Endogenously-Activated Ultrasmall-in-Nano Therapeutics: Assessment on 3D Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

A bioconvergence study on platinum-free concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of HPV-negative head and neck carcinoma

Locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) is characterized by high rate of recurrence, resulting in a poor survival. Standard treatments are associated with significant toxicities that impact the patient's quality of life, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapies to improve patient outcomes. On this regard, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as promising agents as both drug carriers and radiosensitizers. On the other hand, co-treatments based on NPs are still at the preclinical stage because of the associated metal-persistence.In this bioconvergence study, we introduce a novel strategy to exploit tumour chorioallantoic membrane models (CAMs) in radio-investigations within clinical equipment and evaluate the performance of non-persistent nanoarchitectures (NAs) in combination with radiotherapy with respect to the standard concurrent chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of HPV-negative HNSCCs. A comparable effect has been observed between the tested approaches, suggesting NAs as a potential platinum-free agent in concurrent chemoradiotherapy for HNSCCs. On a broader basis, our bioconvergence approach provides an advance for the translation of Pt-free radiosensitizer to the clinical practice, positively shifting the therapeutic vs. side effects equilibrium for the management of HNSCCs.

Neoadjuvant Hyperthermia Combined with Hybrid Nanoarchitectures Enhances Chemoradiotherapy Efficacy in Head and Neck Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are characterized by a high incidence of recurrence, especially in patients with locally advanced disease. Standard treatment strategies can be associated with severe side effects to healthy tissues that can negatively impact the patient's quality of life. Hyperthermia (HT) is a noninvasive treatment modality that has improved the effectiveness of chemotherapy (CT) and/or radiotherapy (RT) for the management of some solid neoplasms. In this context, the association of this approach with rationally designed nanomaterials may further enhance the treatment outcome. In this study, we demonstrate the enhanced effect of neoadjuvant HT in combination with hybrid nanoarchitectures enclosing a cisplatin prodrug (NAs-CisPt) and RT. All the treatments and their combinations have been fully evaluated by employing standardized chorioallantoic membrane tumor models of HPV-negative head and neck carcinoma. An improved tumor-shrinking effect was observed by the administration of the trimodal treatment (HT/NAs-CisPt/RT), which also highlighted a significant increase in apoptosis. Our findings demonstrate that the combination of HT with nanotechnology-based CT and RT in a certain order enhances the in vivo treatment outcome. On a broader basis, this study paves the way for the next exploration of noninvasive treatment approaches for the clinical management of oral cancer based on innovative strategies.

Tumor growth-arrest effect of tetrahydroquinazoline-derivative human topoisomerase II-alpha inhibitor in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Oral malignancies continue to have severe morbidity with less than 50% long-term survival despite the advancement in the available therapies. There is a persisting demand for new approaches to establish more efficient strategies for their treatment. In this regard, the human topoisomerase II (topoII) enzyme is a validated chemotherapeutics target, as topoII regulates vital cellular processes such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome segregation in cells. TopoII inhibitors are currently used to treat some neoplasms such as breast and small cells lung carcinomas. Additionally, topoII inhibitors are under investigation for the treatment of other cancer types, including oral cancer. Here, we report the therapeutic effect of a tetrahydroquinazoline derivative (named ARN21934) that preferentially inhibits the alpha isoform of human topoII. The treatment efficacy of ARN21934 has been evaluated in 2D cell cultures, 3D in vitro systems, and in chick chorioallantoic membrane cancer models. Overall, this work paves the way for further preclinical developments of ARN21934 and possibly other topoII alpha inhibitors of this promising chemical class as a new chemotherapeutic approach for the treatment of oral neoplasms.

Evolving approaches in glioma treatment: harnessing the potential of copper metabolism modulation

The key properties and high versatility of metal nanoparticles have shed new perspectives on cancer therapy, with copper nanoparticles gaining great interest because of the ability to couple the intrinsic properties of metal nanoparticles with the biological activities of copper ions in cancer cells. Copper, indeed, is a cofactor involved in different metabolic pathways of many physiological and pathological processes. Literature data report on the use of copper in preclinical protocols for cancer treatment based on chemo-, photothermal-, or copper chelating-therapies. Copper nanoparticles exhibit anticancer activity via multiple routes, mainly involving the targeting of mitochondria, the modulation of oxidative stress, the induction of apoptosis and autophagy, and the modulation of immune response. Moreover, compared to other metal nanoparticles (e.g. gold, silver, palladium, and platinum), copper nanoparticles are rapidly cleared from organs with low systemic toxicity and benefit from the copper's low cost and wide availability. Within this review, we aim to explore the impact of copper in cancer research, focusing on glioma, the most common primary brain tumour. Glioma accounts for about 80% of all malignant brain tumours and shows a poor prognosis with the five-year survival rate being less than 5%. After introducing the glioma pathogenesis and the limitation of current therapeutic strategies, we will discuss the potential impact of copper therapy and present the key results of the most relevant literature to establish a reliable foundation for future development of copper-based approaches.

Copper nano-architecture topical cream for the accelerated recovery of burnt skin

Skin burns are debilitating injuries with significant morbidity and mortality associated with infections and sepsis, particularly in immunocompromised patients. In this context, nanotechnology can provide pioneering approaches for the topical treatment of burnt skin. Herein, the significant recovery of radiation-damaged skin by exploiting copper ultrasmall-in-nano architectures (CuNAs) dispersed in a home-made cosmetic cream is described and compared to other noble metals (such as gold). Owing to their peculiar design and components, CuNAs elicit a substantial recovery from burned skin in in vivo models after one topical application, and a significant anti-inflammatory effect is highlighted by reducing cytokine expression. The treatment exhibited neither significant toxicity nor the alteration of copper metabolism in the target organs because of the CuNA biocompatibility. This study may open new horizons in the treatment of radiation dermatitis and skin burns caused by other external events.

Gold nanoparticles as antiangiogenic and antimetastatic agents

Angiogenesis and metastasis are two interdependent cancer hallmarks, the latter of which is the key cause of treatment failure. Thus, establishing effective antiangiogenesis/antimetastasis agents is the final frontier in cancer research. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) may provide disruptive advancements in this regard due to their intrinsic physical and physiological features. Here, we comprehensively discuss recent potential therapeutical strategies to treat angiogenesis and metastasis and present a critical review on the state-of-the-art in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the antiangiogenic/antimetastatic activity of GNPs. Finally, we provide perspectives on the contribution of GNPs to the advancement of cancer management.

Hybrid nano-architectures loaded with metal complexes for the co-chemotherapy of head and neck carcinomas

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are a complex group of malignancies that affect different body sites pertaining to the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. Current chemotherapy relies on platinum complexes, the major exponent being cisplatin, which exert severe side effects that can negatively affect prognosis. For this reason, other metal complexes with less severe side effects are being investigated as alternatives or adjuvants to platinum complexes. In this context, exploiting (supra)additive effects by the concurrent administration of cisplatin and emerging metal complexes is a promising research strategy that may lead to effective cancer management with reduced adverse reactions. Here, the combined action of cisplatin and a ruthenium(II) η⁶-arene compound (RuCy), both as free molecules and loaded into hybrid nano-architectures (NAs), has been assessed on HPV-negative HNSCC models of increasing complexity: 2D cell cultures, 3D multicellular tumor spheroids, and chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs). Two new NAs have been established to explore all the delivery combinations and compare their ability to enhance the efficacy of cisplatin in the treatment of HNSCCs. A significant supra-additive effect has been observed in both 2D and 3D models by one combination of treatments, suggesting that cisplatin is particularly effective when loaded on NAs, whereas RuCy performs better when administered as a free compound. Overall, this work paves the way for the establishment of the next co-chemotherapeutic approaches for the management of HNSCCs.

Ultrasmall-in-Nano: Why Size Matters

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are continuing to gain popularity in the field of nanotechnology. New methods are continuously being developed to tune the particles’ physicochemical properties, resulting in control over their biological fate and applicability to in vivo diagnostics and therapy. This review focuses on the effects of varying particle size on optical properties, opsonization, cellular internalization, renal clearance, biodistribution, tumor accumulation, and toxicity. We review the common methods of synthesizing ultrasmall AuNPs, as well as the emerging constructs termed ultrasmall-in-nano—an approach which promises to provide the desirable properties from both ends of the AuNP size range. We review the various applications and outcomes of ultrasmall-in-nano constructs in vitro and in vivo.

The Fate of Intranasally Instilled Silver Nanoarchitectures

The intranasal administration of drugs allows an effective and noninvasive therapeutic action on the respiratory tract. In an era of rapidly increasing antimicrobial resistance, new approaches to the treatment of communicable diseases, especially lung infections, are urgently needed. Metal nanoparticles are recognized as a potential last-line defense, but limited data on the biosafety and nano/biointeractions preclude their use. Here, we quantitatively and qualitatively assess the fate and the potential risks associated with the exposure to a silver nanomaterial model (i.e., silver ultrasmall-in-nano architectures, AgNAs) after a single dose instillation. Our results highlight that the biodistribution profile and the nano/biointeractions are critically influenced by both the design of the nanomaterial and the chemical nature of the metal. Overall, our data suggest that the instillation of rationally engineered nanomaterials might be exploited to develop future treatments for (non)communicable diseases of the respiratory tract.

Biodegradable Ultrasmall-in-Nano Architectures Loaded with Cisplatin Prodrug in Combination with Ionizing Radiation Induces DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Considering the dismal survival rate, novel therapeutic strategies are warranted to improve the outcome of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Combining nanotechnology for delivery of chemotherapeutics-preferably radiosensitizing agents-is a promising approach to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of chemoradiation. We assessed the effect of biodegradable ultrasmall-in-nano architectures (NAs) containing gold ultra-small nanoparticles (USNPs) enclosed in silica shells loaded with cisplatin prodrug (NAs-cisPt) combined with ionizing radiation (IR). The cytotoxic effects and DNA damage induction were evaluated in PDAC cell lines (MIA PaCa2, SUIT2-028) and primary culture (PDAC3) in vitro and in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in ovo model. Unlike NAs, NAs-cisPt affected the cell viability in MIA PaCa2 and SUIT2-028 cells. Furthermore, NAs-cisPt showed increased γH2AX expression up to 24 h post-IR and reduced β-globin amplifications resulting in apoptosis induction at DNA and protein levels. Similarly, combined treatment of NAs-cisPt + IR in PDAC3 and SUIT2-028 CAM models showed enhanced DNA damage and apoptosis leading to tumor growth delay. Our results demonstrate an increased cytotoxic effect of NAs-cisPt, particularly through its release of the cisplatin prodrug. As cisplatin is a well-known radiosensitizer, administration of cisplatin prodrug in a controlled fashion through encapsulation is a promising new treatment approach which merits further investigation in combination with other radiosensitizing agents.

Chorioallantoic membrane tumor models highlight the effects of cisplatin compounds in oral carcinoma treatment

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) suggests the use of chemotherapy as neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and concomitant to surgery and radiotherapy for the treatment of oral carcinoma by depending on the cancer stage. The usual drug of choice belongs to the platinum compounds. In this context, the evaluation of the cancer behavior associated with the administration of standard or emerging cisplatin compounds supports the establishment of optimal cancer management. Here, we have assessed and compared the performance of cisplatin alone and contained in biodegradable nanocapsules on standardized chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) tumor models. The vascularized environment and optimized grafting procedure allowed the establishment of solid tumors. The treatments showed antitumor and anti-angiogenic activities together with deregulation of pivotal genes responsible of treatment resistance and tumor aggressiveness. This study further supports the significance of CAM tumor models in oncological research for the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms involved in tumor treatment response.

Experimental Evaluation of Radiation Response and Thermal Properties of NPs-Loaded Tissues-Mimicking Phantoms

Many efforts have recently concentrated on constructing and developing nanoparticles (NPs) as promising thermal agent for optical hyperthermia and photothermal therapy. However, thermal energy transfer in biological tissue is a complex process involving different mechanisms such as conduction, convection, radiation. Therefore, having information about thermal properties of tissue especially when NPs are embedded in is a necessity for predicting the heat transfer during hyperthermia. In this work, the thermal properties of solid phantom based on agar in the presence of three different nanoparticles (BPSi, tNAs, GNRs) and alone were measured and reported as a function of temperature (ranging from 22 to 62 °C). The thermal response of these NPs to an 808 nm laser beam with three different powers were studied in the water comparatively. Agar and tNAs have almost constant thermal properties in the considered range. Among the three NPs, gold has the highest conductivity and diffusivity. At 62 °C BPSi NPs have the similar amount of increase for the diffusivity. The thermal parameters reported in this paper can be useful for the mathematical modeling. Irradiation of the NPs-loaded water phantom displayed the highest radiosensitivity of gold among the three mentioned NPs. However, for the higher power of irradiation, BPSi and tNAs NPs showed the increased absorption of heat during shorter time and the increased temperature gradient slope for the initial 15 s after the irradiation started. The three NPs showed different thermal and irradiation response behavior; however, this comparison study notes the worth of having information about thermal parameters of NPs-loaded tissue for pre-clinical planning.

Curcumin and Graphene Oxide Incorporated into Alginate Hydrogels as Versatile Devices for the Local Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma

With the aim of preparing hybrid hydrogels suitable for use as patches for the local treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-affected areas, curcumin (CUR) was loaded onto graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, which were then blended into an alginate hydrogel that was crosslinked by means of calcium ions. The homogeneous incorporation of GO within the polymer network, which was confirmed through morphological investigations, improved the stability of the hybrid system compared to blank hydrogels. The weight loss in the 100–170 °C temperature range was reduced from 30% to 20%, and the degradation of alginate chains shifted to higher temperatures. Moreover, GO enhanced the stability in water media by counteracting the de-crosslinking process of the polymer network. Cell viability assays showed that the loading of CUR (2.5% and 5% by weight) was able to reduce the intrinsic toxicity of GO towards healthy cells, while higher amounts were ineffective due to the antioxidant/prooxidant paradox. Interestingly, the CUR-loaded systems were found to possess a strong cytotoxic effect in SCC cancer cells, and the sustained CUR release (~50% after 96 h) allowed long-term anticancer efficiency to be hypothesized.

Pro-apoptotic and size-reducing effects of protein corona-modulating nano-architectures enclosing platinum prodrug in in vivo oral carcinoma

The selective and localized delivery of active agents to neoplasms is crucial to enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy while reducing the associated side effects. The encapsulation of chemotherapeutics in nanoparticles decorated...

Complementary Effect of Non-Persistent Silver Nano-Architectures and Chlorhexidine on Infected Wound Healing

Surgical site infection (SSI) substantially contributes each year to patients' morbidity and mortality, accounting for about 15% of all nosocomial infections. SSI drastically increases the rehab stint and expenses while jeopardizing health outcomes. Besides prevention, the treatment regime relies on an adequate antibiotic therapy. On the other hand, resistant bacterial strains have currently reached up to 34.3% of the total infections, and this percentage grows annually, reducing the efficacy of the common treatment schemes. Thus, new antibacterial strategies are urgently demanded. Here, we demonstrated in rats the effectiveness of non-persistent silver nano-architectures (AgNAs) in infected wound healing together with their synergistic action in combination with chlorhexidine. Besides the in vivo efficacy evaluation, we performed analysis of the bacteriological profile of purulent wound, histological evaluations, and macrophages polarization quantifications to further validate our findings and elucidate the possible mechanisms of AgNAs action on wound healing. These findings open the way for the composition of robust multifunctional nanoplatforms for the translation of safe and efficient topical treatments of SSI.

A Standard Protocol for the Production and Bioevaluation of Ethical In Vivo Models of HPV-Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Preclinical cancer research increasingly demands sophisticated models for the development and translation of efficient and safe cancer treatments to clinical practice. In this regard, tumor-grafted chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models are biological platforms that account for the dynamic roles of the tumor microenvironment and cancer physiopathology, allowing straightforward investigations in agreement to the 3Rs concept (the concept of reduction, refinement, and replacement of animal models). CAM models are the next advanced model for tumor biological explorations as well as for reliable assessment regarding initial efficacy, toxicity, and systemic biokinetics of conventional and emerging neoplasm treatment modalities. Here we report a standardized and optimized protocol for the production and biocharacterization of human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative head and neck chick chorioallantoic membrane models from a commercial cell line (SCC-25). Oral malignancies continue to have severe morbidity with less than 50% long-term survival despite the advancement in the available therapies. Thus, there is a persisting demand for new management approaches to establish more efficient strategies toward their treatment. Remarkably, the inclusion of CAM models in the preclinical research workflow is crucial to ethically foster both the basic and translational oncological research on oral malignancies as well as for the advancement of efficient cancer treatment approaches.

Antimicrobial Nano-Agents: The Copper Age

The constant advent of major health threats such as antibacterial resistance or highly communicable viruses, together with a declining antimicrobial discovery, urgently requires the exploration of innovative therapeutic approaches. Nowadays, strategies based on metal nanoparticle technology have demonstrated interesting outcomes due to their intrinsic features. In this scenario, there is an emerging and growing interest in copper-based nanoparticles (CuNPs). Indeed, in their pure metallic form, as oxides, or in combination with sulfur, CuNPs have peculiar behaviors that result in effective antimicrobial activity associated with the stimulation of essential body functions. Here, we present a critical review on the state of the art regarding the in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the antimicrobial activity of CuNPs together with absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) assessments. Considering the potentiality of CuNPs in antimicrobial treatments, within this Review we encounter the need to summarize the behaviors of CuNPs and provide the expected perspectives on their contributions to infectious and communicable disease management.

Doxorubicin-Loaded Gold Nanoarchitectures as a Therapeutic Strategy against Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas (DIPGs) are highly aggressive paediatric brain tumours. Currently, irradiation is the only standard treatment, but is palliative in nature and most patients die within 12 months of diagnosis. Novel therapeutic approaches are urgently needed for the treatment of this devastating disease. We have developed non-persistent gold nano-architectures (NAs) functionalised with human serum albumin (HSA) for the delivery of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin has been previously reported to be cytotoxic in DIPG cells. In this study, we have preclinically evaluated the cytotoxic efficacy of doxorubicin delivered through gold nanoarchitectures (NAs-HSA-Dox). We found that DIPG neurospheres were equally sensitive to doxorubicin and doxorubicin-loaded NAs. Colony formation assays demonstrated greater potency of NAs-HSA-Dox on colony formation compared to doxorubicin. Western blot analysis indicated increased apoptotic markers cleaved Parp, cleaved caspase 3 and phosphorylated H2AX in NAs-HSA-Dox treated DIPG neurospheres. Live cell content and confocal imaging demonstrated significantly higher uptake of NAs-HSA-Dox into DIPG neurospheres compared to doxorubicin alone. Despite the potency of the NAs in vitro, treatment of an orthotopic model of DIPG showed no antitumour effect. This disparate outcome may be due to the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and highlights the need to develop therapies to enhance penetration of drugs into DIPG.

Ruthenium arene complexes in the treatment of 3D models of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Current chemotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are based on cisplatin, which is usually associated to severe side effects. In general, the exploration for metal-based alternatives to cisplatin has resulted in the development of a series of ruthenium complexes that are able to produce a safe therapeutic action against some neoplasms, among which are lung and ovarian cancers. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of well defined, easily available and robust ruthenium(II) η⁶-arene compounds on 3D models of HNSCCs with or without human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and compare their effects to the state-of-the-art RAPTA-C, a promising ruthenium compound with known anti-cancer activity. One of the compounds induces a significant therapeutic action especially on HPV negative carcinoma. Besides viability and repopulation evaluations, we performed quantitative analysis of the internalized Ru compounds to further validate our findings and elucidate the possible mechanisms of action. These results show that Ru arene compounds represent a promising alternative for the treatment of HNSCCs and pave the way for the composition of innovative (co)therapies.

Biokinetics and clearance of inhaled gold ultrasmall-in-nano architectures

Among an organism's entry portals, the respiratory tract is one of the most promising routes for non-invasive administration of therapeutics for local and systemic delivery. On the other hand, it is the subtlest to protect from environmental pollution and microbial occurrences. Here, the biokinetics, distribution, and clearance trends of gold ultrasmall-in-nano architectures administered through a single intranasal application have been quantitatively evaluated. Apart from reaching the lung parenchyma, the (bio)degradable nano-architectures are able to translocate as well to secondary organs and be almost completely excreted within 10 days. These findings further support the clinical relevance of plasmonic nanomaterials for oncology and infectious disease treatment and management. Notably, this investigation also provides crucial information regarding the associated risks as a consequence of the pulmonary delivery of nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles Produced via Laser Ablation of Porous Silicon and Silicon Nanowires for Optical Bioimaging

Modern trends in optical bioimaging require novel nanoproducts combining high image contrast with efficient treatment capabilities. Silicon nanoparticles are a wide class of nanoobjects with tunable optical properties, which has potential as contrasting agents for fluorescence imaging and optical coherence tomography. In this paper we report on developing a novel technique for fabricating silicon nanoparticles by means of picosecond laser ablation of porous silicon films and silicon nanowire arrays in water and ethanol. Structural and optical properties of these particles were studied using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, Raman scattering, spectrophotometry, fluorescence, and optical coherence tomography measurements. The essential features of the fabricated silicon nanoparticles are sizes smaller than 100 nm and crystalline phase presence. Effective fluorescence and light scattering of the laser-ablated silicon nanoparticles in the visible and near infrared ranges opens new prospects of their employment as contrasting agents in biophotonics, which was confirmed by pilot experiments on optical imaging.

Combined chemo-photothermal treatment of three-dimensional head and neck squamous cell carcinomas by gold nano-architectures

Synergistic combined treatments are currently practiced in clinics for the management of several neoplasms. While surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy remain as the standards of care for monomodal and co-treatments, emerging modalities like hyperthermia (HT) demonstrate promising features as (neo)adjuvant, particularly for recurrent cancers. However, the clinical relevance of HT is still debated due to a number of challenges, such as tumor specific temperature increase, uneven heating of the target, and the lack of agents that concurrently execute HT in combination with radio- and/or chemotherapy. Here, the application of non-persistent ultrasmall-in-nano gold architectures for synergistic chemo-photothermal treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) is presented. The nano-architectures are composed of excretable narrow near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing gold ultrasmall nanoparticles and an endogenously double controlled cisplatin prodrug. The efficiency of the nano-architectures is evaluated on three-dimensional (3D) models of HNSCCs with positive or negative human papillomavirus (HPV) status. The combined treatment causes a more pronounced antitumor action on HPV-positive HNSCCs. Overall, the findings demonstrate the potential clinical relevance of translatable noble metal-based synergistic treatments in tumors management.

A Cost-Effective Approach for Non-Persistent Gold Nano-Architectures Production

The effective exploitation of the intriguing theranostic features of noble metal nanoparticles for therapeutic applications is far from being a routine practice due to the persistence issue. In this regard, passion fruit-like nano-architectures (NAs), biodegradable and excretable all-in-one, nature-inspired platforms which jointly combine these characteristics with the appealing optical behaviors of noble metal nanoparticles, can offer a new alternative for theranostic applications. Besides the need for efficacious and innovative systems, the reliable and cost-effective production of nanomaterials is a pivotal subject for their translation to the clinical setting. Here, we demonstrate the production of a new cheaper class of degradable, ultrasmall-in-nano-architectures (dragon fruit NAs, dNAs) using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a cationic polymer without affecting either their compositions or their physiological behaviors, compared to the previous NAs. In particular, the standardized protocol characterized in this work ensures the preparation of high gold-loading capacity nanoparticles, a peculiar characteristic that, synergically with the interesting properties of PEI, may unlock new possible applications previously precluded to the first version of NAs while reducing the hand-made production cost by three orders of magnitude.