Platinum-based Drugs Research Articles

Adrenomedullin induces cisplatin chemoresistance in ovarian cancer through reprogramming of glucose metabolism.

The metabolic network of cancer cells has been reprogrammed - relying more on aerobic glycolysis to gain energy, which is an important reason for drug resistance. Expression of adrenomedullin (ADM) in ovarian cancer tissues is related to resistance to platinum-based drugs. In view of this, we intended to investigate the correlation between ADM and glucose metabolism reprogramming of tumor cells to clarify the possible mechanism of ADM-induced ovarian cancer cisplatin resistance through glucose metabolism reprogramming. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cell viability and apoptosis were determined. Different gene expression and protein levels were detected by real-time revere transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and extracellular acidification rates (ECARs) were measured. ADM expression was upregulated in cisplatin-resistant EOC cells. ADM attenuated cisplatin-inhibited cell survival and cisplatin-induced apoptosis in sensitive EOC cells; knockdown of ADM enhanced cisplatin chemosensitivity of cisplatin-resistant EOC cells. ADM enhanced glycolysis in cisplatin-sensitive EOC cells; knockdown of ADM significantly inhibited glycolysis in cisplatin-resistant EOC cells. ADM significantly upregulated pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2) protein level, the key enzyme during glycolysis; PKM2 inhibitor significantly abolished the ADM-improved cell survival and ADM-inhibited apoptosis. ADM promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells through reprogramming of glucose metabolism, so as to promote cisplatin resistance. The study is expected to identify multidrug resistance markers of ovarian cancer and provide a target for the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer, which is important for clinical translational research.

Emerging Trends in Nano-Theranostics: Platinum-based Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Treatment

Nanotechnology is the most common and frequently used technology that aims to improve the efficacy of medical procedures, sometimes known as Nanomedicine. With their impressive pharmacological efficacy as nanomedicines and delivery systems, nano materials have been recognized as attractive diagnostic and chemotherapeutic tools to treat diseases. To treat a wide range of solid malignant tumors, Drugs built on platinum complexes are now the foundation for many other therapies. They are often used to treat a varietym of solid tumors in the clinic, including head and neck, colorectal, lung and other malignancies. Cell-specific targeting with nano-carriers is possible using both active and passive techniques. This paper provides a thorough overview of platinum-based drug delivery system with the help of nanotechnology. Their mechanisms of action used in the treatment of cancer and potential for further development are all anticipated.

Emerging Trends in Nano-Theranostics: Platinum-based Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Treatment

Nanotechnology is the most common and frequently used technology that aims to improve the efficacy of medical procedures, sometimes known as Nanomedicine. With their impressive pharmacological efficacy as nanomedicines and delivery systems, nano materials have been recognized as attractive diagnostic and chemotherapeutic tools to treat diseases. To treat a wide range of solid malignant tumors, Drugs built on platinum complexes are now the foundation for many other therapies. They are often used to treat a varietym of solid tumors in the clinic, including head and neck, colorectal, lung and other malignancies. Cell-specific targeting with nano-carriers is possible using both active and passive techniques. This paper provides a thorough overview of platinum-based drug delivery system with the help of nanotechnology. Their mechanisms of action used in the treatment of cancer and potential for further development are all anticipated.

Serum Levels of Erythropoietin in Patients with Anemia and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Nanotechnology is the most common and frequently used technology that aims to improve the efficacy of medical procedures, sometimes known as Nanomedicine. With their impressive pharmacological efficacy as nanomedicines and delivery systems, nano materials have been recognized as attractive diagnostic and chemotherapeutic tools to treat diseases. To treat a wide range of solid malignant tumors, Drugs built on platinum complexes are now the foundation for many other therapies. They are often used to treat a variety of solid tumors in the clinic, including head and neck, colorectal, lung and other malignancies. Cell-specific targeting with nano-carriers is possible using both active and passive techniques. This paper provides a thorough overview of platinum-based drug delivery system with the help of nanotechnology. Their mechanisms of action used in the treatment of cancer and potential for further development are all anticipated.

The Role of mTORC1 Pathway and Autophagy in Resistance to Platinum-Based Chemotherapeutics.

Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloroplatinum I) is a platinum-based drug, the mainstay of anticancer treatment for numerous solid tumors. Since its approval by the FDA in 1978, the drug has continued to be used for the treatment of half of epithelial cancers. However, resistance to cisplatin represents a major obstacle during anticancer therapy. Here, we review recent findings on how the mTORC1 pathway and autophagy can influence cisplatin sensitivity and resistance and how these data can be applicable for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

ROS-Mediated Antitumor Activity, Apoptosis, and Molecular Docking Studies of Platinum(II) Coordination Complexes Bearing 2-(Diphenylphosphino)pyridine Ligands.

Platinum-based drugs have been widely used in cancer treatment. However, their severe side effects have limited their use. So, researchers have been striving to find compounds with fewer side effects and greater efficacy, to overcome these drawbacks. Here, the cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes containing 2-(diphenylphosphino)pyridine ligands have been studied on human lung (A549), ovarian (SKOV3), breast (MCF-7) cancer, and normal breast (MCF-10A) cell lines. The most potent compound exhibits a marked cell growth-inhibitory effect against ovarian and lung cancer cells with IC50 values of 9.41 and 5.58 μM, respectively, which were significantly better than that observed for cisplatin (19.02, and 8.64 μM). Additionally, all complexes achieved significantly lower cytotoxicity towards MCF-10A. To investigate the interaction of complexes with DNA, an electrophoresis mobility shift assay was conducted, which indicated that complexes bind to DNA and affect its electrophoretic mobility. An analysis of apoptosis in A549 cells supported the conclusion that they inhibits cell proliferation via induction of apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Molecular docking was also used to investigate the interactions of compounds with different DNA structures. These compounds have the ability to be a suitable pharmaceutical compound with further investigations in the field of cancer research.

Synthesis, crystal structure, and anticancer studies of organoruthenium(II) p-cymene N-phenyldithiocarbamate complex

Organoruthenium(II) p-cymene N-phenyldithiocarbamate complex, [Ru(phdtc)(η⁶-p-cym)]₂, was synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopic techniques, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The single crystal X-ray structure of the complex shows that the compound crystallizes in a monoclinic crystal system with a P21/c space group to form a centrosymmetric binuclear complex. The structure consists of two divalent ruthenium(II) ions, two N-phenyldithiocarbamato anions and two p-cymene molecules. Each N-phenyldithiocarbamato anion acts as a chelating ligand to one ruthenium(II) and a bridging ligand to second ruthenium(II) ion in a classic “three-legged piano-stool” arrangement with a pseudo-tetrahedral geometry. The geometry around the ruthenium(II) ions is completed through η6 coordination to the p-cymene carbon atoms. Anticancer studies showed that the compound is potently cytotoxic (complete kill between 10 and 50 μM) when tested up to 100 μM for up to 48 h against two cell lines, HeLa and MRC5-SV2, models of cervical and lung cancer, respectively, and in some instances outperformed the standard platinum-based anticancer drug cisplatin for cytotoxic potency, highlighting the anti-cancer prospect of the complex.

The role of platinum-based antineoplastic drugs and their impact on complete pathological response and prognosis in patients with BRCA-associated triple-negative breast cancer after neoadjuvant treatment: a single institution experience

Background. BRCA-associated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is considered one of the most aggressive subtypes of breast cancer with high sensitivity to chemotherapy, which leads to increased interest in finding new treatment options for patients with this subtype of breast cancer. Aim. To determine the role of adding a platinum drug to standard systemic neoadjuvant therapy (NAC) for patients with primary BRCA-associated TNBC with clinical stage T1–3N0–3M0, and to evaluate the effect of platinum-based drugs on recurrence-free survival in patients of this category. Materials and methods. The study included 75 patients diagnosed with primary BRCA-associated TNBC. They were divided into 2 groups depending on the NAC provided, and then they were subdivided depending on the completion of the course of ongoing NAC, the final pathomorphological result and the presence of recurrence. Results. Group I included 48 (64 %) patients who received the AC–T regimen; in group II (n = 27 (36 %)) patients received NAC according to the AC–TCarb regimen. Patients of group II showed a higher frequency of achieving pathological complete response (pCR) compared with patients of group I (73.7 % versus 41.2 %, respectively, p = 0.0433). Taking into account the NAC regimens being carried out, patients of group I had a slightly higher risk of recurrence compared to patients of group II (p = 0.099). Conclusion. In patients with primary BRCA-associated TNBC, the addition of platinum compounds to the systemic NAC resulted in achieving of pCR in 73.7 % cases compared with 41.2 % pCR after the standard anthracycline-taxane NAC, which entails a reduced risk recurrence in this category of patients. Performing a full course of planned NAC has a positive trend in achieving pCR in patients of this category.

A novel water-soluble Cu(II) gluconate complex inhibits cancer cell growth by triggering apoptosis and ferroptosis related mechanisms

Metal copper complexes have attracted extensive attention as potential alternatives to platinum-based anticancer drugs due to their possible different modes of action. Herein, a new copper(II) gluconate complex, namely [Cu(DPQ)(Gluc)]·2H2O (CuGluc, DPQ = pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline), with good water-solubility and high anticancer activity was synthesized by using D-gluconic acid (Gluc-2H) as an auxiliary ligand. The complex was well characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DNA-binding experiments revealed that CuGluc was bound to DNA by intercalation with end-stacking binding. CuGluc could oxidatively cleave DNA, in which 1O2 and H2O2 were involved. In addition, CuGluc was bound to the IIA subdomain of human serum albumin (HSA) through hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding, showing a good affinity for HSA. The complex showed superior anticancer activity toward several cancer cells than cisplatin in vitro. Further studies indicated that CuGluc caused apoptotic cell death in human liver cancer (HepG2) cells through elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell cycle arrest, and caspase activation. Interestingly, CuGluc also triggered the ferroptosis mechanism through lipid peroxide accumulation and inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity. More importantly, CuGluc significantly inhibited tumor growth in vivo, which may benefit from the combined effects of apoptosis and ferroptosis. This work provides a promising strategy to develop highly effective antitumor copper complexes by coordinating with the glucose metabolite D-gluconic acid and exploiting the synergistic effects of apoptosis and ferroptosis mechanisms.

Folic acid functionalised mesoporous core-shell silica nanoparticles loaded with carboplatin for lung cancer therapy

The development of versatile mesoporous silica nanomaterials (MSNSs) with suitable textural properties is essential for the targeted and precise delivery of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of various diseases. Especially, loading of highly toxic platinum-based drugs is essential to reduce their toxic side effects. However, loading platinum-based drugs such as carboplatin in high quantity in porous materials is extremely challenging owing to the high hydrophobicity and lack of functional groups for interacting with surfaces of MSNS. In this study, we report a facile synthesis of core-shell MSNS by employing a unique combination of triple surfactants - pluronic P123, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and fluorocarbon-4 (FC-4) for targeted delivery of the carboplatin for the treatment of lung cancer. The highly hydrophobic FC-4 plays a vital role in tuning the self-assembly and thereby controls the size, morphology, textural properties and uniform pore size distribution of the MSNS. The optimised MSNS with the size range of 300–320 nm, uniform size distribution, high surface area and ordered structure was successfully synthesised. A high drug loading of 26.7% was achieved on both bare and amine functionalised MSNS with a steady release of up to 60% and 37%, respectively, in PBS. The targeting efficiency of the folic acid functionalised particles was established by confocal microscopy, which showed higher cellular uptake of these particles in A549 cells. The high carboplatin loading and targeting ability resulted in high cytotoxicity from the folic acid functionalised and drug-loaded MSNS samples in PC9 cells compared to non-targeted and bare MSNS samples. Overall, this study proposes a new single-step synthesis of core-shell MSNS with high drug loading capacity that can be used to deliver drugs in treating different types of cancers.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or upfront surgery in hepatoblastoma: A multicenter retrospective study.

We retrospectively investigated the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in low-risk patients with hepatoblastoma (HB) who underwent curative resection between February 2009 and December 2017. We also verified the feasibility of the risk stratification system to select the optimal patients for upfront surgery. We compared 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) between the upfront surgery (n = 26) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 104) groups at three oncology centers in Beijing, China. To reduce the effect of covariate imbalance, propensity score matching (PSM) was used. We explored whether preoperative chemotherapy affected surgical outcomes and identified the risk factors for events and death, including resection margin status, PRETreatment EXTent of disease stages, age, sex, pathology classification, and α-fetoprotein levels. The median follow-up period was 64 (interquartile range 60-72) months. After PSM, 22 pairs of patients were identified, and the patient characteristics were similar for all variables included in PSM. In the upfront surgery group, the 5-year EFS and OS rates were 81.8% and 86.3%, respectively. In the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group, the 5-year EFS and OS rates were 81.8% and 90.9%, respectively. No significant differences in EFS or OS were observed between the groups. Pathological classification was the only risk factor for death, disease progression, tumor recurrence, other tumors found during HB diagnosis, and death from any cause (p = .007 and .032, respectively). Upfront surgery achieved long-term disease control in low-risk patients with resectable HB, thus reduced the cumulative toxicity of platinum-based chemotherapy drugs.

Gallic acid: a polyphenolic compound potentiates the therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin in human breast cancer cells.

Gallic acid (GA) is a natural polyhydroxyphenolic compound with antioxidant, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic activities. Cisplatin (CPT) is a platinum-based chemotherapeutic drug, and it is the treatment of choice for breast, ovarian, testicular, head, and neck cancers. However, the use of anticancer drugs has undesirable effects on patients due to associated toxicities. Thus, it is necessary to search for alternatives that reduce unintended side effects and enhance anticancer potential. The use of natural compounds with the conventional chemotherapeutic drug is a new aspect of cancer therapy. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of GA in the modulation of anticancer effects of CPT in human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) by performing MTT, apoptosis, clonogenic cell survival, and micronucleus assays. GA and CPT showed significant cytotoxic activities in MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In combination therapy (GA 2.5, 5.0, and 10μg/mL+CPT10 μg/mL), GA synergistically reduced the MCF-7 cell viability in contrast to the individual therapies. Cancer cells death by GA is through the induction of apoptosis as observed in the acridine orange and ethidium bromide dual staining method. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) was decreased significantly (P<0.001) in combinational therapy, possibly reducing the risk of chemotherapy-induced MN. Moreover, GA in mono or combinational therapy did not induce any cytotoxic effects in normal breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A). GA did not show any significant difference in colony inhibition compared to CPT. This outcome shows its differential effects in normal and cancerous cells. Hence, the combination GA with chemotherapeutic drugs could represent a promising alternative therapy in cancer treatment with minimal side effects.

Paclitaxel + ramucirumab versus paclitaxel alone in patients with squamous-cell carcinoma of the esophagus, refractory or intolerant to combination therapy with fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based drugs: Final results from the randomized phase 2 IKF-S627/RAMOS trial of the AIO.

e16043 Background: Ramucirumab (Ram) in combination with docetaxel is an approved 2nd-line treatment in patients (pts) with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the lung (REVEL study) and with paclitaxel for esophagogastric adenocarcinoma (RAINBOW study). In SCC of the esophagus, nivolumab is currently the only evidence-based 2nd-line treatment option. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the combination of Ram plus paclitaxel. Methods: This prospective, randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase II trial evaluated paclitaxel plus Ram (Ram 8 mg/kg d1 and d15 and paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 d1, 8, 15) Arm A vs. paclitaxel alone (80 mg/m2 d1, 8, 15) Arm B, both q4w. Primary endpoint was overall survival rate at 6months (mos) (OS@6), main secondary endpoints were OS, PFS, objective response rate (ORR) and safety. Results: From 3/2019 to 4/2021, 21/186 planned pts were treated within the study protocol (Arm A 11 pts; Arm B 10 pts) in 10 German centers. Due to slow accrual, the study was terminated prematurely. Median age was 63y, 71% were male and 86% had relevant concomitant disease. Pts. received a median of 9 and 10 cycles Arms A and B, respectively. The most common treatment related AEs in Arm A were leucopenia (54.5%), fatigue (27.3%) and peripheral sensory neuropathy (18.2%). Treatment related adverse events (AEs) ≥ grade 3 occurred in 27% in Arm A and 50% in Arm B with neutropenia being most frequent in Arm B (n=3; 30%). Serious adverse events (SAE) occurred in 36% and 50% in Arms A and B respectively. Median follow-up was 9 months (0.7 – 32.4 months). OS@6 in Arm A was 73% for Ram/paclitaxel and 50% for paclitaxel. However, the study design did not allow for statistical comparison of the arms. ORR (CR+PR 18% vs. 20%) and DCR (55% vs. 60%) were in the same range, as well as median PFS (3.8 vs. 3.5 mos) and OS (12.1 vs. 9.2 mos), for Arms A and B, respectively. Conclusions: Ram and Paclitaxel is considered to show an acceptable tolerability and numerically improved OS@6. Due to the small number of pts the current trial must be considered exploratory and more data are needed in this indication. Clinical trial information: NCT03762564 .

Anlotinib hydrochloride combined with tislelizumab, paclitaxel liposome, and nedaplatin regimen for preoperative neoadjuvant therapy of esophageal cancer: A single-arm, single-center, phase II exploratory clinical study.

e16082 Background: Local recurrence and distant metastasis are important causes of high mortality in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Neoadjuvant therapy combined with surgery can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Based on the clinical data of anlotinib (a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors) and tislelizumab (anti-pd-1 antibodies), paclitaxel liposome (a cytotoxic anti-tumor drugs) and nedaplatin (a platinum-based anti-tumor drugs) in patients with esophageal cancer, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib hydrochloride combined with tislelizumab, paclitaxel liposome and nedaplatin in preoperative neoadjuvant therapy for patients with stage IIB-IVA esophageal cancer. Methods: This study included 18-75 years old, ECOG PS 0-1 patients with potentially resectable stage IIB-IVA esophageal cancer with a predicted survival time of ≥12 weeks and confirmed by histopathology or cytology. Patients who met the inclusion criteria received anlotinib (oral, 12mg/d1-14,Q3W) combined with tislelizumab (intravenous drip, 200mg/d1,Q3W), paclitaxel liposome (intravenous drip, 175mg/m2/d1,Q3W) and nedaplatin (intravenous drip, 80mg/m2/d1,Q3W). After 2 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy, surgery was performed, and 4-6 weeks of chemotherapy combined with targeted immune adjuvant therapy was performed after the operation, and then Anlotinib combined with tislelizumab targeted immune maintenance therapy was performed until the disease progressed. Subjects who failed to complete at least one cycle of clinical trials according to this program due to non-experimental drug factors, and seriously violated this research program, such as: failure to follow the prescribed dose, method and course of medication, will be excluded from this study. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), and secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), R0 resection rate, and pathological complete response rate. Results: From October 2021 to February 2023, 38 patients were included in this study, and clinical data of 27 patients can be used to track and evaluate clinical efficacy. The median age of the subjects was 58.5 years (range 47-75 years). the primary study end point was an ORR of 77.8% (95% CI，61%-94.5%). Conclusions: We will strictly implement the research protocol and objectively evaluate the anti-tumor activity and safety of anlotinib hydrochloride combined with tislelizumab, paclitaxel liposome and nedaplatin regimen in the treatment of patients with stage IIB ~ IVA esophageal cancer. In order to provide a safe and reliable neoadjuvant therapy for patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2100049693 .

Combination of IDO inhibitors and platinum(IV) prodrugs reverses low immune responses to enhance cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy for osteosarcoma.

In recent years, immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) have made great progress in the treatment of cancer. However, most ICBs have not yet been observed to be satisfactory in the treatment of osteosarcoma. Herein, we designed composite nanoparticles (NP-Pt-IDOi) from a reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensitive amphiphilic polymer (PHPM) with thiol-ketal bonds in the main chain to encapsulate a Pt(IV) prodrug (Pt(IV)-C12) and an indoleamine-(2/3)-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor (IDOi, NLG919). Once NP-Pt-IDOi enter the cancer cells, the polymeric nanoparticles could dissociate due to the intracellular ROS, and release Pt(IV)-C12 and NLG919. Pt(IV)-C12 induces DNA damage and activates the cGAS-STING pathway, increasing infiltration of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, NLG919 inhibits tryptophan metabolism and enhances CD8+ T cell activity, ultimately activating anti-tumor immunity and enhancing the anti-tumor effects of platinum-based drugs. NP-Pt-IDOi were shown to have superior anti-cancer activity in vitro and in vivo in mouse models of osteosarcoma, providing a new clinical paradigm for combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy for osteosarcoma.

Study on the activation of cell death mechanisms: in search of new therapeutic targets in glioblastoma multiforme

Malignant primary brain tumors remain among the most difficult cancers to treat, in particular, Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the deadliest brain tumor. The standard therapies currently used are not efficient enough in improving patients’ survival and quality of life. Cisplatin (CDDP), a platinum-based drug, has shown efficacy against different solid neoplasms, but it is also associated to different forms of off-target toxicity. To overcome the limitation in the use of CDDP in the treatment of GBM patients, fourth generation platinum compounds are been synthesized, one of them is the Pt(IV)Ac-POA, a prodrug with a medium-chain fatty acid as axial ligand, which acts as a histone 3 deacetylase inhibitor. Moreover, recently, the antioxidant effects of medicinal mushrooms have been shown to induce a lowering of the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs, inducing greater therapeutic efficiency, thus the combined therapy of chemotherapy and micotherapy could be helpful in the treatment of GBM reducing the adverse effects of the former thanks to phytotherapy’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antitumoral activities. Here, through immunoblotting, ultrastructural and immunofluorescence analysis, we evaluated the contribution in the activation of different cell death pathway of Micotherapy U-Care, a medicinal blend supplement, used together with platinum-based compounds on human glioblastoma U251 cells.

Liver cirrhosis following oxaliplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer.

Oxaliplatin is a third-generation platinum-based antineoplastic drug that is widely used to treat patients with colorectal cancer. Reported adverse reactions include hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome and liver fibrosis, but there are few reports of cirrhosis associated with chemotherapy. In addition, the pathogenesis of cirrhosis remains unclear. We report a case of suspected oxaliplatin-induced liver cirrhosis, an adverse reaction that has not been previously reported. A 50-year-old Chinese man was diagnosed with rectal cancer and underwent laparoscopic radical rectal cancer surgery. The patient had a history of schistosomiasis, but history and serology showed no evidence of chronic liver disease. However, after five oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy cycles, the patient presented dramatic changes in liver morphology and developed splenomegaly, massive ascites, and elevated CA125 levels. Four months after discontinuing oxaliplatin, the patient's ascites had decreased significantly and CA125 levels declined from 505.3 to 124.6 mU/mL. After 15 weeks of follow-up, CA125 levels decreased to the normal range, and there has been no increase in ascites in this patient. Oxaliplatin-induced cirrhosis may be a serious complication and should be discontinued based on clinical evidence.

Platinum-Based Nanoformulations for Glioblastoma Treatment: The Resurgence of Platinum Drugs?

Current therapies for treating Glioblastoma (GB), and brain tumours in general, are inefficient and represent numerous challenges. In addition to surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are presently used as standards of care. However, treated patients still face a dismal prognosis with a median survival below 15-18 months. Temozolomide (TMZ) is the main chemotherapeutic agent administered; however, intrinsic or acquired resistance to TMZ contributes to the limited efficacy of this drug. To circumvent the current drawbacks in GB treatment, a large number of classical and non-classical platinum complexes have been prepared and tested for anticancer activity, especially platinum (IV)-based prodrugs. Platinum complexes, used as alkylating agents in the anticancer chemotherapy of some malignancies, are though often associated with severe systemic toxicity (i.e., neurotoxicity), especially after long-term treatments. The objective of the current developments is to produce novel nanoformulations with improved lipophilicity and passive diffusion, promoting intracellular accumulation, while reducing toxicity and optimizing the concomitant treatment of chemo-/radiotherapy. Moreover, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) prevents the access of the drugs to the brain and accumulation in tumour cells, so it represents a key challenge for GB management. The development of novel nanomedicines with the ability to (i) encapsulate Pt-based drugs and pro-drugs, (ii) cross the BBB, and (iii) specifically target cancer cells represents a promising approach to increase the therapeutic effect of the anticancer drugs and reduce undesired side effects. In this review, a critical discussion is presented concerning different families of nanoparticles able to encapsulate platinum anticancer drugs and their application for GB treatment, emphasizing their potential for increasing the effectiveness of platinum-based drugs.

Co-Delivery of Ylang Ylang Oil of Cananga odorata and Oxaliplatin Using Intelligent pH-Sensitive Lipid-Based Nanovesicles for the Effective Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Smart pH-responsive niosomes loaded with either Oxaliplatin (Ox), Ylang ylang essential oil (Y-oil), or co-loaded with both compounds (Ox-Y) (Ox@NSs, Y@NSs, and Ox-Y@NSs, respectively) were formulated utilizing the thin film method. The developed nanocontainers had a spherical morphology with mean particle sizes lower than 170 nm and showed negative surface charges, high entrapment efficiencies, and a pH-dependent release over 24 h. The prepared pH-responsive niosomes' cytotoxicity was tested against the invasive triple-negative breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cells, compared to free OX and Y-oil. All niosomal formulations loaded with Ox and/or Y-oil significantly improved cytotoxic activity relative to their free counterparts. The Ox-Y@NSs demonstrated the lowest IC50 (0.0002 µg/mL) when compared to Ox@NSs (0.006 µg/mL) and Y@NSs (18.39 µg/mL) or unloaded Ox (0.05 µg/mL) and Y-oil (29.01 µg/mL). In addition, the percentages of the MDA-MB-231 cell population in the late apoptotic and necrotic quartiles were profoundly higher in cells treated with the smart Ox-Y@NSs (8.38% and 5.06%) than those exposed to free Ox (7.33% and 1.93%) or Y-oil (2.3% and 2.13%) treatments. Gene expression analysis and protein assays were performed to provide extra elucidation regarding the molecular mechanism by which the prepared pH-sensitive niosomes induce apoptosis. Ox-Y@NSs significantly induced the gene expression of the apoptotic markers Tp53, Bax, and Caspase-7, while downregulating the antiapoptotic Bcl2. As such, Ox-Y@NSs are shown to activate the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Moreover, the protein assay ascertained the apoptotic effects of Ox-Y@NSs, generating a 4-fold increase in the relative protein quantity of the late apoptotic marker Caspase-7. Our findings suggest that combining natural essential oil with synthetic platinum-based drugs in pH-responsive nanovesicles is a promising approach to breast cancer therapy.

Cannabis-derived products antagonize platinum drugs by altered cellular transport

Cannabinoids, a class of compounds derived from Cannabis sativa L., have recently become more widely accessible for public consumption in the form of diverse cannabis products, in parallel with weakening the measures that so far restricted their availability. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved several cannabis-derived drugs for management of various diseases as well as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Besides the attenuation of adverse effects of chemotherapy, numerous reports about cannabinoid-mediated anticancer effects further motivate cancer patients to support their therapy with such products. Here we present a set of preclinical data with human cell culture models, suggesting that cannabidiol and cannabis extracts may effectively counteract the anticancer effects of the clinically widely used standard-of-care platinum-based drugs. We show that even low concentrations of cannabinoids reduced the toxicity of cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and carboplatin, an effect which was accompanied by decreased platinum adduct formation and a set of commonly used molecular markers. Mechanistically, our results excluded the possibility that the observed enhanced survival of cancer cells was mediated transcriptionally. Instead, trace metal analyses strongly indicate an inhibitory impact of cannabinoids on intracellular platinum accumulation, thereby implicating changes in cellular transport and/or retention of these drugs as the likely cause of the observed biological effects. Our study raises the possibility that the desirable effect of counteracting adverse effects of chemotherapy might, at least for some cannabinoids, reflect impaired cellular availability, and consequently attenuation of the anticancer effects of platinum drugs. Data availabilityAll data supporting the conclusions are available in the article and supplementary files. Raw data are available upon request from the corresponding author.