Co-Delivery of Curcumin and Bioperine via PLGA Nanoparticles to Prevent Atherosclerotic Foam Cell Formation

Co-encapsulation of quercetin and resveratrol: Comparison in different layers of zein-carboxymethyl cellulose nanoparticles

Three nanoparticles were fabricated for the co-delivery of quercetin and resveratrol. Nanoparticles consisted of a zein and carboxymethyl cellulose assembled using antisolvent precipitation/layer-by-layer deposition method. Nanoparticles contained quercetin in the core and resveratrol in the shell, resveratrol in the core and quercetin in the shell or both quercetin and resveratrol in the core. The particle sizes of nanoparticles were 280.4, 214.8, and 181.8 nm, respectively. Zeta-potential was about -50 mV and PDI was about 0.3. The different positions of polyphenol distribution nanoparticles could reduce the competition between the two polyphenols, the encapsulation rate, loading rate and storage stability reached up to 91.7 %, 5.37 % and 97.1 %, respectively. FT-IR showed that hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions were the main driving forces of nanoparticle assembly. XRD showed that two polyphenols were successfully encapsulated in nanoparticles. TGA showed that distributing the nanoparticles in different layers would enhance thermal stability. TEM and SEM showed that polysaccharides attached to the surface of nanoparticles formed a core-shell structure with uniform particle size. All three nanoparticles could release two polyphenols slowly in simulated gastrointestinal digestion, Korsmeyer-Peppas was the most suitable kinetic release model. Therefore, biopolymer-based nanocarriers can be created to enhance the loading, stability, and bioaccessibility of co-encapsulated nutraceuticals.

Targeted Delivery of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Bioinspired Exosome-Mimetic Nanovesicles with Platelet Membrane Fusion for Atherosclerotic Treatment

Purpose

Accumulating evidence indicates that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived exosomes hold significant potential for the treatment of atherosclerosis. However, large-scale production and organ-specific targeting of exosomes are still challenges for further clinical applications. This study aims to explore the targeted efficiency and therapeutic potential of biomimetic platelet membrane-coated exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (P-ENVs) in atherosclerosis.

Methods

To produce exosome-mimetic nanovesicles (ENVs), MSCs were successively extruded through polycarbonate porous membranes. P-ENVs were engineered by fusing MSC-derived ENVs with platelet membranes and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot. The stability and safety of P-ENVs were also assessed. The targeted efficacy of P-ENVs was evaluated using an in vivo imaging system (IVIS) spectrum imaging system and immunofluorescence. Histological analyses, Oil Red O (ORO) staining, and Western blot were used to investigate the anti-atherosclerotic effectiveness of P-ENVs.

Results

Both ENVs and P-ENVs exhibited similar characteristics to exosomes. Subsequent miRNA sequencing of P-ENVs revealed their potential to mitigate atherosclerosis by influencing biological processes related to cholesterol metabolism. In an ApoE-/- mice model, the intravenous administration of P-ENVs exhibited enhanced targeting of atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in a significant reduction in lipid deposition and necrotic core area. Our in vitro experiments showed that P-ENVs promoted cholesterol efflux and reduced total cholesterol content in foam cells. Further analysis revealed that P-ENVs attenuated intracellular cholesterol accumulation by upregulating the expression of the critical cholesterol transporters ABCA1 and ABCG1.

Conclusion

This study highlighted the potential of P-ENVs as a novel nano-drug delivery platform for enhancing drug delivery efficiency while concurrently mitigating adverse reactions in atherosclerotic therapy.

Nanotechnology in coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the major causes of death and disability worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries and among older populations. Conventional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have limitations such as low sensitivity, high cost and side effects. Nanotechnology offers promising alternative strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of CHD by exploiting the unique properties of nanomaterials. In this review, we use bibliometric analysis to identify research hotspots in the application of nanotechnology in CHD and provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art. Nanomaterials with enhanced imaging and biosensing capabilities can improve the early detection of CHD through advanced contrast agents and high-resolution imaging techniques. Moreover, nanomaterials can facilitate targeted drug delivery, tissue engineering and modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress, thus addressing multiple aspects of CHD pathophysiology. We discuss the application of nanotechnology in CHD diagnosis (imaging and sensors) and treatment (regulation of macrophages, cardiac repair, anti-oxidative stress), and provide insights into future research directions and clinical translation. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians seeking to harness the potential of nanotechnology in the management of CHD. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the one of leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Nanotechnology offers new strategies for diagnosing and treating CHD by exploiting the unique properties of nanomaterials. This review uses bibliometric analysis to uncover research trends in the use of nanotechnology for CHD. We discuss the potential of nanomaterials for early CHD detection through advanced imaging and biosensing, targeted drug delivery, tissue engineering, and modulation of inflammation and oxidative stress. We also offer insights into future research directions and potential clinical applications. This work aims to guide researchers and clinicians in leveraging nanotechnology to improve CHD patient outcomes and quality of life.

Advances in drug delivery to atherosclerosis: Investigating the efficiency of different nanomaterials employed for different type of drugs

Atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries, which is the main underlying cause of cardiovascular diseases and the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Current pharmaceutical treatment options are unable to effectively treat the plaque in the later stages of the disease. Instead, they are aimed at resolving the risk factors. Nanomaterials and nanoparticle-mediated therapies have become increasingly popular for the treatment of atherosclerosis due to their targeted and controlled release of therapeutics. In this review, we discuss different types of therapeutics used to treat this disease and focus on the different nanomaterial strategies employed for the delivery of these drugs, enabling the effective and efficient resolution of the atherosclerotic plaque. The ideal nanomaterial strategy for each drug type (e.g. statins, nucleic acids, small molecule drugs, peptides) will be comprehensively discussed.

Impact of polyphenols on heart failure and cardiac hypertrophy: clinical effects and molecular mechanisms

Polyphenols are abundant in regular diets and possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Regarding the inadequacy of the current treatments in preventing cardiac remodeling following cardiovascular diseases, attention has been focused on improving cardiac function with potential alternatives such as polyphenols. The following online databases were searched for relevant orginial published from 2000 to 2023: EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy aimed to assess the effects of polyphenols on heart failure and keywords were "heart failure" and "polyphenols" and "cardiac hypertrophy" and "molecular mechanisms". Our results indicated polyphenols are repeatedly indicated to regulate various heart failure-related vital molecules and signaling pathways, such as inactivating fibrotic and hypertrophic factors, preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and free radical production, the underlying causes of apoptosis, and also improving lipid profile and cellular metabolism. In the current study, we aimed to review the most recent literature and investigations on the underlying mechanism of actions of different polyphenols subclasses in cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure to provide deep insight into novel mechanistic treatments and direct future studies in this context. Moreover, due to polyphenols' low bioavailability from conventional oral and intravenous administration routes, in this study, we have also investigated the currently accessible nano-drug delivery methods to optimize the treatment outcomes by providing sufficient drug delivery, targeted therapy, and less off-target effects, as desired by precision medicine standards.

Research progress on the therapeutic effects of nanoparticles loaded with drugs against atherosclerosis

Presently, there are many drugs for the treatment of atherosclerosis (AS), among which lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative drugs have been the most studied. These drugs have been shown to have inhibitory effects on the development of AS. Nanoparticles are suitable for AS treatment research due to their fine-tunable and modifiable properties. Compared with drug monotherapy, experimental results have proven that the effects of nanoparticle-encapsulated drugs are significantly enhanced. In addition to nanoparticles containing a single drug, there have been many studies on collaborative drug treatment, collaborative physical treatment (ultrasound, near-infrared lasers, and external magnetic field), and the integration of diagnosis and treatment. This review provides an introduction to the therapeutic effects of nanoparticles loaded with drugs to treat AS and summarizes their advantages, including increased targeting ability, sustained drug release, improved bioavailability, reduced toxicity, and inhibition of plaque and vascular stenosis.

Recent advances in nanotechnology approaches for non-viral gene therapy

Gene therapy has shown great potential in the treatment of many diseases by downregulating the expression of certain genes. The development of gene vectors as a vehicle for gene therapy has greatly facilitated the widespread clinical application of nucleic acid materials (DNA, mRNA, siRNA, and miRNA). Currently, both viral and non-viral vectors are used as delivery systems of nucleic acid materials for gene therapy. However, viral vector-based gene therapy has several limitations, including immunogenicity and carcinogenesis caused by the exogenous viral vectors. To address these issues, non-viral nanocarrier-based gene therapy has been explored for superior performance with enhanced gene stability, high treatment efficiency, improved tumor-targeting, and better biocompatibility. In this review, we discuss various non-viral vector-mediated gene therapy approaches using multifunctional biodegradable or non-biodegradable nanocarriers, including polymer-based nanoparticles, lipid-based nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), quantum dots (QDs), silica nanoparticles, metal-based nanoparticles and two-dimensional nanocarriers. Various strategies to construct non-viral nanocarriers based on their delivery efficiency of targeted genes will be introduced. Subsequently, we discuss the cellular uptake pathways of non-viral nanocarriers. In addition, multifunctional gene therapy based on non-viral nanocarriers is summarized, in which the gene therapy can be combined with other treatments, such as photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), immunotherapy and chemotherapy. We also provide a comprehensive discussion of the biological toxicity and safety of non-viral vector-based gene therapy. Finally, the present limitations and challenges of non-viral nanocarriers for gene therapy in future clinical research are discussed, to promote wider clinical applications of non-viral vector-based gene therapy.

Perspectives of herbs and their natural compounds, and herb formulas on treating diverse diseases through regulating complicated JAK/STAT signaling

JAK/STAT signaling pathways are closely associated with multiple biological processes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, differentiation, immune response, and epigenetics. Abnormal activation of the STAT pathway can contribute to disease progressions under various conditions. Moreover, tofacitinib and baricitinib as the JAK/STAT inhibitors have been recently approved by the FDA for rheumatology disease treatment. Therefore, influences on the STAT signaling pathway have potential and perspective approaches for diverse diseases. Chinese herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which are widespread throughout China, are the gold resources of China and have been extensively used for treating multiple diseases for thousands of years. However, Chinese herbs and herb formulas are characterized by complicated components, resulting in various targets and pathways in treating diseases, which limits their approval and applications. With the development of chemistry and pharmacology, active ingredients of TCM and herbs and underlying mechanisms have been further identified and confirmed by pharmacists and chemists, which improved, to some extent, awkward limitations, approval, and applications regarding TCM and herbs. In this review, we summarized various herbs, herb formulas, natural compounds, and phytochemicals isolated from herbs that have the potential for regulating multiple biological processes via modulation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway based on the published work. Our study will provide support for revealing TCM, their active compounds that treat diseases, and the underlying mechanism, further improving the rapid spread of TCM to the world.