Transferrin receptor-targeted vitamin E TPGS micelles for brain cancer therapy: preparation, characterization and brain distribution in rats

Fabrication and characterization of TPGS-modified chlorogenic acid liposomes and its bioavailability in rats

Chlorogenic acid (CGA), a polyphenol compound, exhibits excellent anti-oxidative, anti-hypoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory activities, however the bioactivity of it has not been fully utilized in vivo due to its instability and low bioavailability. To address these issues, we prepared and characterized CGA-TPGS-LP, which is a TPGS-modified liposome loaded with CGA. The pharmacokinetics of CGA-TPGS-LP were studied in rats after oral administration. CGA-TPGS-LP was fabricated using a combination of thin film dispersion and ion-driven methods. The liposomes were observed to be uniformly small and spherical in shape. Their membranes were composed of lecithin, cholesterol, and TPGS lipophilic head with a TPGS hydrophilic tail chain coating on its surface. The loading efficiency and encapsulation efficiency were found to be 11.21% and 83.22%, respectively. The physicochemical characterisation demonstrated that the CGA was present in an amorphous form and retained its original structural state within the liposomal formulation. The stability of CGA was significantly improved by fabricating TPGS-LP. CGA-TPGS-LP exhibited good sustained-release properties in both simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. Following oral administration, ten metabolites were identified in rat plasma using UPLC-QTOF-MS. UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS quantitative analysis demonstrated that the oral bioavailability of CGA encapsulated in TPGS-modified liposomes was enhanced by 1.52 times. In addition, the three main metabolites of CGA had higher plasma concentrations and slower degradation rate. These results demonstrate that TPGS-modified liposomes could be a feasible strategy to further enhance the oral bioavailability of CGA, facilitating its clinical use.

Discerning computational, in vitro and in vivo investigations of self-assembling empagliflozin polymeric micelles in type-2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Empagliflozin (EMPA) is an SGLT2 inhibitor, a new class of anti-diabetic medication, indicated for treating type-2 diabetes. Its low permeability, poor solubility and bioavailability limits its use in management of diabetes. The study was aimed to formulate EMPA loaded polymeric micelles (PMs) to overcome these obstacles in oral absorption.

METHODOLOGY

In silico studies-molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation (MDS), and quantum chemical calculation were employed to study the interaction of EMPA with different polymers. EMPA loaded TPGS polymeric micelles (EMPA-TPGS-PMs) were formulated by direct dissolution method and characterized in terms of surface morphology, entrapment, particle size, in vitro drug release, and in vitro cytotoxicity (HEK293 cells). In vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies were also performed.

RESULTS

The results suggested a good interaction between TPGS and EMPA with lowest binding energy compared to other polymers. Further MDS results and DFT calculations validated the stable binding of the complex hence TPGS was selected for further wet lab experiments. The EMPA-TPGS complex displayed lower value of Total energy (T.E.) than its individual components, indicating the overall stability of the complex while, the energy band gap (∆E) value lied between the two individual molecules, signifying the better electron transfer between HOMO and LUMO of the complex. Based on the solubility, entrapment and cytotoxicity studies, 5% TPGS was selected for formulating drug loaded micelles. EMPA-TPGS5-PMs presented a size of 9.008 ± 1.25 nm, Polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.254 ± 0.100, a controlled release behaviour upto 24 h. SEM and AFM images of the nanoformulation suggested spherical particles whereas, DSC, and PXRD studies confirmed the loss of crystallinity of EMPA. A 3.12-folds higher AUC and a greater reduction in blood glucose levels was exhibited by EMPA-TPGS5-PMs in comparison to EMPA-SUSP in mice model.

CONCLUSION

EMPA-TPGS-PMs has exhibited better bio absorption and therapeutic effectiveness in diabetes treatment. This improved performance would open the possibility of dose reduction, reduced dosing frequency & dose-related side effects, improving pharmaco-economics and thereby improved overall compliance to the patient. However, this translation from bench to bedside would necessitate studies in higher animals and human volunteers.

Small Scale, Big Impact: Nanotechnology-Enhanced Drug Delivery for Brain Diseases

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases, ranging from brain cancers to neurodegenerative disorders like dementia and acute conditions such as strokes, have been heavily burdening healthcare and have a direct impact on patient quality of life. A significant hurdle in developing effective treatments is the presence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a highly selective barrier that prevents most drugs from reaching the brain. The tight junctions and adherens junctions between the endothelial cells and various receptors expressed on the cells make the BBB form a nonfenestrated and highly selective structure that is crucial for brain homeostasis but complicates drug delivery. Nanotechnology offers a novel pathway to circumvent this barrier, with nanoparticles engineered to ferry drugs across the BBB, protect drugs from degradation, and deliver medications to the designated area. After years of development, nanoparticle optimization, including sizes, shapes, surface modifications, and targeting ligands, can enable nanomaterials tailored to specific brain drug delivery settings. Moreover, smart nano drug delivery systems can respond to endogenous and exogenous stimuli that control subsequent drug release. Here, we address the importance of the BBB in brain disease treatment, summarize different delivery routes for brain drug delivery, discuss the cutting-edge nanotechnology-based strategies for brain drug delivery, and further offer valuable insights into how these innovations in nanoparticle technology could revolutionize the treatment of CNS diseases, presenting a promising avenue for noninvasive, targeted therapeutic interventions.

AS1411 aptamer/RGD dual functionalized theranostic chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles for brain cancer treatment and imaging

Conventional chemotherapy and poor targeted delivery in brain cancer resulting to poor treatment and develop resistance to anticancer drugs. Meanwhile, it is quite challenging to diagnose/detection of brain tumor at early stage of cancer which resulting in severity of the disease. Despite extensive research, effective treatment with real-time imaging still remains completely unavailable, yet. In this study, two brain cancer cell specific moieties i.e., AS1411 aptamer and RGD are decorated on the surface of chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles to improve targeted co-delivery of docetaxel (DTX) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) for effective brain tumor therapy and real-time imaging. The nanoparticles were developed by a slightly modified emulsion/solvent evaporation method. This investigation also translates the successful synthesis of TPGS-chitosan, TPGS-RGD and TPGS-AS1411 aptamer conjugates for making PLGA nanoparticle as a potential tool of the targeted co-delivery of DTX and UCNP to the brain cancer cells. The developed nanoparticles have shown an average particle size <200 nm, spherical in shape, high encapsulation of DTX and UCNP in the core of nanoparticles, and sustained release of DTX up to 72 h in phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4). AS1411 aptamer and RGD functionalized theranostic chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles containing DTX and UCNP (DUCPN-RGD-AS1411) have achieved greater cellular uptake, 89-fold improved cytotoxicity, enhanced cancer cell arrest even at lower drug conc., improved bioavailability with higher mean residence time of DTX in systemic circulation and brain tissues. Moreover, DUCPN-RGD-AS1411 have greatly facilitated cellular internalization and higher accumulation of UCNP in brain tissues. Additionally, DUCPN-RGD-AS1411 demonstrated a significant suppression in tumor growth in brain-tumor bearing xenograft BALB/c nude mice with no impressive sign of toxicities. DUCPN-RGD-AS1411 has great potential to be utilized as an effective and safe theranostic tool for brain cancer and other life-threatening cancer therapies.

Receptor-Assisted Nanotherapeutics for Overcoming the Blood-Brain Barrier

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a distinguishing checkpoint that segregates peripheral organs from neural compartment. It protects the central nervous system from harmful ambush of antigens and pathogens. Owing to such explicit selectivity, the BBB hinders passage of various neuroprotective drug molecules that escalates into poor attainability of neuroprotective agents towards the brain. However, few molecules can surpass the BBB and gain access in the brain parenchyma by exploiting surface transporters and receptors. For successful development of brain-targeted therapy, understanding of BBB transporters and receptors is crucial. This review focuses on the transporter and receptor-based mechanistic pathway that can be manoeuvred for better comprehension of reciprocity of receptors and nanotechnological vehicle delivery. Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the expedient noninvasive approaches for brain targeting via manipulating the hurdle of the BBB. Various nanovehicles are being reported for brain-targeted delivery such as nanoparticles, nanocrystals, nanoemulsion, nanolipid carriers, liposomes and other nanovesicles. Nanotechnology-aided brain targeting can be a strategic approach to circumvent the BBB without altering the inherent nature of the BBB.

Nose to brain delivery of naringin loaded transniosomes for epilepsy: formulation, characterisation, blood-brain distribution and invivo pharmacodynamic evaluation

The current work limns the preparation of naringin-loaded transnioosomes (NRN-TN) to enhance NRN solubility, permeation and bioavailability via nasal mucosa for intranasal delivery. NRN-TN was created by the thin-film hydration technique, and with the BBD (Box-Behnken design), optimisation was carried out. NRN-TNopt was characterised for the vesicle size, PDI (Polydispersity index), zeta potential, entrapment efficiency (EE) and in vitro NRN release. For further assessment, nasal permeation study, study of Blood-brain distribution, TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), and CLSM (Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy) were conducted withal. The NRN-TNopt exhibited spherical as well as sealed vesicles with a considerable small size of 151.3 nm, an EE of 75.23 percent, a PDI of 0.1257, and an in vitro release of 83.32 percent. CLSM investigation revealed that the new formulation allows for higher NRN permeation across nasal mucosa than the NRN solution. The blood-brain distribution investigation revealed that intranasally administered NRN-TN had a greater Cmax and AUC0-24 h than orally administered NRN-TN. Seizure activity and neuromuscular coordination as measured by the rotarod test, biochemical estimate of oxidative stress indicators, and histological investigations demonstrated that the NRN-TN has superior anti-epileptic potential in comparison to the standard diazepam. In addition, nasal toxicity studies demonstrate that the NRN-TN formulation is safer for intranasal administration. This study confirmed that the created TN vesicle formulation is a valuable carrier for the intranasal administration of NRN for the treatment of epilepsy.

Nose-to-brain delivery of nanotherapeutics: Transport mechanisms and applications

The blood-brain barrier presents a key limitation to the administration of therapeutic molecules for the treatment of brain disease. While drugs administered orally or intravenously must cross this barrier to reach brain targets, the unique anatomical structure of the olfactory system provides a route to deliver drugs directly to the brain. Entering the brain via receptor, carrier, and adsorption-mediated transcytosis in the nasal olfactory and trigeminal regions has the potential to increase drug delivery. In this review, we introduce the physiological and anatomical structures of the nasal cavity, and summarize the possible modes of transport and the relevant receptors and carriers in the nose-to-brain pathway. Additionally, we provide examples of nanotherapeutics developed for intranasal drug delivery to the brain. Further development of nanoparticles that can be applied to intranasal delivery systems promises to improve drug efficacy and reduce drug resistance and adverse effects by increasing molecular access to the brain. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Neurological Disease.

Fabrication, in-silico, in-vitro, and in-vivo characterization of transferrin-targeted micelles containing cisplatin and gadolinium for improved theranostic applications in lung cancer therapy

The targeted delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents is quite challenging in lung cancer therapy. Thus, lung cancer causes high mortality across the world. Herein, we developed TPGS-PF127 micelles containing cisplatin (CDDP) as a model anticancer drug and gadolinium (Gd) as a diagnostic agent by a slightly modified solvent casting method, further, the surface of the micelles was modified using TPGS-transferrin (TPGS-Tf) conjugate to improve targeted delivery of micelles to the lung cancer cells. Prior to this, the binding affinity of Tf over TfR (1E7U) and TfR (1E8W) was investigated with the help of in-silico studies. In-silico results showed good docking scores -7.8 and -7.2 kcal/mol of Tf -ligand towards 1E8W and 1E7U respectively promoting PI3K inhibition. Micelles have shown an average particle size range of 80-200 nm and have shown spherical morphology. The encapsulation efficiency of cisplatin (CDDP) in the CPT, CGPT, and CGPT-Tf micelles ranged from 75.63 % ± 1.58 % to 85.07 % ± 2.65 %. Furthermore, the encapsulation efficiency of gadolinium (Gd) in the CGPT and CGPT-Tf micelles was found to be 67.50 ± 0.32 % and 62.52 ± 0.52 %, respectively. CGPT-Tf micelles exhibited sustained release fashion for CDDP up to 48 h in physiological conditions. In the cytotoxicity study, CGPT-Tf micelles achieved higher cytotoxicity and caused a more antiproliferative effect in A549 cells compared to a commercial CDDP injection (Ciszest 50), after 24 h of treatment. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic studies have proven the pharmacological effectiveness of developed CGPT-Tf micelles by achieving higher Cmax, Tmax, t1/2, and MRT of CDDP in systemic circulation compared to its counterparts and Ciszest 50. In lung theranostic observations, a higher internalization of Gd was noted in CGPT-TF compared to free Gd. The biochemical studies have proved the biocompatibility of developed micelles formulations by showing no sign of toxicity in the lungs. The developed micelles have great potential to be utilized in treating and diagnosing a wide variety of cancers.

Dual-targeted transferrin and AS1411 aptamer conjugated micelles for improved therapeutic efficacy and imaging of brain cancer

Brain tumors represent an aggressive form of cancer, posing significant challenges in achieving complete remission. Development of advanced therapies is crucial for improving clinical outcomes in cancer patients. This study aimed to create a novel treatment approach using dual-targeted transferrin (TF) and AS1411 conjugated micelles, designed to enhance therapeutic effectiveness of docetaxel (DTX) and facilitate gadolinium (Gd) based imaging in brain cancer. Micelles were prepared using a slightly modified solvent-casting method, and the dual-targeting ligands were attached to the micelle's surface through a physical adsorption process. Average particle size of micelles ranged from 117.49 ± 3.90-170.38 ± 3.39 nm, with a low polydispersity index. Zeta potential ranged from - 1.5 ± 0.02 to - 18.7 ± 0.04 mV. Encapsulation efficiency of DTX in micelles varied from 92.64 ± 4.22-79.77 ± 4.13 %. Simultaneously, encapsulation of Gd in micelles was found to be 48.27 ± 3.18-58.52 ± 3.17, respectively. In-vitro drug release studies showed a biphasic sustained release profile, with DTX and Gd release continuing up to 72 h with their t50 % at 4.95, 11.29, and 24.14 h for GDTP, GDTP-TF and GDTP-TF-AS1411 micelles, respectively. Cytotoxicity effect of GDTP-TF-AS1411 micelles has shown significant improvement (P < 0.001) and reduced IC50 value up to 0.19 ± 0.14 μg/ml compared to Taxotere® (2.73 ± 0.73 μg/ml). Theranostic study revealed higher accumulation of GDTP-TF and GDTP-TF-AS1411 micelles free GD treated animal brains. The AUC of GDTP-TF-AS1411 micelles exhibited 23.79 ± 17.82 μg.h/ml higher than Taxotere® (14.14 ± 10.59 μg.h/ml). These findings direct enhanced effectiveness in brain cancer therapy leading to improved therapeutics in brain cancer patients. The combined targeted ligands and therapeutic agents strategy can direct advancement in brain cancer therapy and offer improved therapy for patients.

Liposomes for Cancer Theranostics

Cancer is one of the most well-studied diseases and there have been significant advancements over the last few decades in understanding its molecular and cellular mechanisms. Although the current treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, radiotherapy, gene therapy and immunotherapy) have provided complete cancer remission for many patients, cancer still remains one of the most common causes of death in the world. The main reasons for the poor response rates for different cancers include the lack of drug specificity, drug resistance and toxic side effects (i.e., in healthy tissues). For addressing the limitations of conventional cancer treatments, nanotechnology has shown to be an important field for constructing different nanoparticles for destroying cancer cells. Due to their size (i.e., less than 1 μm), nanoparticles can deliver significant amounts of cancer drugs to tumors and are able to carry moieties (e.g., folate, peptides) for targeting specific types of cancer cells (i.e., through receptor-mediated endocytosis). Liposomes, composed of phospholipids and an interior aqueous core, can be used as specialized delivery vehicles as they can load different types of cancer therapy agents (e.g., drugs, photosensitizers, genetic material). In addition, the ability to load imaging agents (e.g., fluorophores, radioisotopes, MRI contrast media) enable these nanoparticles to be used for monitoring the progress of treatment. This review examines a wide variety of different liposomes for cancer theranostics, with the different available treatments (e.g., photothermal, photodynamic) and imaging modalities discussed for different cancers.

Progress and Challenges in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Cancer Using Nanotechnology

Primary brain cancer or brain cancer is the overgrowth of abnormal or malignant cells in the brain or its nearby tissues that form unwanted masses called brain tumors. People with malignant brain tumors suffer a lot, and the expected life span of the patients after diagnosis is often only around 14 months, even with the most vigorous therapies. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the main barrier in the body that restricts the entry of potential chemotherapeutic agents into the brain. The chances of treatment failure or low therapeutic effects are some significant drawbacks of conventional treatment methods. However, recent advancements in nanotechnology have generated hope in cancer treatment. Nanotechnology has shown a vital role starting from the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. These tiny nanomaterials have great potential to deliver drugs across the BBB. Beyond just drug delivery, nanomaterials can be simulated to generate fluorescence to detect tumors. The current Review discusses in detail the challenges of brain cancer treatment and the application of nanotechnology to overcome those challenges. The success of chemotherapeutic treatment or the surgical removal of tumors requires proper imaging. Nanomaterials can provide imaging and therapeutic benefits for cancer. The application of nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of brain cancer is discussed in detail by reviewing past studies.

Antibody-conjugated nanoparticles for target-specific drug delivery of chemotherapeutics

Nanotechnology provides effective methods for precisely delivering chemotherapeutics to cancer cells, thereby improving efficacy and reducing off-target side effects. The targeted delivery of nanoscale chemotherapeutics is accomplished by two different approaches, namely the exploitation of leaky tumor vasculature (EPR effect) and the surface modification of nanoparticles (NPs) with various tumor-homing peptides, aptamers, oligonucleotides, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Because of higher binding affinity and specificity, mAbs have received a lot of attention for the detection of selective cancer biomarkers and also for the treatment of various types of cancer. Antibody-conjugated nanoparticles (ACNPs) are an effective targeted therapy for the efficient delivery of chemotherapeutics specifically to the targeted cancer cells. ACNPs combine the benefits of NPs and mAbs to provide high drug loads at the tumor site with better selectivity and delivery efficiency. The mAbs on the NP surfaces recognize their specific receptors expressed on the target cells and release the chemotherapeutic agent in a controlled manner. Appropriately designed and synthesized ACNPs are essential to fully realize their therapeutic benefits. In blood stream, ACNPs instantly interact with biological molecules, and a protein corona is formed. Protein corona formation triggers an immune response and affects the targeting ability of the nanoformulation. In this review, we provide recent findings to highlight several antibody conjugation methods such as adsorption, covalent conjugation, and biotin-avidin interaction. This review also provides an overview of the many effects of the protein corona and the theranostic applications of ACNPs for the treatment of cancer.

Transferrin receptor 1 targeted nanomedicine for brain tumor therapy

Achieving effective drug delivery to traverse the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and target tumor cells remains the greatest challenge for brain tumor therapy. Importantly, the overexpressed membrane receptors on the brain endothelial cells, especially transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), which mediate their ligands/antibodies to overcome the BBB by transcytosis, have been emerging as promising targets for brain tumor therapy. By employing ligands (e.g., transferrin, H-ferritin), antibodies or targeting peptides of TfR1 or aptamers, various functional nano-formulations have been developed in the last decade. These agents showed great potential for the treatment of brain diseases due to their ideal size, high loading capacity, controlled drug release and suitable pharmacokinetics. Herein, we summarize the latest advances on TfR1-targeted nanomedicine for brain tumor therapy. Moreover, we also discuss the strategies of improving stability, targeting ability and accumulation of nano-formulations in brain tumors for better outcomes. In this review, we hope to provide inspiration for the rational design of TfR1-targeted nanomedicine against brain tumors.

RGD-decorated PLGA nanoparticles improved effectiveness and safety of cisplatin for lung cancer therapy

Upon extensive pharmaceutical and biomedical research to treat lung cancer indicates that lung cancer remains one of the deadliest diseases and the leading cause of death in men and women worldwide. Lung cancer remains untreated and has a high mortality rate due to the limited potential for effective treatment with existing therapies. This highlights the urgent need to develop an effective, precise and sustainable solutions to treat lung cancer. In this study, we developed RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles for the controlled and targeted co-delivery of cisplatin (CDDP) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) in lung cancer therapy. Pluronic F127-RGD conjugate was synthesized by carbodiimide chemistry method and the conjugation was confirmed by FTIR and ¹HNMR spectroscopy techniques. PLGA nanoparticles were developed by the double emulsification method, then the surface of the prepared nanoparticles was decorated with Pluronic F127-RGD conjugate. The prepared formulations were characterized for their particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, surface morphology, drug encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release and haemolysis studies. Pharmacokinetic studies and safety parameters in BAL fluid were assessed in rats. Histopathology of rat lung tissue was performed. The obtained results of particle sizes of the nanoparticle formulations were found 100-200 nm, indicating the homogeneity of dispersed colloidal nanoparticles formulations. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed the spherical shape of the prepared nanoparticles. The drug encapsulation efficiency of PLGA nanoparticles was found to range from 60% to 80% with different nanoparticles counterparts. RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles showed controlled drug release for up to 72 h. Further, RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles achieved higher cytotoxicity in compared to CFT, CFT, and Ciszest-50 (marketed CDDP injection). The pharmacokinetic study revealed that RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles were 4.6-fold more effective than Ciszest-50. Furthermore, RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles exhibited negligible damage to lung tissue, low systemic toxicity, and high biocompatible and safety in lung tissue. The results of RGD receptor-targeted PLGA nanoparticles indicated that it is a promising anticancer system that could further exploited as a potent therapeutic approach for lung cancer.

Preparation and In Vitro Evaluation of a Gadolinium-Containing Vitamin E TPGS Micelle as a Potential Contrast Agent for MR Imaging

The application of many currently evaluated macromolecular contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been limited because of their bio-incompatibility and toxicity. The aim of this study is to synthesize and characterize a new micelle-based TPGS gadolinium chelate as a biocompatible MRI contrast agent for prolonged blood circulation time and good tumor imaging contrast. The TPGS-gadolinium conjugate was prepared through the conjugation between TPGS-SA and bifunctional L-NETA-Gd chelate. The conjugate was characterized with regard to molecular weight, critical micellar concentration and particle sizes, cellular uptake, and in vitro cell MRI. Distributions of the MRI contrast agent in various organs were determined via intravenous injection of the agent into mice bearing xenograft tumors. The successfully prepared TPGS-L-NETA-Gd micelle exhibited improved cellular uptake in HepG2 cells and xenografts and high in vivo safety. Distributions of TPGS-L-NETA-Gd in mice showed enhanced cellular uptake up to 2 h after the contrast agent injection. Its in vitro and in vivo properties make it a favorable macromolecular MRI contrast agent for future in vivo imaging.

GPIIb/IIIa Receptor Targeted Rutin Loaded Liposomes for Site-Specific Antithrombotic Effect

Rutin (RUT) is a flavonoid obtained from a natural source and is reported for antithrombotic potential, but its delivery remains challenging because of its poor solubility and bioavailability. In this research, we have fabricated novel rutin loaded liposomes (RUT-LIPO, nontargeted), liposomes conjugated with RGD peptide (RGD-RUT-LIPO, targeted), and abciximab (ABX-RUT-LIPO, targeted) by ethanol injection method. The particle size, ζ potential, and morphology of prepared liposomes were analyzed by using DLS, SEM, and TEM techniques. The conjugation of targeting moiety on the surface of targeted liposomes was confirmed by XPS analysis and Bradford assay. In vitro assessment such as blood clot assay, aPTT assay, PT assay, and platelet aggregation analysis was performed using human blood which showed the superior antithrombotic potential of ABX-RUT-LIPO and RGD-RUT-LIPO liposomes. The clot targeting efficiency was evaluated by in vitro imaging and confocal laser scanning microscopy. A significant (P < 0.05) rise in the affinity of targeted liposomes toward activated platelets was demonstrated that revealed their remarkable potential in inhibiting thrombus formation. Furthermore, an in vivo study executed on Sprague Dawley rats (FeCl₃ model) demonstrated improved antithrombotic activity of RGD-RUT-LIPO and ABX-RUT-LIPO compared with pure drug. The pharmacokinetic study performed on rats demonstrates the increase in bioavailability when administered as liposomal formulation as compared to RUT. Moreover, the tail bleeding assay and clotting time study (Swiss Albino mice) indicated a better antithrombotic efficacy of targeted liposomes than control preparations. Additionally, biocompatibility of liposomal formulations was determined by an in vitro hemolysis study and cytotoxicity assay, which showed that they were hemocompatible and safe for human use. A histopathology study on rats suggested no severe toxicity of prepared liposomal formulations. Thus, RUT encapsulated nontargeted and targeted liposomes exhibited superior antithrombotic potential over RUT and could be used as a promising carrier for future use.

Nanocarrier-Based Drug Delivery to Brain: Interventions of Surface Modification

Brain disorders are a prevalent and rapidly growing problem in the medical field as they adversely affect the quality of life of a human. With an increase in life expectancy, it has been reported that diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, stroke and brain tumors, along with neuropsychological disorders, are also being reported at an alarmingly high rate. Despite various therapeutic methods for treating brain disorders, drug delivery to the brain has been challenging because of a very complex Blood Brain Barrier, which precludes most drugs from entering the brain in effective concentrations. Nano-carrier-based drug delivery systems have been reported widely by researchers to overcome this barrier layer. These systems due to their small size, offer numerous advantages; however, their short residence time in the body owing to opsonization hinders their success in vivo. This review article focuses on the various aspects of modifying the surfaces of these nano-carriers with polymers, surfactants, protein, antibodies, cell-penetrating peptides, integrin binding peptides and glycoproteins such as transferrin & lactoferrin leading to enhanced residence time, desirable characteristics such as the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), increased bioavailability in regions of the brain and targeted drug delivery.

TPGS Decorated Liposomes as Multifunctional Nano-Delivery Systems

Liposomes are sphere-shaped vesicles that can capture therapeutics either in the outer phospholipid bilayer or inner aqueous core. Liposomes, especially when surface-modified with functional materials, have been used to achieve many benefits in drug delivery, including improving drug solubility, oral bioavailability, pharmacokinetics, and delivery to disease target sites such as cancers. Among the functional materials used to modify the surface of liposomes, the FDA-approved non-ionic surfactant D-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) is increasingly being applied due to its biocompatibility, lack of toxicity, applicability to various administration routes and ability to enhance solubilization, stability, penetration and overall pharmacokinetics. TPGS decorated liposomes are emerging as a promising drug delivery system for various diseases and are expected to enter the market in the coming years. In this review article, we focus on the multifunctional properties of TPGS-coated liposomes and their beneficial therapeutic applications, including for oral drug delivery, vaccine delivery, ocular administration, and the treatment of various cancers. We also suggest future directions to optimise the manufacture and performance of TPGS liposomes and, thus, the delivery and effect of encapsulated diagnostics and therapeutics.

Strategies to overcome/penetrate the BBB for systemic nanoparticle delivery to the brain/brain tumor

Despite its prevalence in the management of peripheral tumors, compared to surgery and radiation therapy, chemotherapy is still a suboptimal intervention in fighting against brain cancer and cancer brain metastases. This discrepancy is mainly derived from the complicatedly physiological characteristic of intracranial tumors, including the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB) and limited enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect attributed to blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB), which largely lead to insufficient therapeutics penetrating to tumor lesions to produce pharmacological effects. Therefore, dependable methodologies that can boost the efficacy of chemotherapy for brain tumors are urgently needed. Recently, nanomedicines have shown great therapeutic potential in brain tumors by employing various transcellular strategies, paracellular strategies, and their hybrids, such as adsorptive-mediated transcytosis, receptor-mediated transcytosis, BBB disruption technology, and so on. It is compulsory to comprehensively summarize these practices to shed light on future directions in developing therapeutic regimens for brain tumors. In this review, the biological and pathological characteristics of brain tumors, including BBB and BBTB, are illustrated. After that, the emerging delivery strategies for brain tumor management are summarized into different classifications and supported with detailed examples. Finally, the potential challenges and prospects for developing and clinical application of brain tumor-oriented nanomedicine are discussed.

Chitosan-alginate nanoparticles of cabazitaxel: Design, dual-receptor targeting and efficacy in lung cancer model

Cabazitaxel (CZT) loaded chitosan-alginate based (CSA) nanoparticles were developed with dual targeting functions of both folate receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using ionic gelation technique. The chitosan-folate conjugate was synthesized, and characterized by using FTIR, NMR and Mass spectroscopy. The physicochemical parameters and morphology of all CSA nanoparticles were examined. The degree of conjugation of folic acid and cetuximab (CTXmab) was determined by UV-Visible spectroscopy and Bradford assay, respectively. Moreover, XPS analysis also supported the presence of the ligands on nanoparticles. The cellular-uptake study performed on A-549 cells demonstrated a significant enhancement in the uptake of dual-receptor targeted CSA nanoparticles than non-targeted and single-receptor targeted CSA nanoparticles. Further, CZT-loaded dual receptors targeted CSA nanoparticles also showed significantly lower IC₅₀ values (~38 folds) than the CZT control against A-549 cells. Further, in-vivo histopathological evaluations of dual receptor-targeted CSA nanoparticles have demonstrated better safety in Wistar rats. Moreover, its treatment on the Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) induced lung cancer mice model has showed the enhanced anticancer efficacy of CZT with a prolonged survival rate.

Nanomedicine for Glioblastoma: Progress and Future Prospects

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain tumor, accounting for the highest mortality and morbidity rates. Current treatment for patients with glioblastoma includes maximal safe tumor resection followed by radiation therapy with concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. The addition of TMZ to the conformal radiation therapy has improved the median survival time only from 12 months to 16 months in patients with glioblastoma. Despite these aggressive treatment strategies, patients' prognosis remains poor. This therapeutic failure is primarily attributed to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that restricts the transport of TMZ from reaching the tumor site. In recent years, nanomedicine has gained considerable attention among researchers and shown promising developments in clinical applications, including the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of glioblastoma tumors. This review sheds light on the morphological and physiological complexity of the BBB. It also explains the development of nanomedicine strategies to enhance the permeability of drug molecules across the BBB.

Drug Nanocrystals: Focus on Brain Delivery from Therapeutic to Diagnostic Applications

The development of new drugs is often hindered by low solubility in water, a problem common to nearly 90% of natural and/or synthetic molecules in the discovery pipeline. Nanocrystalline drug technology involves the reduction in the bulk particle size down to the nanosize range, thus modifying its physico-chemical properties with beneficial effects on drug bioavailability. Nanocrystals (NCs) are carrier-free drug particles surrounded by a stabilizer and suspended in an aqueous medium. Due to high drug loading, NCs maintain a potent therapeutic concentration to produce desirable pharmacological action, particularly useful in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In addition to the therapeutic purpose, NC technology can be applied for diagnostic scope. This review aims to provide an overview of NC application by different administration routes, especially focusing on brain targeting, and with a particular attention to therapeutic and diagnostic fields. NC therapeutic applications are analyzed for the most common CNS pathologies (i.e., Parkinson's disease, psychosis, Alzheimer's disease, etc.). Recently, a growing interest has emerged from the use of colloidal fluorescent NCs for brain diagnostics. Therefore, the use of NCs in the imaging of brain vessels and tumor cells is also discussed. Finally, the clinical effectiveness of NCs is leading to an increasing number of FDA-approved products, among which the NCs approved for neurological disorders have increased.

Utilization of Polymeric Micelles as a Lucrative Platform for Efficient Brain Deposition of Olanzapine as an Antischizophrenic Drug via Intranasal Delivery

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by alterations in cognition, behavior and emotions. Oral olanzapine (OZ) administration is extensively metabolized (~up to 40% of the administrated dose). In addition, OZ is a P-glycoproteins substrate that impairs the blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability. To direct OZ to the brain and to minimize its systemic side effects, the nasal pathway is recommended. OZ-loaded polymeric micelles nano-carriers were developed using suitable biodegradable excipients. The developed micelles were physicochemically investigated to assess their appropriateness for intranasal delivery and the potential of these carriers for OZ brain targeting. The selected formula will be examined in vivo for improving the anti-schizophrenic effects on a schizophrenia rat model. The binary mixture of P123/P407 has a low CMC (0.001326% w/v), which helps in maintaining the formed micelles’ stability upon dilution. The combination effect of P123, P407 and TPGS led to a decrease in micelle size, ranging between 37.5–47.55 nm and an increase in the EE% (ranging between 68.22–86.84%). The selected OZ–PM shows great stability expressed by a suitable negative charge zeta potential value (−15.11 ± 1.35 mV) and scattered non-aggregated spherical particles with a particle size range of 30–40 nm. OZ–PM maintains sustained drug release at the application site with no nasal cytotoxicity. In vivo administration of the selected OZ–PM formula reveals improved CNS targeting and anti-schizophrenia-related deficits after OZ nasal administration. Therefore, OZ–PM provided safe direct nose-to-brain transport of OZ after nasal administration with an efficient anti-schizophrenic effect.

Modulation of the blood-tumor barrier to enhance drug delivery and efficacy for brain metastases

The blood-brain barrier is the selectively permeable vasculature of the brain vital for maintaining homeostasis and neurological function. Low permeability is beneficial in the presence of toxins and pathogens in the blood. However, in the presence of metastatic brain tumors, it is a challenge for drug delivery. Although the blood-tumor barrier is slightly leaky, it still is not permissive enough to allow the accumulation of therapeutic drug concentrations in brain metastases. Herein, we discuss the differences between primary brain tumors and metastatic brain tumors vasculature, effects of therapeutics on the blood-tumor barrier, and characteristics to be manipulated for more effective drug delivery.

Bioadhesive chitosan nanoparticles: Dual targeting and pharmacokinetic aspects for advanced lung cancer treatment

The chitosan-folate conjugate was synthesized initially and confirmed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopic studies. Following, docetaxel (DXL) loaded non-targeted, single receptor and dual receptor (folate and EGFR) targeted chitosan nanoparticles were prepared and their shape, particle size, zeta-potential, surface morphology and texture were screened by SEM, TEM, AFM analyses. Surface chemistry analysis by XPS indeed confirmed the successful conjugation of folate and cetuximab on the targeted formulations. In-vitro analysis of dual-targeted chitosan nanoparticles has revealed their superior cytotoxicity against A-549 cells. The IC₅₀ of dual receptor-targeted chitosan NP was almost 34 times lower than DXL control. In-vivo pharmacokinetic study on Wistar rats has demonstrated improved relative bioavailability of all NP in comparison to DXL control. The results illustrated that EGFR and folate dual targeted NP enhanced the cytotoxicity of DXL towards A-549 lung cancer cells and substantially improved DXL pharmacokinetics in rats.

Potential of Nanocarrier-Based Drug Delivery Systems for Brain Targeting: A Current Review of Literature

The advent of nanotechnologies such as nanocarriers and nanotherapeutics has changed the treatment strategy and developed a more efficacious novel drug delivery system. Various drug delivery systems are focused on drug-targeting of brain cells. However, the manifestation of the brain barrier is the main hurdle for the effective delivery of chemotherapeutics, ultimately causing treatment failure of various drugs. To solve this problem, various nanocarrier-based drug delivery system has been developed for brain targeting. This review outlines nanocarrier-based composites for different brain diseases and highlights nanocarriers for drug targeting towards brain cells. It also summarizes the latest developments in nanocarrier-based delivery systems containing liposomal systems, dendrimers, polymeric micelles, polymeric nanocarriers, quantum dots (QDs), and gold nanoparticles. Besides, the optimal properties of nanocarriers and therapeutic implications for brain targeting have been extensively studied. Finally, the potential applications and research opportunities for nanocarriers in brain targeting are discussed.

Upconversion NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+@silica-TPGS Bio-Nano Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Tests for Labeling Cancer Cells

Fluorescence imaging is an important technique used for early diagnosis and effective treatment of some incurable diseases including cancer. Herein, we report novel NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺@silica-TPGS bio-nano complexes for labeling cancer cells. The NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal route, further coated with a silica shell, and functionalized with d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS). The experimental results indicate that NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺@silica-TPGS emits stronger upconversion luminescence than NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ under an excitation of 980 nm. More significantly, the NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺@silica-TPGS bio-nano complexes could strongly label MCF-7 breast cancer cells for in vitro experiments detected by a fluorescence microscope. On the other hand, the complex could not typically probe healthy cells, which are HEK-293A human embryonic kidney cells, under the same experimental conditions. Because of their strong upconversion luminescence, good dispersibility, and biocompatibility, NaYF₄:Yb³⁺/Er³⁺@silica-TPGS bio-nano complexes can be a promising candidate/probe for biomedical labeling and diagnostics.

Rediscovering Tocophersolan: A Renaissance for Nano-Based Drug Delivery and Nanotheranostic Applications

A unique and pleiotropic polymer, d-alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (Tocophersolan), is a polymeric, synthetic version of vitamin E. Tocophersolan has attracted enormous attention as a versatile excipient in different biomedical applications including drug delivery systems and nutraceuticals. The multiple inherent properties of Tocophersolan allow it to play flexible roles in drug delivery system design, including excipients with outstanding biocompatibility, solubilizer with the ability to promote drug dissolution, drug permeation enhancer, P-glycoprotein inhibitor, and anticancer compound. For these reasons, Tocophersolan has been widely used for improving the bioavailability of numerous pharmaceutical active ingredients. Tocophersolan has been approved by stringent regulatory authorities (such as the US FDA, EMA, and PMDA) as a safe pharmaceutical excipient. In this review, the current advances in nano-based delivery systems consisting of Tocophersolan, with possibilities for futuristic applications in drug delivery, gene therapy, and nanotheranostics, were systematically curated.

Current Status of Brain Tumor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Application of Nanobiotechnology for Its Treatment: A Comprehensive Review

OBJECTIVE

Brain tumors are the most challenging of all tumors and accounts for about 3% of all cancer allied deaths. The aim of the present review is to examine the brain tumor prevalence and treatment modalities available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the application of various nanotechnology-based products for brain cancer treatments along with their prospective future advancements.

METHODS

A literature review was performed to identify and summarize the current status of brain cancer in Saudi Arabia and the scope of nanobiotechnology in its treatment.

RESULTS

Depending upon the study population data analysis, gliomas, astrocytoma, meningioma, and metastatic cancer have a higher incidence rate in Saudi Arabia than in other countries, and are mostly treated in accordance with conventional treatment modalities for brain cancer. Due to the poor prognosis of cancer, it has an average survival rate of 2 years. Conventional therapy includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and a combination thereof, but these do not control the disease's recurrence. Among the various nanomaterials discussed, liposomes and polymeric nanoformulations have demonstrated encouraging outcomes for facilitated brain cancer treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Nanomaterials possess the capacity to overcome the shortcomings of conventional therapies. Polymer-based nanomaterials have shown encouraging outcomes against brain cancer when amalgamated with other nano-based therapies. Nonetheless, nanomaterials could be devised that possess minimal toxicity towards normal cells or that specifically target tumor cells. In addition, rigorous clinical investigations are warranted to prepare them as an efficient and safe modality for brain cancer therapy.

Nanomaterials for Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Cancer: Recent Updates

Brain tumors, especially glioblastoma, remain the most aggressive form of all the cancers because of inefficient diagnosis and profiling. Nanostructures, such as metallic nanostructures, silica nano-vehicles, quantum dots, lipid nanoparticles (NPs) and polymeric NPs, with high specificity have made it possible to permeate the blood–brain barrier (BBB). NPs possess optical, magnetic and photodynamic properties that can be exploited by surface modification, bio composition, contrast agents’ encapsulation and coating by tumor-derived cells. Hence, nanotechnology has brought on a revolution in the field of diagnosis and imaging of brain tumors and cancers. Recently, nanomaterials with biomimetic functions have been introduced to efficiently cross the BBB to be engulfed by deep skin tumors and cancer malignancies for imaging. The review focuses on nanotechnology-based diagnostic and imaging approaches for exploration in brain tumors and cancers. Moreover, the review also summarizes a few strategies to image glioblastoma and cancers by multimodal functional nanocomposites for more precise and accurate clinical diagnosis. Their unique physicochemical attributes, including nanoscale sizes, larger surface area, explicit structural features and ability to encapsulate diverse molecules on their surface, render nanostructured materials as excellent nano-vehicles to cross the blood–brain barrier and convey drug molecules to their target region. This review sheds light on the current progress of various kinds of nanomaterials, such as liposomes, nano-micelles, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, carbon dots and NPs (gold, silver and zinc oxide NPs), for efficient drug delivery in the treatment and diagnosis of brain cancer.

Gold liposomes for brain-targeted drug delivery: Formulation and brain distribution kinetics

This work was aimed to formulate transferrin (Tf) receptor targeted gold based theranostic liposomes which contain both docetaxel (DCX) and glutathione reduced gold nanoparticles (AuGSH) for brain-targeted drug delivery and imaging. AuGSH was prepared by reducing chloroauric acid salt using glutathione. The co-loading of DCX and AuGSH into liposomes was achieved by the solvent injection technique, and Tf was post-conjugated on the surface of the liposomes using carboxylated Vit-E TPGS (TPGS-COOH) as a linker. The liposomes were characterized for various parameters such as size, shape, surface charge, and drug release. The Tf receptor targeted gold liposomes were evaluated for the cytotoxicity by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) based colorimetric assay and in-vitro qualitative cellular uptake studies using confocal microscopy. The in-vivo site specific delivery of DCX was analyzed by the brain distribution study of DCX in comparison with marketed formulation (Docel™). A sustained drug release of about 70% was observed from liposomes in the span of 72 h. The in-vivo results demonstrated that targeted gold liposomes were able to deliver DCX into the brain by 3.70, 2.74 and 4.08-folds higher than Docel™ after 30, 120 and 240 min of the treatment, respectively. Besides, the results of these studies have suggested the feasibility of Tf decorated AuGSH and DCX co-loaded liposomes as a promising platform for targeted nano-theranostics.

Transferrin Receptor-Targeted PEG-PLA Polymeric Micelles for Chemotherapy Against Glioblastoma Multiforme

Background

The safe and efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic agents is critical to glioma therapy. However, chemotherapy for glioma is extremely challenging because the blood–brain barrier (BBB) rigorously prevents drugs from reaching the tumor region.

Materials and Methods

TfR-T12 peptide-modified PEG-PLA polymer was synthesized to deliver paclitaxel (PTX) for glioma therapy. TfR was significantly expressed on brain capillary endothelial cells and glioma cells; therefore, TfR-T12 peptide-modified micelles can cross the BBB system and target glioma cells.

Results

TfR-T12-PEG-PLA/PTX polymeric micelles (TfR-T12-PMs) could be absorbed rapidly by tumor cells, and traversed effectively the BBB monolayers. TfR-T12-PMs can effectively inhibit the proliferation of U87MG cells in vitro, and TfR-T12-PMs loaded with paclitaxel presented better antiglioma effect with prolonged median survival of nude mice-bearing glioma than the unmodified PMs.

Conclusion

The TfR-T12-PMs could effectively overcome the BBB barrier and accomplish glioma-targeted drug delivery, thus validating its potential in improving the therapeutic outcome in multiforme.

Targeted Treatment of Colon Cancer with Aptamer-Guided Albumin Nanoparticles Loaded with Docetaxel

Purpose

Chemotherapy of colon cancer needs improvement to mitigate the severe adverse effects (AEs) associated with the cytotoxic drugs. The aim of this study is to develop a novel targeted drug delivery system (TDDS) with practical application potential for colon cancer treatment.

Methods

The TDDS was built by loading docetaxel (DTX) in albumin nanoparticles (NPs) that were functionalized with nucleolin-targeted aptamers (AS1411).

Results

The TDDS (Apt-NPs-DTX) had an average size of 62 nm and was negatively charged with a zeta potential of −31.2 mV. DTX was released from the albumin NP with a typical sustained release profile. Aptamer-guided NPs were preferentially ingested by nucleolin-expressing CT26 colon cancer cells vs the control cells. In vitro cytotoxicity study showed that Apt-NPs-DTX significantly enhanced the killing of CT26 colon cancer cells. Importantly, compared with non-targeted drug delivery, Apt-NPs-DTX treatment significantly improved antitumor efficacy and prolonged the survival of CT26-bearing mice, without raising systemic toxicity.

Conclusion

The results suggest that Apt-NPs-DTX has potential in the targeted treatment of colon cancer.

Formulation and in vitro evaluation of upconversion nanoparticle-loaded liposomes for brain cancer

Aim: This work focused on the development of transferrin-conjugated theranostic liposomes consisting of docetaxel (DXL) and upconversion nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of gliomas. Materials & methods: Upconversion nanoparticles and docetaxel-loaded theranostic liposomes were prepared by a solvent injection method. Formulations were analyzed for physicochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, drug release, elemental analysis, cytotoxicity and fluorescence. Results: The particle size was around 200 nm with spherical morphology and an encapsulation efficiency of up to 75.93%, was achieved for liposomes with an in vitro drug release of 71.10%. The IC₅₀ values demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity on C6 glioma cells with targeted liposomes in comparison with nontargeted liposomes. Conclusion: Prepared theranostic liposomes may be promising for clinical validation after an in vitro and in vivo evaluation on cell lines and animals, respectively.

Recognition Sites for Cancer-targeting Drug Delivery Systems

BACKGROUND

Target-homing drug delivery systems are now gaining significant attention for use as novel therapeutic approaches in antitumor targeting for cancer therapy. Numerous targeted drug delivery systems have been designed to improve the targeting effects because these systems can display a range of favorable properties, thus, providing suitable characteristics for clinical applicability of anticancer drugs, such as increasing the solubility, and improving the drug distribution at target sites. The majority of these targeting systems are designed with respect to differences between cancerous and normal tissues, for instance, the low pH of tumor tissues or overexpressed receptors on tumor cell membranes. Due to the growing number of targeting possibilities, it is important to know the tumor-specific recognition strategies for designing novel, targeted, drug delivery systems. Herein, we identify and summarize literature pertaining to various recognition sites for optimizing the design of targeted drug delivery systems to augment current chemotherapeutic approaches.

OBJECTIVE

This review focuses on the identification of the recognition sites for developing targeted drug delivery systems for use in cancer therapeutics.

METHODS

We have reviewed and compiled cancer-specific recognition sites and their abnormal characteristics within tumor tissues (low pH, high glutathione, targetable receptors, etc.), tumor cells (receptor overexpression or tumor cell membrane changes) and tumor cell organelles (nuclear and endoplasmic reticular dysregulation) utilizing existing scientific literature. Moreover, we have highlighted the design of some targeted drug delivery systems that can be used as homing tools for these recognition sites.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Targeted drug delivery systems are a promising therapeutic approach for tumor chemotherapy. Additional research focused on finding novel recognition sites, and subsequent development of targeting moieties for use with drug delivery systems will aid in the evaluation and clinical application of new and improved chemotherapeutics.

Formulation, Preparation and Evaluation of Nanostructured Lipid Carrier Containing Naringin and Coix Seed Oil for Anti-Tumor Application Based on "Unification of Medicines and Excipients"

Background

“Unification of medicines and excipients” is the special principle which means fatty oil with pharmacodynamic activity derived from traditional Chinese medicine are taken as liquid lipids in perparation for dual-drug delivery,  which improve the treatment effect and reduce unnecessary excipients.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to prepare a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) with naringin (NG) containing coix seed oil (CSO) as liquid lipid based on the theory (NCNLC) in order to achieve synergistic antitumor activity against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

We developed NCNLCs using ultrasonic melt-emulsification method. The antitumor effect in vivo/in vitro and drug release ability were compared to NLC prepared with conventional liquid lipids: neodecanoate triglycerides (NDNLC) and oleic acid (NONLC).

Results

Transmission electron microscopy showed that NCNLCs had a well-defined spherical shape, small size, and narrow polydispersity index. Importantly, the release of drugs from NDNLCs and NONLCs was slower than NCNLCs. In the cell study, the result showed a significantly greater antiproliferative effect towards HepG2 cells, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of NCNLCs was 3.24-fold, 1.70-fold and 1.52-fold lower to that of free drug, NDNLCs and NONLCs, respectively. Moreover, NCNLCs significantly induced HepG2 cells apoptosis by being 2.12-fold and 9.28-fold higher to that of NDNLCs and NONLCs, respectively. In the study of antitumor efficacy in vivo, the synergistic effect of NCNLCs formulation showed markedly enhanced antitumor efficacy in a xenograft model of liver cancer.

Conclusion

The advantages of “unification of medicines and excipients” in formulation characters, drug release and synergistic antitumor effect provide a new idea for the application of the fatty oil of traditional Chinese medicine in the nano-drug delivery for cancer therapy.

Research and development of drug delivery systems based on drug transporter and nano-formulation

In recent years, the continuous occurrence of multi-drug resistance in the clinic has made people pay more attention to the transporter. Changes in the expression and activity of transporters can cause corresponding changes in drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The drug-drug interactions (DDI) caused by transporters can seriously affect drug effectiveness and toxicity. In the development of pharmaceutical preparations, people have increasingly concerned about the effects and regulation of transporters in drug effects. To improve the targeting and physicochemical properties of drugs, the development of targeted agents is very rapid. Among them, novel nano-formulations are the best. With the continuous innovation and development of nano-formulation, its application has become more and more extensive. Nano-formulation has exerted certain advantages in the drug development based on transporters, and is also involved in the combination of targeted transporters. This review focuses on the application of novel nano-agents targeting transporters and the introduction of drug-transporter-based nano-formulations.

Facile nose-to-brain delivery of rotigotine-loaded polymer micelles thermosensitive hydrogels: In vitro characterization and in vivo behavior study

A rotigotine (ROT)-loaded polymer micelles thermosensitive gel (ROT-PM-TSG) delivery system was engineered to enhance the solubility of the drug, prolong the residence time, and increase the concentration of the drug in the brain tissue. First, ROT-loaded polymer micelles (ROT-PM) were tailored and optimized. The average particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and drug loading of the ROT-PM were (88.62 ± 1.47) nm, (93.5 ± 0.79) %, and (19.9 ± 0.60) %. The optimal ROT-PM-TSG formulation contained 22% P407 and 2% P188 with a gelation temperature of about 32.3 °C and a pH of 5.186. In vivo, the MRT of ROT-PM and ROT-PM-TSG nasal administration was 1.43 and 1.79 times extended than that of the intravenous. In comparison with the intravenous group, the distribution of ROT in olfactory bulb, cerebrum, cerebellum and striatum was 276.6%, 170.5%, 166.5% and 184.4%, respectively. In conclusion, the ROT-PM-TSG system has proven to be a potential application prospect as a ROT nose-to-brain delivery system.

Ligand Conjugated Targeted Nanotherapeutics for Treatment of Neurological Disorders

BACKGROUND

Human brain is amongst the most complex organs in human body, and delivery of therapeutic agents across the brain is a tedious task. Existence of blood brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from invasion of undesirable substances; therefore it hinders the transport of various drugs used for the treatment of different neurological diseases including glioma, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc. To surmount this barrier, various approaches have been used such as the use of carrier mediated drug delivery; use of intranasal route, to avoid first pass metabolism; and use of ligands (lactoferrin, apolipoprotein) to transport the drug across the BBB. Ligands bind with proteins present on the cell and facilitate the transport of drug across the cell membrane via. receptor mediated, transporter mediated or adsorptive mediated transcytosis.

OBJECTIVE

The main focus of this review article is to illustrate various studies performed using ligands for delivering drug across BBB; it also describes the procedure used by various researchers for conjugating the ligands to the formulation to achieve targeted action.

METHODS

Research articles that focused on the used of ligand conjugation for brain delivery and compared the outcome with unconjugated formulation were collected from various search engines like PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar, using keywords like ligands, neurological disorders, conjugation, etc. Results and Conclusion: Ligands have shown great potential in delivering drug across BBB for treatment of various diseases, yet extensive research is required so that the ligands can be used clinically for treating neurological diseases.

Dual and multi-targeted nanoparticles for site-specific brain drug delivery

In recent years, nanomedicines have emerged as a promising method for central nervous system drug delivery, enabling the drugs to overcome the blood-brain barrier and accumulate preferentially in the brain. Despite the current success of brain-targeted nanomedicines, limitations still exist in terms of the targeting specificity. Based on the molecular mechanism, the exact cell populations and subcellular organelles where the injury occurs and the drugs take effect have been increasingly accepted as a more specific target for the next generation of nanomedicines. Dual and multi-targeted nanoparticles integrate different targeting functionalities and have provided a paradigm for precisely delivering the drug to the pathological site inside the brain. The targeting process often involves the sequential or synchronized navigation of the targeting moieties, which allows highly controlled drug delivery compared to conventional targeting strategies. Herein, we focus on the up-to-date design of pathological site-specific nanoparticles for brain drug delivery, highlighting the dual and multi-targeting strategies that were employed and their impact on improving targeting specificity and therapeutic effects. Furthermore, the background discussion of the basic properties of a brain-targeted nanoparticle and the common lesion features classified by neurological pathology are systematically summarized.

Theranostic Nanomedicine for Malignant Gliomas

Brain tumors mainly originate from glial cells and are classified as gliomas. Malignant gliomas represent an incurable disease; indeed, after surgery and chemotherapy, recurrence appears within a few months, and mortality has remained high in the last decades. This is mainly due to the heterogeneity of malignant gliomas, indicating that a single therapy is not effective for all patients. In this regard, the advent of theranostic nanomedicine, a combination of imaging and therapeutic agents, represents a strategic tool for the management of malignant brain tumors, allowing for the detection of therapies that are specific to the single patient and avoiding overdosing the non-responders. Here, recent theranostic nanomedicine approaches for glioma therapy are described.