Combination of quercetin and Adriamycin effectively suppresses the growth of refractory acute leukemia

Co-delivery of temozolomide and quercetin with folic acid-conjugated exosomes in glioblastoma treatment

Aim: The study aims to improve glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment by combining temozolomide (TMZ) and quercetin (Qct), using folic acid (FA)-conjugated exosomes to overcome TMZ resistance and enhance blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration.Methods: Exosomes were isolated and after characterizing and modifying their surfaces with FA, drug loading of TMZ and Qct into exosomes was done. In vitro assays, including cell viability tests, RT-PCR, Western-blotting and flow-cytometry, were performed using U87MG and U251MG GBM cell lines. In vivo analysis included administering exosome-drug formulations to glioblastoma-bearing Wistar rats, monitored through optical imaging and PET scans, followed by post-mortem immunohistochemistry and histological examination.Results: The results showed successful exosome isolation and FA conjugation, with drug release studies indicating accelerated release of TMZ and Qct in acidic conditions, enhancing cytotoxicity. Immunofluorescence indicated greater exosome uptake in GBM cells due to FA conjugation. Cell viability assays demonstrated increased toxicity of the combination therapy, correlating with elevated apoptosis. In vivo studies revealed significant tumor size reduction, alongside increased apoptosis and reduced angiogenesis, particularly in the TMZ-Qct-Exo-FA group.Conclusion: FA-conjugated exosomes loaded with TMZ and Qct represent a promising strategy to enhance GBM treatment efficacy by improving drug delivery, apoptosis induction and inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Recent Advances in Natural Products with Anti-Leukemia and Anti- Lymphoma Activities

Leukemia and lymphoma are the most common blood cancers, which pose a critical threat to the health of adults and children. The total incidence and mortality rates of both are approximately 6% globally. Compared with the expensive cost of CAR T cell therapy, natural products from animals, plants and microorganisms have the characteristics of wide-range sources and costeffectiveness in the treatment of cancer. Moreover, the drug resistance that emerged in leukemia and lymphoma treatments shows an urgent need for new drugs. However, in addition to the natural products that have been marketed in the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma, there have been a large number of studies on natural products that fight blood cancer in recent years. This review summarized the recent studies on natural compounds with anti-lymphoma and anti-leukemia activities, hoping to provide novel weapons into the drug development arsenal.

The Anti-Leukemic Activity of Natural Compounds

The use of biologically active compounds has become a realistic option for the treatment of malignant tumors due to their cost-effectiveness and safety. In this review, we aimed to highlight the main natural biocompounds that target leukemic cells, assessed by in vitro and in vivo experiments or clinical studies, in order to explore their therapeutic potential in the treatment of leukemia: acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). It provides a basis for researchers and hematologists in improving basic and clinical research on the development of new alternative therapies in the fight against leukemia, a harmful hematological cancer and the leading cause of death among patients.

Nanoformulated Ajwa (Phoenix Dactylifera) Bioactive Compounds Improve the Safety of Doxorubicin without Compromising its Anticancer Efficacy in Breast Cancer

One of the major causes of women's death in the world is breast cancer. Consequently, numerous regimens for the control of this severe disease have been created. The chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (DOX) is frequently used to treat breast cancer, but DOX can also cause cardiotoxic effects that lead to heart failure. Therefore, many research studies have been done to find a natural product that effectively potentiates or does not interfere with DOX's anticancer effect and protects against its cardiotoxicity. We studied the impact of combined nanoformulated Ajwa (Phoenix dactylifera) selected bioactive compounds (BAC) rutin (R) and quercetin (Q) in nude mice breast cancer xenografts on DOX-mediated anticancer efficacy. We also studied if this Ajwa BAC could safeguard against DOX-mediated cardiomyopathies by evaluating plasma cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) levels and cardiac histopathology. Nanoformulated Ajwa BAC effectively alleviated weight loss induced by DOX in mice and significantly decreased the elevated cTn-I. Furthermore, 5 mg RQ-NPs/kg of nude mice that subcutaneously daily injected for 11 days, attenuated the histopathological alterations induced in cardiac muscles due to DOX without any interference with the anticancer effects of DOX against breast cancer.