Deciphering cellular and molecular mechanism of MUC13 mucin involved in cancer cell plasticity and drug resistance

There has been a surge of interest in recent years in understanding the intricate mechanisms underlying cancer progression and treatment resistance. One molecule that has recently emerged in these mechanisms is MUC13 mucin, a transmembrane glycoprotein. Researchers have begun to unravel the molecular complexity of MUC13 and its impact on cancer biology. Studies have shown that MUC13 overexpression can disrupt normal cellular polarity, leading to the acquisition of malignant traits. Furthermore, MUC13 has been associated with increased cancer plasticity, allowing cells to undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasize. Notably, MUC13 has also been implicated in the development of chemoresistance, rendering cancer cells less responsive to traditional treatment options. Understanding the precise role of MUC13 in cellular plasticity, and chemoresistance could pave the way for the development of targeted therapies to combat cancer progression and enhance treatment efficacy.

Recurring SARS-CoV-2 variants: an update on post-pandemic, co-infections and immune response

The post-pandemic era following the global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has brought about persistent concerns regarding recurring coinfections. While significant strides in genome mapping, diagnostics, and vaccine development have controlled the pandemic and reduced fatalities, ongoing virus mutations necessitate a deeper exploration of the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 mutations and the host's immune response. Various vaccines, including RNA-based ones like Pfizer and Moderna, viral vector vaccines like Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca, and protein subunit vaccines like Novavax, have played critical roles in mitigating the impact of COVID-19. Understanding their strengths and limitations is crucial for tailoring future vaccines to specific variants and individual needs. The intricate relationship between SARS-CoV-2 mutations and the immune response remains a focus of intense research, providing insights into personalized treatment strategies and long-term effects like long-COVID. This article offers an overview of the post-pandemic landscape, highlighting emerging variants, summarizing vaccine platforms, and delving into immunological responses and the phenomenon of long-COVID. By presenting clinical findings, it aims to contribute to the ongoing understanding of COVID-19's progression in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: New Insights in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are gradually becoming a burden to society. The adverse effects and mortality/morbidity rates associated with these NDDs are a cause of many healthcare concerns. The pathologic alterations of NDDs are related to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which further stimulate the progression of NDDs. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted ample attention as critical mediators in the pathology of NDDs. However, there is a significant gap in understanding the biological function, molecular mechanisms, and potential importance of lncRNAs in NDDs. This review documents the current research on lncRNAs and their implications in NDDs. We further summarize the potential implication of lncRNAs to serve as novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for patients with NDDs.

Inulin-based formulations as an emerging therapeutic strategy for cancer: A comprehensive review

Cancer stands as the second leading cause of death in the United States (US). Most chemotherapeutic agents exhibit severe adverse effects that are attributed to exposure of drugs to off-target tissues, posing a significant challenge in cancer therapy management. In recent years, inulin, a naturally occurring prebiotic fiber has gained substantial attention for its potential in cancer treatment owing to its multitudinous health values. Its distinctive structure, stability, and nutritional properties position it as an effective adjuvant and carrier for drug delivery in cancer therapy. To address some of the above unmet clinical issues, this review summarizes the recent efforts towards the development of inulin-based nanomaterials and nanocomposites for healthcare applications with special emphasis on the multifunctional role of inulin in cancer therapy as a synergist, signaling molecule, immunomodulatory and anticarcinogenic molecule. Furthermore, the review provides a concise overview of ongoing clinical trials and observational studies associated with inulin-based therapy. In conclusion, the current review offers insights on the significant role of inulin interventions in exploring its potential as a therapeutic agent to treat cancer.

Protein subunit vaccines: Promising frontiers against COVID-19

The emergence of COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented global health crisis, challenging the healthcare systems worldwide. Amidst the rapid development of several vaccine formulations, protein subunit vaccines have emerged as a promising approach. This article provides an in-depth evaluation of the role of protein subunit vaccines in the management of COVID-19. Leveraging viral protein fragments, particularly the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, these vaccines elicit a targeted immune response without the risk of inducing disease. Notably, the robust safety profile of protein subunit vaccines makes them a compelling candidate in the management of COVID-19. Various innovative approaches, including reverse vaccinology, virus like particles, and recombinant modifications are incorporated to develop protein subunit vaccines. In addition, the utilization of advanced manufacturing techniques facilitates large-scale production, ensuring widespread distribution. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, such as the requirement for cold-chain storage and the necessity for booster doses. This article evaluates the formulation and applications of protein subunit vaccines, providing a comprehensive overview of their clinical development and approvals in the context of COVID-19. By addressing the current status and challenges, this review aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on optimizing protein subunit vaccines for effective pandemic control.

A Systems Biology Approach Unveils a Critical Role of DPP4 in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Patient Outcomes

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers comprise of cancers that affect the digestive system and its accessory organs. The late detection and poor prognosis of GI cancer emphasizes the importance of identifying reliable and precise biomarkers for early diagnosis and prediction of prognosis. The membrane-bound glycoprotein dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (DPP4), also known as CD26, is ubiquitously expressed and has a wide spectrum of biological roles. The role of DPP4/CD26 in tumor progression in different types of cancers remains elusive. However, the link between DPP4 and tumor-infiltrating cells, as well as its prognostic significance in malignancies, still require further investigation. This study was intended to elucidate the correlation of DPP4 expression and survival along with prognosis, followed by its associated enriched molecular pathways and immune cell marker levels in upper GI cancers. Results demonstrated a strong correlation between increased DPP4 expression and a worse prognosis in esophageal and gastric cancer and the co-expressed common genes with DPP4 were associated with crucial molecular pathways involved in tumorigenesis. Additionally, DPP4 was shown to be significantly linked to several immune infiltrating cell marker genes, including Macrophages (M1, M2 and Tumor Associated Macrophages), neutrophils, Treg, T-cell exhaustion, Th1 and Th2. Overall, our findings suggest that DPP4 may serve as a substantial prognostic biomarker, a possible therapeutic target, as well as it can play a critical role in the regulation of immune cell invasion in patients with gastroesophageal (esophageal, gastroesophageal junction and gastric) cancer. KEY WORDS: DPP4, integrated analysis, GI cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction, prognosis.

Targeting of oncogenic AAA-ATPase TRIP13 reduces progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Thyroid hormone receptor-interacting protein 13 (TRIP13) is involved in cancer progression, but its role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unknown. Thus, we assessed the expression, functional role, and mechanism of action of TRIP13 in PDAC. We further examined the efficacy of TRIP13 inhibitor, DCZ0415, alone or in combination with gemcitabine on malignant phenotypes, tumor progression, and immune response. We found that TRIP13 was overexpressed in human PDACs relative to corresponding normal pancreatic tissues. TRIP13 knockdown or treatment of PDAC cells with DCZ0415 reduced proliferation and colony formation, and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Additionally, TRIP13 knockdown or targeting with DCZ0415 reduced the migration and invasion of PDAC cells by increasing E-cadherin and decreasing N-cadherin and vimentin. Pharmacologic targeting or silencing of TRIP13 also resulted in reduce expression of FGFR4 and STAT3 phosphorylation, and downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In immunocompromised mouse models of PDAC, knockdown of TRIP13 or treatment with DCZ0415 reduced tumor growth and metastasis. In an immunocompetent syngeneic PDAC model, DCZ0415 treatment enhanced the immune response by lowering expression of PD1/PDL1, increasing granzyme B/perforin expression, and facilitating infiltration of CD3/CD4 T-cells. Further, DCZ0415 potentiated the anti-metastatic and anti-tumorigenic activities of gemcitabine by reducing proliferation and angiogenesis and by inducing apoptosis and the immune response. These preclinical findings show that TRIP13 is involved in PDAC progression and targeting of TRIP13 augments the anticancer effect of gemcitabine.

CEACAM7 expression contributes to early events of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

The trends of pancreatic cancer (PanCa) incidence and mortality are on rising pattern, and it will be a second leading cause of cancer related deaths by 2030. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), major form of PanCa, exhibits a grim prognosis as mortality rate is very close to the incidence rate, due to lack of early detection methods and effective therapeutic regimen. Considering this alarming unmet clinic need, our team has identified a novel oncogenic protein, carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 7 (CEACAM7), that can be useful for spotting early events of PDAC.

METHODOLOGY

This study includes bioinformatics pre-screening using publicly available cancer databases followed by molecular biology techniques in PDAC progressive cell line panel and human tissues to evaluate CEACAM7 expression in early events of pancreatic cancer.

RESULTS

PanCa gene and protein expression analysis demonstrated the significantly higher expression of CEACAM7 in PDAC, compared to other cancers and normal pancreas. Overall survival analysis demonstrated an association between the higher expression of CEACAM7 and poor patients' prognosis with high hazard ratio. Additionally, in a performance comparison analysis CEACAM7 outperformed S100A4 in relation to PDAC. We also observed an increase of CEACAM7 in PDAC cell line panel model. However, poorly differentiated, and normal cell lines did not show any expression. Human tissue analysis also strengthened our data by showing strong and positive IHC staining in early-stage tumors.

CONCLUSION

Our observations clearly cite that CEACAM7 can serve as a potential early diagnostic and/or prognostic marker of PDAC and may also potentiate the sensitivity of the existing biomarker panel of PDAC. However, further studies are warranted to determine its clinical significance.

Metagenomic analysis unveils the microbial landscape of pancreatic tumors

The composition of resident microbes in the human body is linked to various diseases and their treatment outcomes. Although studies have identified pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)-associated bacterial communities in the oral and gut samples, herein, we hypothesize that the prevalence of microbiota in pancreatic tumor tissues is different as compared with their matched adjacent, histologically normal appearing tissues, and these microbial molecular signatures can be highly useful for PDAC diagnosis/prognosis. In this study, we performed comparative profiling of bacterial populations in pancreatic tumors and their respective adjacent normal tissues using 16S rRNA-based metagenomics analysis. This study revealed a higher abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinomycetota in tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Interestingly, the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) scores unambiguously revealed an enrichment of Delftia in tumor tissues, whereas Sphingomonas, Streptococcus, and Citrobacter exhibited a depletion in tumor tissues. Furthermore, we analyzed the microbial composition between different groups of patients with different tumor differentiation stages. The bacterial genera, Delftia and Staphylococcus, were very high at the G1 stages (well differentiated) compared with G2 (well to moderate/moderately differentiated) and G3/G4 (poorly differentiated) stages. However, the abundance of Actinobacter and Cloacibacterium was found to be very high in G2 and G3, respectively. Additionally, we evaluated the correlation of programmed death-ligand (PDL1) expression with the abundance of bacterial genera in tumor lesions. Our results indicated that three genera such as Streptomyces, Cutibacterium, and Delftia have a positive correlation with PD-L1 expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that PDAC lesions harbor relatively different microbiota compared with their normal tumor adjacent tissues, and this information may be helpful for the diagnosis and prognosis of PADC patients.

MUC13 drives cancer aggressiveness and metastasis through the YAP1-dependent pathway

Anchorage-independent survival after intravasation of cancer cells from the primary tumor site represents a critical step in metastasis. Here, we reveal new insights into how MUC13-mediated anoikis resistance, coupled with survival of colorectal tumor cells, leads to distant metastasis. We found that MUC13 targets a potent transcriptional coactivator, YAP1, and drives its nuclear translocation via forming a novel survival complex, which in turn augments the levels of pro-survival and metastasis-associated genes. High expression of MUC13 is correlated well with extensive macrometastasis of colon cancer cells with elevated nuclear YAP1 in physiologically relevant whole animal model systems. Interestingly, a positive correlation of MUC13 and YAP1 expression was observed in human colorectal cancer tissues. In brief, the results presented here broaden the significance of MCU13 in cancer metastasis via targeting YAP1 for the first time and provide new avenues for developing novel strategies for targeting cancer metastasis.

One-step simultaneous liquid phase exfoliation-induced chirality in graphene and their chirality-mediated microRNA delivery

Graphene (G) has established itself as an exciting prospect for a broad range of applications owing to its remarkable properties. Recent innovations in chiral nanosystems have led to sensors, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. owing to the stereospecific interactions between various nanosystems and enantiomers. As the molecular structure of G itself is achiral introducing chirality in G by simple attachment of a functional group (a chiral ligand) on the G nanosheet may result in more diverse applications. Herein, we demonstrate direct liquid phase exfoliation and chiral induction in G nanosheets abbreviated as l-graphene and d-graphene in the presence of chiral l-tyrosine and d-tyrosine and by applying high-temperature sonication. The obtained exfoliated nanosheets demonstrated stable chirality confirmed by circular dichroism. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed functional, structural, morphological, surface, and thermal characteristics of l-graphene and d-graphene. The hemo-compatibility of these chiral graphenes was evaluated for the very first time utilizing human red blood cells. Lastly, for the very first time, an attempt was made to explore enantiomeric binding between chiral l-graphene and d-graphene with microRNA (miR-205) and their possibility towards chirality-mediated gene delivery in prostate cancerous cells.

An integrated computational biology approach defines the crucial role of TRIP13 in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and its incidence rate is continuously increasing every year. It is expected that by 2030, PanCa will become the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States due to the lack of early diagnosis and extremely poor survival. Despite great advancements in biomedical research, there are very limited early diagnostic modalities available for the early detection of PanCa. Thus, understanding of disease biology and identification of newer diagnostic and therapeutic modalities are high priority. Herein, we have utilized high dimensional omics data along with some wet laboratory experiments to decipher the expression level of hormone receptor interactor 13 (TRIP13) in various pathological staging including functional enrichment analysis. The functional enrichment analyses specifically suggest that TRIP13 and its related oncogenic network genes are involved in very important patho-physiological pathways. These analyses are supported by qPCR, immunoblotting and IHC analysis. Based on our study we proposed TRIP13 as a novel molecular target for PanCa diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. Overall, we have demonstrated a crucial role of TRIP13 in pathogenic events and progression of PanCa through applied integrated computational biology approaches.

Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of Brominated-Ormeloxifene (Br-ORM) against Cervical Cancer

Aberrant regulation of β-catenin signaling is strongly linked with cancer proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, thus, small molecules that can inhibit this pathway might have great clinical significance. Our molecular modeling studies suggest that ormeloxifene (ORM), a triphenylethylene molecule that docks with β-catenin, and its brominated analogue (Br-ORM) bind more effectively with relatively less energy (-7.6 kcal/mol) to the active site of β-catenin as compared to parent ORM. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a Br-ORM by NMR and FTIR, as well as its anticancer activity in cervical cancer models. Br-ORM treatment effectively inhibited tumorigenic features (cell proliferation and colony-forming ability, etc.) and induced apoptotic death, as evident by pronounced PARP cleavage. Furthermore, Br-ORM treatment caused cell cycle arrest at the G1-S phase. Mechanistic investigation revealed that Br-ORM targets the key proteins involved in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), as demonstrated by upregulation of E-cadherin and repression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression. Br-ORM also represses the expression and nuclear subcellular localization of β-catenin. Consequently, Br-ORM treatment effectively inhibited tumor growth in an orthotopic cervical cancer xenograft mouse model along with EMT associated changes as compared to vehicle control-treated mice. Altogether, experimental findings suggest that Br-ORM is a novel, promising β-catenin inhibitor and therefore can be harnessed as a potent anticancer small molecule for cervical cancer treatment.

Extracellular Vesicles in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Immune Regulation, Biomarkers, and Immunotherapeutic Potential

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype accounting for ~10-20% of all human BC and is characterized by the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification. Owing to its unique molecular profile and limited targeted therapies, TNBC treatment poses significant challenges. Unlike other BC subtypes, TNBC lacks specific molecular targets, rendering endocrine therapies and HER2-targeted treatments ineffective. The chemotherapeutic regimen is the predominant systemic treatment modality for TNBC in current clinical practice. However, the efficacy of chemotherapy in TNBC is variable, with response rates varying between a wide range of patients, and the emerging resistance further adds to the difficulties. Furthermore, TNBC exhibits a higher mutational burden and is acknowledged as the most immunogenic of all BC subtypes. Consequently, the application of immune checkpoint inhibition has been investigated in TNBC, yielding promising outcomes. Recent evidence identified extracellular vesicles (EVs) as an important contributor in the context of TNBC immunotherapy. In view of the extraordinary ability of EVs to transfer bioactive molecules, such as proteins, lipids, DNA, mRNAs, and small miRNAs, between the cells, EVs are considered a promising diagnostic biomarker and novel drug delivery system among the prospects for immunotherapy. The present review provides an in-depth understanding of how EVs influence TNBC progression, its immune regulation, and their contribution as a predictive biomarker for TNBC. The final part of the review focuses on the recent key advances in immunotherapeutic strategies for better understanding the complex interplay between EVs and the immune system in TNBC and further developing EV-based targeted immunotherapies.

Biomolecule-functionalized nanoformulations for prostate cancer theranostics

BACKGROUND

Even with the advancement in the areas of cancer nanotechnology, prostate cancer still poses a major threat to men's health. Nanomaterials and nanomaterial-derived theranostic systems have been explored for diagnosis, imaging, and therapy for different types of cancer still, for prostate cancer they have not delivered at full potential because of the limitations like in vivo biocompatibility, immune responses, precise targetability, and therapeutic outcome associated with the nanostructured system.

AIM OF REVIEW

Functionalizing nanomaterials with different biomolecules and bioactive agents provides advantages like specificity towards cancerous tumors, improved circulation time, and modulation of the immune response leading to early diagnosis and targeted delivery of cargo at the site of action.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

In this review, we have emphasized the classification and comparison of various nanomaterials based on biofunctionalization strategy and source of biomolecules such that it can be used for possible translation in clinical settings and future developments. This review highlighted the opportunities for embedding highly specific biological targeting moieties (antibody, aptamer, oligonucleotides, biopolymer, peptides, etc.) on nanoparticles which can improve the detection of prostate cancer-associated biomarkers at a very low limit of detection, direct visualization of prostate tumors and lastly for its therapy. Lastly, special emphasis was given to biomimetic nanomaterials which include functionalization with extracellular vesicles, exosomes and viral particles and their application for prostate cancer early detection and drug delivery. The present review paves a new pathway for next-generation biofunctionalized nanomaterials for prostate cancer theranostic application and their possibility in clinical translation.

Integrative big transcriptomics data analysis implicates crucial role of MUC13 in pancreatic cancer

Big data analysis holds a considerable influence on several aspects of biomedical health science. It permits healthcare providers to gain insights from large and complex datasets, leading to improvements in the understanding, diagnosis, medication, and restraint of pathological conditions including cancer. The incidences of pancreatic cancer (PanCa) are sharply rising, and it will become the second leading cause of cancer related deaths by 2030. Various traditional biomarkers are currently in use but are not optimal in sensitivity and specificity. Herein, we determine the role of a new transmembrane glycoprotein, MUC13, as a potential biomarker of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by using integrative big data mining and transcriptomic approaches. This study is helpful to identify and appropriately segment the data related to MUC13, which are scattered in various data sets. The assembling of the meaningful data, representation strategy was used to investigate the MUC13 associated information for the better understanding regarding its structural, expression profiling, genomic variants, phosphorylation motifs, and functional enrichment pathways. For further in-depth investigation, we have adopted several popular transcriptomic methods like DEGseq2, coding and non-coding transcript, single cell seq analysis, and functional enrichment analysis. All these analyzes suggest the presence of three nonsense MUC13 genomic transcripts, two protein transcripts, short MUC13 (s-MUC13, non-tumorigenic or ntMUC13), and long MUC13 (L-MUC13, tumorigenic or tMUC13), several important phosphorylation sites in tMUC13. Altogether, this data confirms that importance of tMUC13 as a potential biomarker, therapeutic target of PanCa, and its significance in pancreatic pathobiology.

Glutathione-Responsive Tannic Acid-Assisted FRET Nanomedicine for Cancer Therapy

In cancer combination therapy, a multimodal delivery vector is used to improve the bioavailability of multiple anti-cancer hydrophobic drugs. Further, targeted delivery of therapeutics along with simultaneous monitoring of the drug release at the tumor site without normal organ toxicity is an emerging and effective strategy for cancer treatment. However, the lack of a smart nano-delivery system limits the application of this therapeutic strategy. To overcome this issue, a PEGylated dual drug, conjugated amphiphilic polymer (CPT-S-S-PEG-CUR), has been successfully synthesized by conjugating two hydrophobic fluorescent anti-cancer drugs, curcumin (CUR) and camptothecin (CPT), through an ester and a redox-sensitive disulfide (-S-S-) linkage, respectively, with a PEG chain via in situ two-step reactions. CPT-S-S-PEG-CUR is spontaneously self-assembled in the presence of tannic acid (TA, a physical crosslinker) into anionic, comparatively smaller-sized (~100 nm), stable nano-assemblies in water in comparison to only polymer due to stronger H-bond formation between polymer and TA. Further, due to the spectral overlap between CPT and CUR and a stable, smaller nano-assembly formation by the pro-drug polymer in water in presence of TA, a successful Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) signal was generated between the conjugated CPT (FRET donor) and conjugated CUR (FRET acceptor). Interestingly, these stable nano-assemblies showed a preferential breakdown and release of CPT in a tumor-relevant redox environment (in the presence of 50 mM glutathione), leading to the disappearance of the FRET signal. These nano-assemblies exhibited a successful cellular uptake by the cancer cells and an enhanced antiproliferative effect in comparison to the individual drugs in cancer cells (AsPC1 and SW480). Such promising in vitro results with a novel redox-responsive, dual-drug conjugated, FRET pair-based nanosized multimodal delivery vector can be highly useful as an advanced theranostic system towards effective cancer treatment.

Indocyanine Green-based Glow Nanoparticles Probe for Cancer Imaging

Indocyanine green (ICG) is one of the FDA-approved near infra-red fluorescent (NIRF) probes for cancer imaging and image-guided surgery in the clinical setting. However, the limitations of ICG include poor photostability, high concentration toxicity, short circulation time, and poor cancer cell specificity. To overcome these hurdles, we engineered a nanoconstruct composed of poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)-indocyanine green that is cloaked self-assembled with tannic acid (termed as indocyanine green-based glow nanoparticles probe, ICG-Glow NPs) for the cancer cell/tissue-specific targeting. The self-assembled ICG-Glow NPs were confirmed by spherical nanoparticles formation (DLS and TEM) and spectral analyses. The NIRF imaging characteristic of ICG-Glow NPs was established by superior fluorescence counts on filter paper and chicken tissue. The ICG-Glow NPs exhibited excellent hemo and cellular compatibility with human red blood cells, kidney normal, pancreatic normal, and other cancer cell lines. An enhanced cancer-specific NIRF binding and imaging capability of ICG-Glow NPs was confirmed using different human cancer cell lines and human tumor tissues. Additionally, tumor-specific binding/accumulation of ICG-Glow NPs was confirmed in MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model. Collectively, these findings suggest that ICG-Glow NPs have great potential as a novel and safe NIRF imaging probe for cancer cell/tumor imaging. This can lead to a quicker cancer diagnosis facilitating precise disease detection and management.

Abstract 826: Illuminating cancer cells with a novel nano fluorescent NIR probe for bioimaging

Background: Adequate bioimaging is crucial in cancer management in many ways including screening, detection, characterization, staging and grading, therapy response, surgical guidance, and margins assessment. Indocyanine green (ICG) is one of the FDA-approved near infra-red fluorescent (NIRF) probe for cancer imaging and image-guided surgery in clinical setting. However, limitations of ICG includes poor photostability, high concentration toxicity, short circulation time, and poor cancer cell specificity. To overcome these hurdles, we engineered a nanoconstruct composed of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)-indocyanine green that is cloaked self-assembled with tannic acid (termed as ICG-Glow NPs) for the cancer cells/tissues specific targeting.

Methods: Pursuing the novel nanotherapy approach, our lab has developed PVP-TA based ICG (PVT-ICG) fluorescent nanoparticles via self-assembly process. Our optimized PVT-ICG nanoformulation was further characterized for its physicochemical properties. An IVIS imaging system was further used to measure NIR fluorescence of novel PVT-ICG. Moreover, Human cancer (Breast, Pancreatic, Liver and Prostate) tissue microarrays (TMAs) were histochemically stained to assess cancer cell targeting/specificity of PVT-ICG.

Results: PVT-ICG indicated particle size and surface charge ideal for cancer cell/tissue delivery. PVT-ICG, further, demonstrated improved photostability and fluorescent intensity. Additionally, TMA studies exhibited enhanced internalization and cancer targeting/specificity of PVT-ICG nanoparticles compared to free ICG dye in all cancers.

Conclusion: Collectively, our findings suggest that this NIR fluorescent probe PVT-ICG has great potential for becoming a novel and safe imaging modality for various types of cancer cells and tumors which can result in early cancer diagnosis leading to improved disease management.

Citation Format: Neeraj Chauhan, Marco Cabrera, Pallabita Chowdhury, Prashanth K. Nagesh, Anupam Dhasmana, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu. Illuminating cancer cells with a novel nano fluorescent NIR probe for bioimaging [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 826.

Abstract 399: Molecular mechanism of ormeloxifene mediated chemo-sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal cancer with a dismal 5-year survival rate as the standard therapy available Sorafenib (SRB), is only effective in extending survival for a subset of patients. Resistance to apoptosis is a defining characteristic of cancer cells and a crucial factor in cancer recurrence and relapse. Although, anticancer potential of the FDA-approved compound Ormeloxifene (ORM), which has well-defined pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, has been explored in a variety of cancers, its efficacy in HCC has remained unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role and molecular mechanisms underlying ORM in SRB-induced apoptosis in HCC.

Methods: In this study, we investigated the efficacy of ORM in hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HepG2, Hep3B, C3a, and SKHep-1) lines alone, and in combination with SRB. Cell proliferation was determined by MTT and xCELLigence assay. Effect of ORM on clonogenic potential of HCC cells was examined by colony formation assay. Effect of ORM on apoptosis induction was performed by Annexin V assays. The cell migration assay was performed using Boyden chamber and cell invasion assay was done by Matrigel invasion chambers. Following treatment in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, Western blotting, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and immunofluorescence studies were carried out in order to investigate the effects of ORM, SRB alone, and/or combination on pro-apoptotic, anti-apoptotic, EMT, and associated signaling effector proteins.

Results: By employing MTT and xCELLigence assays, our study showed that ORM induces dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation in hepatocellular cancer (HepG2, Hep3B, C3a, and SKHep-1) cells at various concentrations (0, 5, 10, and 15 µM). The combination of ORM and SRB together had a significant synergistic inhibitory effect on HCC cells. Additionally, compared to ORM and SRB treatment alone, Annexin V staining showed that combined treatment of ORM and SRB significantly enhance the apoptosis induction in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Mechanistically, the expression of anti-apoptotic markers like Mcl-1, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xl is significantly reduced when ORM and SRB are combined as evidenced by Western blotting. Similarly, the inhibition of colony formation, invasion, and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells following co-treatment was significantly higher as compared to either treatment alone. In addition, the expression of EMT markers like N-cadherin, snail, vimentin, and MMPs in HCC cells is down-regulated following combined treatment compared to ORM and SRB alone.

Conclusion: Taken together, ORM displayed an effective chemo-therapeutic and chemo-sensitizing agents in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Citation Format: Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, Anyssa Rodriguez, Daniel Zubieta, Sheema Khan, Fathi T. Halaweish, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi. Molecular mechanism of ormeloxifene mediated chemo-sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 399.

Abstract 823: Piperlongumine nanoformulation enhances gemcitabine therapeutic response in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) is characterized by lack of early diagnosis, poor response to available therapeutic modalities and chemoresistance. Gemcitabine (GEM) is currently considered most effective therapy for PanCa; however, it shows only a marginal survival benefit of 6 months. This poor drug response has been attributed to desmoplasia, causes suboptimal drug delivery, alters tumor microenvironment (TME), which includes tumor surrounding blood vessels, fibroblasts, immune cells, extracellular matrix, and other signaling molecules and induces chemo-resistance in tumors. To overcome these existing issues associated with chemotherapy, identification and development of novel therapeutic modalities are a pressing need. Piperlongumine (PL) is a natural alkaloid isolated from the long pepper, Piper longum L., and has shown substantial cancer-preventive and therapeutic efficacy against a variety of cancers. However, delivering its effective concentration in pancreatic tumors has been challenging. We have recently engineered a multi-layered Pluronic F127 and polyvinyl alcohol stabilized and poly-L-lysine coated piperlongumine loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticle formulation (PLGA-PL), which effectively inhibits the growth of PanCa cells. In this study, we demonstrate that PLGA-PL effectively sensitize tumor cells to GEM via decreased desmoplasia, altered TME, SHH/CXCL12/CXCR4 and immune surveillance. Our finding show that PLGA-PL synergizes with GEM in inhibiting PanCa cell (HPAF-II and Panc-1) growth, migration, and invasion compared to free PL. Mechanistically, PLGA-PL targets the TME via inhibition of sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway and oncogenic CXCR4/CXCL12 signaling axis that inhibits bidirectional tumor-stromal cells interaction. We have also found that PLGA-PL alone and in combination with GEM targets cancer stem cells by inhibiting pluripotency maintaining stemness factors (Nanog, Sox2, c-Myc, CD133, and Oct-4) as determined by qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence analysis, and further confirmed by restricting tumor sphere formation. Furthermore, PLGA-PL also effectively targets tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) by repolarizing M2 into M1 phenotype via inhibiting expression of M2 markers and an increase in M1 markers in mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. M2 polarization of RAW264.7 cells were induced by culture with IL-4 (20 ng/mL) in presence of PLGA-PL or vehicle control. In additions, PLGA-PL effectively increases phagocytic capacity in murine macrophages as determined by phagocytosis assay (Vybrant Phagocytosis Assay Kit). In conclusion, we observed that PLGA-PL effectively targets TME, facilitates GEM uptake by inhibiting the activation of CXCR4/CXCL12/SHH signaling, and reprograming the tumor immune surveillance. This study suggests that PLGA-PL has great potential for future clinical use in management of PanCa.

Citation Format: Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Neeraj Chauhan, Mohammed Sikander, FNU Pranav, Rahul Tiwari, Bilal B. Hafeez, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan. Piperlongumine nanoformulation enhances gemcitabine therapeutic response in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 823.

Abstract 4314: CEACAM7 an early detection biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background: As per key statistics of American Cancer Society 2021, Pancreatic Cancer (PanCa) affects around 60,430 persons (31,950 men and 28,480 women) a year in the U.S. and is tricky to diagnose and treat. PanCa is the 4th leading cause of cancer death with a 5-year survival rate of only 9%, along with a poor prognosis. Generally (around 85-90%) PanCa are adenocarcinomas, such as Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). PDAC is now one of the most challenging tumor entities worldwide, characterized as a highly aggressive disease with dismal overall prognosis with a mortality rate near the incidence rate. For PDAC, no early tumor specific biomarker is available, therefore, novel early detection biomarker strategy is immediately required to upgrade the narrow diagnostic portfolio against PanCa. Considering this alarming situation, our team has identified a novel oncogenic protein, Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 7 (CEACAM7). Our studies suggested high CEACAM7 expression in PDAC tumors and its association with patient survival. In this study we have investigated the potential role of CECAM7 for early PDAC diagnosis and its role in PDAC progression.

Methodology: This study includes bioinformatics pre-screening using publicly available cancer databases followed by molecular biology techniques. To detect the degree of expression of CEACAM7 in normal pancreatic cell (HPNE) and PDAC progressive cellular models, we have minutely scrutinized the PDAC cell panel (HPAF-2, SU86.86 & Panc-1) & TMAs of PDAC patients, in terms of mRNA & protein expression level of CEACAM7. The confocal microscopy was performed to identify the intensity and localization of CEACAM7 protein. IHC analysis was also performed to identify the protein expressions in the pancreatitis and tumor cores along with their locations, grading and Mean Composite Score.

Results: Bioinformatic results confirmed the relevance of CEACAM7 as a potential early diagnostic and prognostic marker of PDAC. HPAF2 (well differentiated) expressed highest mRNA and protein expression analyses, followed by SU86.86 (moderately differentiated) and very low expression in AsPc1 (poorly differentiated), and Panc1 (poorly differentiated). The IHC analyses of TMAs exhibited negligible or faint staining in pancreatitis (chronic and acute) and most of the positive cases were in tumor grading 1 & 2.

Conclusion: Our observations clearly cite that CEACAM7 can serve as a potential early diagnostic and/or prognostic marker of PDAC and may also potentiate the sensitivity of the existing biomarker panel of PDAC. However, further studies are warranted to determine its clinical significance.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer, PDAC, CEACAM7, Early detection biomarker, Tumor grading

Citation Format: Anupam Dhasmana, Swati Dhasmana, Sheema Khan, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan. CEACAM7 an early detection biomarker for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 4314.

Boosting Mitochondrial Potential: An Imperative Therapeutic Intervention in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and terminal neurodegenerative disorder. Mitochondrial dysfunction, imbalance of cellular bioenergetics, electron chain transportation and calcium homeostasis are deeply associated with the progression of this disease. Impaired mitochondrial functions are crucial in rapid neurodegeneration. The mitochondria of ALS patients are associated with deregulated Ca2+ homeostasis and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress. Overload of mitochondrial calcium and ROS production leads to glutamatereceptor mediated neurotoxicity. This implies mitochondria are an attractive therapeutic target.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review is to brief the latest developments in the understanding of mitochondrial pathogenesis in ALS and emphasize the restorative capacity of therapeutic candidates.

RESULTS

In ALS, mitochondrial dysfunction is a well-known phenomenon. Various therapies targeted towards mitochondrial dysfunction aim at decreasing ROS generation, increasing mitochondrial biogenesis, and inhibiting apoptotic pathways. Some of the therapies briefed in this review may be categorized as synthetic, natural compounds, genetic materials, and cellular therapies.

CONCLUSION

The overarching goals of mitochondrial therapies in ALS are to benefit ALS patients by slowing down the disease progression and prolonging overall survival. Despite various therapeutic approaches, there are many hurdles in the development of a successful therapy due to the multifaceted nature of mitochondrial dysfunction and ALS progression. Intensive research is required to precisely elucidate the molecular pathways involved in the progression of mitochondrial dysfunctions that ultimately lead to ALS. Because of the multifactorial nature of ALS, a combination therapy approach may hold the key to cure and treat ALS in the future.

Current status of biopsy markers for the breast in clinical settings

INTRODUCTION

A breast biopsy marker is a very small object that is introduced into the breast to serve as a tissue marker. The placement of a breast marker following a biopsy or to mark an abnormality in the breast has become standard practice in the clinical setting. Breast biopsy markers offer a wide range of benefits which includes the prevention of re-biopsy of a benign tumor, differentiating multiple lesions within the breast, evaluation of the extent of a tumor, and increased precision during surgery.

AREAS COVERED

This review article presents a range of breast biopsy markers used in clinical practice. First, an overview of the necessity of breast markers in healthy breast management. Second, it summarizes the diversity in composition, shape, unique properties and features, and bio-absorbable carriers of breast biopsy markers. Finally, it also discusses the possible use of clinically approved breast biopsy markers in various scenarios and their implications.

EXPERT OPINION

This review serves as a guide in the selection of an appropriate breast marker. We believe that some of the common drawbacks associated with current breast biopsy markers can be overcome by developing novel polymer-metal and composite-based breast biopsy markers.

microRNA-205 in prostate cancer: Overview to clinical translation

Prostate cancer (PrCa) is the most common type of cancer among men in the United States. The metastatic and advanced PrCa develops drug resistance to current regimens which accounts for the poor management. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been well-documented for their diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic roles in various human cancers. Recent literature confirmed that microRNA-205 (miR-205) has been established as one of the tumor suppressors in PrCa. miR-205 regulates number of cellular functions, such as proliferation, invasion, migration/metastasis, and apoptosis. It is also evident that miR-205 can serve as a key biomarker in diagnostic, prognostic, and therapy of PrCa. Therefore, in this review, we will provide an overview of tumor suppressive role of miR-205 in PrCa. This work also outlines miR-205's specific role in targeted mechanisms for chemosensitization and radiosensitization in PrCa. A facile approach of delivery paths for successful clinical translation is documented. Together, all these studies provide a novel insight of miR-205 as an adjuvant agent for reducing the widening gaps in clinical outcome of PrCa patients.

COVID-19 and vaccination: myths vs science

INTRODUCTION

Several vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been developed since the inception of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019, at unprecedented speed. However, these rapidly developed vaccines raised many questions related to the efficacy and safety of vaccines in different communities across the globe. Various hypotheses regarding COVID-19 and its vaccines were generated, and many of them have also been answered with scientific evidence. Still, there are many myths/misinformation related to COVID-19 and its vaccines, which create hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccination, and must be addressed critically to achieve success in the battle against the pandemic.

AREA COVERED

The development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against COVID-19, their safety and efficacy, and myths/misinformation relating to COVID-19 and vaccines are presented.

EXPERT OPINION

In this pandemic we have seen a global collaborative effort of researchers, governments, and industry, supported by billions of dollars in funding, have allowed the development of vaccines far more quickly than in the past. Vaccines go through rigorous testing, analysis, and evaluations in clinical settings prior to their approval, even if they are approved for emergency use. Despite the myths, vaccination represents an important strategy to get back to normality.

Emerging Roles and Potential Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) is a preventable disease using proven interventions, specifically prophylactic vaccination, pervasive disease screening, and treatment, but it is still the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Patients with advanced or metastatic CC have a very dismal prognosis and current therapeutic options are very limited. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of metastasis and discovering new therapeutic targets are crucial. New sequencing tools have given a full visualization of the human transcriptome's composition. Non-coding RNAs (NcRNAs) perform various functions in transcriptional, translational, and post-translational processes through their interactions with proteins, RNA, and even DNA. It has been suggested that ncRNAs act as key regulators of a variety of biological processes, with their expression being tightly controlled under physiological settings. In recent years, and notably in the past decade, significant effort has been made to examine the role of ncRNAs in a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Therefore, shedding light on the functions of ncRNA will aid in our better understanding of CC. In this review, we summarize the emerging roles of ncRNAs in progression, metastasis, therapeutics, chemo-resistance, human papillomavirus (HPV) regulation, metabolic reprogramming, diagnosis, and as a prognostic biomarker of CC. We also discussed the role of ncRNA in the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunology, including cancer stem cells (CSCs) in CC. We also address contemporary technologies such as antisense oligonucleotides, CRISPR-Cas9, and exosomes, as well as their potential applications in targeting ncRNAs to manage CC.

Tannic Acid Exhibits Antiangiogenesis Activity in Nonsmall-Cell Lung Cancer Cells

Nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, with a dismal prognosis. NSCLC is a highly vascularized tumor, and chemotherapy is often hampered by the development of angiogenesis. Therefore, suppression of angiogenesis is considered a potential treatment approach. Tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol, has been demonstrated to have anticancer properties in a variety of cancers; however, its angiogenic properties have yet to be studied. Hence, in the current study, we investigated the antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects of TA on NSCLC cells. The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assay revealed that TA induced a dose- and time-dependent decrease in the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells. However, TA had no significant toxicity effects on human bronchial epithelial cells. Clonogenicity assay revealed that TA suppressed colony formation ability in NSCLC cells in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-invasiveness and antimigratory potential of TA were confirmed by Matrigel and Boyden chamber studies, respectively. Importantly, TA also decreased the ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) to form tube-like networks, demonstrating its antiangiogenic properties. Extracellular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release was reduced in TA-treated cells compared to that in control cells, as measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, these results demonstrate that TA can induce antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects against NSCLC.

Abstract 1038: Novel therapy targeting mutant-KRASG12D and galectin-1 in pancreatic cancer

Introduction: In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), low patient survival rate remains a problem. The activating point mutation of KRAS on codon-12 is present in 70-95% of PDAC cases and so far, no success has been achieved to inhibit KRAS. KRASG12D regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis; recent preliminary and published studies show high Galectin-1 (Gal-1) levels in both PDAC and stromal cells, which modulate tumor microenvironment and metastasis. Therefore, we have developed a novel combination therapy for PDAC by targeting mutated KRASG12D and Gal-1 to target both proliferation and metastasis in PDAC. This includes the delivery of KRASG12D inhibiting siRNA (siKRASG12D) using a superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) and a galectin inhibitor.

Methods: Our patented SPION nano-formulation was used to deliver siKRASG12D and investigated in conjunction with Gal-1 inhibitor for its anticancer efficacy. Particles were investigated for size, physico-chemical characterization (Dynamic light scattering), hemocompatibility (hemolysis assay) and the complexation of siKRAS (gel retardation assay). Cellular internalization and uptake of the particles were investigated. Anti-cancer efficacy was determined using in vitro functional assays for cell viability (MTT), migration (Boyden chambers), invasion (Matrigel), clonogenicity, tumor spheroid formation, and in a mouse model.

Results: Our results demonstrate optimal particle size/zeta potential of SP-siKRAS formulation. SP-siKRAS efficiently internalized in PDAC cells and suppressed KRASG12D as well as its downstream targets, YAP and PDL-1. Combined targeting of siKRAS and Gal-1 inhibited cell proliferation. It inhibited cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion of PDAC cells. This resulted in activation of death related mechanisms, such as Bax, bcl-2, PARP cleavage in KRASG12D cells. Interestingly, the formulation was highly effective in inhibiting KRASG12D and growth of tumor spheroid in 3D cell models, which recapitulate the heterogeneity and pathophysiology of PDAC. This further provides a clinical validation demonstrating potential of SP-siKRAS particles to efficiently silence KRAS expression. SP-siKRAS also exhibited hemocompatibility and stability suggesting its potential of silencing KRAS without being toxic to the body. The formulation efficiently exhibited KRasG12D silencing and inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in nude mice.

Conclusion: This gene therapy targeting KRAS G12D mutation with a Gal-1 inhibition has a potential to modulate the oncogenic network and tumor microenvironment resulting in the repression of growth, metastasis, chemoresistance, and improvement in patient survival. This study will develop a novel sustainable therapeutic approach to target PDAC growth and improve patient survivability.

Citation Format: Ana I. Martinez Bulnes, Poornima Shaji, Nirnoy Dan, Melida Cantu, Shabnam Malik, Stephen Behrman, Swathi Holla, Murali Mohan Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan. Novel therapy targeting mutant-KRASG12D and galectin-1 in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1038.

Abstract 305: Novel nanoformulation of piperlongumine for pancreatic cancer therapy

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) is expected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030. The treatment of PanCa is highly challenging due to the extremely poor response to existing therapeutic options. Highly desmoplastic tumor microenvironment in pancreatic tumor causes suboptimal delivery of therapeutic agents in tumors that eventually resulted to chemo-resistance. Piperlongumine (PL) is a natural alkaloid isolated from the long pepper, Piper longum L., and has shown substantial cancer-preventive and therapeutic efficacy against variety of cancers. However, delivering its effective concentration in pancreatic tumors has been challenging. In this study, we have synthesized and characterized a novel nano-formulation of PL composed of a PLGA core (PLGA-PL), stabilized with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and coated with poly-L-lysine (PLL), and evaluated its therapeutic effects against PanCa.

Methods: The various physicochemical approaches (FT-IR, DSC, TEM, TGA, and HPLC) was used to characterize the PLGA-PL formulation for particle size, chemical composition, and drug loading efficiency. Cellular uptake of PLGA-PL was achieved in incubation with PLGA-PL in PanCa cells. Further, the therapeutic efficacy of PLGA-PL was determined by using various in vitro assays (MTS, wound healing, boyden chamber, cell cycle and apoptosis assays) using PanCa cells. The effects of PLGA-PL on various key oncogenic signaling pathways were evaluated by qRT-PCR, Western blot, confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses.

Results: Our novel PLGA-PL formulation has an average size of 110 nm in dynamic light scattering and a zeta potential range of -6.52 to -7.68 mV with excellent PL loading efficiency. Cellular uptake and internalization studies show that PLGA-PL escapes lysosomal degradation, allowing for effective endosomal release into the cytosol. PLGA-PL showed superior anti-cancer activity in various PanCa cells (BxPC-3, HPAF-II, AsPC-1, Panc-1, and MIA PaCa-2) compared to free PL. Moreover, PLGA-PL showed a remarkable inhibition of the migration and invasion potential of PanCa cells. Furthermore, PLGA-PL more effectively inhibited the components of the Shh pathway and Gli targets as determined by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Additionally, PLGA-PL treatment targets cancer stem cells by regulating pluripotency, maintaining stemness factors (Oct-4, Sox2, Nanog and c-Myc), and limiting tumor sphere formation.

Conclusions: Taken together, our results demonstrate that PLGA-PL nanoformulation exhibits superior anti-cancer potential than free PL against and could be used as a novel therapeutic modality for the management of PanCa.

Citation Format: Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Godwin P. Darkwah, Swati Dhasmana, Neeraj Chauhan, Anupam Dhasmana, Sudhir Kotnala, Partha Laskar, Mohammed Sikander, Bilal B. Hafeez, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan. Novel nanoformulation of piperlongumine for pancreatic cancer therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 305.

Abstract 5073: A novel in-situ nanoparticle self-assembly for combination delivery of therapeutics to non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Lung cancer is a predominant cause of morbidity and mortality across the world. Among all types of cancers, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortalities in the United States. Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the dominant divisions of lung cancer that solely represents 85-90% of all lung cancer cases. Up to the present time, primary treatment regimens for this cancer include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery, with chemotherapy being the best option thus far. Despite the eminent benefits of chemotherapy, its value is offset by severe side effects such as renal and/or hepatic toxicity or insufficient amounts of drug available at the target site. Such pitfalls can be handled by employing natural compounds (polyphenols, phytochemicals, xanthonoid, etc.,) as chemopreventives or chemosensitizers which can improve chemotherapy activity while reducing its systemic side effects and drug resistance. To this end, 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, development of an injectable nanoformulation that can effectively deliver both hydrophobic (GA) and hydrophilic (Gem) drugs in one formulation is a clinically unmet need.

Methods: Pursuing the novel nanotherapy approach, our lab has developed an in-situ biodegradable and biocompatible human serum albumin (HSA) and tannic acid (TA) mediated complexed GA and Gem nanoparticles (G-G@HTA NPs) using the solvent evaporation method. G-G@HTA NPs formation was confirmed by particle size, FT-IR, and H-NMR. A superior therapeutic activity of G-G@HTA NPs was demonstrated by multiple in vitro functional assays as well as in an animal mouse model.

Results: Our results confirmed that G-G@HTA NPs have the ideal particle size and surface charge for cancer cell/tissue delivery which can clearly be evident by preferential uptake of these nanoparticles in lung cancer cells. Further, G-G@HTA NPs superiorly inhibited cell proliferation and clonogenicity of NSCLC cells. 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 drugs treatments. These events were resulted with no apparent systemic and organ toxicities.

Conclusion: In summary, this study details the design of a novel nanocarrier and provides an optimized strategy for constructing dual-loaded nanoparticles using a biodegradable, non-toxic, human serum albumin-tannic acid-based platform for GA and Gem co-delivery in the treatment of NSCLC which confirms a strong feasibility to implement such synergistic nanomedicine regimen in pre-clinical and clinical translations in future.

Citation Format: Elham Hatami, Prashanth K. Nagesh, Neeraj Chauhan, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu. A novel in-situ nanoparticle self-assembly for combination delivery of therapeutics to non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5073.

Abstract LB007: A novel approach to target tumor immune microenvironment and improve checkpoint immunotherapies

Background: Pancreatic cancer remains 3rd deadliest disease, with less than 7-10% survival rate. Little progress has been seen in patient’s outcome due to high desmoplasia and chemo-resistance. Immunotherapy has shown promising results in cancers, except pancreatic cancer due to their characteristic fibrotic tumor microenvironment. The therapies are unable to penetrate fibrotic tumor leading to insufficient availability of therapeutic drugs at the tumor site. A recently identified mucin, MUC13 is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic tumors but not in normal pancreas, that makes it an excellent protein tumor target. This study is unique as it utilizes MUC13Ab for targeting the pancreatic tumor site and SPION nanoparticle system for delivering the stroma depleting drug (curcumin), which would help in improving immunotherapy response.

Methods: The inhouse generated MUC13Ab have been conjugated with our recently developed novel patented superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONS). Conjugation efficiency of the SPION-Anti-MUC13 particles was seen through cell uptake studies, by measuring fluorescence intensity, Prussian blue staining. Invasion assay and migration assay was carried out on KPC cells. We have used female C57BL/6J black mice, orthotopic mice model for investigating targeting efficacy of MUC13-SPION-CUR. Immune checkpoint therapy (PDL-1 and CTLA-4) was administrated along with MUC13-SPION-CUR and conjugated with fluorescent indocyanine green (ICG) dye for monitoring the tumor growth. Further, immunostimulatory effect of the nano formulation was done using flow cytometry.

Results: Our results showed that MUC13Ab conjugated SPIONS can efficiently internalize the PDAC cells. SPION-MUC13 using Indocyanine dye (ICG) specifically reached to the tumor site in an orthotopic syngeneic mouse model of PDAC as indicated by ICG fluorescence. Additionally, the combination formulation inhibited the tumor growth and showed more survival rate with CTLA-4. The combined treatment with CTLA-4 increased infiltration of total T cell population and CD8+T cells, reduced the population of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) by 43% (CD45+, CD3-, CD11b+, Ly6C high, Ly6G-) and T-Regulatory cells (Treg) by 23.8% (FoxP3+CD25+CD45+CD3+) in KrasG12D; LSL-Trp53R172H syngeneic mouse model of PDAC. Similar results were observed in SP-CUR-M13+PDL-1 group, which showed reduction in MDSCs (by 26.6%) and Tregs (by 0.1%) as compared with PDL-1 alone.

Conclusion: The formulation softens up the tumors for therapies that resulted in improved response to checkpoint immunotherapies in a pancreatic orthotopic mice model. Therefore, this study indicates high significance of MUC13-SPIONS-CUR for achieving pancreatic tumor specific delivery of drugs. This study has a potential to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by the disease and improve survival in patients.

Citation Format: Poornima Shaji, Ana Martinez, Melida Flores Cantu, Anupam Dhasmana, Neeraj Chauhan, Fnu Shabnam, Vincent Diego, Meena Jaggi, Stephen Behrman, Murali M. Yallapu, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan. A novel approach to target tumor immune microenvironment and improve checkpoint immunotherapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr LB007.

Abstract 952: Attenuation of β-Catenin signaling by ormeloxifene in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of primary liver cancer with approximately 41,000 new diagnosis and 29,000 fatalities every year only in the U.S. Severe toxicity and poor response to available chemotherapeutic agents make HCC clinical management extremely difficult. Aberrant β-catenin signaling is found to play a critical role in differentiation grades of HCC patients. Thus, attempts to find more potent and non-toxic β-Catenin inhibitors is urgently needed for cancer therapy. Notably, ormeloxifene (ORM), clinically approved selective estrogen receptor modulator with therapeutic index, has shown excellent anticancer activity, rendering it as an ideal candidate for repurposing. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer potential of ORM against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methodology: Cell proliferation and colony formation assays were performed to assess the therapeutic activity of ORM in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2, SK-HEP-1, Hep3B, and C3A) cells. Boyden chamber and Matrigel assays were carried out for investigating the effect of ORM on migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells, respectively. The effects of ORM on β-catenin and EMT associated proteins were analyzed through Western blotting and qPCR. Confocal microscopy was used to determine the β-catenin nuclear localization following ORM treatment in HCC cells.

Results: As compared to vehicle-treated group, ORM treatment (2.5-20 µM) suppressed proliferation and colony formation in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Moreover, ORM treatment suppresses the migration and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells as shown by wound healing and Matrigel invasion assay, respectively. ORM effectively inhibited the protein levels and mRNA expression of total β-catenin. Additionally, our confocal microscopy results further showed reduced nuclear translocation of β-catenin following the ORM treatment. ORM treatment inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process as evident by repression of N-cadherin, Slug, Snail, vimentin, MMPs (MMP2 and MMP3), and induced the expression of pGSK3β. Experiments are also being conducted to see how ORM affects epigenetic markers linked to EMT and β-catenin signaling.

Conclusion: Taken together, ORM inhibited β-catenin signaling and exhibited potent anticancer effects against HCC and could be investigated further as a novel therapeutic modality for HCC treatment.

Citation Format: Mohammed Sikander, Shabnam Malik, Anyssa Rodriguez, Molly Vela, Daniel Zubieta, Vivek K. Kashyap, Anupam Dhasmana, Bilal B. Hafeez, Sheema Khan, Fathi T. Halaweish, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi. Attenuation of β-Catenin signaling by ormeloxifene in hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 952.

Abstract 3746: Influence of diethylnitrosamine on Mucin 13 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is regarded as environmental-related cancer due to involvement of chemical carcinogen and viral components in multistage process. Accumulating studies have shown that obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to HCC, have been linked to modern diets that are high in fat and charcoal-grilled processed meat, however, the exact processes through which diet contributes to hepato-carcinogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that diethylnitrosamine (DEN), a subgroup of the N-nitroso compounds presents in food additive/preservative, tobacco smoke, and pharmaceutical products, upregulates the Mucin 13, transmembrane mucin, via miR-145 suppression accompanied by hepatocarcinogenesis events.

Methodology: Western blotting and qPCR were performed to examine the treatment effects of DEN on Mucin 13 and associated effector proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HepG2, Hep3B, C3A, and SK-HEP-1) lines. Chemically induced (DEN; 200 mg/kg bw; 2-AAF (150 mg/kg bw) animal model was used to further investigate the Mucin 13 expression. The serum AST, ALT and ALP activity were measured using kits provided by Span diagnostics. Immunohistochemistry was used to stain tumor tissue sections for Mucin 13 expression, and in situ hybridization was performed to detect miR-145 levels. Molecular docking studies were performed using Auto dock 4 package.

Results: Our study demonstrated that DEN treatment facilitates the DNA adducts formation in liver cancer cell lines as compared to vehicle controls. Moreover, DEN treatment upregulates Mucin 13 and associated effector proteins as analyzed by qPCR and Western blotting. Liver section of DEN+2-AAF-administered group showed vacuolization of hepatocytes in the centrizonal area with variation of nuclear size. Clear nuclear atypia in the adenoma was seen. The serum activities of AST, ALP and ALT in diseased animals correlated with the liver cancer progression. Additionally, Mucin 13 was also upregulated by DEN treatment in liver tissues. Intriguingly, nuclear Mucin 13 staining was very less in normal liver tissues, whereas its levels were significantly increased DEN+2-AAF induced HCC. These observations indicate that nuclear localization of Mucin 13 may contribute to the malignant transformation of hepatocytes during carcinogenesis. This revealed significant downregulation of tumor suppressors miR-145 in tumor tissues as compared to normal control. Molecular modelling analysis revealed that DEN interacts with Mucin 13 and forms a stable complex by offering numerous interactions with the residues of Mucin 13.

Conclusions: We propose that DEN modulates Mucin 13 and associated effector proteins in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Citation Format: Shabnam Malik, Mohammed Sikander, Parvez Khan, Murali M. Yallapu, Swatantra Jain, Deepshikha P. Katare, Subhash C. Chauhan, Meena Jaggi. Influence of diethylnitrosamine on Mucin 13 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3746.

A global picture: therapeutic perspectives for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is a lethal virus outbreak by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has severely affected human lives and the global economy. The most vital part of the research and development of therapeutic agents is to design drug products to manage COVID-19 efficiently. Numerous attempts have been in place to determine the optimal drug dose and combination of drugs to treat the disease on a global scale. This article documents the information available on SARS-CoV-2 and its life cycle, which will aid in the development of the potential treatment options. A consolidated summary of several natural and repurposed drugs to manage COVID-19 is depicted with summary of current vaccine development. People with high age, comorbity and concomitant illnesses such as overweight, metabolic disorders, pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, renal failure, fatty liver and neoplastic disorders are more prone to create serious COVID-19 and its consequences. This article also presents an overview of post-COVID-19 complications in patients.

A global picture: therapeutic perspectives for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is a lethal virus outbreak by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has severely affected human lives and the global economy. The most vital part of the research and development of therapeutic agents is to design drug products to manage COVID-19 efficiently. Numerous attempts have been in place to determine the optimal drug dose and combination of drugs to treat the disease on a global scale. This article documents the information available on SARS-CoV-2 and its life cycle, which will aid in the development of the potential treatment options. A consolidated summary of several natural and repurposed drugs to manage COVID-19 is depicted with summary of current vaccine development. People with high age, comorbity and concomitant illnesses such as overweight, metabolic disorders, pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, renal failure, fatty liver and neoplastic disorders are more prone to create serious COVID-19 and its consequences. This article also presents an overview of post-COVID-19 complications in patients.

Withania somnifera: Progress towards a Pharmaceutical Agent for Immunomodulation and Cancer Therapeutics

Chemotherapy is one of the prime treatment options for cancer. However, the key issues with traditional chemotherapy are recurrence of cancer, development of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, affordability, late-stage detection, serious health consequences, and inaccessibility. Hence, there is an urgent need to find innovative and cost-effective therapies that can target multiple gene products with minimal adverse reactions. Natural phytochemicals originating from plants constitute a significant proportion of the possible therapeutic agents. In this article, we reviewed the advances and the potential of Withania somnifera (WS) as an anticancer and immunomodulatory molecule. Several preclinical studies have shown the potential of WS to prevent or slow the progression of cancer originating from various organs such as the liver, cervix, breast, brain, colon, skin, lung, and prostate. WS extracts act via various pathways and provide optimum effectiveness against drug resistance in cancer. However, stability, bioavailability, and target specificity are major obstacles in combination therapy and have limited their application. The novel nanotechnology approaches enable solubility, stability, absorption, protection from premature degradation in the body, and increased circulation time and invariably results in a high differential uptake efficiency in the phytochemical’s target cells. The present review primarily emphasizes the insights of WS source, chemistry, and the molecular pathways involved in tumor regression, as well as developments achieved in the delivery of WS for cancer therapy using nanotechnology. This review substantiates WS as a potential immunomodulatory, anticancer, and chemopreventive agent and highlights its potential use in cancer treatment.

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.

Highlights from International Conference on Cancer Health Disparities 2021

The first International Conference on Cancer Health Disparities (ICCHD) was held on August 13-14, 2021, in Harlingen, TX, USA. This two-day ICCHD-2021 was organized by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, School of Medicine (UTRGV-SOM). About 200 national and international delegates from 10 countries attended this hybrid meeting in person and through online digital platforms. The event delegates were representatives from National Institutes of Health (NIH), Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and the City of Harlingen, in addition to clinicians, faculty, researchers, scientists, bioinformaticians, geneticists, bioethicists, and others. Under the theme of Cancer Health Disparities, this event featured a number of special talks and showcased the work done by researchers from a broad array of disciplines (academia, community, and health care) to identify gaps and/or solutions to multi-faceted heath and health disparity issues impacting minority and underserved populations across the country and worldwide. The conference was comprised of six sessions: Session 1: Introduction to the conference and tackling cancer health disparities; Session 2: Elimination of cancer health disparities; Session 3: Cancer cellular and molecular biology; Session 4: Diversity and Inclusion in cancer research: Session 5: Poster and oral presentations, and Early career investigator talks; Session 6: An award ceremony and closing remarks. This conference report summarizes the meeting's content, discussions, and conclusions.

The panoramic view of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A fatal intricate neurological disorder

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurological disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. In the United States alone, there are 16,000-20,000 established cases of ALS. The early disease diagnosis is challenging due to many overlapping pathophysiologies with other neurological diseases. The etiology of ALS is unknown; however, it is divided into two categories: familial ALS (fALS) which occurs due to gene mutations & contributes to 5-10% of ALS, and sporadic ALS (sALS) which is due to environmental factors & contributes to 90-95% of ALS. There is still no curative treatment for ALS: palliative care and symptomatic treatment are therefore essential components in the management of these patients. In this review, we provide a panoramic view of ALS, which includes epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiologies, biomarkers, diagnosis, therapeutics (natural, synthetic, gene-based, pharmacological, stem cell, extracellular vesicles, and physical therapy), controversies (in the clinical trials of ALS), the scope of nanomedicine in ALS, and future perspectives.

Steviol Represses Glucose Metabolism and Translation Initiation in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis and lowest survival rate among all cancers. Pancreatic cancer cells are highly metabolically active and typically reprogrammed for aberrant glucose metabolism; thus they respond poorly to therapeutic modalities. It is highly imperative to understand mechanisms that are responsible for high glucose metabolism and identify natural/synthetic agents that can repress glucose metabolic machinery in pancreatic cancer cells, to improve the therapeutic outcomes/management of pancreatic cancer patients. We have identified a glycoside, steviol that effectively represses glucose consumption in pancreatic cancer cells via the inhibition of the translation initiation machinery of the molecular components. Herein, we report that steviol effectively inhibits the glucose uptake and lactate production in pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC1 and HPAF-II). The growth, colonization, and invasion characteristics of pancreatic cancer cells were also determined by in vitro functional assay. Steviol treatment also inhibited the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of human pancreatic cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the G1/M phase. The metabolic shift by steviol was mediated through the repression of the phosphorylation of mTOR and translation initiation proteins (4E-BP1, eIF4e, eIF4B, and eIF4G). Overall, the results of this study suggest that steviol can effectively suppress the glucose metabolism and translation initiation in pancreatic cancer cells to mitigate their aggressiveness. This study might help in the design of newer combination therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer treatment.

A topography of immunotherapies against gastrointestinal malignancies

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although various approaches are implemented to improve the health condition of GI patients, none of the treatment protocols promise for eradicating cancer. However, a treatment mechanism against any kind of disease condition is already existing executing inside the human body. The 'immune system' is highly efficient to detect and destroy the unfavourable events of the body including tumor cells. The immune system can restrict the growth and proliferation of cancer. Cancer cells behave much smarter and adopt new mechanisms for hiding from the immune cells. Thus, cancer immunotherapy might play a decisive role to train the immune system against cancer. In this review, we have discussed the immunotherapy permitted for the treatment of GI cancers. We have discussed various methods and mechanisms, periodic development of cancer immunotherapies, approved biologicals, completed and ongoing clinical trials, role of various biopharmaceuticals, and epigenetic factors involved in GI cancer immunotherapies (graphical abstract Figure 1).

Bioactive nanotherapeutic trends to combat triple negative breast cancer

The management of aggressive breast cancer, particularly, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a formidable challenge, despite treatment advancement. Although newer therapies such as atezolizumab, olaparib, and sacituzumab can tackle the breast cancer prognosis and/or progression, but achieved limited survival benefit(s). The current research efforts are aimed to develop and implement strategies for improved bioavailability, targetability, reduce systemic toxicity, and enhance therapeutic outcome of FDA-approved treatment regimen. This review presents various nanoparticle technology mediated delivery of chemotherapeutic agent(s) for breast cancer treatment. This article also documents novel strategies to employ cellular and cell membrane cloaked (biomimetic) nanoparticles for effective clinical translation. These technologies offer a safe and active targeting nanomedicine for effective management of breast cancer, especially TNBC.

Milk exosomes: Nature's abundant nanoplatform for theranostic applications

Exosomes are a unique subpopulation of naturally occurring extracellular vesicles which are smaller intracellular membrane nanoparticle vesicles. Exosomes have proven to be excellent nanocarriers for carrying lipids, proteins, mRNAs, non-coding RNAs, and DNAs, and disseminating long-distance intercellular communications in various biological processes. Among various cell-line or biological fluid derived exosomes, milk exosomes are abundant in nature and exhibit many nanocarrier characteristics favorable for theranostic applications. To be an effective delivery carrier for their clinical translation, exosomes must inbuilt loading, release, targeting, and imaging/tracking characteristics. Considering the unmet gaps of milk exosomes in theranostic technology it is essential to focus the current review on drug delivery and imaging applications. This review delineates the efficiency of exosomes to load therapeutic or imaging agents and their successful delivery approaches. It is emphasized on possible modifications of exosomes towards increasing the stability and delivery of agents. This article also summarizes the specific applications and the process of developing milk exosomes as a future pharmaceutical drug delivery vehicle.

Stress and Molecular Drivers for Cancer Progression: A Longstanding Hypothesis

Stress management is becoming very important part of cancer patient care. Chronic stressors lead to boost tumorigenesis and promote cancer development, recurrence, and drug resistant leading to poor health outcomes. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which is activated by stress, also regulates Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis. Stress related changes in immune function and inflammatory response also leads to reduced immune surveillance resulting in tumorigenesis. This article explores the hormonal axis impacted by stress and how chronic stress can lead to poor outcome of a cancer patient.

Molecular Modelling a Key Method for Potential Therapeutic Drug Discovery

The well-defined and characterized 3D crystal structure of a protein is important to explore the topological and physiological features of the protein. The distinguished topography of a protein helps medical chemists design drugs on the basis of the pharmacophoric features of the protein. Structure-based drug discovery, specifically for pathological proteins that cause a higher risk of disease, takes advantage of this fact. Current tools for studying drug-protein interactions include physical, chromatographic, and electrophoretic methods. These techniques can be separated into either non-spectroscopic (equilibrium dialysis, ultrafiltration, ultracentrifugation, etc.) or spectroscopic (Fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR, X-ray diffraction, etc.) methods. These methods, however, can be time-consuming and expensive. On the other hand, in silico methods of analyzing protein-drug interactions, such as docking, molecular simulations, and High-Throughput Virtual Screenings (HTVS), are heavily underutilized by core drug discovery laboratories. These kinds of approaches have a great potential for the mass screening of potential small drugs molecules. Studying protein-drug interactions is of particular importance for understanding how the structural conformation of protein elements affect overall ligand binding affinity. By taking a bioinformatics approach to analyzing drug-protein interactions, the speed with which we identify potential drugs for genetic targets can be greatly increased.

Nanotechnology synergized immunoengineering for cancer

Novel strategies modulating the immune system yielded enhanced anticancer responses and improved cancer survival. Nevertheless, the success rate of immunotherapy in cancer treatment has been below expectation(s) due to unpredictable efficacy and off-target effects from systemic dosing of immunotherapeutic(s). As a result, there is an unmet clinical need for improving conventional immunotherapy. Nanotechnology offers several new strategies, multimodality, and multiplex biological targeting advantage to overcome many of these challenges. These efforts enable programming the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and delivery of immunomodulatory agents/co-delivery of compounds to prime at the tumor sites for improved therapeutic benefits. This review provides an overview of the design and clinical principles of biomaterials driven nanotechnology and their potential use in personalized nanomedicines, vaccines, localized tumor modulation, and delivery strategies for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we also summarize the latest highlights and recent advances in combinatorial therapies availed in the treatment of cold and complicated tumors. It also presents key steps and parameters implemented for clinical success. Finally, we analyse, discuss, and provide clinical perspectives on the integrated opportunities of nanotechnology and immunology to achieve synergistic and durable responses in cancer treatment.

Clinical Implications of Exosomes: Targeted Drug Delivery for Cancer Treatment

Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles generated by cells for intercellular communication. Due to their composition, significant research has been conducted to transform these particles into specific delivery systems for various disease states. In this review, we discuss the common isolation and loading methods of exosomes, some of the major roles of exosomes in the tumor microenvironment, as well as discuss recent applications of exosomes as drug delivery vessels and the resulting clinical implications.

CRISPR Systems for COVID-19 Diagnosis

The emergence of the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) was first seen in December 2019, which has spread rapidly and become a global pandemic. The number of cases of COVID-19 and its associated mortality have raised serious concerns worldwide. Early diagnosis of viral infection undoubtedly allows rapid intervention, disease management, and substantial control of the rapid spread of the disease. Currently, the standard approach for COVID-19 diagnosis globally is the RT-qPCR test; however, the limited access to kits and associated reagents, the need for specialized lab equipment, and the need for highly skilled personnel has led to a detection slowdown. Recently, the development of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based diagnostic systems has reshaped molecular diagnosis. The benefits of the CRISPR system such as speed, precision, specificity, strength, efficiency, and versatility have inspired researchers to develop CRISPR-based diagnostic and therapeutic methods. With the global COVID-19 outbreak, different groups have begun to design and develop diagnostic and therapeutic programs based on the efficient CRISPR system. CRISPR-based COVID-19 diagnostic systems have advantages such as a high detection speed (i.e., 30 min from raw sample to reach a result), high sensitivity and precision, portability, and no need for specialized laboratory equipment. Here, we review contemporary studies on the detection of COVID-19 based on the CRISPR system.