Potential Drug Carrier Research Articles

Synthesis of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol as potential drug carriers for cancer treatment

Current cancer treatments are not selective in delivering drugs to cancer cells, affecting healthy tissues and especially rapidly dividing cells. This work describes the development of superparamagnetic nanoparticles for drug delivery through green synthesis, mediated by Musa paradisiaca peel extract as a stabilizing and reducing agent. The nanoparticles’ structural, morphological, magnetic and chemical properties were evaluated. The XRDs showed a cubic crystal structure with the space group of Fd3m (No. 227), typical of magnetite. Through SEM and TEM, it was determined that the mean size of the nanoparticles was 11.61 nm. FTIR and EDS confirmed the successful synthesis of Fe3O4 nuclei, covered with polyethylene glycol and loaded with doxorubicin. The magnetic properties of the nanocomposites obtained were measured using VSM, evidencing a superparamagnetic behaviour with a Ms = 72.75 emu/g. Finally, MTT assays on the HeLa tumour line showed a 45.5% decrease in cell viability. The determined properties allow the application of the nanocomposite produced as a potential candidate for cancer treatment.Graphical

BN-biphenyl nanosheet as a potential drug carrier for 5-Fluorouracil: A DFT investigation

Thus far, numerous pieces of research have been undertaken into developing new drug delivery systems. Within the current piece of research, the BN-biphenyl nanosheet (BN-bNS) was employed as a BN-analog of biphenyl. The DFT estimations were undertaken to explore the interaction between the anti-cancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and BN-bNS. Moreover, the results demonstrated the chemical reactivity of the complex of 5-FU/ BN-bNS, which demonstrated its suitability for 5-FU bonding with the adsorptive site. Moreover, for the better understanding of the complexes of 5-FU BN-bNS, we performed the noncovalent interaction analysis, and the interaction between 5-FU and BN-bNS was found to be strong. So, BN-bNS can be used a promising nanocarrier for 5-FU for drug delivery purposes.

Biological Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Myeloid Neoplasms: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature

Background and aim: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bilayer membrane vesicles secreted by a variety of cells that carry bioactive molecules like proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. They are of increasing interest as they play an important biological role in cancer by a multitude of cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic mechanisms. However, the investigations of their biology in myeloid malignancies has not been systematically reviewed so far. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize the currently published literature in the field and provide an overview of their potential clinical applications. Method: We performed a systematic literature research with defined search strings in the Embase, Medline and PubMed Central databases and used a standardized data-extraction form to collect all relevant information. Results: 63 of 1529 studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and could be assigned to seven main investigational categories ( A). They comprised studies on their effect on i) prothrombotic activity (n=13), ii) tumor-microenvironment (n=14), iii) malignant transformation (n=5), iv) tumor progression (n=4), v) chemotherapy-resistance (n=5) as well as their use as vi) biomarkers (n=14) and vii) pharmacotherapeutic carriers (n=3) ( B). The most relevant biological mechanism is the transfer of microRNA (miRNA) by EVs from different clonal and non-clonal cells, which target the microenvironment, vascular system, as well as immune cells. All mechanisms identified in our review were assigned to one of the seven main categories and the most relevant are summarized in C: i) Prothrombotic activity: Leukaemic cells shed prothrombotic EVs containing tissue-factor (TF) and anionic phosphatidylserine (PS), which facilitate the recruitment of coagulation factors and a pro-coagulant state ( Zannoni, 2019). Reduction of EVs from platelets and leucocytes after chemotherapy attenuates this pro-coagulant state ( Van Aalderen, 2011). ii) Tumor microenvironment: EVs derived from MDS cells can disrupt the osteolineage differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) and impair hematopoiesis ( Hayashi, 2022). iii) Malignant transformation: EVs containing BCR-ABL1 mRNA are integrated into BM-MSCs, which induce BCR-ABL1 expression and secretion of TGF-β1 leading to enhanced proliferation of BM-MSCs ( Fu, 2017). iv) Tumor progression: EVs derived from leukemic cells promote tumor progression by reducing apoptosis and tumor immune-surveillance. v) Chemotherapy resistance: AML-cells expel PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) through EVs thus increasing their resistance ( Hekmatirad, 2021). vi) Disease biomarkers: AML patients at diagnosis have a higher number of EVs carrying the myeloblast markers CD34, CD117, CD33 and HLA-DR than AML patients in remission or healthy controls ( Tzoran, 2015). Based on differential abundancy and the content of proteins, lipids and nucleid acids EVs may be suitable as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and disease monitoring. vii) Pharmacotherapeutic role: Cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are more effective in killing the parental leukaemic cells after being exposed to their cell-derived EVs. The mechanism is related to leukemia antigen presentation on EVs to dendritic cells (DCs) using ICAM1 and Hsp70 ( Shen C, 2011). Finally, EVs can be used as carriers for bioactive compounds and may expand their potential use for cell-type specific delivery of drugs. Conclusions: EVs open the window for the future investigation of novel pathophysiological mechanisms that will improve our understanding of their role in the biology of myeloid malignancies, Moreover, they hold promise as potential biomarkers and drug carriers for cell-type specific treatment

Green synthesis of biogenic selenium nanoparticles functionalized with ginger dietary extract targeting virulence factor and biofilm formation in Candida albicans

To treat the systemic infections caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans), various drugs have been used, however, infections still persisted due to virulence factors and increasing antifungal resistance. As a solution to this problem, we synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) by using Bacillus cereus bacteria. This is the first study to report a higher (70 %) reduction of selenite ions into SeNPs in under 6 h. The as-synthesized, biogenic SeNPs were used to deliver bioactive constituents of aqueous extract of ginger for inhibiting the growth and biofilm (virulence factors) in C. albicans. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a characteristic absorption at 280 nm, and Raman spectroscopy showed a characteristic peak shift at 253 cm−1 for the biogenic SeNPs. The synthesized SeNPs are spherical with 240–250 nm in size as determined by electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the functionalization of antifungal constituents of ginger over the SeNPs (formation of Ginger@SeNPs nanoconjugates). In contrast to biogenic SeNPs, nanoconjugates were active against C. albicans for inhibiting growth and biofilm formation. In order to reveal antifungal mechanism of nanoconjugates', real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed, according to RT-PCR analysis, the nanoconjugates target virulence genes involved in C. albicans hyphae and biofilm formation. Nanoconjugates inhibited 25 % growth of human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cell line, indicating moderate cytotoxicity of active nanoconjugates in an in-vitro cytotoxicity study. Therefore, biogenic SeNPs conjugated with ginger dietary extract may be a potential antifungal agent and drug carrier for inhibiting C. albicans growth and biofilm formation.

Design of Poly(lactic) acid/gelatin core-shell bicomponent systems as a potential wound dressing material

The electrospun core-shell nanofiber has great many advantages such as different types of solvents that can be used for changing flexibility, mechanical properties, or surface chemistry of fiber. Hydrophobic Poly(lactic) acid (PLA) and hydrophilic gelatin (Gel) were electrospun by various preparation conditions to design perfect bicomponent PLA:Gel nanofiber in a core-shell structure. Solvent types, the concentration of polymeric components, flow rate, and voltage of the electrospinning process were changed to optimization of nanofiber. According to the SEM images, the best nanofiber structure without beads was obtained at 0.4 ml/h flow rate of PLA solution and 1.2 ml/h flow rate of Gel solution at 45:55 (w:w %) weight ratio of PLA:Gel in trifluoroethanol solvent with a 10 kV voltage at 10 cm distance to the collector. From the TEM images, the existence of the core-shell structure had been proved which all prepared nanofibers with 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol solvent. Furthermore, contact angle measurements showed a change in wettability when the Gel amount was increased. Therefore, the mildest synthesis conditions were determined for bicomponent PLA:Gel core-shell nanofibers as a potential wound dressing and dual drug carrier materials.

PVA Nanofibers as an Insoluble pH Sensor.

Turmeric has been widely studied as a color indicator for pH variations due to its halochromic properties. It has been tested in solution or included in some polymeric matrices. Some studies have demonstrated that its change in color is due to the tautomeric species of curcumin, and this property can be observed even if turmeric is assimilated in a film or nanofiber. Chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO) polymers have been tested in previous studies. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers are used as potential carriers of drugs once they are insolubilized. The aim of this work is to cross-link PVA with citric acid (CA) to insolubilize the nanofibers and determine the effect on turmeric's halochromic properties. The nanofibers were treated with a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution, and a chromatic study was undertaken to determine color change. The change in color was assessed by eye (subjective) and by spectroscopy (objective). The nanofibers were characterized, in addition to the colorimetric study, by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well. The results demonstrate how thermal treatment induces cross-linking between the nanofibers, allowing them to keep their shape once the NaOH solution is applied to them. The opposite effect (solubilization) can be observed for non-cross-linked (NCL) samples. Although the final color varied, the cross-linked (CL) nanofibers' halochromic behavior was maintained. It was demonstrated that during cross-linking, ester groups are formed from the free carboxyl group in the cross-linked CA and the ketones present in the curcumin under acid conditions. So, CA acts as an acid catalyst to bond turmeric to the cross-linked PVA nanofibers.

Metal-organic frameworks: Drug delivery applications and future prospects.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have gained incredible consideration in the biomedical field due to their flexible structural configuration, tunable pore size and tailorable surface modification. These inherent characteristics of MOFs portray numerous merits as potential drug carriers, depicting improved drug loading, site-specific drug delivery, biocompatibility, biodegradability, etc. The current review article sheds light on the synthesis and use of MOFs in drug delivery applications. In the beginning, a brief overview of the key components and efficient fabrication techniques for MOF synthesis, along with its characterization methods, have been presented. The MOFs-based formulations have been critically discussed. The application of the design of experiments (DoE) approach to optimize MOFs has been elucidated. The MOFs-based formulations, especially the application of stimuli-responsive MOFs for site-specific drug delivery, have been deciphered. Along with drug release kinetic models, several administration methods for MOFs have also been enunciated. Subsequently, MOFs as future potential drug carriers have been elaborated. Recently, MOFs have emerged as versatile drug delivery carriers possessing customization potential and meeting the needs of spatio-temporal drug delivery. Researchers have devised several environment-friendly approaches for MOF construction and surface modification. Owing to stimuli-responsive potential, MOFs have demonstrated their prominent therapeutic efficacy via several routes of administration. The numerous benefits of MOFs would certainly open up a new vista for its novel drug delivery applications.

EXTH-14. MRNA-LOADED EXOSOMES FOR TARGETED GLIOBLASTOMA IMMUNOTHERAPY

Abstract Recent successes of mRNA therapeutics against pathogenic infections have increased interest in their investigations for other human diseases including cancer. However, precisely delivering the genetic cargo to cells and tissues of interest remains challenging. Extracellular vesicles such as exosomes have gained increased interest recently as potential nucleic acid and drug carriers given their favorable immunogenic profile, long circulatory half-life, and ability to cross biological barriers such as blood-brain barrier. Here, we show an adaptive strategy that enables the docking of different targeting ligands onto the surface of mRNA-loaded exosomes. This was achieved using a microfluidic electroporation approach where a combination of nano- and milli-second pulse electroporations produced a large quantity of IFN-γ mRNA-loaded exosomes with CD64 overexpressed on their surface. The CD64 molecule serves as an adaptor to dock targeting ligands, such as anti-CD71 and anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies. The resulting immunogenic exosomes (imExo) selectively targeted glioblastoma cells and generated potent antitumor activities in vivo, including against tumors intrinsically resistant to immunotherapy. Together, these results provide a new adaptive approach to engineering mRNA-loaded exosomes with targeting functionality and pave the way for their adoption in cancer immunotherapy applications.

Aspirin-Induced Ordering and Faster Dynamics of a Cationic Bilayer for Drug Encapsulation.

The lipid dynamics and phase play decisive roles in drug encapsulation and delivery to the intracellular target. Thus, understanding the dynamic and structural alterations of membranes induced by drugs is essential for targeted delivery. To this end, united-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a model bilayer, dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB), are performed in the absence and presence of the usual nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), aspirin, at 298, 310, and 345 K. At 298 and 310 K, the bilayers are in the interdigitated two-dimensional square phases, which become rugged in the presence of aspirin, as evident from height fluctuations. At 345 K, the bilayer is in the fluid phase in both the absence and presence of aspirin. Aspirin is preferentially located near the oppositely charged headgroup and creates void space, which leads to an increase in the interdigitation and order parameters. Although the center of mass of lipids experiences structural arrest, they reach the diffusive regime faster and have higher lateral diffusion constants in the presence of aspirin. Results are found to be consistent with recent quasi-elastic neutron scattering studies that reveal that aspirin acts as a plasticizer and enhances lateral diffusion of lipids in both ordered and fluid phases. Different relaxation time scales of the bonds along the alkyl tails of DODAB due to the multitude of lipid motions become faster upon the addition of aspirin. Our results show that aspirin insertion is most favorable at physiological temperature. Thus, the ordered, more stable, and faster DODAB bilayer can be a potential drug carrier for the protected encapsulation of aspirin, followed by targeted and controlled drug release with antibacterial activity in the future.

Intravitreal injectable hydrogel rods with long-acting bevacizumab delivery to the retina.

Retinal vascular diseases such as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. They can be treated with intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents by inhibiting VEGF which is a major agent of abnormal blood vessel growth. However, because of drug's short half-life, clinical treatment often requires monthly repeated intravitreal injections, causing treatment burden and undertreatment. Among various kinds of drug carriers, in situ forming hydrogels have been studied as potential intravitreal drug carriers for the high drug loading, easy injection, controlled drug release, and protection of encapsulated drugs from the environment. However, gelation time, crosslinking degree, and drug release patterns following injection of a liquid that will be subsequently gelled in situ are susceptible to be hindered by dilution of the hydrogel precursor solution with body fluids (e.g., blood or vitreous). Here, we report an injectable pre-crosslinked hydrogel rod to overcome the limitations of in situ forming hydrogels and to extend intravitreal half-life of anti-VEGF for reducing intraocular injection frequency. Hydrogel rods can be simply prepared using in situ forming hydrogels, and injectable using a designed rod injector. The adjustable crosslinking degree of hydrogel rods easily controlled bevacizumab release profiles in a sustained manner. Compared with in situ forming hydrogels, hydrogel rods effectively reduced initial burst release, and showed sustained release with long-term drug efficacy in vitro. From the 4-month in vivo pharmacokinetic analysis, following the intravitreal injection of hydrogel rods, the half-life of bevacizumab in the vitreous and retina was significantly extended, and drug elimination to aqueous humor was effectively reduced. Finally, intraocular stability, degradation, and inflammatory response of hydrogel rods were evaluated. We expect that the hydrogel rod can be a potential drug delivery system for the treatment of nAMD and other conditions that need long-term and local sustained drug administration. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Herein, we report an injectable pre-crosslinked hydrogel rod based on an in situ forming hydrogel to achieve intravitreal long-acting anti-VEGF delivery to reduce injection frequency and improve the long-term visual outcomes of patients with retinal vascular diseases. Hydrogel rods were readily prepared using removable molds and injected using customized injectors. Compared to the in situ forming hydrogel, hydrogel rods showed significantly reduced initial burst release, controllable release profiles for several months, physical stability, and a long-acting anti-angiogenic effect. Animal studies demonstrated that the hydrogel rods dramatically prolonged the intraocular drug half-life while significantly reducing drug elimination for up to four months. Moreover, the biodegradability and safety of the hydrogel rods suggest their suitability as an advanced intravitreal DDS for treating retinal vascular diseases.

Fabrication of polycaprolactone-xanthan gum-based membranes as potential drug carrier to control the growth of cancer cells and microbial strains

Fabrication of polycaprolactone-xanthan gum-based membranes as potential drug carrier to control the growth of cancer cells and microbial strains

Characterization of Calcium- and Strontium-Polyphosphate Particles Toward Drug Delivery into Articular Cartilage.

Drug delivery into articular cartilage poses many challenges due in part to its lack of vasculature. While intra-articular injections are effective for the local administration of drugs, small molecules are rapidly cleared from the synovial fluid. As such, there is a need to develop effective drug delivery strategies to improve the residence times of bioactive molecules in the joint and elicit a sustained therapeutic effect. In this study, calcium- and strontium-polyphosphate particles are synthesized and characterized as potential drug carriers into articular cartilage. Physicochemical characterization reveals that the particles exhibit a spherical morphology, have a negative zeta potential, and are nanoscale in size. Biological characterization in chondrocytes confirms cellular uptake of the particles and demonstrates both size and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity at high concentrations. Furthermore, treatment of chondrocytes with these particles results in a reduction in cell proliferation and metabolic activity, confirming biological effects. Finally, incubation with cartilage tissue explants suggests successful uptake, despite the particles exhibiting a negative surface charge. Therefore, from the results of this study, these polyphosphate-based particles have potential as a drug carrier into articular cartilage and warrant further development.

A fluorescent system based on graphene quantum dots-capped magnetic hydroxyapatite-MIL-100 metal-organic frameworks for pH-sensitive and controlled release of DOX

Since metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown great potential as emerging candidates in biomedical applications, it is worthwhile to construct an MOF-based drug delivery system. Hence, in this work, magnetic hydroxyapatite-MIL-100 metal-organic frameworks (SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100) with antioxidant properties were synthesized as a novel drug delivery system through in-situ self-assembly of MIL-100 MOFs around pre-synthesized magnetic hydroxyapatite nanoparticles. Then, SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100 nanocomposites were capped with fluorescent graphene quantum dots (SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-GQDs) for loading and delivering of doxorubicin (DOX). The SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100, GQDs, and SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-GQDs encapsulation efficiency was 80.2, 42.2, and 95.8 %, respectively. The in vitro DOX release amount after 72 h from SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100, GQDs, and SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-GQDs at pH 5 was 75.8 %, 86.2 %, and 67.2 %, while at pH 7.4 was 37.3 %, 50.1 %, and 29 %, respectively. These results confirmed a pH-responsive controlled release of DOX from nanocomposites. The release mechanism of DOX from the prepared nanocomposites was also well fitted to the Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic, Fickian diffusion, and diffusion-controlled release. In addition, the MTT assays of nanocomposites against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines clearly illustrated that the prepared nanocomposites had no significant cytotoxicity, while DOX-loaded nanocomposites had notable toxicity to MCF-7 cells. The IC50 values of DOX, SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-DOX, GQDs-DOX, and SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-GQDs-DOX against MCF-7 cells calculated at about 4.2 μg/mL, 1.8 μg/mL, 3 μg/mL, and 1.2 μg/mL, respectively. The DPPH test results also showed that the nanocomposites have excellent antioxidant activity. In addition, the in vitro hemolysis results displayed neglectable hemolysis activity (lower than 5 %) of SiO2@Fe3O4-HA-MIL-100-GQDs even at a high dose. Therefore, these new drug delivery systems can be used safely as potential drug carriers in targeted cancer therapy.

Chitosan-based pulmonary particulate systems for anticancer and antiviral drug carriers: A promising delivery for COVID-19 vaccines

Chitosan (CHI) has antimicrobial and anticancer characteristics in addition to being biodegradable and biocompatible as a polymer. It has recently attracted a lot of attention as a potential drug carrier framework material for pulmonary therapeutic transport, particularly in the context of treating infectious diseases and cancer. CHI mucoadhesive, permeation-enhancing, and site- and cell-specific properties all play a key role in the therapeutic carrier's efficacy in the pulmonary circulation. Numerous microencapsulation and micro-nanomixing techniques have been developed to provide nanocarriers with the proper aerodynamic profile for effective pulmonary aerosolization and inhalation. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and cancer are the outcomes of a subsequent infection with COVID-19. The effectiveness of anti-CoV and anticancer treatments using CHI and its derivatives varies with molecular weight, substituent type, and degree of substitution. From the viewpoint of drug delivery (DD), in addition to its therapeutic performance, CHI is anticipated to attract more attention throughout the coming decade.

Ultrafast and Controlled Capturing, Loading, and Release of Extracellular Vesicles by a Portable Microstructured Electrochemical Fluidic Device.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted by all living cells and are found in body fluids. They exert numerous physiological and pathological functions and serve as cargo shuttles. Due to their safety and inherent bioactivity, they have emerged as versatile therapeutic agents, biomarkers, and potential drug carriers. Despite the growing interest in EVs, current progress in this field is, in part, limited by relatively inefficient isolation techniques. Conventional methods are indeed slow, laborious, require specialized laboratory equipment, and may result in low yield and purity. This work describes an electrochemically controlled "all-in-one" device enabling capturing, loading, and releasing of EVs. The device is composed of a fluidic channel confined within antibody-coated microstructured electrodes. It rapidly isolates EVs with a high level of purity from various biofluids. As a proof of principle, the device is applied to isolate EVs from skin wounds of healthy and diabetic mice. Strikingly, it is found that EVs from healing wounds of diabetic mice are enriched in mitochondrial proteins compared to those of healthy mice. Additionally, the device improves the loading protocol of EVs with polyplexes, and may therefore find applications in nucleic acid delivery. Overall, the electrochemical device can greatly facilitate the development of EVs-based technologies.

Polymer–lipid hybrid nanoparticles as potential lipophilic anticancer drug carriers

Nanocarrier systems are widely used for drug delivery applications, but limitations such as the use of synthetic surfactants, leakage of toxic drugs, and a poor encapsulation capacity remain as challenges. We present a new hybrid nanocarrier system that utilizes natural materials to overcome these limitations and improve the safety and efficacy of drug delivery. The system comprises a biopolymeric shell and a lipid core, encapsulating the lipophilic anticancer drug paclitaxel. Bovine serum albumin and dextran, in various molecular weights, are covalently conjugated via Maillard reaction to form the shell which serves as a stabilizer to maintain nanoparticle integrity. The properties of the system, such as Maillard conjugate concentration, protein/polysaccharide molar ratio, and polysaccharide molecular weight, are optimized to enhance nanoparticle size and stability. The system shows high stability at different pH conditions, high drug loading capacity, and effective in vitro drug release through the trigger of enzymes and passive diffusion. Serine proteases are used to digest the protein portion of the nanoparticle shell to enhance the drug release. This nanocarrier system represents a significant advancement in the field of nanomedicine, offering a safe and effective alternative for the delivery of lipophilic drugs.Graphical abstract

Design, fabrication and evaluation of redox/pH dual‐responsive micelles for tumor targeting delivery and controlled release of paclitaxel

AbstractIn this study, a polymer with tumor targeting function and dual redox/pH sensitivity is designed and synthesized by integrating chitosan (CS), Poloxamer 407 (P407), cholesterol (CHO), folic acid (FA), and disulfide bonds into one molecule (P407‐CS(FA)‐SS‐CHO). The polymer can self‐assemble in water to form micelles and solubilize paclitaxel (PTX). The mean particle size of PTX‐loaded P407‐CS(FA)‐SS‐CHO micelles is 133 nm. In vitro drug release study demonstrates the acid and glutathione (GSH) triggered PTX release behavior of the micelles. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate the excellent tumor growth inhibition efficacy and low systemic toxicity of the PTX‐loaded micelles. The P407‐CS(FA)‐SS‐CHO micelles will be potential intelligent drug carriers for PTX delivery.

Exosomes: potential diagnostic markers and drug carriers for adenomyosis.

Adenomyosis is a common benign gynecological disorder and an important factor leading to infertility in fertile women. Adenomyosis can cause deep lesions and is persistent and refractory in nature due to its tumor-like biological characteristics, such as the ability to implant, adhere, and invade. The pathogenesis of adenomyosis is currently unclear. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are urgently required. Exosomes are nanoscale vesicles secreted by cells that carry proteins, genetic materials and other biologically active components. Exosomes play an important role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and regulating immune responses and metabolism. A growing body of work has shown that exosomes and their contents are key to the development and progression of adenomyosis. This review discusses the current research progress, future prospects and challenges in this emerging therapeutic tool by providing an overview of the changes in the adenomyosis uterine microenvironment and the biogenesis and functions of exosomes, with particular emphasis on the role of exosomes and their contents in the regulation of cell migration, proliferation, fibrosis formation, neovascularization, and inflammatory responses in adenomyosis.

PEGylated bottom-up synthesized graphene nanoribbons loaded with camptothecin as potential drug carriers

This work discusses the potential use of bottom-up synthesized graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) as nano-carriers for drug delivery systems (DDSs). GNRs have a high loading capacity for anticancer drugs due to their high specific surface area and non-covalent adsorption with hydrophobic anticancer drug molecules. Herein, we synthesized GNRs using a bottom-up approach, modified with PEG2000 (GNR-PEG) and PEG2000 carrying folic acid chains (GNR-PEG-FA), and then loaded with camptothecin (CPT). The targeting ability mediated by folic acid of the GNR derivative was evaluated using cellular assays, and the cytotoxicity of GNR systems loaded with CPT was assessed by in vitro studies. They suggest that the functionalization of GNR derivatives with folic acid significantly affects their interaction with cells expressing different levels of folic acid receptors. The authors also explore the possibility to employ GNRs in photothermal therapy (PTT). GNR-PEG and GNR-PEG-FA display minor or no toxicity in standard cell cultures, but they show remarkable thermal response upon NIR irradiation, causing complete loss of cell viability within a few hours of treatment. This work highlights the potential of GNRs as DDSs and emphasizes the importance of further research on their biocompatibility and as a platform for PTT.

Construction and properties of venlafaxine hydrochloride sustained release system based on hollow mesoporous silica microspheres

The aim of this work is to develop a venlafaxine hydrochloride sustained release system based on hollow mesoporous silica microspheres (HMSMs). HMSMs were innovatively prepared with tetraethyl silicate (TEOS) as the precursor and volatile n-heptane as a soft template. The obtained HMSMs show a well-defined hollow structure with an average size of 967 nm and pore volume of 0.85 cm3/g, implying it is a potential drug carrier. Subsequently, venlafaxine hydrochloride (VF) was absorbed in the HMSMs with a content of 37.67% or so. The sustained release effect is further measured by the dissolution instrument at 37 °C and 50 rpm in ultrapure water. The results showed that the HMSMs/VF system shows good sustained release properties compared with sustained release tablets with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose as the main component. This HMSMs sustained release system appears to be a promising candidate for a sustained drug release.