Combination Therapy with Doxorubicin-Loaded Reduced Albumin Nanoparticles and Focused Ultrasound in Mouse Breast Cancer Xenografts

Novel Ultrasound-Responsive Amyloid Formulation

Amyloid aggregates have attracted significant interest in regard to diverse biomedical applications, particularly in the field of drug delivery. Here, we report novel amyloid aggregates based on a 12-amino-acid peptide from the amyloidogenic region of the receptor-interacting kinase 3 (RIP3) protein and a thermoresponsive triblock copolymer, namely, Pluronic F127 (RIP3/F127). Physicochemical characterization was performed to determine the aggregation size, morphology, and stimuli-responsive properties. The potential of the aggregates as a drug depot was assessed in lung cancer cells, using Doxorubicin (Dox) as a model drug. The results show that RIP3 and RIP3/F127 exhibit amyloidogenic properties. Further, the RIP3/F127 amyloids exhibited significant ultrasound-responsive properties compared to amyloid aggregates without Pluronic F127. Moreover, the RIP3/F127/Dox amyloid formulations that were subjected to ultrasound treatment exhibited greater toxicity to lung cancer cells compared to that of Dox alone at equal concentrations. Overall, the results from this proof-of-concept study show that amyloidogenic peptide aggregates with stimuli-responsive properties can be utilized as efficient drug delivery depots.

Novel Strategies Using Sagacious Targeting for Site-Specific Drug Delivery in Breast Cancer Treatment: Clinical Potential and Applications

For more than a decade, researchers have been working to achieve new strategies and smart targeting drug delivery techniques and technologies to treat breast cancer (BC). Nanotechnology presents a hopeful strategy for targeted drug delivery into the building of new therapeutics using the properties of nanomaterials. Nanoparticles are of high regard in the field of diagnosis and the treatment of cancer. The use of these nanoparticles as an encouraging approach in the treatment of various cancers has drawn the interest of researchers in recent years. In order to achieve the maximum therapeutic effectiveness in the treatment of BC, combination therapy has also been adopted, leading to minimal side effects and thus an enhancement in the quality of life for patients. This review article compares, discusses and criticizes the approaches to treat BC using novel design strategies and smart targeting of site-specific drug delivery systems.

Enhancing Targeted Therapy in Breast Cancer by Ultrasound-Responsive Nanocarriers

Currently, the response to cancer treatments is highly variable, and severe side effects and toxicity are experienced by patients receiving high doses of chemotherapy, such as those diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer. The main goal of researchers and clinicians is to develop new effective treatments that will be able to specifically target and kill tumor cells by employing the minimum doses of drugs exerting a therapeutic effect. Despite the development of new formulations that overall can increase the drugs’ pharmacokinetics, and that are specifically designed to bind overexpressed molecules on cancer cells and achieve active targeting of the tumor, the desired clinical outcome has not been reached yet. In this review, we will discuss the current classification and standard of care for breast cancer, the application of nanomedicine, and ultrasound-responsive biocompatible carriers (micro/nanobubbles, liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, and nanodroplets/nanoemulsions) employed in preclinical studies to target and enhance the delivery of drugs and genes to breast cancer.

Insights on the Dynamic Innovative Tumor Targeted-Nanoparticles-Based Drug Delivery Systems Activation Techniques

Anti-cancer conventional chemotherapeutic drugs novel formula progress, nowadays, uses nano technology for targeted drug delivery, specifically tailored to overcome therapeutic agents' delivery challenges. Polymer drug delivery systems (DDS) play a crucial role in minimizing off-target side effects arising when using standard cytotoxic drugs. Using nano-formula for targeted localized action, permits using larger effective cytotoxic doses on a single special spot, that can seriously cause harm if it was administered systemically. Therefore, various nanoparticles (NPs) specifically have attached groups for targeting capabilities, not seen in bulk materials, which then need activation. In this review, we will present a simple innovative, illustrative, in a cartoon-way, enumeration of NP anti-cancer drug targeting delivery system activation-types. Area(s) covered in this review are the mechanisms of various NP activation techniques.

Ultrasound and nanomaterial: an efficient pair to fight cancer

Ultrasounds are often used in cancer treatment protocols, e.g. to collect tumor tissues in the right location using ultrasound-guided biopsy, to image the region of the tumor using more affordable and easier to use apparatus than MRI and CT, or to ablate tumor tissues using HIFU. The efficacy of these methods can be further improved by combining them with various nano-systems, thus enabling: (i) a better resolution of ultrasound imaging, allowing for example the visualization of angiogenic blood vessels, (ii) the specific tumor targeting of anti-tumor chemotherapeutic drugs or gases attached to or encapsulated in nano-systems and released in a controlled manner in the tumor under ultrasound application, (iii) tumor treatment at tumor site using more moderate heating temperatures than with HIFU. Furthermore, some nano-systems display adjustable sizes, i.e. nanobubbles can grow into micro-bubbles. Such dual size is advantageous since it enables gathering within the same unit the targeting properties of nano bubbles via EPR effect and the enhanced ultrasound contrasting properties of micro bubbles. Interestingly, the way in which nano-systems act against a tumor could in principle also be adjusted by accurately selecting the nano-system among a large choice and by tuning the values of the ultrasound parameters, which can lead, due to their mechanical nature, to specific effects such as cavitation that are usually not observed with purely electromagnetic waves and can potentially help destroying the tumor. This review highlights the clinical potential of these combined treatments that can improve the benefit/risk ratio of current cancer treatments.

Polymer-Based Nanosystems-A Versatile Delivery Approach

Polymer-based nanoparticles of tailored size, morphology, and surface properties have attracted increasing attention as carriers for drugs, biomolecules, and genes. By protecting the payload from degradation and maintaining sustained and controlled release of the drug, polymeric nanoparticles can reduce drug clearance, increase their cargo's stability and solubility, prolong its half-life, and ensure optimal concentration at the target site. The inherent immunomodulatory properties of specific polymer nanoparticles, coupled with their drug encapsulation ability, have raised particular interest in vaccine delivery. This paper aims to review current and emerging drug delivery applications of both branched and linear, natural, and synthetic polymer nanostructures, focusing on their role in vaccine development.

Dual Functions of Riboflavin-functionalized Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Nanoparticles for Enhanced Drug Delivery Efficiency and Photodynamic Therapy in Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells

Combating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the greatest challenges in cancer therapy. This is primarily due to the difficulties in developing drug delivery systems that can effectively target cancer sites. In this study, we demonstrated a proof-of-principle concept using modified surfaces of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles linked with a riboflavin analogue (PLGA-CSRf) to obtain a dual-functional material. PLGA-CSRf nanoparticles were able to function as a drug delivery ligand and a photodynamic therapy agent for TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231). Biocompatibility of novel PLGA-CSRf nanoparticles was evaluated with both breast cancer and normal breast (MCF-10A) cells. In vitro studies revealed a six-fold increase in the cellular uptake of PLGA-CSRf nanoparticles in cancer cells compared with normal cells. The results demonstrate the ability of riboflavin (Rf) to enhance the delivery of PLGA nanoparticles to TNBC cells. The viability of TNBC cells was decreased following treatment with doxorubicin-encapsulated PLGA-CSRf nanoparticles in combination with UV irradiation, due to the photosensitizing property of Rf on the surface of the nanoparticles. This work demonstrated the ability of PLGA-CSRf to function both as an effective drug delivery carrier and as a therapeutic entity, with the potential to enhance photodynamic effects in the highly aggressive TNBC model.

When Albumin Meets Liposomes: A Feasible Drug Carrier for Biomedical Applications

Albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, possesses some inherent beneficial structural and physiological characteristics that make it suitable for use as a drug delivery agent, such as an extraordinary drug-binding capacity and long blood retention, with a high biocompatibility. The use of these characteristics as a nanoparticle drug delivery system (DDS) offers several advantages, including a longer circulation time, lower toxicity, and more significant drug loading. To date, many innovative liposome preparations have been developed in which albumin is involved as a DDS. These novel albumin-containing liposome preparations show superior deliverability for genes, hydrophilic/hydrophobic substances and proteins/peptides to the targeting area compared to original liposomes by virtue of their high biocompatibility, stability, effective loading content, and the capacity for targeting. This review summarizes the current status of albumin applications in liposome-based DDS, focusing on albumin-coated liposomes and albumin-encapsulated liposomes as a DDS carrier for potential medical applications.

PD-L1 Targeting Immune-Microbubble Complex Enhances Therapeutic Index in Murine Colon Cancer Models

Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the way different neoplasms are treated. Among the different variations of cancer immunotherapy, the checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis have been validated and are currently used in the clinics. Nevertheless, these therapeutic antibodies are associated with significant side effects and are known to induce immune-related toxicities. To address these issues, we have developed an immune-microbubble complex (IMC) which not only reduces the toxicities associated with the antibodies but also enhances the therapeutic efficacy when combined with focused ultrasound. The concept of IMCs could be applied to any type of antibody-based treatment regimens to maximize their therapeutic potential.