The Antineoplastic Effect of Carboplatin Is Potentiated by Combination with Pitavastatin or Metformin in a Chemoresistant High-Grade Serous Carcinoma Cell Line

Pitavastatin induces caspase-mediated apoptotic death through oxidative stress and DNA damage in combined with cisplatin in human cervical cancer cell line

Pitavastatin (PITA) is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor to treat hypercholesterolemia and in recent studies is focused that its potential anti-cancer effect. This study was aimed to elucidate the effect of PITA alone and in combination with cisplatin on cervical cancer cells (HeLa) in vitro. Cytotoxicity of PITA (5-200 μM) was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red uptake (NRU) assays for 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were performed in flow cytometry (0.1-100 μM). The evaluation of genotoxic effects and oxidative DNA damage of PITA (2-200 μM) were performed with standard comet assay, formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (fpg)-modified comet assay, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) activation in HeLa cells. PITA alone reduced cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (20-200, 20-200, and 5-200 μM for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, in MTT). The combined treatment of PITA with cisplatin resulted in significantly greater inhibition of cell viability. ROS and DNA damage increased significantly at 100 μM for 4 h and 20 μM for 24 h, respectively. PITA-induced apoptosis, an increased proportion of sub G1 cells, was monitored, and also, it increased the expression of active caspase-9 and caspase-3 and upregulated cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) by western blotting and caspase 3/8/9 multiple assay kit. We conclude that PITA can be used to efficiently cervical cancer studies, and promising findings have been obtained for further studies.

Current paradigms in employing self-assembled structures: Drug delivery implications with improved therapeutic potential

Recent efforts have focused on developing improved drug delivery systems with enhanced therapeutic efficacy and minimal side effects. Micelles, self-assembled from amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solutions, have gained considerable attention for drug delivery. However, there is a need to further enhance their efficiency. These micelles offer benefits like biodegradability, biocompatibility, sustained drug release, and improved patient compliance. Yet, researchers must address stability issues and reduce toxicity. Nanoscale self-assembled structures have shown promise as efficient drug carriers, offering an alternative to conventional methods. Fine-tuning at the monomeric and molecular levels, along with structural modifications, is crucial for optimal drug release profiles. Various strategies, such as entrapping hydrophobic drugs and using polyethylene oxide diblock copolymer micelles to resist protein adsorption and cellular adhesion, protect the hydrophobic core from degradation. The polyethylene oxide corona also provides stealth properties, prolonging blood circulation for extended drug administration. Amphiphilic copolymers are attractive for drug delivery due to their adjustable properties, allowing control over micelle size and morphology. Emerging tools promise complex and multifunctional platforms. This article summarizes about the challenges as far as the use of micelles is concerned, including optimizing performance, rigorous pre-clinical and clinical research, and suggests further improvement for drug delivery efficacy.

Combining Copper and Zinc into a Biosensor for Anti-Chemoresistance and Achieving Osteosarcoma Therapeutic Efficacy

Due to its built-up chemoresistance after prolonged usage, the demand for replacing platinum in metal-based drugs (MBD) is rising. The first MBD approved by the FDA for cancer therapy was cisplatin in 1978. Even after nearly four and a half decades of trials, there has been no significant improvement in osteosarcoma (OS) therapy. In fact, many MBD have been developed, but the chemoresistance problem raised by platinum remains unresolved. This motivates us to elucidate the possibilities of the copper and zinc (CuZn) combination to replace platinum in MBD. Thus, the anti-chemoresistance properties of CuZn and their physiological functions for OS therapy are highlighted. Herein, we summarise their chelators, main organic solvents, and ligand functions in their structures that are involved in anti-chemoresistance properties. Through this review, it is rational to discuss their ligands' roles as biosensors in drug delivery systems. Hereafter, an in-depth understanding of their redox and photoactive function relationships is provided. The disadvantage is that the other functions of biosensors cannot be elaborated on here. As a result, this review is being developed, which is expected to intensify OS drugs with higher cure rates. Nonetheless, this advancement intends to solve the major chemoresistance obstacle towards clinical efficacy.