Novel Hyaluronic Acid Conjugates for Dual Nuclear Imaging and Therapy in CD44-Expressing Tumors in Mice In Vivo

Enhancing RNA-lipid nanoparticle delivery: Organ- and cell-specificity and barcoding strategies

Recent advancements in RNA therapeutics highlight the critical need for precision gene delivery systems that target specific organs and cells. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as key vectors in delivering mRNA and siRNA, offering protection against enzymatic degradation, enabling targeted delivery and cellular uptake, and facilitating RNA cargo release into the cytosol. This review discusses the development and optimization of organ- and cell-specific LNPs, focusing on their design, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic applications. We explore innovations such as DNA/RNA barcoding, which facilitates high-throughput screening and precise adjustments in formulations. We address major challenges, including improving endosomal escape, minimizing off-target effects, and enhancing delivery efficiencies. Notable clinical trials and recent FDA approvals illustrate the practical applications and future potential of LNP-based RNA therapies. Our findings suggest that while considerable progress has been made, continued research is essential to resolve existing limitations and bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical evaluation of the safety and efficacy of RNA therapeutics. This review highlights the dynamic progress in LNP research. It outlines a roadmap for future advancements in RNA-based precision medicine.

Biodegradable nanocarrier of gemcitabine and tocopherol succinate synergistically ameliorates anti-proliferative response in MIA PaCa-2 cells

Gemcitabine (GEM) is an important chemotherapeutic agent used alone or in combination with other anticancer agents for the treatment of various solid tumors. In this study, the potential of a dietary supplement, α-tocopherol succinate (TOS) was investigated in combination with GEM by utilizing human serum albumin-based nanoparticles (HSA NPs). The developed nanoparticles were characterized using DLS, SEM and FTIR and evaluated in a panel of cell lines to inspect cytotoxic efficacy. The ratio metric selected combination of the NPs was further investigated in human pancreatic cancer cell line (MIA PaCa-2 cells) to assess the cellular death mechanism via a myriad of biochemical and bio-analytical assays including nuclear morphometric analysis by DAPI staining, ROS generation, MMP loss, intracellular calcium release, in vitro clonogenic assay, cell migration assay, cell cycle analysis, immunocytochemical staining followed by western blotting, Annexin V-FITC and cellular uptake studies. The desolvation-crosslinking method was used to prepare the NPs. The average size of TOS-HSA NPs and GEM-HSA NPs was found to be 189.47 ± 5 nm and 143.42 ± 7.4 nm, respectively. In combination, the developed nanoparticles exhibited synergism by enhancing cytotoxicity in a fixed molar ratio. The selected combination also significantly triggered ROS generation and mitochondrial destabilization, alleviated cell migration potential and clonogenic cell survival in MIA PaCa-2 cells. Further, cell cycle analysis, Annexin-V FITC assay and caspase-3 activation, up regulation of Bax and down regulation of Bcl-2 protein confirmed the occurrence of apoptotic event coupled with the G0/G1 phase arrest. Nanocarriers based this combination also offered approximately 14-folds dose reduction of GEM. Overall, the combined administration of TOS-HSA NPs and GEM-HSA NPs showed synergistic cytotoxicity accompanied with dose reduction of the gemcitabine. These encouraging findings could have implication in designing micronutrient based-combination therapy with gemcitabine and demands further investigation.

Multifunctional polysaccharide nanoprobes for biological imaging

Imaging and tracking biological targets or processes play an important role in revealing molecular mechanisms and disease states. Bioimaging via optical, nuclear, or magnetic resonance techniques enables high resolution, high sensitivity, and high depth imaging from the whole animal down to single cells via advanced functional nanoprobes. To overcome the limitations of single-modality imaging, multimodality nanoprobes have been engineered with a variety of imaging modalities and functionalities. Polysaccharides are sugar-containing bioactive polymers with superior biocompatibility, biodegradability, and solubility. The combination of polysaccharides with single or multiple contrast agents facilitates the development of novel nanoprobes with enhanced functions for biological imaging. Nanoprobes constructed with clinically applicable polysaccharides and contrast agents hold great potential for clinical translations. This review briefly introduces the basics of different imaging modalities and polysaccharides, then summarizes the recent progress of polysaccharide-based nanoprobes for biological imaging in various diseases, emphasizing bioimaging with optical, nuclear, and magnetic resonance techniques. The current issues and future directions regarding the development and applications of polysaccharide nanoprobes are further discussed.

Enhanced apoptosis and mitochondrial cell death by paclitaxel-loaded TPP-TPGS1000-functionalized nanoemulsion

Background: The present research was designed to develop a nanoemulsion (NE) of triphenylphosphine-D-α-tocopheryl-polyethylene glycol succinate (TPP-TPGS₁₀₀₀) and paclitaxel (PTX) to effectively deliver PTX to improve breast cancer therapy. Materials & methods: A quality-by-design approach was applied for optimization and in vitro and in vivo characterization were performed. Results: The TPP-TPGS₁₀₀₀-PTX-NE enhanced cellular uptake, mitochondrial membrane depolarization and G₂M cell cycle arrest compared with free-PTX treatment. In addition, pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and in vivo live imaging studies in tumor-bearing mice showed that TPP-TPGS₁₀₀₀-PTX-NE had superior performance compared with free-PTX treatment. Histological and survival investigations ascertained the nontoxicity of the nanoformulation, suggesting new opportunities and potential to treat breast cancer. Conclusion: TPP-TPGS₁₀₀₀-PTX-NE improved the efficacy of breast cancer treatment by enhancing its effectiveness and decreasing drug toxicity.

Hyaluronic acid-entecavir conjugates-core/lipid-shell nanohybrids for efficient macrophage uptake and hepatotropic prospects

Drug covalently bound to polymers had formed, lately, platforms with great promise in drug delivery. These drug polymer conjugates (DPC) boosted drug loading and controlled medicine release with targeting ability. Herein, the ability of entecavir (E) conjugated to hyaluronic acid (HA) forming the core of vitamin E coated lipid nanohybrids (EE-HA LPH), to target Kupffer cells and hepatocyte had been proved. The drug was associated to HA with efficiency of 93.48 ± 3.14 % and nanohybrids loading of 22.02 ± 2.3 %. DiI labelled lipidic nanohybrids improved the macrophage uptake in J774 cells with a 21 day hepatocytes retention post intramuscular injection. Finally, in vivo biocompatibility and safety with respect to body weight, organs indices and histopathological alterations were demonstrated. Coating with vitamin E and conjugation of E to HA (a CD44 ligand), could give grounds for prospective application for vectored nano-platform in hepatitis B.

Multiplexed imaging in oncology

In oncology, technologies for clinical molecular imaging are used to diagnose patients, establish the efficacy of treatments and monitor the recurrence of disease. Multiplexed methods increase the number of disease-specific biomarkers that can be detected simultaneously, such as the overexpression of oncogenic proteins, aberrant metabolite uptake and anomalous blood perfusion. The quantitative localization of each biomarker could considerably increase the specificity and the accuracy of technologies for clinical molecular imaging to facilitate granular diagnoses, patient stratification and earlier assessments of the responses to administered therapeutics. In this Review, we discuss established techniques for multiplexed imaging and the most promising emerging multiplexing technologies applied to the imaging of isolated tissues and cells and to non-invasive whole-body imaging. We also highlight advances in radiology that have been made possible by multiplexed imaging.

A new era: tumor microenvironment in chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a solid malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis. Gemcitabine (GEM)-based chemotherapy remains one of the most important treatment choices for PDAC. However, either as monotherapy or as a part of the combination chemotherapy, GEM achieved only limited success in improving the survival of patients with advanced PDAC, primarily due to GEM resistance. PDAC is characterized by an extensive desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Increasing evidence indicates that this fibrotic TME not only actively participates in the tumor growth and spread of PDAC but also contributes to the induction of GEM resistance. Here we review the current advances of how TME components are involved in the induction of GEM resistance.

In Situ Nanoparticle Self-Assembly for Combination Delivery of Therapeutics to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Chemotherapy often experiences several challenges including severe systemic toxicity and adverse effects. The combination chemotherapy arose as an effective clinical practice aimed at reducing doses of drugs to achieve synergistic actions with low toxicity. Our recent efforts demonstrated a synergistic therapeutic benefit of gambogic acid (GA) and gemcitabine (Gem) against lung cancer. However, simultaneous delivery of these two drugs at the tumor site is highly challenging. Therefore, the development of an injectable formulation that can effectively deliver both hydrophobic (GA) and hydrophilic (Gem) drugs in one formulation is a clinically unmet need. Herein, this study reports an in situ human serum albumin (HSA)- and tannic acid (TA)-mediated complexed GA and Gem nanoparticles (G-G@HTA NPs). G-G@HTA NP formation was confirmed by the particle size, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The superior therapeutic activity of G-G@HTA NPs was demonstrated by multiple in vitro functional assays. Additionally, G-G@HTA NPs revealed an obvious and precise targeting of tumors in vivo. The promoted and more synergistic anti-tumor efficacy of G-G@HTA NPs was attained than that of combined treatments and single drug treatments. These events have resulted in no apparent systemic and organ toxicities. Together, this study suggests that in situ HSA-TA-based combinatorial treatment strategy is a suitable approach for application in lung cancer treatment.

Design of Bio-Responsive Hyaluronic Acid-Doxorubicin Conjugates for the Local Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is an unmet clinical need. Local treatment strategies offer advantages, such as the possibility to bypass the blood–brain barrier, achieving high drug concentrations at the glioblastoma site, and consequently reducing systemic toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using hyaluronic acid (HA) for the local treatment of glioblastoma. HA was conjugated to doxorubicin (DOX) with distinct bio-responsive linkers (direct amide conjugation HA-NH-DOX), direct hydrazone conjugation (HA-Hz-DOX), and adipic hydrazone (HA-AdpHz-DOX). All HA-DOX conjugates displayed a small size (less than 30 nm), suitable for brain diffusion. HA-Hz-DOX showed the best performance in killing GBM cells in both 2D and 3D in vitro models and displayed superior activity in a subcutaneous GL261 tumor model in vivo compared to free DOX and other HA-DOX conjugates. Altogether, these results demonstrate the feasibility of HA as a polymeric platform for the local treatment of glioblastoma and the importance of rationally designing conjugates.

Synthesis of self-assembled hyaluronan based nanoparticles and their applications in targeted imaging and therapy

Hyaluronan (HA) is a polysaccharide consisting of repeating disaccharides of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine and d-glucuronic acid. There are increasing interests in utilizing self-assembled HA nanoparticles (HA-NPs) for targeted imaging and therapy. The principal endogenous receptor of HA, cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44), is overexpressed on many types of tumor cells as well as inflammatory cells in human bodies. Active targeting from HA-CD44 mediated interaction and passive targeting due to the enhanced permeability retention (EPR) effect could lead to selective accumulation of HA-NPs at targeted disease sites. This review focuses on the synthesis strategies of self-assembled HA-NPs, as well as their applications in therapy and biomedical imaging.

Sialic Acid Conjugated Chitosan Nanoparticles: Modulation to Target Tumour Cells and Therapeutic Opportunities

Targeted delivery of therapeutics forestalls the dreadful delocalized effects, drug toxicities and needless immunosuppression. Cancer cells are bounteous with sialic acid and the differential expression of glycosyl transferase, glycosidase and monosaccharide transporter compared to healthy tissues. The current study entails the development and characterisation of sialic acid (SA)-labelled chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating gemcitabine (GEM). Chitosan (CS) was conjugated with SA using coupling reaction and characterised spectroscopically. Furthermore, different concentrations of chitosan and tripolyphosphate (TPP) were optimised to fabricate surface modified chitosan nanoparticles. SA conjugated chitosan nanoparticles encapsulating GEM (SA-CS_GEM NPs) of 232 ± 9.69 nm with narrow distribution (PDI < 0.5) and zeta potential of - 19 ± 0.97 mV was fabricated. GEM was successfully loaded in the SA-CS NPs, depicting prolonged and biphasic drug release pattern more elated at low pH. Pronounced cellular uptake (FITC tagged) and cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ 487.4 nM) was observed in SA-CS_GEM NPs against A549 cells. IC₅₀ for SA-CS_GEM NPs plunged with an increase in the time points from 24 to 72 h. Concentration-dependent haemolytic study confirmed significant haemocompatibility of SA-CS_GEM NPs. Pharmacokinetic study was performed on Sprague-Dawley rats and the kinetic parameters were calculated using PKSolver 2.0. Results demonstrated a consequential refinement of 2.98 times in modified SA-CS_GEM NPs with a significant increase in retention time, bioavailability and elimination half-life, and decrease in elimination rate constant and volume of distribution in comparison to CS_GEM NPs. Therefore, SA-CS shell core nanoparticles could be a beneficial approach to target and treat NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) and direct for research possibilities to target the other tumour cells.

Multifunctional polymeric micellar nanomedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer

Polymeric micelles are a prevalent topic of research for the past decade, especially concerning their fitting ability to deliver drug and diagnostic agents. This delivery system offers outstanding advantages, such as biocompatibility, high loading efficiency, water-solubility, and good stability in biological fluids, to name a few. The multifunctional polymeric micellar architect offers the added capability to adapt its surface to meet the looked-for clinical needs. This review cross-talks the recent reports, proof-of-concept studies, patents, and clinical trials that utilize polymeric micellar family architectures concerning cancer targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, gene therapeutics, and diagnostic agents. The manuscript also expounds on the underlying opportunities, allied challenges, and ways to resolve their bench-to-bedside translation for allied clinical applications.

Advances in research of extracellular mechanisms underlying gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a solid malignant tumor with the worst prognosis worldwide, and about 90% of cases are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Although surgical resection is the only potential way to cure PDAC, the overall survival rate after surgery is still not optimistic. Consequently, gemcitabine (GEM)-based chemotherapy is still one of the most important treatment options for PDAC. However, the survival improvement by GEM monotherapy for advanced PDAC is very limited, and GEM resistance is the key reason. The mechanism underlying gemcitabine resistance is complex and still unclear in PDAC. The extensive and dense fibrous mesenchyme in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is an important feature of PDAC. More and more evidence has shown that TME is not only an active participant in tumor growth and spread, but also a contributor to the induction of GEM resistance. This article will review the recent advances in the understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying GEM resistance in PDAC, and discuss potential GEM chemosensitization strategies, in order to improve the effective rate of chemotherapy and the outcome.

Polymer-Drug Conjugates as Nanotheranostic Agents

Since the last decade, the polymer-drug conjugate (PDC) approach has emerged as one of the most promising drug-delivery technologies owing to several benefits like circumventing premature drug release, offering controlled and targeted drug delivery, improving the stability, safety, and kinetics of conjugated drugs, and so forth. In recent years, PDC technology has advanced with the objective to further enhance the treatment outcomes by integrating nanotechnology and multifunctional characteristics into these systems. One such development is the ability of PDCs to act as theranostic agents, permitting simultaneous diagnosis and treatment options. Theranostic nanocarriers offer the opportunity to track the distribution of PDCs within the body and help to localize the diseased site. This characteristic is of particular interest, especially among those therapeutic approaches where external stimuli are supposed to be applied for abrupt drug release at the target site for localized delivery to avoid systemic side effects (e.g., Visudyne®). Thus, with the help of this review article, we are presenting the most recent updates in the domain of PDCs as nanotheranostic agents. Different methodologies utilized to design PDCs along with imaging characteristics and their applicability in a wide range of diseases, have been summarized in this article.

Combination of magnetic targeting with synergistic inhibition of NF-κB and glutathione via micellar drug nanomedicine enhances its anti-tumor efficacy

Breast cancer is not only one of the most prevalent types of cancer, but also it is a prime cause of death in women aged between 20 and 59. Although chemotherapy is the most common therapy approach, multiple side effects can result from lack of specificity and the use of overdose as safe doses may not completely cure cancer. Therefore, we aimed in this study is to combine the merits of NF-κB inhibiting potential of celastrol (CST) with glutathione inhibitory effect of sulfasalazine (SFZ) which prevents CST inactivation and thus enhances its anti-tumor activity. Inspired by the CD44-mediated tumor targeting effect of the hydrophilic polysaccharide chondroitin sulphate (ChS), we chemically synthesized amphiphilic zein-ChS micelles. While the water insoluble SFZ was chemically coupled to zein, CST was physically entrapped within the hydrophobic zein/SFZ micellar core. Moreover, physical encapsulation of oleic acid-capped SPIONs in the hydrophobic core of micelles enabled both magnetic tumor targeting as well as MRI theranostic capacity. Combining magnetic targeting to with the active targeting effect of ChS resulted in enhanced cellular internalization of the micelles in MCF-7 cancer cells and hence higher cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In the in vivo experiments, magnetically-targeted micelles (154.4 nm) succeeded in achieving the lowest percentage increase in the tumor volume in tumor bearing mice, the highest percentage of tumor necrosis associated with significant reduction in the levels of TNF-α, Ki-67, NF-κB, VEGF, COX-2 markers compared to non-magnetically targeted micelles-, free drug-treated and positive control groups. Collectively, the developed magnetically targeted micelles pave the way for design of cancer nano-theranostic drug combinations.

PEG Grafted Polymethacrylates Bearing Antioxidants as a New Class of Polymer Conjugates for Application in Cosmetology

The amphiphilic copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (MPEGMA) and alkyne functionalized 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (AlHEMA) were synthesized by controlled atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The reactions were carried out using the standard ATRP initiator ethyl α-bromoisobutyrate, (EiBBr) and the “bio”initiator bromoester derivative of 4-n-butylresorcinol (4nBREBr₂). Two substances with antioxidant activity used in cosmetology, (±)-α-lipoic acid (LA) and ferulic acid (FA), were subjected to esterification reactions to introduce azide groups. The “click” reactions between the alkyne contained copolymers and functionalized acids (LA-N₃, FA-N₃) were performed to obtain polymer-antioxidant conjugates (P((HEMA-click-FA)-co-MPEGMA) and P((HEMA-click-LA)-co-MPEGMA)). The conjugation was performed with an efficiency of 20–75%. In vitro experiments in a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution at neutral conditions demonstrated that the sufficient release was reached after 2.5 h for FA and 1 h for LA. The rapid release kinetics as well as the polymer carriers, which were applied to regulate the delivery of antioxidant substances, are beneficial in cosmetology.

Physicochemical and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of inclusion complex between gemcitabine and cucurbit[7]uril host

Gemcitabine, a cytostatic drug from the pyrimidine antimetabolite group, exhibits limited storage stability and numerous side effects during therapy. One of the strategies to improve the effectiveness of therapy with such drugs is the use of supramolecular nano-containers, including dendrimers and macrocyclic compounds. The ability of gemcitabine to attach a proton in an aqueous environment necessitates the search for a carrier that is well-tolerated by an organism and capable of supramolecular binding of a ligand (drug) in a cationic form. In the current study a promising strategy was tested for using cucurbituril Q7 to bind gemcitabine cations for its efficient intracellular delivery on three selected cancer cell lines (MOLT4, THP-1 and U937). Based on physicochemical studies (equilibrium dialysis, UV and ¹H NMR titrations, DOSY ¹H NMR measurements, DSC calorimetry) and cytotoxicity tests on cells with a free and blocked hENT1 transporter, the conclusion was drawn about the binding and penetration of the cucurbituril-drug complex into cancer cells.

Lactoferrin/Hyaluronic acid double-coated lignosulfonate nanoparticles of quinacrine as a controlled release biodegradable nanomedicine targeting pancreatic cancer

Quinacrine is an antimalarial drug that was repositioned for treatment of cancer. This is the first work to enhance quinacrine activity and minimize its associated hepatotoxicity via loading into bio-degradable, bio-renewable lignosulfonate nanoparticles. Particles were appraised for treatment of pancreatic cancer, one of the most life-threatening tumors with a five-year survival estimate. Optimum nanocomposites prepared by polyelectrolyte interaction exhibited a particle size of 138 nm, a negative surface charge (-28 mV) and a pH dependent release of the drug in an acidic environment. Ligands used for active targeting (lactoferrin and hyaluronic acid) were added to nanoparticles' surface via layer by layer coating technique. The highest anticancer activity on PANC-1 cells was demonstrated with dual active targeted particles (3-fold decrease in IC₅₀) along with an increased ability to inhibit migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. In vivo studies revealed that elaborated nanoparticles particles showed the highest tumor volume reduction with enhanced survival without any toxicity on major organs. In conclusion, the elaborated nanoparticles could be considered as a promising targeted nanotherapy for treatment of pancreatic cancer with higher efficacy& survival rate and lower organ toxicity.

The pervasiveness of macropinocytosis in oncological malignancies

In tumour cells, macropinocytosis functions as an amino acid supply route and supports cancer cell survival and proliferation. Initially demonstrated in oncogenic KRAS-driven models of pancreatic cancer, macropinocytosis triggers the internalization of extracellular proteins via discrete endocytic vesicles called macropinosomes. The incoming protein cargo is targeted for lysosome-dependent degradation, causing the intracellular release of amino acids. These protein-derived amino acids support metabolic fitness by contributing to the intracellular amino acid pools, as well as to the biosynthesis of central carbon metabolites. In this way, macropinocytosis represents a novel amino acid supply route that tumour cells use to survive the nutrient-poor conditions of the tumour microenvironment. Macropinocytosis has also emerged as an entry mechanism for a variety of nanomedicines, suggesting that macropinocytosis regulation in the tumour setting can be harnessed for the delivery of anti-cancer therapeutics. A slew of recent studies point to the possibility that macropinocytosis is a pervasive feature of many different tumour types. In this review, we focus on the role of this important uptake mechanism in a variety of cancers and highlight the main molecular drivers of macropinocytosis in these malignancies. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Macropinocytosis'.

Hyaluronan-Stabilized Redox-Sensitive Nanoassembly for Chemo-Gene Therapy and Dual T1/T2 MR Imaging in Drug-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

Tailoring combinatorial therapies along with real-time monitoring strategies has been the major focus of overcoming multidrug resistance in cancer. However, attempting to develop a multifunctional nanoplatform in a single construct leads to compromising therapeutic outcomes. Herein, we developed a simple, theranostic nanoassembly containing a hyaluronic acid-stabilized redox-sensitive (HART) polyethylenimine polyplex composed of a doxorubicin (DOX) intercalated Bcl-2 shRNA encoded plasmid along with a green-synthesized hausmannite (Mn₃O₄) and hematite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticle (GMF). The highly stable HART nanoassembly has enhanced CD44-mediated intracellular uptake along with hyaluronidase (hylase) and redox-responsive drug-gene release. With Bcl-2 gene silencing induced by the successful delivery of HART in multidrug-resistant MCF7 breast cancer cells, the synergistic cytotoxic effect of Bcl-2 silencing and DOX was achieved. In addition, the HART nanoassembly containing GMF exhibited excellent dual MRI contrast (T1/T2) by reducing artifact signals. Overall, the HART nanoassembly with its enhanced theranostic properties has the potential to improve the therapeutic efficacy in future preclinical and clinical trials.

Surface-enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering Nanoprobe Ratiometry for Detecting Microscopic Ovarian Cancer via Folate Receptor Targeting

Ovarian cancer represents the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Most patients present at an advanced stage (FIGO stage III or IV), when local metastatic spread has already occurred. However, ovarian cancer has a unique pattern of metastatic spread, in that tumor implants are initially contained within the peritoneal cavity. This feature could enable, in principle, the complete resection of tumor implants with curative intent. Many of these metastatic lesions are microscopic, making them hard to identify and treat. Neutralizing such micrometastases is believed to be a major goal towards eliminating tumor recurrence and achieving long-term survival. Raman imaging with surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering nanoprobes can be used to delineate microscopic tumors with high sensitivity, due to their bright and bioorthogonal spectral signatures. Here, we describe the synthesis of two 'flavors' of such nanoprobes: an antibody-functionalized one that targets the folate receptor - overexpressed in many ovarian cancers - and a non-targeted control nanoprobe, with distinct spectra. The nanoprobes are co-administered intraperitoneally to mouse models of metastatic human ovarian adenocarcinoma. All animal studies were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The peritoneal cavity of the animals is surgically exposed, washed, and scanned with a Raman microphotospectrometer. Subsequently, the Raman signatures of the two nanoprobes are decoupled using a Classical Least Squares fitting algorithm, and their respective scores divided to provide a ratiometric signal of folate-targeted over untargeted probes. In this way, microscopic metastases are visualized with high specificity. The main benefit of this approach is that the local application into the peritoneal cavity - which can be done conveniently during the surgical procedure - can tag tumors without subjecting the patient to systemic nanoparticle exposure. False positive signals stemming from non-specific binding of the nanoprobes onto visceral surfaces can be eliminated by following a ratiometric approach where targeted and non-targeted nanoprobes with distinct Raman signatures are applied as a mixture. The procedure is currently still limited by the lack of a commercial wide-field Raman imaging camera system, which once available will allow for the application of this technique in the operating theater.

Albumin Based Nanoparticles for Detection of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND

Molecular imaging of cancer cells using effective drug targeting systems are most interested research area in recent years. Albumin protein is a soluble and most abundant protein in circulatory system. It has a ligand-binding function and acts as a transport protein. Researchers are interested in developing albumin based nanostructured specific anti-tumor drugs in cancer therapy. Pancreatic cancer treatment or drug design for targeted pancreatic cancer cell has great importance due to it has a high mortality rate comparing other cancer types.

OBJECTIVE

In this article, our goal is to develop new targeting nanoparticles based on the conjugation of albumin and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) for pancreatic cancer cells.

METHOD

In this article, we proposed a new technique for conjugation of albumin (BSA) and HA in nano formation. Firstly, cationic BSA is synthesized. Then, BSA-HA conjugation is obtained by interacted cationic BSA with 1000 ppm HA. Secondly, nano BSA-HA particles and nano BSA particles were synthesized according to AmiNoAcid Decorated and Light Underpinning Conjugation Approach (ANADOLUCA) method which provides a special cross-linking strategy for biomolecules using ruthenium-based amino acid monomer haptens. After characterization studies, in vitro cytotoxic activity of synthesized nano BSA-HA particles were determined for PANC-1 ATCC^® CRL146 cells.

RESULTS

According to the data, nano BSA and nano BSA-HA particles synthesized uniquely using special ruthenium-based amino acid decorated cross-linking agent, (MATyr)2-Ru-(MATyr)2.based on ANDOLUCA method. Characterization results showed that there was not any change in protein folding structures during nano formation process. In addition, nano protein particles gained fluorescence feature. When interacting synthesized nano BSA and nano BSA-HA particles with pancreatic cells, it was found that BSA nanoparticles were usually around cells and membranes, but BSA-HA nanoparticles were identified around the cells, in the cytoplasm inside the cell, and next to the cell nucleus. So, nano BSA-HA particles could be used as cancer cell imaging agent for PANC-1 ATCC^® CRL146 cells.

CONCLUSION

The satisfactory conclusion of this study is that synthesized nano BSA-HA particles are fundamental materials for targeting pancreatic cancer cells due to HA receptors located on pancreatic cancer cells and imaging agents due to fluorescence feature of the BSA-HA nanoparticles.

Current Trends in Cancer Nanotheranostics: Metallic, Polymeric, and Lipid-Based Systems

Theranostics has emerged in recent years to provide an efficient and safer alternative in cancer management. This review presents an updated description of nanotheranostic formulations under development for skin cancer (including melanoma), head and neck, thyroid, breast, gynecologic, prostate, and colon cancers, brain-related cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma. With this focus, we appraised the clinical advantages and drawbacks of metallic, polymeric, and lipid-based nanosystems, such as low invasiveness, low toxicity to the surrounding healthy tissues, high precision, deeper tissue penetration, and dosage adjustment in a real-time setting. Particularly recognizing the increased complexity and multimodality in this area, multifunctional hybrid nanoparticles, comprising different nanomaterials and functionalized with targeting moieties and/or anticancer drugs, present the best characteristics for theranostics. Several examples, focusing on their design, composition, imaging and treatment modalities, and in vitro and in vivo characterization, are detailed herein. Briefly, all studies followed a common trend in the design of these theranostics modalities, such as the use of materials and/or drugs that share both inherent imaging (e.g., contrast agents) and therapeutic properties (e.g., heating or production reactive oxygen species). This rationale allows one to apparently overcome the heterogeneity, complexity, and harsh conditions of tumor microenvironments, leading to the development of successful targeted therapies.

A hyaluronic acid conjugate engineered to synergistically and sequentially deliver gemcitabine and doxorubicin to treat triple negative breast cancer

Combination chemotherapy is commonly used to treat advanced breast cancer. However, treatment success is often limited due to systemic toxicity. To improve therapeutic efficacy, polymer drug conjugates carrying synergistic pairs of chemotherapy drugs can be used to reduce drug administration dose. Here, we systematically evaluated the effect of temporal scheduling of doxorubicin (DOX) and gemcitabine (GEM) on drug synergy. Hyaluronic acid (HA) drug conjugates with distinct linkers conjugating both DOX and GEM were synthesized to control relative release kinetics of each drug. We show that polymer conjugates that release GEM faster than DOX are more effective at killing triple negative breast cancer cells in vitro. We further show that the optimal dual drug conjugate more effectively inhibits the growth of an aggressive, orthotopic 4T1 tumor model in vivo than free DOX and GEM and the single drug HA conjugates. The dual drug HA conjugate can inhibit 4T1 tumor growth in vivo during treatment through both intravenous and non-local subcutaneous injections. These results emphasize the importance of understanding the effect release rates have on the efficacy of synergistic drug carriers and motivate the use of HA as a delivery platform for multiple cancer types.

68Ga-THP-PSMA: A PET Imaging Agent for Prostate Cancer Offering Rapid, Room-Temperature, 1-Step Kit-Based Radiolabeling

The clinical impact and accessibility of 68Ga tracers for the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) and other targets would be greatly enhanced by the availability of a simple, 1-step kit-based labeling process. Radiopharmacy staff are accustomed to such procedures in the daily preparation of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals. Currently, chelating agents used in 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals do not meet this ideal. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate preclinically a 68Ga radiotracer for imaging PSMA expression that could be radiolabeled simply by addition of 68Ga generator eluate to a cold kit. Methods: A conjugate of a tris(hydroxypyridinone) (THP) chelator with the established urea-based PSMA inhibitor was synthesized and radiolabeled with 68Ga by adding generator eluate directly to a vial containing the cold precursors THP-PSMA and sodium bicarbonate, with no further manipulation. It was analyzed after 5 min by instant thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The product was subjected to in vitro studies to determine PSMA affinity using PSMA-expressing DU145-PSMA cells, with their nonexpressing analog DU145 as a control. In vivo PET imaging and ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed in mice bearing xenografts of the same cell lines, comparing 68Ga-THP-PSMA with 68Ga-HBED-CC-PSMA. Results: Radiolabeling was complete (>95%) within 5 min at room temperature, showing a single radioactive species by high-performance liquid chromatography that was stable in human serum for more than 6 h and showed specific binding to PSMA-expressing cells (concentration giving 50% inhibition of 361 ± 60 nM). In vivo PET imaging showed specific uptake in PSMA-expressing tumors, reaching 5.6 ± 1.2 percentage injected dose per cubic centimeter at 40-60 min and rapid clearance from blood to kidney and bladder. The tumor uptake, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics were not significantly different from those of 68Ga-HBED-CC-PSMA except for reduced uptake in the spleen. Conclusion:68Ga-THP-PSMA has equivalent imaging properties but greatly simplified radiolabeling compared with other 68Ga-PSMA conjugates. THP offers the prospect of rapid, simple, 1-step, room-temperature syringe-and-vial radiolabeling of 68Ga radiopharmaceuticals.