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Azevedo A, Coelho MP, Pinho JO, Soares PIP, Reis CP, Borges JP, Gaspar MM. An alternative hybrid lipid nanosystem combining cytotoxic and magnetic properties as a tool to potentiate antitumor effect of 5-fluorouracil. Life Sci 2024; 344:122558. [PMID: 38471621 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Colorectal cancer is the third most frequent type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The majority of cases are diagnosed at a later stage, leading to the need for more aggressive treatments such as chemotherapy. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), known for its high cytotoxic properties has emerged as a chemotherapeutic agent. However, it presents several drawbacks such as lack of specificity and short half-life. To reduce these drawbacks, several strategies have been designed namely chemical modification or association to drug delivery systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS Current research was focused on the design, physicochemical characterization and in vitro evaluation of a lipid-based system loaded with 5-FU. Furthermore, aiming to maximize preferential targeting and release at tumour sites, a hybrid lipid-based system, combining both therapeutic and magnetic properties was developed and validated. For this purpose, liposomes co-loaded with 5-FU and iron oxide (II, III) nanoparticles were accomplished. KEY FINDINGS The characterization of the developed nanoformulation was performed in terms of incorporation parameters, mean size and surface charge. In vitro studies assessed in a murine colon cancer cell line confirmed that 5-FU antiproliferative activity was preserved after incorporation in liposomes. In same model, iron oxide (II, III) nanoparticles did not exhibit cytotoxic properties. Additionally, the presence of these nanoparticles was shown to confer magnetic properties to the liposomes, allowing them to respond to external magnetic fields. SIGNIFICANCE Overall, a lipid nanosystem loading a chemotherapeutic agent displaying magnetic characteristics was successfully designed and physicochemically characterized, for further in vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afonso Azevedo
- i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Mariana P Coelho
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jacinta O Pinho
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paula I P Soares
- i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Catarina P Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; IBEB, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João P Borges
- i3N/CENIMAT, Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal; IBEB, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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2
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Ferreira-Gonçalves T, Nunes D, Fortunato E, Martins R, de Almeida AP, Carvalho L, Ferreira D, Catarino J, Faísca P, Ferreira HA, Gaspar MM, Coelho JMP, Reis CP. Rational approach to design gold nanoparticles for photothermal therapy: the effect of gold salt on physicochemical, optical and biological properties. Int J Pharm 2024; 650:123659. [PMID: 38042383 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Among the unique characteristics associated to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in biomedicine, their ability to convert light energy into heat opens ventures for improved cancer therapeutic options, such as photothermal therapy (PTT). PTT relies on the local hyperthermia of tumor cells upon irradiation with light beams, and the association of AuNPs with radiation within the near infrared (NIR) range constitutes an advantageous strategy to potentially improve PTT efficacy. Herein, it was explored the effect of the gold salt on the AuNPs' physicochemical and optical properties. Mostly spherical-like negatively charged AuNPs with variable sizes and absorbance spectra were obtained. In addition, photothermal features were assessed using in vitro phantom models. The best formulation showed the ability to increase their temperature in aqueous solution up to 19 °C when irradiated with a NIR laser for 20 min. Moreover, scanning transmission electron microscopy confirmed the rearrangement of the gold atoms in a face-centered cubic structure, which further allowed to calculate the photothermal conversion efficiency upon combination of theoretical and experimental data. AuNPs also showed local retention after being locally administered in in vivo models. These last results obtained by computerized tomography allow to consider these AuNPs as promising elements for a PTT system. Moreover, AuNPs showed high potential for PTT by resulting in in vitro cancer cells' viability reductions superior to 70 % once combine with 5 min of NIR irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tânia Ferreira-Gonçalves
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Daniela Nunes
- Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Campus de Caparica, i3N/CENIMAT, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Elvira Fortunato
- Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Campus de Caparica, i3N/CENIMAT, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Rodrigo Martins
- Department of Materials Science, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Campus de Caparica, i3N/CENIMAT, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - António P de Almeida
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Lina Carvalho
- Central Testing Laboratory, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - David Ferreira
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Escola de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7002-594 Valverde, Évora, Portugal.
| | - José Catarino
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Faísca
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal; CBIOS-Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Hugo A Ferreira
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - João M P Coelho
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Catarina Pinto Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
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3
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Campaniço A, Harjivan SG, Freitas E, Serafini M, Gaspar MM, Capela R, Gomes P, Jordaan A, Madureira AM, André V, Silva AB, Duarte MT, Portugal I, Perdigão J, Moreira R, Warner DF, Lopes F. Structural Optimization of Antimycobacterial Azaaurones Towards Improved Solubility and Metabolic Stability. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300410. [PMID: 37845182 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
While N-acetyl azaaurones have already been disclosed for their potential against tuberculosis (TB), their low metabolic stability remains an unaddressed liability. We now report a study designed to improve the metabolic stability and solubility of the azaaurone scaffold and to identify the structural requirements for antimycobacterial activity. Replacing the N-acetyl moiety for a N-carbamoyl group led to analogues with sub- and nanomolar potencies against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, as well as equipotent against drug-susceptible and drug-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates. The new N-carbamoyl azaaurones exhibited improved microsomal stability, compared to their N-acetylated counterparts, with several compounds displaying moderate to high kinetic solubility. The frequency of spontaneous resistance to azaaurones was observed to be in the range of 10-8 , a value that is comparable to current TB drugs in the market. Overall, these results reveal that azaaurones are amenable to structural modifications to improve metabolic and solubility liabilities, and highlight their potential as antimycobacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Campaniço
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Shrika G Harjivan
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Freitas
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marco Serafini
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rita Capela
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro Gomes
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Audrey Jordaan
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Ana M Madureira
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Vânia André
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal
- Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento (IST-ID), Avenida António José de Almeida, n.° 12, 1000-043, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreia B Silva
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Teresa Duarte
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Portugal
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Perdigão
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui Moreira
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Digby F Warner
- Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Francisca Lopes
- Instituto de Investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
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Coelho MP, Duarte P, Calado M, Almeida AJ, Reis CP, Gaspar MM. The current role of cannabis and cannabinoids in health: A comprehensive review of their therapeutic potential. Life Sci 2023; 329:121838. [PMID: 37290668 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
There has been an increased interest of the scientific community in cannabis and its constituents for therapeutic purposes. Although it is believed that cannabinoids can be effective for a few different conditions and syndromes, there are little objective data that clearly support the use of cannabis, cannabis extracts or even cannabidiol (CBD) oil. This review aims to explore the therapeutic potential of phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids for the treatment of several diseases. A broad search covering the past five years, was performed in PubMed and ClinicalTrial.gov databases, to identify papers focusing on the use of medical phytocannabinoids in terms of tolerability, efficacy and safety. Accordingly, there are preclinical data supporting the use of phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids for the management of neurological pathologies, acute and chronical pain, cancer, psychiatric disorders and chemotherapy-induced emetic symptoms. However, regarding the clinical trials, most of the collected data do not fully support the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of such conditions. Consequently, more studies are still needed to clarify ascertain if the use of these compounds is useful in the management of different pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Pinto Coelho
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Duarte
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Calado
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António J Almeida
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Pinto Reis
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; IBEB, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1649-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
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5
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Pinho JO, Matias M, Godinho-Santos A, Amaral JD, Mendes E, Jesus Perry M, Paula Francisco A, Rodrigues CMP, Manuela Gaspar M. A step forward on the in vitro and in vivo assessment of a novel nanomedicine against melanoma. Int J Pharm 2023; 640:123011. [PMID: 37146952 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer, with increasing incidence and mortality rates. To overcome current treatment limitations, a hybrid molecule (HM) combining a triazene and a ʟ-tyrosine analogue, was recently synthesized, incorporated in long blood circulating liposomes (LIP HM) and validated in an immunocompetent melanoma model. The present work constitutes a step forward in the therapeutic assessment of HM formulations. Here, human melanoma cells, A375 and MNT-1, were used and dacarbazine (DTIC), a triazene drug clinically available as first-line treatment for melanoma, constituted the positive control. In cell cycle analysis, A375 cells, after 24-h incubation with HM (60 μM) and DTIC (70 μM), resulted in a 1.2 fold increase (related to control) in the percentage of cells in G0/G1 phase. The therapeutic activity was evaluated in a human murine melanoma model (subcutaneously injected with A375 cells) to most closely resemble the human pathology. Animals treated with LIP HM exhibited the highest antimelanoma effect resulting in a 6-, 5- and 4-fold reduction on tumor volume compared to negative control, Free HM and DTIC groups, respectively. No toxic side effects were detected. Overall, these results constitute another step forward in the validation of the antimelanoma activity of LIP HM, using a murine model that more accurately simulates the pathology that occurs in human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta O Pinho
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Mariana Matias
- CICS-UBI-Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal.
| | - Ana Godinho-Santos
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Joana D Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Eduarda Mendes
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Maria Jesus Perry
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Ana Paula Francisco
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Cecília M P Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
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Francisco P, Neves Amaral M, Neves A, Ferreira-Gonçalves T, Viana AS, Catarino J, Faísca P, Simões S, Perdigão J, Charmier AJ, Gaspar MM, Reis CP. Pluronic® F127 Hydrogel Containing Silver Nanoparticles in Skin Burn Regeneration: An Experimental Approach from Fundamental to Translational Research. Gels 2023; 9:gels9030200. [PMID: 36975649 PMCID: PMC10048756 DOI: 10.3390/gels9030200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Presently, skin burns are considered one of the main public health problems and lack therapeutic options. In recent years, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely studied, playing an increasingly important role in wound healing due to their antibacterial activity. This work is focused on the production and characterization of AgNPs loaded in a Pluronic® F127 hydrogel, as well as assessing its antimicrobial and wound-healing potential. Pluronic® F127 has been extensively explored for therapeutic applications mainly due to its appealing properties. The developed AgNPs had an average size of 48.04 ± 14.87 nm (when prepared by method C) and a negative surface charge. Macroscopically, the AgNPs solution presented a translucent yellow coloration with a characteristic absorption peak at 407 nm. Microscopically, the AgNPs presented a multiform morphology with small sizes (~50 nm). Skin permeation studies revealed that no AgNPs permeated the skin after 24 h. AgNPs further demonstrated antimicrobial activity against different bacterial species predominant in burns. A chemical burn model was developed to perform preliminary in vivo assays and the results showed that the performance of the developed AgNPs loaded in hydrogel, with smaller silver dose, was comparable with a commercial silver cream using higher doses. In conclusion, hydrogel-loaded AgNPs is potentially an important resource in the treatment of skin burns due to their proven efficacy by topical administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Francisco
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Mariana Neves Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Afonso Neves
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tânia Ferreira-Gonçalves
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana S. Viana
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - José Catarino
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusoófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Faísca
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Lusoófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
- CBIOS—Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sandra Simões
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Perdigão
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adília J. Charmier
- DREAMS, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M. Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina Pinto Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +351-217-946-429 (ext. 14244)
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Pinho JO, Matias M, Marques V, Eleutério C, Fernandes C, Gano L, Amaral JD, Mendes E, Perry MJ, Moreira JN, Storm G, Francisco AP, Rodrigues CMP, Gaspar MM. Preclinical validation of a new hybrid molecule loaded in liposomes for melanoma management. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 157:114021. [PMID: 36399831 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.114021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aggressiveness of melanoma and lack of effective therapies incite the discovery of novel strategies. Recently, a new dual acting hybrid molecule (HM), combining a triazene and a ʟ-tyrosine analogue, was synthesized. HM was designed to specifically be activated by tyrosinase, the enzyme involved in melanin biosynthesis and overexpressed in melanoma. HM displayed remarkable superior antiproliferative activity towards various cancer cell lines compared with temozolomide (TMZ), a triazene drug in clinical use, that acts through DNA alkylation. In B16-F10 cells, HM induced a cell cycle arrest at phase G0/G1 with a 2.8-fold decrease in cell proliferation index. Also, compared to control cells, HM led to a concentration-dependent reduction in tyrosinase activity and increase in caspase 3/7 activity. To maximize the therapeutic performance of HM in vivo, its incorporation in long blood circulating liposomes, containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) at their surface, was performed for passively targeting tumour sites. HM liposomes (LIP HM) exhibited high stability in biological fluids. Preclinical studies demonstrated its safety for systemic administration and in a subcutaneous murine melanoma model, significantly reduced tumour progression. In a metastatic murine melanoma model, a superior antitumour effect was also observed for mice receiving LIP HM, with markedly reduction of lung metastases compared to positive control group (TMZ). Biodistribution studies using 111In-labelled LIP HM demonstrated its ability for passively targeting tumour sites, thus correlating with the high therapeutic effect observed in the two experimental murine melanoma models. Overall, our proposed nanotherapeutic strategy was validated as an effective and safe alternative against melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta O Pinho
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana Matias
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Vanda Marques
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carla Eleutério
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Célia Fernandes
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares and Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - Lurdes Gano
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares and Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Bobadela LRS, Portugal
| | - Joana D Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Mendes
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria Jesus Perry
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Nuno Moreira
- Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology (CNC), Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Faculty of Medicine (Polo 1), Rua Larga, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra (Univ Coimbra), CIBB, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Gert Storm
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Biomaterial Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | - Ana Paula Francisco
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cecília M P Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
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8
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Abstract
Worldwide, colon cancer (CC) represents the fourth most common type of cancer and the fifth major cause of cancer-associated deaths. Surgical resection is considered the standard therapeutic choice for CC in early stages. However, in latter stages of the disease, adjuvant chemotherapy is essential for an appropriate management of this pathology. Metal-based complexes displaying cytotoxic properties towards tumor cells emerge as potential chemotherapeutic options. One metallodrug, oxaliplatin, was already approved for clinical use, playing an important role in the treatment of CC patients. Unfortunately, most of the newly designed metal-based complexes exhibit lack of selectivity against cancer cells, low solubility and permeability, high dose-limiting toxicity, and emergence of resistances. Nanodelivery systems enable the incorporation of metallodrugs at adequate payloads, solving the above-referred drawbacks. Moreover, drug delivery systems, depending on their physicochemical properties, are able to release the incorporated material preferentially at affected tissues/organs, enhancing the therapeutic activity in vivo, with concomitant fewer side effects. In this review, the general features and therapeutic management of CC will be addressed, with a special focus on preclinical or clinical studies using metal-based compounds. Furthermore, the use of different nanodelivery systems will also be described as tools to potentiate the therapeutic index of metallodrugs for the management of CC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Farinha
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jacinta O Pinho
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana Matias
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Research Institute for Medicines, iMed.ULisboa, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisboa, Portugal.
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9
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Amaral M, Charmier AJ, Afonso RA, Catarino J, Faísca P, Carvalho L, Ascensão L, Coelho JMP, Gaspar MM, Reis CP. Gold-Based Nanoplataform for the Treatment of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: A Step Forward. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1242. [PMID: 33808984 PMCID: PMC8218498 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a very rare subtype of thyroid carcinoma and one of the most lethal malignancies. Poor prognosis is mainly associated with its undifferentiated nature, inoperability, and failing to respond to the typically used therapies for thyroid cancer. Photothermal Therapy (PTT) entails using light to increase tissues' temperature, leading to hyperthermia-mediated cell death. Tumours are more susceptible to heat as they are unable to dissipate it. By using functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) that transform light energy into heat, it is possible to target the heat to the tumour. This study aims to formulate ATC-targeted AuNPs able to convert near-infrared light into heat, for PTT of ATC. Different AuNPs were synthetized and coated. Size, morphology, and surface plasmon resonances band were determined. The optimized coated-AuNPs were then functionalized with ligands to assess ATC's specificity. Safety, efficacy, and selectivity were assessed in vitro. The formulations were deemed safe when not irradiated (>70% cell viability) and selective for ATC. However, when irradiated, holo-transferrin-AuNPs were the most cytotoxic (22% of cell viability). The biodistribution and safety of this formulation was assessed in vivo. Overall, this novel formulation appears to be a highly promising approach to evaluate in a very near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Adília J. Charmier
- DREAMS, Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Ricardo A. Afonso
- Ciências Funcionais e Alvos Terapêuticos, NOVA Medical School Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS|FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - José Catarino
- Laboratório Veterinário, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária—Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias/DNAtech, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.C.); (P.F.)
| | - Pedro Faísca
- Laboratório Veterinário, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária—Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias/DNAtech, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (J.C.); (P.F.)
| | - Lina Carvalho
- Central Testing Laboratory, Campus de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Lia Ascensão
- Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - João M. P. Coelho
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - M. Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.A.); (M.M.G.)
| | - Catarina Pinto Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.A.); (M.M.G.)
- Instituto de Biofísica e Engenharia Biomédica (IBEB), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal;
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10
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Pinho JO, da Silva IV, Amaral JD, Rodrigues CMP, Casini A, Soveral G, Gaspar MM. Therapeutic potential of a copper complex loaded in pH-sensitive long circulating liposomes for colon cancer management. Int J Pharm 2021; 599:120463. [PMID: 33711474 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma is a complex malignancy and current therapies are hampered by systemic toxicity and tumor resistance to treatment. In the field of cancer therapy, copper (Cu) compounds hold great promise, with some reaching clinical trials. However, the anticancer potential of Cu complexes has not yet been fully disclosed due to speciation in biological systems, leading to inactivation and/or potential side effects. This is the case of the widely studied Cu(II) complexes featuring phenanthroline ligands, with potent antiproliferative effects in vitro, but often failing in vivo. Aiming to overcome these limitations and maximize its anticancer effects in vivo, the Cu(II) complex (Cu(1,10-phenanthroline)Cl2) (Cuphen), displaying IC50 values <6 μM against different tumor cell lines, was loaded in long circulating liposomes with pH-sensitive properties (F1, DMPC:CHEMS:DSPE-PEG; F2, DOPE:CHEMS:DMPC:DSPE-PEG). This enabled a pH-dependent Cuphen release, with F1 and F2 releasing 36/78% and 47/94% of Cuphen at pH 6/4.5, respectively. The so formed nanoformulations preserved Cuphen effects towards cancer cell lines, with F2 presenting IC50 of 2.7 μM and 4.9 μM towards colon cancer CT-26 and HCT-116 cells, respectively. Additional in vitro studies confirmed that Cuphen antiproliferative activity towards colon cancer cells does not rely on cell cycle effect. Furthermore, in these cells, Cuphen reduced glycerol permeation and impaired cell migration. At 24 h incubation, wound closure was reduced by Cuphen, with migration values of 29% vs 54% (control) and 45% (1,10-phenanthroline) in CT-26 cells, and 33% vs ~44% (control and 1,10-phenanthroline) in HCT-116 cells. These effects were probably due to inhibition of aquaglyceroporins, membrane water and glycerol channels that are often abnormally expressed in tumors. In a syngeneic murine colon cancer model, F2 significantly reduced tumor progression, compared to the control group and to mice treated with free Cuphen or with the ligand, 1,10-phenanthroline, without eliciting toxic side effects. F2 led to a tumor volume reduction of ca. 50%. This was confirmed by RTV analysis, where F2 reached a value of 1.3 vs 4.4 (Control), 5.8 (Phen) and 3.8 (free Cuphen). These results clearly demonstrated the important role of the Cu(II) for the observed biological activity that was maximized following the association to a lipid-based nanosystem. Overall, this study represents a step forward in the development of pH-sensitive nanotherapeutic strategies of metallodrugs for colon cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacinta O Pinho
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês V da Silva
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana D Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cecília M P Rodrigues
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Angela Casini
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85748 Garching b. München, Germany.
| | - Graça Soveral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal.
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11
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Abstract
Globally, thyroid cancer accounts for 2 % of all cancer diagnoses, and can be classified as well-differentiated or undifferentiated. Currently, differentiated thyroid carcinomas have good prognoses, and can be treated with a combination of therapies, including surgical thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine therapy and hormone-based therapy. On the other hand, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, a subtype of undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma characterized by the loss of thyroid-like phenotype and function, does not respond to either radioactive iodine or hormone therapies. In most cases, anaplastic thyroid carcinomas are diagnosed in later stages of the disease, deeming them inoperable, and showing poor response rates to systemic chemotherapy. Recently, treatment courses using multiple-target agents are being explored and clinical trials have shown very promising results, such as overall survival rates, progression-free survival and tumor shrinkage. This review is focused on thyroid carcinomas, with particular focus on anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, exploring its undifferentiated nature. Special interest will be given to the treatment approaches currently available and respective obstacles or drawbacks. Our purpose is to contribute to understand why this malignancy presents low responsiveness to current treatments, while overviewing novel therapies and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Amaral
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ricardo A Afonso
- CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS/FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Área de Ensino e Investigação em Ciências Funcionais e Alvos Terapêuticos, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (NMS
- FCM), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Departamento de Física, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Pinto Reis
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,IBEB, Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
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12
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Lopes RM, Pereira J, Esteves MA, Gaspar MM, Carvalheiro M, Eleutério CV, Gonçalves L, Jiménez-Ruiz A, Almeida AJ, Cruz MEM. Lipid-based nanoformulations of trifluralin analogs in the management of Leishmania infantum infections. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2016; 11:153-70. [DOI: 10.2217/nnm.15.190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To improve the potential of trifluralin (TFL) in the management of Leishmania infantum infections through the synthesis of analogs (TFLA) and incorporation in nanoparticulate drug delivery systems (NanoDDS), liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles, for selective targeting to leishmania infection sites. Material & methods: In vitro screening of 18 TFLA was performed by flow cytometry. NanoDDS were loaded with active TFLA and evaluated for antileishmanial efficacy in mice through determination of parasite burden in liver and spleen. Results: The in vitro testing revealed the most active and nontoxic TFLAs, which were selected for the in vivo studies based on high incorporation in liposomes and lipid nanoparticles (>90%). Selected TFLA nanoformulations showed superior antileishmanial activity in mice (parasite burden >80%), over free TFLA and Glucantime. Conclusion: The modification of TFL structure to obtain active TFLA, together with their incorporation in NanoDDS, improved their in vivo performance against L. infantum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui M Lopes
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana Pereira
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Alexandra Esteves
- Solar Energy Unit, National Laboratory for Energy & Geology, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649–038 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Manuela Gaspar
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Manuela Carvalheiro
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carla V Eleutério
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lídia Gonçalves
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Jiménez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas-Unidad Asociada al Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - António J Almeida
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - M Eugénia M Cruz
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649–003 Lisboa, Portugal
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13
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Lopes RM, Gaspar MM, Pereira J, Eleutério CV, Carvalheiro M, Almeida AJ, Cruz MEM. Liposomes versus lipid nanoparticles: comparative study of lipid-based systems as oryzalin carriers for the treatment of leishmaniasis. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2015; 10:3647-57. [PMID: 26000378 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2014.1874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Main-stay in treatment of leishmaniasis relies on chemotherapy but none of the current drugs combines high activity and low toxicity at affordable costs. Dinitroanilines are a new class of drugs with proved in vitro antileishmanial activity. However the development of their pharmaceutical formulations has been compromised by low water solubility and low accumulation in diseased organs. These limitations can be overcome by incorporation in lipid-based nanoformulations such as liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles. In previous work this strategy was already followed with the incorporation of a dinitroaniline, oryzalin, resulting in the improvement of the biodistribution profile. The present work aims at demonstrating the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic activity of these oryzalin nanoformulations, and establishing a systematic comparison of both systems. After oryzalin incorporation suitable physicochemical properties for parenteral administration were obtained. Nanoformulations revealed reduced cytotoxicity and haemolytic activity when compared with free-oryzalin, while retaining the in vitro intracellular activity. Therapeutic activity, assessed in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis, was evaluated in terms of number of administrations, dose-response and influence of the lipid excipient. Results demonstrate the superiority of both oryzalin nanoformulations on the reduction of parasitic burden in liver and spleen as compared to the control group (84 to 91%) and similar to Glucantime. A strong reduction in ED50 values (3 to 65 fold) as compared to free-oryzalin was also obtained, depending on the organ and nanoformulation used. Both oryzalin nanoformulations are potential candidates as therapeutic agents against visceral leishmaniasis.
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14
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Figueiredo R, Moiteiro C, Medeiros MA, Silva PAD, Ramos D, Spies F, Ribeiro M, Lourenço MCS, Júnior I, Gaspar MM, Cruz MEM, Curto MJM, Franzblau S, Orozco H, Aguilar D, Hernandez-Pando R, Costa MC. Synthesis and evaluation of rifabutin analogs against Mycobacterium avium and H37Rv, MDR and NRP Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bioorg Med Chem 2009; 17:503-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2008] [Revised: 11/30/2008] [Accepted: 12/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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15
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Gaspar MM, Cruz A, Penha AF, Reymão J, Sousa AC, Eleutério CV, Domingues SA, Fraga AG, Filho AL, Cruz MEM, Pedrosa J. Rifabutin encapsulated in liposomes exhibits increased therapeutic activity in a model of disseminated tuberculosis. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2007; 31:37-45. [PMID: 18006283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2007.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2007] [Revised: 07/26/2007] [Accepted: 08/04/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of death amongst infectious diseases. The low permeation of antimycobacterial agents and their difficult access to infected macrophages necessitate long-term use of high drug doses. Liposomes preferentially accumulate in macrophages, increasing the efficacy of antibiotics against intracellular parasites. In the present work, several rifabutin (RFB) liposomal formulations were developed and characterised and their in vivo profile was compared with free RFB following intravenous administration. With the RFB liposomal formulations tested, higher concentrations of the antibiotic were achieved in liver, spleen and lungs 24h post administration compared with free RFB. The concentration of RFB in these organs was dependent on the rigidity of liposomal lipids. The liposomal RFB formulation prepared with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine:dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPC:DPPG) was the most effective and was selected for biological evaluation in a mouse model of disseminated TB. Compared with mice treated with free RFB, mice treated with the DPPC:DPPG RFB formulation exhibited lower bacterial loads in the spleen (5.53 log(10) vs. 5.18 log(10)) and liver (5.79 log(10) vs. 5.41 log(10)). In the lung, the level of pathology was lower in mice treated with encapsulated RFB. These results suggest that liposomal RFB is a promising approach for the treatment of extrapulmonary TB in human immunodeficiency virus co-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Gaspar
- Unidade Novas Formas de Agentes Bioactivos, Departamento de Biotecnologia, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia Tecnologia e Inovação, I.P., Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisboa, Portugal.
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16
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Cruz MEM, Manuela Gaspar M, Bárbara M, Martins F, Luísa Corvo M. Liposomal superoxide dismutases and their use in the treatment of experimental arthritis. Methods Enzymol 2005; 391:395-413. [PMID: 15721393 DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(05)91022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
It has long been suggested that superoxide dismutase (SOD) be used for antioxidant therapy on the basis of its ability to catalyze the dismutation of superoxide radicals involved in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. However, the administration of SOD in free form has some disadvantages, most importantly, the low accumulation of SOD in inflamed areas due to its reduced half-life in the bloodstream and its rapid renal excretion. To overcome this, SOD can be incorporated either in highly loaded conventional liposomes (SA-liposomes) or long circulating liposomes (PEG-liposomes). After an appropriate formulation of SOD in SA-liposomes, the therapeutic effect is strongly increased, as indicated by a reduction of about 40% of inflammation edema compared with treatment with nonencapsulated enzyme. Compared with SA-liposomes, PEG-liposomes show superior therapeutic activity. A second approach consists of the construction of a hydrophobic SOD derivative (Ac-SOD) that can be partially inserted within the lipid matrix of liposomes and that expresses enzymatic activity to the external medium. This hydrophobic enzyme, Ac-SOD, associated with liposomes (so called Ac-SOD-enzymosomes), is able to exert its therapeutic activity while circulating in the organism, regardless of the integrity of the liposomes. Ac-SOD-enzymosomes have a more rapid antiinflammatory effect than SOD liposomes, confirming that the release of Ac-SOD from liposomes is no longer required to achieve dismutation. Different methodologies for the preparation of SOD and Ac-SOD liposomal formulations (conventional and long circulating) have been established and are described in detail here.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Eugénia M Cruz
- Instituto Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial, Departmento de Biotecnologia, Lisbon, Portugal
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17
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Gaspar MM, Martins MB, Corvo ML, Cruz MEM. Design and characterization of enzymosomes with surface-exposed superoxide dismutase. Biochim Biophys Acta 2003; 1609:211-7. [PMID: 12543383 DOI: 10.1016/s0005-2736(02)00702-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was chemically modified by covalent linkage of fatty acid chains to the accessible epsilon-amino groups of the enzyme. This acylation method gave rise to a different enzyme entity (Ac-SOD) as evidenced by different physicochemical properties such as octanol/water partition coefficient and isoelectric point (pI) as compared to SOD. Ac-SOD was incorporated in conventional and long-circulating liposomes (LCL) and characterized in terms of incorporation efficiency, protein to lipid ratio (Prot/Lip), enzymatic activity retention and zeta potential. The observation that Ac-SOD liposomes present enzymatic activity on their external surface indicates that these formulations can act independent of rate and extent of enzyme release as required in case of SOD liposomes. The decrease of superficial charge of liposomal formulations containing Ac-SOD, as compared to SOD liposomes, may be related to the negatively charged enzyme molecules localized on the liposome surface. The comparative characterization of Ac-SOD and SOD liposomal formulations evidenced that the two enzyme forms differ substantially regarding their intraliposomal location: SOD tends to be localized in the internal aqueous spaces, whereas Ac-SOD is expected to be localized in the lipid bilayers of the liposomes, partially buried into the outer surface and exposed to the external medium. These liposomal structures with surface-exposed SOD were designated as Ac-SOD enzymosomes. The properties of these enzymosomes may influence the therapeutic effect, as the release of the enzyme from extravasated vesicles is no longer a necessary requirement for achieving dismutating activity within the inflamed target site.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Gaspar
- Departamento de Biotecnologia, Unidade Novas Formas de Agentes Bioactivos, Instituto Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal
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18
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Gaspar MM, Neves S, Portaels F, Pedrosa J, Silva MT, Cruz ME. Therapeutic efficacy of liposomal rifabutin in a Mycobacterium avium model of infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2000; 44:2424-30. [PMID: 10952590 PMCID: PMC90080 DOI: 10.1128/aac.44.9.2424-2430.2000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Liposomal formulations of rifabutin were developed, and the effects of some parameters on the incorporation efficiency were studied. The antimycobacterial activity of rifabutin incorporated into liposomes prepared with phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine (molar ratio, 7:3) was evaluated in a murine model of infection with a virulent Mycobacterium avium strain (strain P1581) and was compared with that of free rifabutin. The influences of the size of the liposomal rifabutin formulation, the administered doses, and the treatment schedules on the evolution of infection were studied. Two types of treatment schedules were assayed: therapeutic and prophylactic. The therapeutic treatment started 2 weeks after infection, while the prophylactic treatment began 1 day before the experimental infection with mycobacteria. Incorporation of rifabutin in liposomes resulted in a significant enhancement of activity against M. avium infection compared to that of rifabutin in the free form in both schedules. These results demonstrate that liposomal formulations of antibiotics such as rifabutin may be effective for the treatment or prophylaxis of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Gaspar
- INETI, Department of Biotechnology, Unidade Novas Formas de Agentes Bioactivos, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Abstract
The biological properties of preselected liposomal formulations of L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) were studied. Pharmacokinetics studies showed that encapsulation in large liposomes (sDRV; median diameter 1,249 nm) decreased the circulation time of the enzyme, whereas encapsulation in small liposomes (VET: median diameter 158-180 nm) prolonged it by a factor of up to 10. Liposome encapsulation in either VET or sDRV prevents the induction of anti-asparaginase antibodies and mitigates the anaphylatic reaction, as no death occurred in animals presensitized and challenged with liposomal formulation, in contrast to animals treated with the free enzyme. The antitumor activity was also enhanced by liposome encapsulation. The survival of animals bearing P1534 tumors was prolonged by a factor of 2 after treatment with selected liposomal formulations as compared with free enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Gaspar
- Departmento de Biotecnologia, INETI, Queluz de Baixo, Portugal
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Akhter J, Gaspar MM, Newcomb RW. Persistent peripheral airway obstruction in children with severe asthma. Ann Allergy 1989; 63:53-8. [PMID: 2742216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
We reviewed pulmonary function data on 447 children with the diagnosis of asthma, who were studied in our laboratory over a 6-year interval. We found 19 with evidence of consistent airway obstruction. Two patients who had obvious causes for persistent obstruction were excluded. Seven of the remaining 17 patients consented to further studies. In six of the seven patients studied, flow rates at low lung volumes were severely depressed and remained unchanged after 2 weeks of vigorous "inpatient" therapy. No clinical benefit was apparent. One patient had relentlessly worse disease and died of his asthma. The autopsy revealed changes characteristic of asthma. We conclude that some children with severe asthma have persistent and severe peripheral airway obstruction. These findings challenge the current paradigm that asthma in children is a completely "reversible" illness. Long-term follow-up of children with persistent chronic obstruction may clarify the question of childhood origin of adult lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Akhter
- Department of Pediatrics, Wyler Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
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Petrescu G, Gaspar MM, Oncu V, Toader RL, Culciţchi N, Georgescu V, Kaba T, Moll E, Ardevan A. [Methods for optimizing integrated antituberculosis control in the Cluj district]. Rev Ig Bacteriol Virusol Parazitol Epidemiol Pneumoftiziol Pneumoftiziol 1986; 35:79-82. [PMID: 3016873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Gaspar MM, Daia A, Pleşa A, Bizo C, Silai S. [Role of auxiliary personnel in the prevention of risk factors of infant morbidity and mortality]. Viata Med Rev Inf Prof Stiint Cadrelor Medii Sanit 1976; 24:49-52. [PMID: 821222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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