Gold Nanoparticles for Vectorization of Nucleic Acids for Cancer Therapeutics

Gold Nanoparticle Delivery of Glut1 SiRNA Facilitates Glucose Starvation Therapy in Lung Cancer

Glucose transporter protein-1 (Glut1), is highly expressed in many cancer types and plays a crucial role in cancer progression through enhanced glucose transport. Its overexpression is associated with aggressive tumor behavior and poor prognosis. Herein, the nucleic acids modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was synthesized to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Glut1 by microRNA 21 (miR-21) triggers toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction for lung cancer starvation therapy. Overexpression of miR-21 triggers toehold-mediated strand displacement, releasing the siRNA to knockdown of Glut1 in cancer cell instead of normal cell. Furthermore, the glucose oxidase-like activity of the AuNPs accelerates intracellular glucose consumption, promoting cancer cell starvation. The engineered AuNPs@anti-miR-21/siGlut1 complex inhibits cancer cell proliferation, xenograft tumor growth and promotes apoptosis through glucose starvation and ROS cascade signaling, underscoring its potential as an effective therapeutic strategy for lung cancer.

Nanocarrier-based gene delivery for immune cell engineering

Clinical advances in genetically modified immune cell therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, have raised hope for cancer treatment. The majority of these biotechnologies are based on viral methods for ex vivo genetic modification of the immune cells, while the non-viral methods are still in the developmental phase. Nanocarriers have been emerging as materials of choice for gene delivery to immune cells. This is due to their versatile physicochemical properties such as large surface area and size that can be optimized to overcome several practical barriers to successful gene delivery. The in vivo nanocarrier-based gene delivery can revolutionize cell-based cancer immunotherapies by replacing the current expensive autologous cell manufacturing with an off-the-shelf biomaterial-based platform. The aim of this research is to review current advances and strategies to overcome the challenges in nanoparticle-based gene delivery and their impact on the efficiency, safety, and specificity of the process. The main focus is on polymeric and lipid-based nanocarriers, and their recent preclinical applications for cancer immunotherapy.

Radiofrequency driving antitumor effect of graphene oxide-based nanocomposites: a Hill model analysis

Aim: This report proposes using the Hill model to assess the benchmark dose, the 50% lethal dose, the cooperativity and the dissociation constant while analyzing cell viability data using nanomaterials to evaluate the antitumor potential while combined with radiofrequency therapy. Materials & methods: A nanocomposite was synthesized (graphene oxide-polyethyleneimine-gold) and the viability was evaluated using two tumor cell lines, namely LLC-WRC-256 and B16-F10. Results: Our findings demonstrated that while the nanocomposite is biocompatible against the LLC-WRC-256 and B16-F10 cancer cell lines in the absence of radiofrequency, the application of radiofrequency enhances the cell toxicity by orders of magnitude. Conclusion: This result points to prospective studies with the tested cell lines using tumor animal models.

A fuel-initiated DNA molecular machine for microRNA detection in serum via poly-adenine-mediated spherical nucleic acids

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as promising disease diagnostic biomarkers. However, it is challenging to sensitively detect miRNAs, especially in complex biological environments, due to their low abundance and small size. Herein, we have developed a DNA-fueled molecular machine for sensitive detection of miRNA-22 (miR-22) in undiluted serum by combining poly-adenine-mediated spherical nucleic acids (polyA-SNAs) with a toehold mediated strand displacement reaction (TMSDR). The polyA-SNAs are constructed by the assembly of diblock DNA probes on a AuNP surface through the high binding affinity of polyA to AuNPs. The surface density of the diblock DNA probe can be controlled by tuning the length of the polyA block, and the orientation of the diblock DNA probe can adopt an upright conformation, which is beneficial to target hybridization and TMSDRs. TMSDR is an enzyme-free target recycling amplification approach. Taking advantage of polyA-mediated SNAs and TMSDR, the operation of the molecular machine based on two successive TMSDRs on polyA20-SNAs is rapid and efficient, which can significantly amplify the fluorescence response for detection of miR-22 in an undiluted complex matrix. The developed sensor can detect as low as 10 pM of target miRNA/DNA in undiluted fetal bovine serum within 30 min. The synergetic effect of polyA-mediated SNAs and TMSDR presents a potential alternative tool for the detection of biomarkers in real biological samples.

Half-sandwich Ru(II) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in anticancer drug design

The ruthenium arene fragment is a rich source for the design of anticancer drugs; in this design, the co-ligand is a critical factor for obtaining effective anticancer complexes. In comparison with other types of ligands, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have been less explored, despite the versatility in structural modifications and the marked stabilization of metal ions, being these characteristics important for the design of metal drugs. However, notable advances have been made in the development of NHC Ruthenium arene as anticancer agents. These advances include high antitumor activities, proven both in in vitro and in in vivo models and, in some cases, with marked selectivity against tumorigenic cells. The versatility of the structure has played a fundamental role, since they have allowed a selective interaction with their molecular targets through, for example, bio-conjugation with known anticancer molecules. For this reason, the structure-activity relationship of the imidazole, benzimidazole, and abnormal NHC ruthenium (II) η6-arene complexes have been studied. Taking into account this study, several synthetic aspects are provided to contribute to the next generations of this kind of complexes. Moreover, in recent years nanotechnology has provided innovative nanomedicines, where half-sandwich Ruthenium(II) complexes are paving their way. In this review, the recent developments in nanomaterials functionalized with Ruthenium complexes for targeted drug delivery to tumors will also be highlighted.

Therapeutic Potential of Nanomedicine in Management of Alzheimer's Disease and Glioma

Neoplasm (Glioblastoma) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) comprise two of the most chronic psychological ailments. Glioblastoma is one of the aggressive and prevalent malignant diseases characterized by rapid growth and invasion resulting from cell migration and degradation of extracellular matrix. While the latter is characterized by extracellular plaques of amyloid and intracellular tangles of tau proteins. Both possess a high degree of resistance to treatment owing to the restricted transport of corresponding drugs to the brain protected by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Development of optimized therapies using advanced technologies is a great need of today. One such approach is the designing of nanoparticles (NPs) to facilitate the drug delivery at the target site. The present article elaborates the advances in nanomedicines in treatment of both AD as well as Gliomas. The intention of this review is to provide an overview of different types of NPs with their physical properties emphasizing their importance in traversing the BBB and hitting the target site. Further, we discuss the therapeutic applications of these NPs along with their specific targets. Multiple overlapping factors with a common pathway in development of AD and Glioblastoma are discussed in details that will assist the readers in developing the conceptual approach to target the NP for an aging population in the given circumstances with limitations of currently designed NPs, and the challenges to meet and the future perspectives.

Programming the dynamic range of nanobiosensors with engineering poly-adenine-mediated spherical nucleic acid

Spherical nucleic acid (SNA) conjugates consisting of gold cores functionalized with a densely packed DNA shells are of great significance in the field of medical detection and intracellular imaging. Especially, poly adenine (polyA)-mediated SNAs can improve the controllability and reproducibility of DNA assembly on the nanointerface, showing the tunable hybridization ability. However, due to the physics of single-site binding, the biosensor based on SNA usually exhibits a dynamic range spanning a fixed 81-fold change in target concentration, which limits its application in disease monitoring. To address this problem, we report a tri-block DNA-based approach to assemble SNA for nucleic acid detection based on structure-switching mechanism with programmable dynamic range. The tri-block DNA is a FAM-labeled stem-loop structure, which contains three blocks: polyA block as an anchoring block for tunable surface density, stem block with different GC base pair content for varying the structure stability, and the fixed loop block for target recognition. We find that varying the polyA block, the reaction temperature, and the GC base pair, SNA shows different target binding affinity and detection limit but with normally 81-fold dynamic range. We can extend the dynamic range to 1000-fold by using the combination of two SNAs with different affinity, and narrow the dynamic range to 5-fold by sequestration mechanism. Furthermore, the tunable SNA enables sensitive detection of mRNA in cells. Given its tunable dynamic range, such nanobiosensor based on SNA offers new possibility for various biomedical and clinical applications.

The Investigation of the Chemical Composition and Applicability of Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized with Amygdalus communis (Almond) Leaf Aqueous Extract as Antimicrobial and Anticancer Agents

The current work’s main objective was to determine the chemical composition of Amygdalus communis (AC) leaf extract and examine the antibacterial and cytotoxic properties of biosynthesized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The chemical composition of AC leaf extract was determined using LC-ESI/MS/MS to detect compounds that may be responsible for the reducing, stabilizing, and capping steps in the synthesis of nanoparticles and their biological activities. The AC-AuNPs were spherical, with a particle size lower than 100 nm and a face-centered cubic structure. The EDX spectrum confirmed the formation of AuNPs and a negative zeta potential value (−27.7 mV) suggested their physicochemical stability. The in vitro cytotoxic efficacy of the AC-AuNPs against colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), glioma (U118), and ovarian (Skov-3) cancer cell lines and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) was evaluated by MTT assay. CaCo-2 cell proliferation was effectively inhibited by the AC-AuNPs at concentrations between 25 and 100 g mL−1. The AC-AuNPs exerted preeminent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis with an MIC of 0.02 μg/mL, whilst good activity was shown against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Candida albicans yeast with an MIC of 0.12 μg/mL. Ultimately, the results support the high antibacterial and anticancer potential of biosynthesized AuNPs from AC leaf extract.

Engineering gold nanoparticles for molecular diagnostics and biosensing

Advances in nanotechnology and medical science have spurred the development of engineered nanomaterials and nanoparticles with particular focus on their applications in biomedicine. In particular, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been the focus of great interest, due to their exquisite intrinsic properties, such as ease of synthesis and surface functionalization, tunable size and shape, lack of acute toxicity and favorable optical, electronic, and physicochemical features, which possess great value for application in biodetection and diagnostics purposes, including molecular sensing, photoimaging, and application under the form of portable and simple biosensors (e.g., lateral flow immunoassays that have been extensively exploited during the current COVID-19 pandemic). We shall discuss the main properties of AuNPs, their synthesis and conjugation to biorecognition moieties, and the current trends in sensing and detection in biomedicine and diagnostics. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing Diagnostic Tools > In Vitro Nanoparticle-Based Sensing Diagnostic Tools > In Vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging.

The Roles of MiRNAs (MicroRNAs) in Melanoma Immunotherapy

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, characterized by life-threatening and rapidly spreading progression. Traditional targeted therapy can alleviate tumors by inactivating hyperactive kinases such as BRAF or MEK but inevitably encounters drug resistance. The advent of immunotherapy has revolutionized melanoma treatment and significantly improved the prognosis of melanoma patients. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are intricately involved in innate and adaptive immunity and are implicated in melanoma immunotherapy. This systematic review describes the roles of miRNAs in regulating the functions of immune cells in skin and melanoma, as well as the involvement of miRNAs in pharmacology including the effect, resistance and immune-related adverse events of checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors, which are used for treating cutaneous, uveal and mucosal melanoma. The expressions and functions of miRNAs in immunotherapy employing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and Toll-like receptor 9 agonists are also discussed. The prospect of innovative therapeutic strategies such as the combined administration of miRNAs and immune checkpoint inhibitors and the nanotechnology-based delivery of miRNAs are also provided. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between miRNAs and immunotherapy is crucial for the discovery of reliable biomarkers and for the development of novel miRNA-based therapeutics against melanoma.

Nanoparticles targeting hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells: Multimodal carriers for the treatment of hematological diseases

Modern-day hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) therapies, such as gene therapy, modify autologous HSCs prior to re-infusion into myelo-conditioned patients and hold great promise for treatment of hematological disorders. While this approach has been successful in numerous clinical trials, it relies on transplantation of ex vivo modified patient HSCs, which presents several limitations. It is a costly and time-consuming procedure, which includes only few patients so far, and ex vivo culturing negatively impacts on the viability and stem cell-properties of HSCs. If viral vectors are used, this carries the additional risk of insertional mutagenesis. A therapy delivered to HSCs in vivo, with minimal disturbance of the HSC niche, could offer great opportunities for novel treatments that aim to reverse disease symptoms for hematopoietic disorders and could bring safe, effective and affordable genetic therapies to all parts of the world. However, substantial unmet needs exist with respect to the in vivo delivery of therapeutics to HSCs. In the last decade, in particular with the development of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, nanoparticles (NPs) have become an emerging platform to facilitate the manipulation of cells and organs. By employing surface modification strategies, different types of NPs can be designed to target specific tissues and cell types in vivo. HSCs are particularly difficult to target due to the lack of unique cell surface markers that can be utilized for cell-specific delivery of therapeutics, and their shielded localization in the bone marrow (BM). Recent advances in NP technology and genetic engineering have resulted in the development of advanced nanocarriers that can deliver therapeutics and imaging agents to hematopoietic stem- and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the BM niche. In this review we provide a comprehensive overview of NP-based approaches targeting HSPCs to control and monitor HSPC activity in vitro and in vivo, and we discuss the potential of NPs for the treatment of malignant and non-malignant hematological disorders, with a specific focus on the delivery of gene editing tools.

Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized with Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) Ethanolic Extracts Displayed Antiproliferative Effects and induced Caspase 3 Activity in Human HT29 and SW480 Cancer Cells

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are promising nanomaterials exhibiting anti-cancer effects. Green AuNPs synthesis using plant extracts can be used to achieve stable and beneficial nanoparticles due to their content of bioactive compounds. This research aimed to synthesize and evaluate the antiproliferative and caspase-3 activity induction of green AuNPs synthesized with common mullein (V. thapsus) flowers (AuNPsME) and castor bean (R. communis) leaves (AuNPsCE) ethanolic extracts in human HT29 and SW480 colorectal cancer cells. Their effect was compared with chemically synthesized AuNPs (AuNPsCS). The extracts mainly contained p-coumaric acid (71.88–79.93 µg/g), ferulic acid (19.07–310.71 µg/g), and rutin (8.14–13.31 µg/g). The obtained nanoparticles presented typical FT-IR bands confirming the inclusion of polyphenols from V. thapsus and R. communis and spherical/quasi-spherical morphologies with diameters in the 20.06–37.14 nm range. The nanoparticles (20–200 µg/mL) showed antiproliferative effects in both cell lines, with AuNPsCE being the most potent (IC50 HT29: 110.10 and IC50SW480: 64.57 µg/mL). The AuNPsCS showed the lowest intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in SW480 cells. All treatments induced caspase 3/7 activity to a similar or greater extent than 30 mM H2O2-treated cells. Results indicated the suitability of V. thapsus and R. communis extracts to synthesize AuNPs, displaying a stronger antiproliferative effect than AuNPsCS.

Nanotechnology Advances in the Detection and Treatment of Cancer: An Overview

Over the last few years, progress has been made across the nanomedicine landscape, in particular, the invention of contemporary nanostructures for cancer diagnosis and overcoming complexities in the clinical treatment of cancerous tissues. Thanks to their small diameter and large surface-to-volume proportions, nanomaterials have special physicochemical properties that empower them to bind, absorb and transport high-efficiency substances, such as small molecular drugs, DNA, proteins, RNAs, and probes. They also have excellent durability, high carrier potential, the ability to integrate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds, and compatibility with various transport routes, making them especially appealing over a wide range of oncology fields. This is also due to their configurable scale, structure, and surface properties. This review paper discusses how nanostructures can function as therapeutic vectors to enhance the therapeutic value of molecules; how nanomaterials can be used as medicinal products in gene therapy, photodynamics, and thermal treatment; and finally, the application of nanomaterials in the form of molecular imaging agents to diagnose and map tumor growth.

Next-generation engineered nanogold for multimodal cancer therapy and imaging: a clinical perspectives

Cancer is one of the significant threats to human life. Although various latest technologies are currently available to treat cancer, it still accounts for millions of death each year worldwide. Thus, creating a need for more developed and novel technologies to combat this deadly condition. Nanoparticles-based cancer therapeutics have offered a promising approach to treat cancer effectively while minimizing adverse events. Among various nanoparticles, nanogold (AuNPs) are biocompatible and have proved their efficiency in treating cancer because they can reach tumors via enhanced permeability and retention effect. The size and shape of the AuNPs are responsible for their diverse therapeutic behavior. Thus, to modulate their therapeutic values, the AuNPs can be synthesized in various shapes, such as spheres, cages, flowers, shells, prisms, rods, clusters, etc. Also, attaching AuNPs with single or multiple targeting agents can facilitate the active targeting of AuNPs to the tumor tissue. The AuNPs have been much explored for photothermal therapy (PTT) to treat cancer. In addition to PTT, AuNPs-based nanoplatforms have been investigated for combinational multimodal therapies in the last few years, including photodynamic therapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, etc., to ablate cancer cells. Thus, the present review focuses on the recent advancements in the functionalization of AuNPs-based nanoconstructs for cancer imaging and therapy using combinatorial multimodal approaches to treat various cancers.

Engineering Gold Nanostructures for Cancer Treatment: Spherical Nanoparticles, Nanorods, and Atomically Precise Nanoclusters

Cancer is a major global health issue and is a leading cause of mortality. It has been documented that various conventional treatments can be enhanced by incorporation with nanomaterials. Thanks to their rich optical properties, excellent biocompatibility, and tunable chemical reactivities, gold nanostructures have been gaining more and more research attention for cancer treatment in recent decades. In this review, we first summarize the recent progress in employing three typical gold nanostructures, namely spherical Au nanoparticles, Au nanorods, and atomically precise Au nanoclusters, for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Following that, the challenges and the future perspectives of this field are discussed. Finally, a brief conclusion is summarized at the end.

Recent Advances in the Development of Exogenous dsRNA for the Induction of RNA Interference in Cancer Therapy

Selective regulation of gene expression by means of RNA interference has revolutionized molecular biology. This approach is not only used in fundamental studies on the roles of particular genes in the functioning of various organisms, but also possesses practical applications. A variety of methods are being developed based on gene silencing using dsRNA-for protecting agricultural plants from various pathogens, controlling insect reproduction, and therapeutic techniques related to the oncological disease treatment. One of the main problems in this research area is the successful delivery of exogenous dsRNA into cells, as this can be greatly affected by the localization or origin of tumor. This overview is dedicated to describing the latest advances in the development of various transport agents for the delivery of dsRNA fragments for gene silencing, with an emphasis on cancer treatment.