Effective Tumor Treatment Research Articles

A novel enemy of cancer: recent investigations into protozoan anti-tumor properties.

Cancer remains a significant global health issue, despite advances in screening and treatment. While existing tumor treatment protocols such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy have proven effective in enhancing the prognosis for some patients, these treatments do not benefit all patients. Consequently, certain types of cancer continue to exhibit a relatively low 5-year survival rate. Therefore, the pursuit of novel tumor intervention strategies may help improve the current effectiveness of tumor treatment. Over the past few decades, numerous species of protozoa and their components have exhibited anti-tumor potential via immune and non-immune mechanisms. This discovery introduces a new research direction for the development of new and effective cancer treatments. Through in vitro experiments and studies involving tumor-bearing mice, the anti-tumor ability of Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium, Trypanosoma cruzi, and other protozoa have unveiled diverse mechanisms by which protozoa combat cancer, demonstrating encouraging prospects for their application. In this review, we summarize the anti-tumor ability and anti-tumor mechanisms of various protozoa and explore the potential for their clinical development and application.

Dual-Layer Spectral Detector Computed Tomography Quantitative Parameters: A Potential Tool for Lymph Node Activity Determination in Lymphoma Patients.

Dual-energy CT has shown promising results in determining tumor characteristics and treatment effectiveness through spectral data by assessing normalized iodine concentration (nIC), normalized effective atomic number (nZeff), normalized electron density (nED), and extracellular volume (ECV). This study explores the value of quantitative parameters in contrast-enhanced dual-layer spectral detector CT (SDCT) as a potential tool for detecting lymph node activity in lymphoma patients. A retrospective analysis of 55 lymphoma patients with 289 lymph nodes, assessed through 18FDG-PET/CT and the Deauville five-point scale, revealed significantly higher values of nIC, nZeff, nED, and ECV in active lymph nodes compared to inactive ones (p < 0.001). Generalized linear mixed models showed statistically significant fixed-effect parameters for nIC, nZeff, and ECV (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) values of nIC, nZeff, and ECV reached 0.822, 0.845, and 0.811 for diagnosing lymph node activity. In conclusion, the use of g nIC, nZeff, and ECV as alternative imaging biomarkers to PET/CT for identifying lymph node activity in lymphoma holds potential as a reliable diagnostic tool that can guide treatment decisions.

Accelerating Ce3+/Ce4+ Conversion in CeO2 via Mn doping to Endow Scaffolds with Chemodynamic Therapy Properties

CeO2 nanozymes have garnered significant attention in chemodynamic therapy due to their peroxidase-like activity and ability to deplete glutathione. However, their catalytic efficiency is constrained by the low conversion rate of Ce3+/Ce4+. To overcome this limitation, the electron transfer was accelerated by introducing the transition metal Mn atom as a valence electron donor through lattice charge transfer. In detail, we introduced Ce1-xMnxO2 into the poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold fabricated by selective laser sintering. The conversion from Ce3+ to Ce4+ promoted the decomposition of H2O2 within the tumor microenvironment to generate hydroxyl radicals with high oxidative activity, consequently inducing oxidative stress. The conversion from Ce4+ to Ce3+ depleted intracellular antioxidant glutathione, disrupting redox balance in tumor cells. This continuous redox cycle ultimately triggered apoptosis in tumor cells. Using a first-principles Hubbard-corrected approximate density-functional method, the analysis of the electron band structure revealed the presence of donor energy levels within the bandgap of Ce1-xMnxO2, enabling electron transfer channels around 0.645 eV. Electrochemical experiments confirmed that Ce0.8Mn0.2O2 significantly reduced the activation overpotential from 0.907 V to 0.646 V, enhancing its redox capacity. As a result, the scaffold exhibited a threefold increase in tumor-killing rate. These findings highlight the immense potential of CeO2 nanozymes in enhancing chemodynamic therapy for effective tumor treatment.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy-induced nervous system toxicity: a real-world study based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database

BackgroundNervous system toxicity (NST) is one of the most frequent and dangerous side effects of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, which is an effective treatment for related tumors in most relapsed/refractory (r/r) hematologic malignancies. Current clinical trial data do not fully reflect the real-world situation. Therefore, this study evaluated the NST of CAR-T therapy using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).MethodsData were retrieved from FAERS for the period from January 1, 2017 to March 31, 2023. Disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis were used for data mining. The reporting odds ratio (ROR) for NST with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for each CAR-T product. The time to onset (TTO) and clinical outcomes due to CAR-T therapy-associated NST were assessed.ResultsOverall, 6946 cases of NST associated with CAR-T therapy were identified. The patients had a median age of 61 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 47–69 years). Significant signals were observed for all CAR-T products (ROR: 2.19, 95% CI: 2.13–2.44). Anti-CD19 CAR-T products showed a higher NST signal than anti-B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) CAR-T products (ROR025 2.13 vs. 1.98). Brexucabtagene autoleucel (ROR: 3.17, 95% CI: 2.90–3.47) and axicabtagene ciloleucel (ROR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.81–3.03) had the two highest NST signals. For the preferred term “brain edema,” the highest signals were obtained for CD28 CAR-T products. The median TTO of NST for all CAR-T products was 7 days (IQR: 3–17 days). The proportion of death, life-threatening and hospitalization adverse events associated with NST was 20.06%, 7.21%, and 32.70%, respectively. The proportion of death outcomes was higher in patients treated with tisagenlecleucel (30.36%) than in those treated with other CAR-T products, except ciltacabtagene autoleucel (P < 0.001). The proportion of hospitalizations was significantly higher for lisocabtagene maraleucel-associated NST (53.85%) than for other drugs, except for ciltacabtagene autoleucel (P < 0.001).ConclusionsNST is more closely associated with anti-CD19 CAR-Ts and CAR-Ts containing CD28. Serious NST (brain oedema) is likely to occur with CAR-Ts that contain CD28. CAR-T-related NST warrants greater attention owing to the high proportion of serious adverse events and delayed NST.

Surface Mineralization of Engineered Bacterial Outer Membrane Vesicles to Enhance Tumor Photothermal/Immunotherapy.

Gram-negative bacteria can naturally produce nanosized spherical outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) with a lipid bilayer membrane, possessing immunostimulatory capabilities to be potentially applied in tumor therapy. However, the systemic toxicity induced by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of OMVs is the main obstacle for their clinical translation. Herein, melanin-loaded OMVs were produced with a genetic engineering strategy and further coated with calcium phosphate (CaP) to reduce their toxicity to enhance tumor treatment effects. Wild-type bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) was genetically engineered to highly express tyrosinase to catalyze the intracellular synthesis of melanin, giving melanin-loaded OMVs (OMVMel). To reduce the systemic toxicity in tumor therapy, OMVMel was coated with CaP by surface mineralization to obtain OMVMel@CaP. In comparison with OMVMel, OMVMel@CaP showed lower systemic inflammatory responses in healthy mice and less damage to the liver, spleen, lung, and kidney, so the administration dose could be increased to enhance the antitumor effect. In the acidic tumor microenvironment, the CaP shell disintegrated to release OMVMel to trigger antitumor immune responses. Under costimulation of OMVMel acting as immunoadjuvants and the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released by the photothermal effect, the efficiency of tumor photothermal/immunotherapy was largely boosted through promoting the infiltration of matured DCs, M1 macrophages, and activated CD8+ T cells, decreasing the ratio of MDSCs in tumors.

A metal-organic framework-integrated composite for piezocatalysis-assisted tumour therapy: design, related mechanisms, and recent advances.

With the growing need for more effective tumour treatment, piezocatalytic therapy has emerged as a promising approach due to its distinctive capacities to generate ROS through stress induction and regulate the hypoxic state of the TME. MOF-based piezocatalysts not only possess the benefits of piezocatalysis but also exhibit several advantages associated with MOFs, such as tunable pore size, large specific surface area, and good biocompatibility. Therefore, they are expected to become a powerful promoter of piezocatalytic therapy. This review elaborates on the fundamental principles of piezocatalysis and summarises recent advances in the piezocatalytic therapy and combination therapies of tumours, generalising the strategies for constructing piezocatalytic systems based on MOFs. Finally, the challenges confronted and future opportunities for the design and application of piezocatalytic MOF anticancer systems have been discussed.

Feasibility of laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor with tumor diameter of >5 cm.

Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) is an effective treatment for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The utility of LECS for gastric GISTs of > 5 cm remains controversial. This study was performed to investigate the feasibility of LECS for gastric GISTs with a tumor diameter of >5 cm. We analyzed 43 patients with gastric GISTs who underwent LECS or laparoscopic partial gastrectomy (Lap-Partial Gx). We compared the surgical outcomes of LECS versus Lap-Partial Gx and of LECS for a tumor diameter of > 5 versus ≤ 5 cm. In the comparison of LECS versus Lap-Partial Gx, there were no significant intergroup differences in the operative time or blood loss volume. The morbidity rate was similar between the groups. No postoperative mortality occurred in either group. In the comparison of LECS for a tumor diameter of > 5 versus ≤ 5 cm, there were no significant intergroup differences in operative time, or blood loss volume. The morbidity rate was similar between the > 5-cm and ≤ 5-cm groups (0.0% vs. 4.5%, respectively ; p = 0.56). Additionally, no recurrence or death occurred during follow-up in either group. LECS is a feasible option for gastric GISTs with a tumor diameter of > 5 cm. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 148-153, February, 2024.

Early Detection of Brain Tumor from MRI Images Using Different Machine Learning Techniques

Effective treatment of brain tumours depends on early identification of tumour tissues. Categorizing tumors is essential for its early identification. In order to split and categorise brain tumours using MRI images, various machine learning algorithms are examined. Preprocessing methods including image augmentation, rotation flipping, and adaptive deformation are used on the BRATs dataset to improve the data quality. Convolutional neural network (CNN) feature extraction techniques like VGG19 and InceptionV3 are applied. K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN) and logistic regression techniques are used to categorise the features. The proposed models’ accuracy for Logistic Regression, KNN, VGG19, Inception V3 and VGG19 with augmentation is 84.66%, 90.68%, 92.17%, 91.56% and 95.43% respectively. These findings imply that CNN-based feature extraction and picture augmentation techniques greatly improves the accuracy of brain tumour identification, Overall thecInception V3 with augmentation produces the best results.

Kolizija primarnog adenokarcinoma pluća sa metastazom adenokarcinoma debelog creva - prikaz slučaja

Introduction. Collision tumors occur when two tumors of different histological origin develop simultaneously at the same site, such as sarcoma and carcinoma combinations, carcinoma and lymphoma combinations, or others. Notably, collision tumors are less common in the lungs compared to other organs. Case report. A 65-year-old woman with a history of surgically and chemotherapeutically treated colon adenocarcinoma underwent a regular chest radiographic check-up at a hospital. A follow-up examination and computed tomography revealed two oval lesions in the right lung lobe, later confirmed through histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis. One lesion was identified as primary lung adenocarcinoma, while the other was a metastasis of colon adenocarcinoma. Diagnosis of lesions with distinct histological origins relies on determining the expression of specific markers. Lung adenocarcinoma typically expresses TTF-1 in 90% of cases, while metastases originating from colonic adenocarcinoma often exhibit CDX2 marker expression in 99% of cases. Conclusion. Several theories attempt to explain the formation of collision tumors. The first hypothesis suggests that their origin lacks a specific pattern or predictable cause. The second hypothesis proposes that environmental changes, influenced by carcinogenic stimuli, promote the simultaneous growth of two tumors. Lastly, it is hypothesized that tumors modify the organ's microenvironment, increasing the likelihood of nearby metastatic colonization. To ensure effective treatment of collision tumors, accurate and precise diagnosis, along with a comprehensive understanding of the tumor's characteristics, is crucial.

Applications of nanotheranostics in the second near-infrared window in bioimaging and cancer treatment.

Achieving accurate and efficient tumor imaging is crucial in the field of tumor treatment, as it facilitates early detection and precise localization of tumor tissues, thereby informing therapeutic strategies and surgical interventions. The optical imaging technology within the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window has garnered significant interest for its remarkable benefits, such as enhanced tissue penetration depth, superior signal-to-background ratio (SBR), minimal tissue autofluorescence, reduced photon attenuation, and lower tissue scattering. This review explained the design and optimization strategies of nano-agents responsive to the NIR-II window, such as single-walled carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, lanthanum-based nanomaterials, and noble metal nanomaterials. These nano-agents enable non-invasive, deep-tissue imaging with high spatial resolution in the NIR-II window, and their superior optical properties significantly improve the accuracy, efficiency, and versatility of imaging-guided tumor treatments. And we discussed the characteristics and advantages of fluorescence imaging (FL)/photoacoustic imaging (PA) in NIR-II window, providing a comprehensive overview of the latest research progress of different nano-agents in FL/PA imaging-guided tumor therapy. Furthermore, we exhaustively reviewed the latest applications of multifunctional nano-phototherapy technologies carried out by NIR-II light including photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and combined modalities like photothermal-chemodynamic therapy (PTT-CDT), photothermal-chemotherapy (PTT-CT), and photothermal- immunotherapy (PTT-IO). These imaging-guided integrated tumor therapy approaches within the NIR-II window have gradually matured over the past decade and are expected to become a safe and effective non-invasive tumor treatment. Finally, we outlined the prospects and challenges of development and innovation of the NIR-II integrated diagnosis and therapy nanoplatform. This review aims to provide insightful perspectives for future advancements in NIR-II optical tumor diagnosis and integrated treatment platforms.

Nature-inspired protein mineralization strategies for nanoparticle construction: advancing effective cancer therapy.

Recently, nanotechnology has shown great potential in the field of cancer therapy due to its ability to improve the stability and solubility and reduce side effects of drugs. The biomimetic mineralization strategy based on natural proteins and metal ions provides an innovative approach for the synthesis of nanoparticles. This strategy utilizes the unique properties of natural proteins and the mineralization ability of metal ions to combine nanoparticles through biomimetic mineralization processes, achieving the effective treatment of tumors. The precise control of the mineralization process between proteins and metal ions makes it possible to obtain nanoparticles with the ideal size, shape, and surface characteristics, thereby enhancing their stability and targeting ability in vivo. Herein, initially, we analyze the role of protein molecules in biomineralization and comprehensively review the functions, properties, and applications of various common proteins and metal particles. Subsequently, we systematically review and summarize the application directions of nanoparticles synthesized based on protein biomineralization in tumor treatment. Specifically, we discuss their use as efficient drug delivery carriers and role in mediating monotherapy and synergistic therapy using multiple modes. Also, we specifically review the application of nanomedicine constructed through biomimetic mineralization strategies using natural proteins and metal ions in improving the efficiency of tumor immunotherapy.

Development and verification of a manganese metabolism- and immune-related genes signature for prediction of prognosis and immune landscape in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) poses a global health challenge due to its widespread prevalence and unfavorable prognosis. Although immunotherapy has shown promise in clinical settings, its efficacy remains limited to a minority of GC patients. Manganese, recognized for its role in the body's anti-tumor immune response, has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of tumor treatment when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases was utilized to obtain transcriptome information and clinical data for GC. Unsupervised clustering was employed to stratify samples into distinct subtypes. Manganese metabolism- and immune-related genes (MIRGs) were identified in GC by univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. We conducted gene set variation analysis, and assessed the immune landscape, drug sensitivity, immunotherapy efficacy, and somatic mutations. The underlying role of NPR3 in GC was further analyzed in the single-cell RNA sequencing data and cellular experiments. GC patients were classified into four subtypes characterized by significantly different prognoses and tumor microenvironments. Thirteen genes were identified and established as MIRGs, demonstrating exceptional predictive effectiveness in GC patients. Distinct enrichment patterns of molecular functions and pathways were observed among various risk subgroups. Immune infiltration analysis revealed a significantly greater abundance of macrophages and monocytes in the high-risk group. Drug sensitivity analysis identified effective drugs for patients, while patients in the low-risk group could potentially benefit from immunotherapy. NPR3 expression was significantly downregulated in GC tissues. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis indicated that the expression of NPR3 was distributed in endothelial cells. Cellular experiments demonstrated that NPR3 facilitated the proliferation of GC cells. This is the first study to utilize manganese metabolism- and immune-related genes to identify the prognostic MIRGs for GC. The MIRGs not only reliably predicted the clinical outcome of GC patients but also hold the potential to guide future immunotherapy interventions for these patients.

A biodegradable calcium sulfite nanoreactor for pH triggered gas therapy in combination with chemotherapy.

As a gasotransmitter, endogenous sulfur dioxide (SO2) plays an important role in cardiovascular regulation. In addition, excessive SO2 can react with overexpressed hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in tumor cells to generate toxic radicals, which can induce severe oxidative damage to tumor cells and result in cell apoptosis. This highlights the potential of SO2 in oncotherapy. However, the limited availability of endogenous H2O2 and uncontrolled release of SO2 gas significantly impede the effectiveness of SO2 gas therapy. To address this challenge, a biodegradable calcium sulfite (CS) nanocarrier loaded with 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) was developed for tumor pH-triggered SO2 gas therapy in combination with chemotherapy. This nanoreactor could be degraded in an acidic tumor microenvironment to release SO2 gas and the HCPT drug. The released SO2 gas induced serious oxidative damage to tumor cells by depleting glutathione (GSH) and generating toxic radicals through a reaction with intracellular H2O2. Simultaneously, the HCPT drug promoted tumor cell apoptosis through chemotherapy and boosted SO2 gas therapy by elevating the H2O2 level within the tumor cells. Consequently, the combination of SO2 gas therapy and chemotherapy provided a promising approach for effective tumor treatment.

Red cell membrane-coating Prussian blue for combined photothermal and NO gas therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Nitric oxide (NO) gas molecules have demonstrated remarkable anti-tumor effects and minimal susceptibility to drug resistance, establishing as a promising modality for effective tumor treatment. However, how to realize its stable and efficient delivery in vivo is still a challenge. In this study, we have developed a heat-responsive biomimetic nano erythrocyte (M/B@R) by loading a NO donor (BNN6) onto mesoporous Prussian blue (M-PB) and subsequently enveloping them with red blood cell membranes. The preserved integrity of the red blood cell membrane (RBCm) structure could ensure its excellent biosafety, prolong its circulation time within the bloodstream and then enhance the accumulation of BNN6 at tumor sites. When M/B@R is stimulated by near-infrared light (NIR-II, 808 nm) irradiation, the nanoparticle could generate significant heat for photothermal therapy (PTT) by the characteristic NIR absorption of M-PB and then NO could also be efficiently released. The generated NO further facilitates the formation of ONOO-, a highly toxic species to tumors, while also alleviating tumor hypoxia. Remarkably, M/B@R, with NIR as the excitation source, induces combined lethality through hyperthermia, DNA damage, and tumor hypoxia relief. This novel combination strategy provides a new avenue for PTT/NO-induced cancer therapy.

Establishment of the microscope incubation system and its application in evaluating tumor treatment effects through real-time live cellular imaging.

Introduction: Long-term imaging of live cells is commonly used for the study of dynamic cell behaviors. It is crucial to keep the cell viability during the investigation of physiological and biological processes by live cell imaging. Conventional incubators that providing stable temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, and humidity are often incompatible with most imaging tools. Available commercial or custom-made stage-top incubators are bulky or unable to provide constant environmental conditions during long time culture. Methods: In this study, we reported the development of the microscope incubation system (MIS) that can be easily adapted to any inverted microscope stage. Incremental PID control algorithm was introduced to keep stable temperature and gas concentration of the system. Moreover, efficient translucent materials were applied for the top and bottom of the incubator which make it possible for images taken during culture. Results: The MIS could support cell viability comparable to standard incubators. When used in real time imaging, the MIS was able to trace single cell migration in scratch assay, T cell mediated tumor cells killing in co-culture assay, inflation-collapse and fusion of organoids in 3D culture. And the viability and drug responses of cells cultured in the MIS were able to be calculated by a label-free methods based on long term imaging. Discussion: We offer new insights into monitoring cell behaviors during long term culture by using the stage adapted MIS. This study illustrates that the newly developed MIS is a viable solution for long-term imaging during in vitro cell culture and demonstrates its potential in cell biology, cancer biology and drug discovery research where long-term real-time recording is required.

Photothermal Prussian blue nanoparticles generate potent multi-targeted tumor-specific T cells as an adoptive cell therapy.

Prussian blue nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy (PBNP-PTT) is an effective tumor treatment capable of eliciting an antitumor immune response. Motivated by the ability of PBNP-PTT to potentiate endogenous immune responses, we recently demonstrated that PBNP-PTT could be used ex vivo to generate tumor-specific T cells against glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines as an adoptive T cell therapy (ATCT). In this study, we further developed this promising T cell development platform. First, we assessed the phenotype and function of T cells generated using PBNP-PTT. We observed that PBNP-PTT facilitated CD8+ T cell expansion from healthy donor PBMCs that secreted IFNγ and TNFα and upregulated CD107a in response to engagement with target U87 cells, suggesting specific antitumor T cell activation and degranulation. Further, CD8+ effector and effector memory T cell populations significantly expanded after co-culture with U87 cells, consistent with tumor-specific effector responses. In orthotopically implanted U87 GBM tumors in vivo, PBNP-PTT-derived T cells effectively reduced U87 tumor growth and generated long-term survival in >80% of tumor-bearing mice by Day 100, compared to 0% of mice treated with PBS, non-specific T cells, or T cells expanded from lysed U87 cells, demonstrating an enhanced antitumor efficacy of this ATCT platform. Finally, we tested the generalizability of our approach by generating T cells targeting medulloblastoma (D556), breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y), and acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) cell lines. The resulting T cells secreted IFNγ and exerted increased tumor-specific cytolytic function relative to controls, demonstrating the versatility of PBNP-PTT in generating tumor-specific T cells for ATCT.

Multi-Enzyme Activity of MIL-101 (Fe)-Derived Cascade Nano-Enzymes for Antitumor and Antimicrobial Therapy.

The clinical application of oncology therapy is hampered by high glutathione concentrations, hypoxia, and inefficient activation of cell death mechanisms in cancer cells. In this study, Fe and Mo bimetallic sulfide nanomaterial (FeS2@MoS2) based on metal-organic framework structure is rationally prepared with peroxidase (POD)-, catalase (CAT)-, superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities and glutathione depletion ability, which can confer versatility for treating tumors and mending wounds. In the lesion area, FeS2@MoS2 with SOD-like activity can facilitate the transformation of superoxide anions (O2 -) to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and then the resulting H2O2 serves as a substrate for the Fenton reaction with FMS to produce highly toxic hydroxyl radicals (∙OH). Simultaneously, FeS2@MoS2 has an ability to deplete glutathione (GSH) and catalyze the decomposition of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to curb the regeneration of GSH from the source. Thus it can realize effective tumor elimination through synergistic apoptosis-ferroptosis strategy. Based on the alteration of the H2O2 system, free radical production, glutathione depletion and the alleviation of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment, FeS2@MoS2 NPS can not only significantly inhibit tumors in vivo and in vitro, but also inhibit multidrug-resistant bacteria and hasten wound healing. It may open the door to the development of cascade nanoplatforms for effective tumor treatment and overcoming wound infection.

Enhancing Deep-Seated Melanoma Therapy through Wearable Self-Powered Microneedle Patch.

Effective treatment of deep-seated tumors relies on enhanced drug penetration in transdermal drug delivery systems. While microneedles (MNs) and iontophoresis techniques have shown improved transdermal drug delivery efficiency, challenges such as skin elasticity, high electrical resistance of the stratum corneum, and external power supply requirements hinder their efficacy in treating deep-seated tumors. In this study, a wearable, self-powered MN patch that integrates a flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (F-TENG) is presented, aimed at advancing deep-seated tumor therapy. MNs are composed of water-soluble materials mixed with negatively charged pH-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with therapeutic drugs. The F-TENG harnesses personal mechanical movements generate electrical energy. Leveraging the advantages of both MNs and F-TENG, therapeutic NPs can penetrate deep skin locations upon MN patch insertion, releasing drugs rapidly in acidic tumor tissues. Owing to these features, a single administration of the integrated MN-patch in a mouse model with deep-seated melanoma exhibits superior therapeutic efficacy in inhibiting deep-located tumor compared to using the MN-patch alone, indicating promising potential for treating tumors at deep sites.

HPV E6/E7: insights into their regulatory role and mechanism in signaling pathways in HPV-associated tumor.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a class of envelope-free double-stranded DNA virus. HPV infection has been strongly associated with the development of many malignancies, such as cervical, anal and oral cancers. The viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 perform central roles on HPV-induced carcinogenic processes. During tumor development, it usually goes along with the activation of abnormal signaling pathways. E6 and E7 induces changes in cell cycle, proliferation, invasion, metastasis and other biological behaviors by affecting downstream tumor-related signaling pathways, thus promoting malignant transformation of cells and ultimately leading to tumorigenesis and progression. Here, we summarized that E6 and E7 proteins promote HPV-associated tumorigenesis and development by regulating the activation of various tumor-related signaling pathways, for example, the Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt, and NF-kB signaling pathway. We also discussed the importance of HPV-encoded E6 and E7 and their regulated tumor-related signaling pathways for the diagnosis and effective treatment of HPV-associated tumors.

Niosomes loading N-acetyl-L-cysteine for cancer treatment in vivo study.

Scientists are seeking to find an effective treatment for tumors that has no side effects. N-Acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) is a thiol compound extracted from garlic. Current study explores the potential of NAC-loaded niosomes (NAC-NIO) for tumor treatment in mice. NAC-loaded niosomes' efficiency, morphology, UV absorption, size distribution, zeta potential, release, and FTIR analysis were evaluated. For vivo study, 25 male BALB/c mice were divided to five groups: gp1 negative control (receive saline), gp2 positive control (tumor group), gp3 treated with NAC, gp4 treated with NAC-NIO at the same time of tumor injection, and gp5 treated with NAC-NIO after tumor growth (day 14). The impact of NAC-NIO on the tumor treatment was evaluated by measuring tumor size progress, comet assay, oxidative stress parameters (GSH, nitric oxide, MDA), western blot analysis, and histopathological investigation of tissues. NAC-NIO showed 72 ± 3% encapsulation efficiency and zeta potential - 5.95mV with spherical shape. It was found that oral administration of NAC-NIO in a dose of 50mg/kg provided significant protection against tumor cells. Our formulation decreases DNA injury significantly (P < 0.05). It was noticed that NAC-NIO can increase oxidative stress levels in tumor tissue. On the other hand, the caspase 3 and caspase 9 gene expression were upregulated significantly (P < 0.001) in mice administrated NAC-NIO compared with all other groups. Histological studies confirmed the protective effect of NAC-NIO against tumor especially for treatment during tumor growth protocol. The results suggested that oral delivery of NAC-NIO formulation improved antioxidant effect.