Polydopamine encapsulated new indocyanine green theranostic nanoparticles for enhanced photothermal therapy in cervical cancer HeLa cells

Indocyanine green fluorescence applied to gynecologic oncology: beyond sentinel lymph node

Indocyanine green (ICG), a well-known molecule employed in medicine for over five decades, has emerged as a versatile dye widely embraced across various surgical disciplines. In gynecologic oncology, its prevalent use revolves around the detection of sentinel lymph nodes. However, the true potential of ICG extends beyond this singular application, owing to its pragmatic utility, cost-effectiveness, and safety profile. Furthermore, ICG has been introduced in the theranostic landscape, marking a significant juncture in the evolution of its clinical utility. This narrative review aims to describe the expanding horizons of ICG fluorescence in gynecologic oncology, beyond the sentinel lymph node biopsy. The manifold applications reported within this manuscript include: 1) lymphography; 2) angiography; 3) nerve visualization; 4) ICG-driven resections; and 5) theranostic. The extensive exploration across these numerous applications, some of which are still in the preclinical phase, serves as a hypothesis generator, aiming to stimulate the development of clinical studies capable of expanding the use of this drug in our field, enhancing the care of gynecological cancer patients.

Recent status and trends of nanotechnology in cervical cancer: a systematic review and bibliometric analysis

Background

Cervical cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer death among women from developing countries (1). However, there is a lack of effective treatment methods, and the existing treatments often result in significant adverse reactions and high chances of recurrence, which ultimately impact the prognosis of patients. As a result, the application of nanotechnology, specifically nanoparticle-based approaches, in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer has gained significant attention. This study aims to examine the current research status and future development trends of nanotechnology in relation to cervical cancer using a bibliometric perspective.

Methods

A bibliometric analysis was performed to gather relevant research papers from the Web of Science database. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were utilized to conduct quantitative analysis and identify hot topics in the field, focusing on countries, institutions, journals, authors, and keywords.

Result

A total of 997 eligible literature were retrieved. From January 1, 2014 to September 20, 2023, the overall number of publications showed an upward trend. The paper mainly comes from China (n=414). The main institution is the Chinese Academy of Sciences (n=62), and 60% of the top 10 institutions in the number of documents issued are from China. First authors Ma, Rong (n=12) and Alifu, Nuernisha (n=12). The journal with the highest publication volume is ACS Applied Materials&INTERFACES (n=35), and the journal with the highest citation frequency is BIOMATERIALS (n=508). "Nanoparticles (n=295)", "cervical cancer (n=248)", and "drug delivery (n=218)" are the top three most frequently occurring keywords. In recent years, photothermal therapy and indocyanine green have become research hotspots.

Conclusion

The application of nanotechnology in the field of cervical cancer has garnered considerable attention. Nanoparticles-based methods for diagnosis, administration, and treatment have proven to be instrumental in enhancing the sensitivity of cervical cancer detection, improving the accuracy and efficiency of administration, and reducing drug toxicity. Enhancing treatment efficacy and improving patient prognosis have emerged as current research priorities and future directions.

Comprehensive Assessment of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles: Effects on Liver Enzymes and Cardiovascular System in Animal Models and Skeletal Muscle Cells

The growing interest in graphene oxide (GO) for different biomedical applications requires thoroughly examining its safety. Therefore, there is an urgent need for reliable data on how GO nanoparticles affect healthy cells and organs. In the current work, we adopted a comprehensive approach to assess the influence of GO and its polyethylene glycol-modified form (GO-PEG) under near-infrared (NIR) exposure on several biological aspects. We evaluated the contractility of isolated frog hearts, the activity of two rat liver enzymes-mitochondrial ATPase and diamine oxidase (DAO), and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells following direct exposure to GO nanoparticles. The aim was to study the influence of GO nanoparticles at multiple levels-organ; cellular; and subcellular-to provide a broader understanding of their effects. Our data demonstrated that GO and GO-PEG negatively affect heart contractility in frogs, inducing stronger arrhythmic contractions. They increased ROS production in C2C12 myoblasts, whose effects diminished after NIR irradiation. Both nanoparticles in the rat liver significantly stimulated DAO activity, with amplification of this effect after NIR irradiation. GO did not uncouple intact rat liver mitochondria but caused a concentration-dependent decline in ATPase activity in freeze/thaw mitochondria. This multifaceted investigation provides crucial insights into GOs potential for diverse implications in biological systems.

Oxidative stress induced by berberine-based mitochondria-targeted low temperature photothermal therapy

Introduction: Mitochondria-targeted low-temperature photothermal therapy (LPTT) is a promising strategy that could maximize anticancer effects and overcome tumor thermal resistance. However, the successful synthesis of mitochondria-targeted nanodrug delivery system for LPTT still faces diverse challenges, such as laborious preparations processes, low drug-loading, and significant systemic toxicity from the carriers. Methods: In this study, we used the tumor-targeting folic acid (FA) and mitochondria-targeting berberine (BBR) derivatives (BD) co-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG)-decorated graphene oxide (GO) to synthesize a novel mitochondria-targeting nanocomposite (GO-PEG-FA/BD), which can effectively accumulate in mitochondria of the osteosarcoma (OS) cells and achieve enhanced mitochondria-targeted LPTT effects with minimal cell toxicity. The mitochondria-targeted LPTT effects were validated both in vitro and vivo. Results: In vitro experiments, the nanocomposites (GO-PEG-FA/BD) could eliminate membrane potential (ΔΨm), deprive the ATP of cancer cells, and increase the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which ultimately induce oxidative stress damage. Furthermore, in vivo results showed that the enhanced mitochondria-targeted LPTT could exert an excellent anti-cancer effect with minimal toxicity. Discussion: Taken together, this study provides a practicable strategy to develop an ingenious nanoplatform for cancer synergetic therapy via mitochondria-targeted LPTT, which hold enormous potential for future clinical translation.