Delivery of EZH2-shRNA with mPEG-PEI nanoparticles for the treatment of prostate cancer in vitro

EZH2 as a potential therapeutic target for gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers continue to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Understanding the molecular pathways associated with cancer progression and severity is essential for creating effective cancer treatments. In cancer research, there is a notable emphasis on Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a key player in gene expression influenced by its irregular expression and capacity to attach to promoters and alter methylation status. This review explores the impact of EZH2 signaling on various GI cancers, such as colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatocellular, esophageal, and cholangiocarcinoma. The primary function of EZH2 signaling is to facilitate the accelerated progression of cancer cells. Additionally, EZH2 has the capacity to modulate the reaction of GI cancers to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Numerous pathways, including long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs, serve as upstream regulators of EZH2 in these types of cancer. EZH2's enzymatic activity enables it to attach to target gene promoters, resulting in methylation that modifies their expression. EZH2 could be considered as an independent prognostic factor, with increased expression correlating with a worse disease prognosis. Additionally, a range of gene therapies including small interfering RNA, and anti-tumor agents are being explored to target EZH2 for cancer treatment. This comprehensive review underscores the current insights into EZH2 signaling in gastrointestinal cancers and examines the prospect of therapies targeting EZH2 to enhance patient outcomes.

A Review on Novel Applications of Nanotechnology in the Management of Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer continues to be a serious danger to men's health, despite advances in the field of cancer nanotechnology. Although different types of cancer have been studied using nanomaterials and theranostic systems derived from nanomaterials, they have not yet reached their full potential for prostate cancer due to issues with in vivo biologic compatibility, immune reaction responses, accurate targetability, as well as a therapeutic outcome related to the nano-structured mechanism.

METHOD

The ultimate motive of this article is to understand the theranostic nanotechnology-based scheme for treating prostate cancer. The categorization of diverse nanomaterials in accordance with biofunctionalization tactics and biomolecule sources has been emphasized in this review so that they might potentially be used in clinical contexts and future advances. These opportunities can enhance the direct visualization of prostate tumors, early identification of prostate cancer-associated biomarkers at extremely low detection limits, and finally, the therapy for prostate cancer.

RESULT

In December 2022, a thorough examination of the scientific literature was carried out utilizing the Web of Science, PubMed, and Medline databases. The goal was to analyze novel applications of nanotechnology in the treatment of prostate cancer, together with their structural layouts and functionalities.

CONCLUSION

The various treatments and the reported revolutionary nanotechnology-based systems appear to be precise, safe, and generally successful; as a result, this might open up a new avenue for the detection and eradication of prostate cancer.

Engineering Human Circulating Monocytes/Macrophages by Systemic Deliverable Gene Editing

Delivery of plasmid DNA to transfect human primary macrophages is extremely difficult, especially for genetic engineering. Engineering macrophages is imperative for the treatment of many diseases including infectious diseases, cancer, neurological diseases, and aging. Unfortunately, plasmid does not cross the nuclear membranes of terminally differentiated macrophages to integrate the plasmid DNA (pDNA) into their genome. To address this issue, we have developed a core-shell nanoparticle (NP) using our newly created cationic lipid to deliver the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 pDNA (IL-4pDNA-NPs). Human blood monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) were effectively transfected with IL-4pDNA-NPs. IL-4pDNA-NPs were internalized in MDM within 30 minutes and delivered into the nucleus within 2 hours. Exogenous IL-4 expression was detected within 1 - 2 days and continued up to 30 days. Functional IL-4 expression led to M2 macrophage polarization in vitro and in an in vivo mouse model of inflammation. These data suggest that these NPs can protect pDNA from degradation by nucleases once inside the cell, and can transport pDNA into the nucleus to enhance gene delivery in macrophages in vitro and in vivo. In this research, we developed a new method to deliver plasmids into the nucleus of monocytes and macrophages for gene-editing. Introducing IL-4 pDNA into macrophages provides a new gene therapy solution for the treatment of various diseases.

The long and short non-coding RNAs modulating EZH2 signaling in cancer

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a large family of RNA molecules with no capability in encoding proteins. However, they participate in developmental and biological processes and their abnormal expression affects cancer progression. These RNA molecules can function as upstream mediators of different signaling pathways and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is among them. Briefly, EZH2 belongs to PRCs family and can exert functional roles in cells due to its methyltransferase activity. EZH2 affects gene expression via inducing H3K27me3. In the present review, our aim is to provide a mechanistic discussion of ncRNAs role in regulating EZH2 expression in different cancers. MiRNAs can dually induce/inhibit EZH2 in cancer cells to affect downstream targets such as Wnt, STAT3 and EMT. Furthermore, miRNAs can regulate therapy response of cancer cells via affecting EZH2 signaling. It is noteworthy that EZH2 can reduce miRNA expression by binding to promoter and exerting its methyltransferase activity. Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) and short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) are synthetic, short ncRNAs capable of reducing EZH2 expression and suppressing cancer progression. LncRNAs mainly regulate EZH2 expression via targeting miRNAs. Furthermore, lncRNAs induce EZH2 by modulating miRNA expression. Circular RNAs (CircRNAs), like lncRNAs, affect EZH2 expression via targeting miRNAs. These areas are discussed in the present review with a focus on molecular pathways leading to clinical translation.

A scoping review on the potentiality of PD-L1-inhibiting microRNAs in treating colorectal cancer: Toward single-cell sequencing-guided biocompatible-based delivery

Tumoral programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) has been implicated in the immune evasion and development of colorectal cancer. Although monoclonal immune checkpoint inhibitors can exclusively improve the prognosis of patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H) colorectal cancer, specific tumor-suppressive microRNAs (miRs) can regulate multiple oncogenic pathways and inhibit the de novo expression of oncoproteins, like PD-L1, both in microsatellite stable (MSS) and MSI-H colorectal cancer cells. This scoping review aimed to discuss the currently available evidence regarding the therapeutic potentiality of PD-L1-inhibiting miRs for colorectal cancer. For this purpose, the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were systematically searched to obtain peer-reviewed studies published before 17 March 2021. We have found that miR-191-5p, miR-382-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-93-5p, miR-200a-3p, miR-200c-3p, miR-138-5p, miR-140-3p, and miR-15b-5p can inhibit tumoral PD-L1 in colorectal cancer cells. Besides inhibiting PD-L1, miR-140-3p, miR-382-3p, miR-148a-3p, miR-93-5p, miR-200a-3p, miR-200c-3p, miR-138-5p, and miR-15b-5p can substantially reduce tumor migration, inhibit tumor development, stimulate anti-tumoral immune responses, decrease tumor viability, and enhance the chemosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells regardless of the microsatellite state. Concerning the specific, effective, and safe delivery of these miRs, the single-cell sequencing-guided biocompatible-based delivery of these miRs can increase the specificity of miR delivery, decrease the toxicity of traditional nanoparticles, transform the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment into the proinflammatory one, suppress tumor development, decrease tumor migration, and enhance the chemosensitivity of tumoral cells regardless of the microsatellite state.

The recent progresses in shRNA-nanoparticle conjugate as a therapeutic approach

The recent trend of gene therapy is using short hairpin RNA conjugated with different types of nanoparticles. shRNAs have a significant role in gene silencing and have a promising role in treating several genetic and infectious diseases. There are several drawbacks of delivering bare shRNA in the blood as they are fragile in nature and readily degradable. To overcome this problem shRNAs can be conjugated with nanoparticles for a safe deliver. In this article several nanoparticles are mentioned which play significant role in delivery of this payload. On one hand they protect the shRNA from degradation on the other they help to penetrate this large molecule in to the cell. Some of these nanoconjugates are in clinical trials and have a promising role in treatment of diseases.

Macrocycle-wrapped polyethylenimine for gene delivery with reduced cytotoxicity

Due to its outstanding capability to facilitate DNA condensation, transportation and endosomal escape, polyethylenimine (PEI) has been frequently studied for gene delivery. However, its molecular weight (M.W.) dependent transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity has severely limited its clinical application. To resolve this dilemma, a supramolecular strategy was developed for the first time, in which PEI with large M.W. (branched, 25 kDa) that has a satisfactory transfection efficiency, yet high non-specific cytotoxicity for gene delivery was wrapped with macrocyclic cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]). The successful wrapping of the PEI by the macrocyclic CB[7] was proved by 1H NMR spectroscopy and supported by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The plasmid DNA (pDNA) condensability of PEI was not affected by the supramolecular coating as evidenced from the agarose gel electrophoresis assay. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results demonstrated that the particle size, zeta potential, and morphology of the self-assemblies of PEI/pDNA and PEI/CB[7]/pDNA were comparable. As a consequence of the supramolecular wrapping, the cytotoxicity of PEI was significantly constrained as demonstrated by MTT assay, apoptosis assay, and a hemolysis study. In particular, both the cellular uptake and the gene transfection efficiency results suggest that the supramolecular wrapping of PEI by CB[7] exhibits negligible effects on PEI, thus functioning as an effective non-viral gene delivery vector. This novel supramolecular-wrapping strategy provides new insights for facile alleviation of the non-specific toxicity of PEI and potentially other polycationic gene vectors without compromising their transfection efficiency.

Functional and therapeutic significance of EZH2 in urological cancers

The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a core subunit of the polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2), which is overexpressed in numerous cancers and mutated in several others. Notably, EZH2 acts not only a critical epigenetic repressor through its role in histone methylation, it is also an activator of gene expression, acting through multiple signaling pathways in distinct cancer types. Increasing evidence suggests that EZH2 is an oncogene and is central to initiation, growth and progression of urological cancers. In this review, we highlight the critical role of EZH2 as a master regulator of tumorigenesis in the prostate, bladder and the kidney through epigenetic control of transcription as well as a modulation of various critical signaling pathways. We also discuss the promise and challenges for EZH2 inhibitors as future anticancer therapeutics, some of which are currently in clinical trials.

Applications of Nanoparticles Probes for Prostate Cancer Imaging and Therapy

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common type of cancer in men with high morbidity and mortality. However, the current treatment with drugs often leads to chemotherapy resistance. It is known that the multi-disciplines research on molecular imaging is very helpful for early diagnosing, staging, restaging and precise treatment of PCa. In the past decades, the tumor-specific targeted drugs were developed for the clinic to treat prostate cancer. Among them, the emerging nanotechnology has brought about many exciting novel diagnosis and treatments systems for PCa. Nanotechnology can greatly enhance the treatment activity of PCa and provide novel theranostics platform by utilizing the unique physical/chemical properties, targeting strategy, or by loading with imaging/therapeutic agents. Herein, this chapter focuses on state-of-art advances in imaging and diagnosing PCa with nanomaterials and highlights the approaches used for functionalization of the targeted biomolecules, and in the treatment for various aspects of PCa with multifunctional nanoparticles, nanoplatforms and nanodelivery system.

Engineering biodegradable micelles of polyethylenimine-based amphiphilic block copolymers for efficient DNA and siRNA delivery

Polycationic micelles have shown advantageous properties as nucleic acid delivery vectors both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast to polycationic micelles reported so far, we designed particles integrating a sufficient nucleic acid condensation capability by polycationic polyethylenimine (PEI) segments as well as only a mild cytotoxic behavior. The micelles composed of a hydrophobic oligoester core with glycolide units resulting in fast degradation after cellular internalization in combination with PEG moieties acting as shielding agents. By grafting branched 25kDa polyethylenimine (PEI25) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on poly[(ε-caprolactone)-co-glycolide] (CG), amphiphilic PEI-CG-PEI and PEG-CG block copolymers were used to form a series of micelles via self-assembly of PEI-CG-PEI or co-assembly of both copolymers for DNA and siRNA delivery. This modular system enabled a systematic investigation of different parameters and their synergetic effects as different functions were introduced. The polyplex formation and serum stability, cytotoxicity, and transfection activity could be tailored by changing the CG chain length in PEI-based copolymer, incorporating PEG-CG, and varying the N/P ratio. All micelle-based polyplex compositions showed high DNA transfection activity according to reporter gene-expression and an exceptionally high knockdown in siRNA delivery experiments. Remarkably, the GFP expression of >99% cells was successfully knocked down by micelle-mediated siRNA interference, resulting in a decrease of two orders of magnitude in fluorescence intensity. Incorporation of PEG-CG in the micelles reduced the PEI-related cytotoxicity, and markedly enhanced the serum stability of both DNA and siRNA polyplexes. Compared with homo-PEI25, these micelles showed several advantages including the lower toxicity, higher siRNA transfection efficiency and higher polyplex stability in the presence of serum. This study therefore provides an effective approach to tune the structure, property and function of polycationic micelles for efficient DNA and siRNA delivery, which could contribute to the design and development of novel non-viral transfection vectors with superb functionality.

Recent insights in nanotechnology-based drugs and formulations designed for effective anti-cancer therapy

The rapid development of nanotechnology provides alternative approaches to overcome several limitations of conventional anti-cancer therapy. Drug targeting using functionalized nanoparticles to advance their transport to the dedicated site, became a new standard in novel anti-cancer methods. In effect, the employment of nanoparticles during design of antineoplastic drugs helps to improve pharmacokinetic properties, with subsequent development of high specific, non-toxic and biocompatible anti-cancer agents. However, the physicochemical and biological diversity of nanomaterials and a broad spectrum of unique features influencing their biological action requires continuous research to assess their activity. Among numerous nanosystems designed to eradicate cancer cells, only a limited number of them entered the clinical trials. It is anticipated that progress in development of nanotechnology-based anti-cancer materials will provide modern, individualized anti-cancer therapies assuring decrease in morbidity and mortality from cancer diseases. In this review we discussed the implication of nanomaterials in design of new drugs for effective antineoplastic therapy and describe a variety of mechanisms and challenges for selective tumor targeting. We emphasized the recent advantages in the field of nanotechnology-based strategies to fight cancer and discussed their part in effective anti-cancer therapy and successful drug delivery.