Nanomedicine in Lung Cancer Immunotherapy

Nanomaterials-assisted gene editing and synthetic biology for optimizing the treatment of pulmonary diseases

The use of nanomaterials in gene editing and synthetic biology has emerged as a pivotal strategy in the pursuit of refined treatment methodologies for pulmonary disorders. This review discusses the utilization of nanomaterial-assisted gene editing tools and synthetic biology techniques to promote the development of more precise and efficient treatments for pulmonary diseases. First, we briefly outline the characterization of the respiratory system and succinctly describe the principal applications of diverse nanomaterials in lung ailment treatment. Second, we elaborate on gene-editing tools, their configurations, and assorted delivery methods, while delving into the present state of nanomaterial-facilitated gene-editing interventions for a spectrum of pulmonary diseases. Subsequently, we briefly expound on synthetic biology and its deployment in biomedicine, focusing on research advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions against the backdrop of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Finally, we summarize the extant lacunae in current research and delineate prospects for advancement in this domain. This holistic approach augments the development of pioneering solutions in lung disease treatment, thereby endowing patients with more efficacious and personalized therapeutic alternatives.

Exploring the Potential of Plant-Based Nanotechnology in Cancer Immunotherapy: Benefits, Limitations, and Future Perspectives

Reconceptualizing cancer immunotherapy can be improved if combined with plant production systems and nanotechnology. This review aims to contribute to the knowledge of plant use in nanomedicine and cancer immunotherapy. In the foreground, we outlined each of these approaches; nanomedicine, green synthesis, and immunotherapy. The benefits of plant-based nanoparticles in mending the immune systems were subsequently analyzed, with reference to the literature. The combining effects of biological and therapeutic properties of some phytochemicals and their derivatives, with targeted nanoparticles and selective immunotherapy, can enhance the delivery of drugs and antibodies, and induce antitumor immune responses, via activation of functions of neutrophils, lymphocyte cells, and natural killer cells, and macrophages, resulting in induced apoptosis and phagocytosis of tumor cells, which can improve designing immunotherapeutic strategies targeting cancer, with a larger spectrum compared to the current cytotoxic anticancer drugs commonly used in clinics. This study uncovers the mechanistic drivers of cancer immunoengineering in cancer therapy using plant-based nanomaterials, enhancing therapeutic benefits while minimizing toxic and side effects.

Moving beyond traditional therapies: the role of nanomedicines in lung cancer

Amidst a global rise in lung cancer occurrences, conventional therapies continue to pose substantial side effects and possess notable toxicities while lacking specificity. Counteracting this, the incorporation of nanomedicines can notably enhance drug delivery at tumor sites, extend a drug's half-life and mitigate inadvertent toxic and adverse impacts on healthy tissues, substantially influencing lung cancer's early detection and targeted therapy. Numerous studies signal that while the nano-characteristics of lung cancer nanomedicines play a pivotal role, further interplay with immune, photothermal, and genetic factors exist. This review posits that the progression towards multimodal combination therapies could potentially establish an efficacious platform for multimodal targeted lung cancer treatments. Current nanomedicines split into active and passive targeting. Active therapies focus on a single target, often with unsatisfactory results. Yet, developing combination systems targeting multiple sites could chart new paths in lung cancer therapy. Conversely, low drug delivery rates limit passive therapies. Utilizing the EPR effect to bind specific ligands on nanoparticles to tumor cell receptors might create a new regime combining active-passive targeting, potentially elevating the nanomedicines' concentration at target sites. This review collates recent advancements through the lens of nanomedicine's attributes for lung cancer therapeutics, the novel carrier classifications, targeted therapeutic modalities and their mechanisms, proposing that the emergence of multi-target nanocomposite therapeutics, combined active-passive targeting therapies and multimodal combined treatments will pioneer novel approaches and tools for future lung cancer clinical therapies.

Oncolytic viruses in lung cancer treatment: a review article

Lung cancer has a high morbidity rate worldwide due to its resistance to therapy. So new treatment options are needed to improve the outcomes of lung cancer treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oncolytic viruses (OVs) as a new type of cancer treatment. In this study, 158 articles from PubMed and Scopus from 1994 to 2022 were reviewed on the effectiveness of OVs in the treatment of lung cancer. The oncolytic properties of eight categories of OVs and their interactions with treatment options were investigated. OVs can be applied as a promising immunotherapy option, as they are reproduced selectively in different types of cancer cells, cause tumor cell lysis and trigger efficient immune responses.

Analysis of the incidence and influencing factors of abdominal distension in postoperative lung cancer patients in ICU based on real-world data: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Abdominal distension is a relatively common complication in postoperative lung cancer patients, which affects patients' early postoperative recovery to varying degrees. However, the current status of the incidence of abdominal distension in postoperative lung cancer patients and the affecting factors are not well understood. This study aims at exploring the incidence of abdominal distension in postoperative lung cancer patients in ICU based on real-world data and analyzing its influencing factors.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, encompassing patients who underwent lung cancer resections in the Lung Cancer Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from April 2020 to April 2021. Nevertheless, patients younger than 18 years and those whose information was limited in medical records were excluded. All data were obtained from the hospital HIS system. In this study, the influencing factors of abdominal distension were analyzed by univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression methods.

RESULTS

A total of 1317 patients met eligibility criteria, and were divided into the abdominal distended group and the non-distended group according to whether abdominal distension occurred after surgery. Abdominal distension occurred in a total of 182 cases(13.8%). The results of the univariate analysis showed that, compared with the non-distended group, the abdominal distended group had these features as follows: more women (P = 0.021), older (P = 0.000), lower BMI (P = 0.000), longer operation duration (P = 0.031), more patients with open thoracotomy (P = 0.000), more patients with pneumonectomy (p = 0.002), more patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.000), more days of hospitalization on average (P = 0.000), and higher costs of hospitalization on average (P = 0.032). Multifactor logistic regression analysis showed that sex (OR = 0.526; 95% CI = 0.378 ~0.731), age (OR = 1.154; 95%CI = 1.022 ~1.304) and surgical approach (OR = 4.010; 95%CI = 2.781 ~5.781) were independent influencing factors for the occurrence of abdominal distension in patients after lung cancer surgery in ICU.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of abdominal distension was high in postoperative lung cancer patients in ICU, and female, older and patients with open thoracotomy were more likely to experience abdominal distension.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was approved by the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (registration number was ChiCTR2200061370).

Extracellular Vesicles and Exosomes: Novel Insights and Perspectives on Lung Cancer from Early Detection to Targeted Treatment

Lung cancer demands innovative approaches for early detection and targeted treatment. In addressing this urgent need, exosomes play a pivotal role in revolutionizing both the early detection and targeted treatment of lung cancer. Their remarkable capacity to encapsulate a diverse range of biomolecules, traverse biological barriers, and be engineered with specific targeting molecules makes them highly promising for both diagnostic markers and precise drug delivery to cancer cells. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of exosomal content and biogenesis offers crucial insights into the molecular profile of lung tumors. This knowledge holds significant potential for the development of targeted therapies and innovative diagnostic strategies for cancer. Despite notable progress in this field, challenges in standardization and cargo loading persist. Collaborative research efforts are imperative to maximize the potential of exosomes and advance the field of precision medicine for the benefit of lung cancer patients.

Synergized photothermal therapy and magnetic field induced hyperthermia via bismuthene for lung cancer combinatorial treatment

Thanks to its intrinsic properties, two-dimensional (2D) bismuth (bismuthene) can serve as a multimodal nanotherapeutic agent for lung cancer acting through multiple mechanisms, including photothermal therapy (PTT), magnetic field-induced hyperthermia (MH), immunogenic cell death (ICD), and ferroptosis. To investigate this possibility, we synthesized bismuthene from the exfoliation of 3D layered bismuth, prepared through a facile method that we developed involving surfactant-assisted chemical reduction, with a specific focus on improving its magnetic properties. The bismuthene nanosheets showed high in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activity after simultaneous light and magnetic field exposure in lung adenocarcinoma cells. Only when light and magnetic field are applied together, we can achieve the highest anti-cancer activity compared to the single treatment groups. We have further shown that ICD-dependent mechanisms were involved during this combinatorial treatment strategy. Beyond ICD, bismuthene-based PTT and MH also resulted in an increase in ferroptosis mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo, in addition to apoptotic pathways. Finally, hemolysis in human whole blood and a wide variety of assays in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells indicated that the bismuthene nanosheets were biocompatible and did not alter immune function. These results showed that bismuthene has the potential to serve as a biocompatible platform that can arm multiple therapeutic approaches against lung cancer.

Polymeric Particle BAM15 Targeting Macrophages Attenuates the Severity of LPS-Induced Sepsis: A Proof of Concept for Specific Immune Cell-Targeted Therapy

Macrophage polarization requires different energy sources and metabolic processes. Therefore, cell energy interference to alter macrophage functions has been proposed as a treatment for severe inflammatory diseases, including sepsis. In this study, targeting cell energy using BAM15 (a mitochondrial uncoupling agent) in human THP-1 and mouse RAW264.7 macrophages prominently interfered with M1 but not M2 polarization. Free BAM15 (BAM15) and BAM15-loaded PLGA particles (BAM15 particles) reduced the inflammatory response of M1 macrophages and enhanced the expression of M2 signature genes with the restoration of mitochondrial activity (extracellular flux analysis) in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, BAM15 particles but not BAM15 showed specific effects on the inflammatory response of macrophages but not neutrophils, and the particles were actively captured by splenic and liver macrophages in vivo. Administration of BAM15 and BAM15 particles attenuated the severity of sepsis in LPS-induced sepsis mice. Interestingly, BAM15 particles but not BAM15 alleviated LPS-induced liver injury by reducing hepatic inflammation. Our findings substantiate the superior efficacy of macrophage-targeted therapy using a BAM15 particle-delivery system and provide further support for clinical development as a potential therapy for severe inflammatory diseases.

Glucosamine-Modified Mesoporous Silica-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles: A "Raisin-Cake"-like Structure as an Efficient Theranostic Platform for Targeted Methotrexate Delivery

This study presents the synthesis of glucosamine-modified mesoporous silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as a therapeutic platform for the delivery of an anticancer drug, methotrexate (MTX). The MNPs were coated with mesoporous silica in a templated sol-gel process to form MNP@MSN, and then chloropropyl groups were added to the structure in a post-modification reaction. Glucosamine was then reacted with the chloro-modified structure, and methotrexate was conjugated to the hydroxyl group of the glucose. The prepared structure was characterized using techniques such as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, elemental analysis (CHN), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Good formation of nano-sized MNPs and MNP@MSN was observed via particle size monitoring. The modified glucosamine structure showed a controlled release profile of methotrexate in simulated tumor fluid. In vitro evaluation using the 4T1 breast cancer cell line showed the cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell cycle effects of methotrexate. The MTT assay showed comparable toxicity between MTX-loaded nanoparticles and free MTX. The structure could act as a glucose transporter-targeting agent and showed increased uptake in cancer cells. An in vivo breast cancer model was established in BALB/C mice, and the distribution of MTX-conjugated MNP@MSN particles was visualized using MRI. The MTX-conjugated particles showed significant anti-tumor potential together with MRI contrast enhancement.

mAb-Functionalized Biomimetic MamC-Mediated-Magnetoliposomes as Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

In cancer therapy, new therapeutic nanoformulations able to mediate targeted chemotherapy are required. Recently, biomimetic magnetic nanoparticles (BMNPs) mediated by MamC, a magnetosome protein from Magnetococcus marinus MC-1, have proven, in vitro and in vivo, to be effective drug nanocarriers (following the application of an external gradient magnetic field) and to allow combination with hyperthermia. However, these nanoassemblies require further optimization to improve cytocompatibility, stability and active targeting ability. Herein, we describe the production of the magnetoliposomes (LP) embedding BMNPs functionalized (or not) with doxorubicin (DOXO), [LP(+/-DOXO-BMNPs)], and their surface modification with the DO-24 mAb, which targets the human Met/HGF receptor's ectodomain (overexpressed in many cancers). Nanoformulations were extensively characterized using TEM, DLS, FTIR and when tested in vitro, the lipid coating increased the colloidal stability and their biocompatibility, favoring the cellular uptake in cells overexpressing the cognate receptor. Indeed, the magnetoliposomes mAb-LP(+/-DOXO-BMNPs) exerted a specific active targeting ability by the presence of the mAb that preserved its immunocompetence. Both LP(BMNPs) and mAb-LP(BMNPs) were not toxic to cells, while +/-mAb-LP(DOXO-BMNPs) nanoformulations were indeed cytotoxic. Therefore, this study represents a proof of concept for the development of promising drug carriers for cancer therapy based on local chemotherapy directed by mAbs.

The Current Landscape of Glioblastoma Biomarkers in Body Fluids

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive and lethal primary brain cancer that necessitates early detection and accurate diagnosis for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as imaging techniques and tissue biopsies, have limitations in providing real-time information and distinguishing treatment-related changes from tumor progression. Liquid biopsies, used to analyze biomarkers in body fluids, offer a non-invasive and dynamic approach to detecting and monitoring GBM. This article provides an overview of GBM biomarkers in body fluids, including circulating tumor cells (CTCs), cell-free DNA (cfDNA), cell-free RNA (cfRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and extracellular vesicles. It explores the clinical utility of these biomarkers for GBM detection, monitoring, and prognosis. Challenges and limitations in implementing liquid biopsy strategies in clinical practice are also discussed. The article highlights the potential of liquid biopsies as valuable tools for personalized GBM management but underscores the need for standardized protocols and further research to optimize their clinical utility.