (GEM) loaded hyaluronic acid (HA) conjugated PEGylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (GEM/HA-PEG-MWCNTs) for effective colon cancer targeting. HA was conjugated onto the surface of aminated or PEGylated MWCNTs which were evaluated for size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency (~90%), in vitro drug release, in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo performance in Sprague Dawley rats. In vitro release showed that the release rate of GEM in acidic conditions (pH 5.3) was faster than physiological conditions (PBS, pH 7.4) followed by a sustained release pattern. The developed GEM/HA-PEG-MWCNTs indicated significantly less hemolytic toxicity (7.73 ± 0.4%) paralleled to free GEM (18.71 ± 0.44%) and showed higher cytotoxicity against HT-29 colon cancer cell line. The antitumor study assured that GEM/HA-PEG-MWCNTs significantly reduced tumor volume as compared to free GEM and increased survival rate without noticeable loss in body weight. In vivo studies showed an improvement in pharmacokinetics in terms of remarkable escalation in mean residence time, half-life, AUC, AUMC, median survival time in tumor bearing rats treated with GEM/HA-MWCNTs and GEM/HA-PEG-MWCNTs as compared to free GEM (p ˂ 0.001). These outcomes proved engineered MWCNTs as a safe and effective nanomedicine in colon cancer targeting.

Tripalmitin nanoparticle formulations significantly enhance paclitaxel antitumor activity against breast and lung cancer cells in vitro

Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of the drugs of choice in the treatment of breast and lung cancer. However, its severe side effects, including mielosuppression, cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity, frequently cause treatment to be discontinued. Solid lipid nanoparticles (NPs) of glyceril tripalmitate (tripalmitin) loaded with PTX (Tripalm-NPs-PTX) including modifications by the addition of hexa(ethylene glycol), β-cyclodextrin and macelignan were developed. All NPs-PTX formulations displayed excellent hemocompatibility and significantly enhanced PTX antitumor activity in human breast (MCF7, MDAMB231, SKBR3 and T47D) and lung (A549, NCI-H520 and NCI-H460) cancer cells. Tripalm-NPs-PTX decreased PTX IC₅₀ by as much as 40.5-fold in breast and 38.8-fold in lung cancer cells and Tripalm-NPs-PTX macelignan inhibited P-glycoprotein in resistant tumor cells. In addition, Tripalm-NPs-PTX significantly decreased the volume of breast and lung multicellular tumor spheroids that mimics in vivo tumor mass. Finally, Tripalm-NPs-PTX decreased the PTX IC₅₀ of cancer stem cells (CSCs) derived from both lung and breast cancer cells (6.7- and 14.9-fold for MCF7 and A549 CSCs, respectively). These results offer a new PTX nanoformulation based on the use of tripalmitin which improves the antitumor activity of PTX and that may serve as an alternative PTX delivery system in breast and lung cancer treatment.

Nanoparticles and targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy

Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy are the main common anti-tumor therapeutic approaches. However, the non-specific targeting of cancer cells has made these approaches non-effective in the significant number of patients. Non-specific targeting of malignant cells also makes indispensable the application of the higher doses of drugs to reach the tumor region. Therefore, there are two main barriers in the way to reach the tumor area with maximum efficacy. The first, inhibition of drug delivery to healthy non-cancer cells and the second, the direct conduction of drugs into tumor site. Nanoparticles (NPs) are the new identified tools by which we can deliver drugs into tumor cells with minimum drug leakage into normal cells. Conjugation of NPs with ligands of cancer specific tumor biomarkers is a potent therapeutic approach to treat cancer diseases with the high efficacy. It has been shown that conjugation of nanocarriers with molecules such as antibodies and their variable fragments, peptides, nucleic aptamers, vitamins, and carbohydrates can lead to effective targeted drug delivery to cancer cells and thereby cancer attenuation. In this review, we will discuss on the efficacy of the different targeting approaches used for targeted drug delivery to malignant cells by NPs.

Towards Targeted Delivery Systems: Ligand Conjugation Strategies for mRNA Nanoparticle Tumor Vaccines

The use of nanoparticles encapsulating messenger RNA (mRNA) as a vaccine has recently attracted much attention because of encouraging results achieved in many nonviral genetic antitumor vaccination studies. Notably, in all of these studies, mRNA nanoparticles are passively targeted to dendritic cells (DCs) through careful selection of vaccination sites. Hence, DC-targeted mRNA nanoparticle vaccines may be an imminent next step forward. In this brief report, we will discuss established conjugation strategies that have been successfully applied to both polymeric and liposomal gene delivery systems. We will also briefly describe promising DC surface receptors amenable for targeting mRNA nanoparticles. Practicable conjugation strategies and receptors reviewed in this paper will provide a convenient reference to facilitate future development of targeted mRNA nanoparticle vaccine.

Assessment of lactoferrin-conjugated solid lipid nanoparticles for efficient targeting to the lung

The aim of the present study was to develop a target oriented drug delivery system for the lungs. Lactoferrin (Lf)-coupled solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) bearing rifampicin was prepared by a solvent injection method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized for shape, particle size, polydispersity and percentage drug entrapment. An optimized formulation was then studied for its in vivo performance in animals and to determine its targeting efficiency. It was observed that, upon coupling with Lf, the size of SLNs increased while the percent entrapment efficiency decreases. In in vitro release, determined by a dialysis technique, analysis showed that uncoupled SLNs exhibited higher drug release as compared to coupled SLNs. An in vivo biodistribution study shows 47.7 ±0.4 drug uptakes by the lungs, which was 3.05 times higher in comparison to uncoupled SLNs. These biodistribution studies are further supported by the fluorescence study that revealed enhanced uptake of Lf-coupled SLNs in the lung. From the presented results, it can be concluded that Lf-coupled SLNs enhanced drug uptake in the lung. Moreover, lactoferrin is an efficient molecule that can be used for targeting active agents directly to the lung.