In Vitro Evaluation of NLS-DTX Activity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Anti-Leishmania amazonensis Activity of Morolic Acid, a Pentacyclic Triterpene with Effects on Innate Immune Response during Macrophage Infection

Leishmaniasis is a group of infectious diseases transmitted to humans during vector bites and caused by protozoans of the genus Leishmania. Conventional therapies face challenges due to their serious side effects, prompting research into new anti-leishmania agents. In this context, we investigated the effectiveness of morolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpene, on L. amazonensis promastigotes and amastigotes. The present study employed the MTT assay, cytokine analysis using optEIATM kits, an H2DCFDA test, and nitric oxide dosage involving nitrite production and Griess reagent. Morolic acid inhibited promastigote and axenic amastigote growth forms at IC50 values of 1.13 µM and 2.74 µM, respectively. For cytotoxicity to macrophages and VERO cells, morolic acid obtained respective CC50 values of 68.61 µM and 82.94 µM. The compound causes damage to the parasite membrane, leading to cellular leakage. In the infection assay, there was a decrease in parasite load, resulting in a CI50 of 2.56 µM. This effect was associated with immunomodulatory activity, altering macrophage structural and cellular parasite elimination mechanisms. Morolic acid proved to be an effective and selective natural compound, making it a strong candidate for future in vivo studies in cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Overview of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles in Breast Cancer Therapy

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), composed of ionized lipids, helper lipids, and cholesterol, provide general therapeutic effects by facilitating intracellular transport and avoiding endosomal compartments. LNP-based drug delivery has great potential for the development of novel gene therapies and effective vaccines. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are derived from physiologically acceptable lipid components and remain robust at body temperature, thereby providing high structural stability and biocompatibility. By enhancing drug delivery through blood vessels, SLNs have been used to improve the efficacy of cancer treatments. Breast cancer, the most common malignancy in women, has a declining mortality rate but remains incurable. Recently, as an anticancer drug delivery system, SLNs have been widely used in breast cancer, improving the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. In this review, we discuss the latest advances of SLNs for breast cancer treatment and their potential in clinical use.

Potential Biological Properties of Lycopene in a Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System

In recent years, lycopene has been highlighted due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, associated with a beneficial effect on human health. The aim of this study was to advance the studies of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms on human keratinocytes cells (HaCaT) of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) loaded with lycopene purified from red guava (nanoLPG). The characteristics of nanoLPG were a hydrodynamic diameter of 205 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.21 and a zeta potential of -20.57, providing physical stability for the nanosystem. NanoLPG demonstrated antioxidant capacity, as shown using the ORAC methodology, and prevented DNA degradation (DNA agarose). Proinflammatory activity was evaluated by quantifying the cytokines TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8, with only IL-8 showing a significant increase (p < 0.0001). NanoLPG showed greater inhibition of the tyrosinase and elastase enzymes, involved in the skin aging process, compared to purified lycopene (LPG). In vitro treatment for 24 h with 5.0 µg/mL of nanoLPG did not affect the viability of HaCaT cells. The ultrastructure of HaCaT cells demonstrated the maintenance of morphology. This contrasts with endoplasmic reticulum stresses and autophagic vacuoles when treated with LPG after stimulation or not with LPS. Therefore, the use of lycopene in a nanoemulsion may be beneficial in strategies and products associated with skin health.