Potential Nanomedicine Research Articles

Self‐Assembled Nanocarriers of Synthetic and Natural Plasmalogens for Potential Nanomedicine Development

Self‐Assembled Nanocarriers of Synthetic and Natural Plasmalogens for Potential Nanomedicine Development

Effect of Co-Loaded Vitamin D3 on Intravenous Injectable Raloxifene Delivery System

Owing to its promising advantages, including improved drug bioavailability and therapeutic efficiency at low doses and frequency, increased patient convenience and compliance, and prolonged storage life, nanomedicine has received heightened attention over conventional pharmaceuticals. Human serum albumin (HSA)-based nanoparticles have been used as drug carriers in injectable formulations, with great success and versatility. In this study, raloxifene and vitamin D3 were co-encapsulated in HSA-based nanoparticles (Ral/VitaD/HSA/PSS NPs) as an intravenously injected pharmaceutical formulation in order to enhance their availability in the body. The lyophilization–hydration method was utilized to develop the Ral/VitaD/HSA/PSS NPs. In addition, the characteristics and stability of the NP and the effect of the co-loading of vitamin D3 on raloxifene release in vitro and in vivo were discussed. The raloxifene and vitamin D3 molecules were successfully encapsulated and well dispersed in an amorphous state within Ral/VitaD/HSA/PSS NPs. The prepared Ral/VitaD/HSA/PSS NPs were lyophilized for long-term storage and were both biocompatible and hemocompatible, enhancing alkaline phosphtase activity in osteoblasts. Delivered via intravenous injection, Ral/VitaD/HSA/PSS NPs addressed the low bioavailability of raloxifene and vitamin D3 caused by oral administration, and improved their compatibility and residence time in the body. Overall, the established raloxifene–vitamin D3-co-loaded NPs may be a potential nanomedicine contender for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Sucupira oleoresin-based doxorubicin pH-sensitive nanoemulsions: A potential nanomedicine approach to enhance the safety profile and anticancer activity

Plant derivatives-based nanocarriers as a matrix for delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs are capable of enhancing conventional antitumor drugs' cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Bearing in mind that the use of doxorubicin-loaded sucupira oleoresin nanoemulsions can play a significant role in increasing specificity, and efficacy, whilst improvement the chemotherapy safety profile we hypothesize that this nanocarrier may be a powerful alternative strategy for cancer therapy. Thus, the aimed of this research was to prepare and characterize this nanoemulsion, as well as assess the antitumor activity and toxicity in an experimental murine breast cancer model. In the first place, the phytocompounds present in sucupira oleoresin were identified by Liquid chromatography docked Orbitrap-mass spectrometer. Afterward, the doxorubicin-loaded sucupira oleoresin nanoemulsion was prepared using hot homogenization followed by ultrasonic calibration method. Then, nanoemulsions were characterized in terms of mean diameter, polydispersity, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and kinetic release. Toxicity and in vivo antitumor activity were also evaluated. The bioactive compounds found in sucupira oleoresin were terpenes, especially sesqui- and vouacapan diterpenes, which have a wide range of biological activities. The sucupira oleoresin nanoemulsions with or without doxorubicin were stable under refrigeration, monodisperse featuring an average size of around 60 nm, and negative zeta potential. High encapsulation doxorubicin content (98 %) was related to the ion-pair formed between doxorubicin and oleic acid. Stability studies in different biological media suggest that the proposed formulation can remain stable after intravenous administration. Meanwhile, the release outcomes indicate a pH-responsive profile. In vivo studies show that nanoemulsions with a combination of doxorubicin and oleoresin exhibit better efficacy and reduced effects on organs of potential toxicity such as the liver, heart, and intestine as well as less body weight loss likened to the free drug. Owing to promising results, we highlight that the doxorubicin-loaded sucupira oleoresin nanoemulsion could supply gain better insights for the combined breast cancer treatment.

Formulation of Garlic Essential Oil-assisted Silver Nanoparticles and Mechanistic Evaluation of their Antimicrobial Activity against a Spectrum of Pathogenic Microorganisms.

The synthesis of nanoparticles using the principle of green chemistry has achieved huge potential in nanomedicine. Here, we report the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag- NPs) employing garlic essential oil (GEO) due to wide applications of GEO in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry. This study aimed to synthesise garlic essential oil-assisted silver nanoparticles and present their antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities with mechanistic assessment. Initially, the formulation of AgNPs was confirmed using different optical techniques, such as XRD, FT-IR, DLS, zeta potential, SEM, and EDX analysis, which confirmed the formulation of well-dispersed, stable, and spherical AgNPs. The antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of GEO-assisted AgNPs was evaluated against a spectrum of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Gram-positive (S. aureus and B. subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli and P. aeruginosa) bacteria. The AgNPs exhibited remarkable antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity against all tested strains. The mechanism behind the antimicrobial activity of AgNPs was explored by estimating the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated due to the interaction of AgNP with bacterial cells and observing the morphological changes of bacteria upon AgNP interaction. The findings of this study concluded that ROS generation due to the interaction of AgNPs with bacterial cells put stress on bacterial membranes, altering the morphology of bacteria, exhibiting remarkable antimicrobial activity, and preventing biofilm formation.

Nano-enabled regulation of DNA damage in tumor cells to enhance neoantigen-based pancreatic cancer immunotherapy

Low-expression antigens, especially neoantigens, pose a significant challenge in immunotherapy for low immunogenicity pancreatic cancer. Increasing the tumor mutation burden is crucial to enhance the expression of tumor antigens and improve tumor immunogenicity. However, the incomplete intervention in DNA stability hampers effective elevation of the tumor mutation burden, thus reducing the probability of neoantigen. To address this issue, we have developed a novel nano-regulator that intervenes in the DNA stability of tumor cells, thereby enhancing tumor mutations. This nano-regulator comprises metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) encapsulating DNA damage agent doxorubicin and DNA damage repair inhibitor siRNA-ATR, enabling simultaneous induction of DNA mutations and inhibition of their repair. Importantly, this regulator, named as MOFDOX&siATR, can modulate the tumor gene expression profile, induce the production of neoantigens of Atp8b1, and enhance the immunogenicity of pancreatic cancer. The characteristics of DNA stability intervention by MOFDOX&siATR hold promise for augmenting the immune response in low immunogenic tumors, making it a potential nanomedicine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Potential nanomedicinal applications and physicochemical nature of Hyphaene thebaica-reduced nano-samaria.

Herein we described the biofabrication of samarium oxide nanoparticles (HT-Sm2O3 NPs) by applying the aqueous fruit extract of Hyphaene thebaica was utilized as an eco-friendly chelating agent. The prepared NPs were subjected to various physicochemical properties and potential in biomedical applications. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed sharp peaks that corroborated with the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS) card no. 00-042-1464. Crystallite size obtained from Debye-Scherrer approximation and Williamson-Hall (W-H) plot was 28.73 and 69.3 nm, respectively. Optical bandgap was calculated by employing Kubelka-Munk (K-M) function and was found to be ~4.58 eV. Raman shift was observed at 121, 351, 424-, and 561 cm-1. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed two major peaks positioned at 360 and 540 nm. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) analysis of HT-Sm2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) showed that they predominantly have spherical to cuboidal shapes. Additionally, the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern presented spotty rings, indicating a high level of crystallinity in these NPs. The potential nanomedicine applications were studied using diverse bioassays using different treatments. The antioxidant activity demonstrated 45.71% ± 1.13% inhibition at 1000 μg/mL. Brine shrimp lethality assay revealed the highest cytotoxicity of 46.67% ± 3.33% at 1000 μg/mL and LC50 value of 1081 μg/mL. HT-Sm2O3 NPs exhibited inhibition of angiogenesis (20.41% ± 1.18%) at of 1000 μg/mL. MTT assay results indicated that HT-Sm2O3 NPs exhibit inhibitory effects on cell lines. Specifically, these NPs showed an IC50 value of 104.6 μg/mL against 3T3 cells. Against MCF-7 cells, the NPs demonstrated an IC50 value of 413.25 μg/mL. Additionally, in the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the newly synthesized NPs showed an IC50 value of 320 μg/mL. The antidiabetic assessment through α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition assays revealed, an IC50 value of 380 μg/mL for α-glucosidase and 952 μg/mL for α-amylase was calculated. Overall, our study suggested that the Sm2O3 NPs possess moderate anticancer, cholinesterase inhibition, and antidiabetic potential, however, needs further assessment. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: In this work, nano-samaria is synthesized using an eco-friendly and green approach. The nanoparticles were characterized using techniques such as Raman, HR-TEM, FTIR, DRS, XRD, and so on, and the applications were studied using multiple in vitro bioassays for Diabetes, Alzheimer, and Cancer. The nano-samaria revealed good potential for potential biomedical applications.

Membrane Permeability and Responsiveness Drive Performance: Linking Structural Features with the Antitumor Effectiveness of Doxorubicin-Loaded Stimuli-Triggered Polymersomes.

The permeability and responsiveness of polymer membranes are absolutely relevant in the design of polymersomes for cargo delivery. Accordingly, we herein correlate the structural features, permeability, and responsiveness of doxorubicin-loaded (DOX-loaded) nonresponsive and stimuli-responsive polymersomes with their in vitro and in vivo antitumor performance. Polymer vesicles were produced using amphiphilic block copolymers containing a hydrophilic poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] (PHPMA) segment linked to poly[N-(4-isopropylphenylacetamide)ethyl methacrylate] (PPPhA, nonresponsive block), poly[4-(4,4,5,5-tetra-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl methacrylate] [PbAPE, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive block], or poly[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDPA, pH-responsive block). The PDPA-based polymersomes demonstrated outstanding biological performance with antitumor activity notably enhanced compared to their counterparts. We attribute this behavior to a fast-triggered DOX release in acidic tumor environments as induced by pH-responsive polymersome disassembly at pH < 6.8. Possibly, an insufficient ROS concentration in the selected tumor model attenuates the rate of ROS-responsive vesicle degradation, whereas the nonresponsive nature of the PPPhA block remarkably impacts the performance of such potential nanomedicines.

Nano-Based Theranostics Approach in the Management of Cancer: Review.

Cancer is a prevalent and potentially fatal disease worldwide. The proliferation of abnormal cells and uncontrolled cellular growth characterizes cancer. Cancerous tumors exhibit distinct microenvironments characterized by a deficient lymphatic drainage system and aberrant blood supply. Various medications and diagnostic systems exist for cancer treatment, but they all have inherent limitations and undesirable consequences. Consequently, the achievement of effective cancer detection and treatment remains challenging. Theranostics nanoparticles are becoming increasingly popular in nano drug delivery systems. These nanoparticles can diagnose and treat tumors, making them a promising approach in the field. They are designed to be small in size, allowing them to be effective in delivering drugs to targeted areas. Furthermore, these nanoparticles can fundamentally transform the identification and management of several ailments, including cardiovascular disorders and infectious diseases. Such nanoparticles possess dual capabilities, functioning as therapeutic agents and diagnostic tools. They can transport medicinal substances, such as medications, nucleic acids, or therapeutic proteins, and include substances that can be used for imaging, such as contrast agents or fluorescent dyes, to enable non-invasive diagnostics and monitoring of the effectiveness of the treatment. These techniques can be employed for diagnostic purposes to identify, locate, and determine the extent of disorders using imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and fluorescence imaging. These nanoparticles can deliver therapeutic compounds to specific locations accurately during therapy. This leads to improved effectiveness of the treatment, decreased adverse effects, and better patient outcomes. They offer a potential nanomedicine approach by providing diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for disease diagnosis and treatment. Theranostics nanoparticles have distinct characteristics and adaptability, which can transform the healthcare sector by facilitating personalized and precise medical treatments.

Construction of glutathione-responsive paclitaxel prodrug nanoparticles for image-guided targeted delivery and breast cancer therapy.

Paclitaxel (PTX) remains an essential drug in the treatment of breast cancer. To improve metabolic stability and real-time monitoring of drug location, we develop a visualized nano-prodrug. Novel hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated glutathione (GSH)-sensitive chitosan (CS)-based nano-prodrug (HA/TPE-CS-SS-PTX NPs) with aggregation-induced emission effects (AIE) were accomplished. The prodrug NPs (drug loading 29.32%, particle size 105 nm, regular sphericity) exhibit excellent fluorescence stability. The prodrug NPs could target tumor cells with high expression of CD44 and decompose in the presence of high concentrations of glutathione. In vitro evaluations revealed that the prodrug NPs have significant cytotoxicity on 4T1 cells, and due to their excellent AIE characteristics, their position in cells can be tracked. Moreover, the prodrug NPs also shown superior anti-tumor effects in vivo experimental. Overall, the HA/TPE-CS-SS-PTX NPs we constructed have excellent bio-imaging capabilities and can be served as a potential nanomedicine for PTX delivery against breast cancer.

Potential of Nanomedicines as an Alternative for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer - A Review.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second in cases of cancer-related death. Polytherapy generates many adverse effects, leading the patient to give up. Nanotechnology has been studied in recent years to circumvent limitations. Groups composed of polymeric, lipid, and inorganic nanoparticles are the most purpose. Thus, the objective of this work is to bring information on how nanosystems can improve the chemotherapeutic treatment for colorectal cancer. Therefore, a search in journals such as "LILACS", "SciELO" and "PubMed/Medline" was performed, resulting in 25,000 articles found when applied the search engines "nanoparticle," "colorectal cancer," "malignant neoplasms," and "chemotherapy." After inclusion and exclusion factors, 24 articles remained, which were used as the basis for this integrative review. The results reveal that, regardless of the choice of matrix, nanoparticles showed an increase in bioavailability of the active, increasing the half-life by up to 13 times, modified release, as well as a significant reduction in tumor size, with cell viability up to 20% lower than the free drug tested, in different colorectal cancer cell lines, such as HCT-116, HT-29, and CaCo-2. However, more in vivo and clinical studies need to be performed, regardless of the formulation of its matrix, aiming at a higher rate of safety for patients and stability of the formulations, as well as knowledge of detailed indices of its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, seeking to avoid further damage to the recipient organism.

Small-angle X-ray scattering unveils the internal structure of lipid nanoparticles

Lipid nanoparticles own a remarkable potential in nanomedicine, only partially disclosed. While the clinical use of liposomes and cationic lipid-nucleic acid complexes is well-established, liquid lipid nanoparticles (nanoemulsions), solid lipid nanoparticles, and nanostructured lipid carriers have even greater possibilities. However, they face obstacles in being used in clinics due to a lack of understanding about the molecular mechanisms controlling their drug loading and release, interactions with the biological environment (such as the protein corona), and shelf-life stability. To create effective drug delivery carriers and successfully translate bench research to clinical settings, it is crucial to have a thorough understanding of the internal structure of lipid nanoparticles. Through synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering experiments, we determined the spatial distribution and internal structure of the nanoparticles' lipid, surfactant, and the bound water in them. The nanoparticles themselves have a barrel-like shape that consists of coplanar lipid platelets (specifically cetyl palmitate) that are covered by loosely spaced polysorbate 80 surfactant molecules, whose polar heads retain a large amount of bound water. To reduce the interface cost of bound water with unbound water without stacking, the platelets collapse onto each other. This internal structure challenges the classical core-shell model typically used to describe solid lipid nanoparticles and could play a significant role in drug loading and release, biological fluid interaction, and nanoparticle stability, making our findings valuable for the rational design of lipid-based nanoparticles.

Human Serum Albumin in the Presence of Small Platinum Nanoparticles

Noble metal materials, especially platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs), have immense potential in nanomedicine as therapeutic agents on account of their high electron density and their high surface area. Intravenous injection is proposed as the best mode to deliver the product to patients. However, our understanding of the reaction of nanoparticles with blood components, especially proteins, is far behind the explosive development of these agents. Using synchrotron radiation circular dichroism (SRCD), we investigated the structural and stability changes of human serum albumin (HSA) upon interaction with PEG-OH coated Pt NPs at nanomolar concentrations, conditions potentially encountered for intravenous injection. There is no strong complexation found between HSA and Pt NPs. However, for the highest molar ratio of NP:HSA of 1:1, an increase of 18 °C in the thermal unfolding of HSA was observed, which is attributed to increased thermal stability of HSA generated by preferential hydration. This work proposes a new and fast method to probe the potential toxicity of nanoparticles intended for clinical use with intravenous injection.

SiO2@AuAg/PDA hybrid nanospheres with photo-thermally enhanced synergistic antibacterial and catalytic activity.

Wastewater discharged from industrial, agricultural and livestock production contains a large number of harmful bacteria and organic pollutants, which usually cause serious harm to human health. Therefore, it is urgent to find a "one-stone-two-birds" strategy with good antimicrobial and pollutant degradation activity for treating waste water. In this paper, SiO2@AuAg/Polydopamine (SiO2@AuAg/PDA) core/shell nanospheres, which possessed synergistic "Ag+-release-photothermal" antibacterial and catalytic behaviors, have been successfully prepared via a simple in situ redox polymerization method. The SiO2@AuAg/PDA nanospheres showed good catalytic activity in reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol (0.576 min-1 mg-1). Since the AuAg nanoclusters contain both gold and silver elements, they provided a high photothermal conversion efficiency (48.1%). Under NIR irradiation (808 nm, 2.5 W-2), the catalytic kinetics were improved by 2.2 times. Besides the intrinsic Ag+-release, the photothermal behavior originating from the AuAg bimetallic nanoclusters and the PDA component of SiO2@AuAg/PDA also critically improved the antibacterial performance. Both E. coli and S. aureus could be basically killed by SiO2@AuAg/PDA nanospheres at a concentration of 90 μg mL-1 under NIR irradiation. This "Ag+-release-photothermal" coupled sterilization offers a straightforward and effective approach to antimicrobial therapy, and further exhibits high potential in nanomedicine for combating bacterial contamination in environmental treatment and biological fields.

Infrared nanoimaging of neuronal ultrastructure and nanoparticle interaction with cells.

Here we introduce scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) as a novel tool for nanoscale chemical-imaging of sub-cellular organelles, nanomaterials and of the interactions between them. Our setup uses a tuneable mid-infrared laser and a sharp scanning probe to image at a resolution substantially surpassing the diffraction limit. The laser can be tuned to excite vibrational modes of functional groups in biomolecules, (e.g. amide moieties), in a way that enables direct chemical mapping without the need for labelling. We, for the first time, chemically image neuronal ultrastructure, identify neuronal organelles and sub-organelle structures as small as 10 nm and validate our findings using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We produce chemical and morphological maps of neurons treated with gold nanospheres and characterize nanoparticle size and intracellular location, and their interaction with the plasma membrane. Our results show that the label-free nature of s-SNOM means it has a 'true' chemical resolution of up to 20 nm which can be further improved. We argue that it offers significant potential in nanomedicine for nanoscale chemical imaging of cell ultrastructure and the subcellular distribution of nanomaterials within tissues.

Plant Virus-Like Particles for RNA Delivery.

Plant viruses such as brome mosaic virus and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus are effectively purified through PEG precipitation and sucrose cushion ultracentrifugation. Increasing ionic strength and an alkaline pH cause the viruses to swell and disassemble into coat protein subunits. The coat proteins can be reassembled into stable virus-like particles (VLPs) that carry anionic molecules at low ionic strength and through two-step dialysis from neutral pH to acidic buffer. VLPs have been extensively studied due to their ability to protect and deliver cargo, particularly RNA, while avoiding degradation under physiological conditions. Furthermore, chemical functionalization of the surface of VLPs allows for the targeted drug delivery. VLPs derived from plants have demonstrated great potential in nanomedicine by offering a versatile platform for drug delivery, imaging, and therapeutic applications.

Structural interactions in polymer-stabilized magnetic nanocomposites.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have attracted significant attention because of their nanoscale magnetic properties. SPION aggregates may afford emergent properties, resulting from dipole-dipole interactions between neighbors. Such aggregates can display internal order, with high packing fractions (>20%), and can be stabilized with block co-polymers (BCPs), permitting design of tunable composites for potential nanomedicine, data storage, and electronic sensing applications. Despite the routine use of magnetic fields for aggregate actuation, the impact of those fields on polymer structure, SPION ordering, and magnetic properties is not fully understood. Here, we report that external magnetic fields can induce ordering in SPION aggregates that affect their structure, inter-SPION distance, magnetic properties, and composite Tg. SPION aggregates were synthesized in the presence or absence of magnetic fields or exposed to magnetic fields post-synthesis. They were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SPION aggregate properties depended on the timing of field application. Magnetic field application during synthesis encouraged preservation of SPION chain aggregates stabilized by polymer coatings even after removal of the field, whereas post synthesis application triggered subtle internal reordering, as indicated by increased blocking temperature (TB), that was not observed via SAXS or TEM. These results suggest that magnetic fields are a simple, yet powerful tool to tailor the structure, ordering, and magnetic properties of polymer-stabilized SPION nanocomposites.

Intratracheal administration of programmable DNA nanostructures combats acute lung injury by targeting microRNA-155

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an acute inflammatory process that can result in life-threatening consequences. Programmable DNA nanostructures have emerged as excellent nanoplatforms for microRNA-based therapeutics, offering potential nanomedicines for ALI treatment. Nonetheless, the traditional systematic administration of nanomedicines is constrained by low delivery efficiency, poor pharmacokinetics, and nonspecific side effects. Here, we identify macrophage microRNA-155 as a novel therapeutic target using the magnetic bead sorting technique. We further construct a DNA nanotubular nucleic acid drug antagonizing microRNA-155 (NT-155) for ALI treatment through intratracheal administration. Flow cytometry results demonstrate that NT-155, when inhaled, is taken up much more effectively by macrophages and dendritic cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of ALI mice. Furthermore, NT-155 effectively silences the overexpressed microRNA-155 in macrophages and exerts excellent inflammation inhibition effects in vitro and ALI mouse models. Mechanistically, NT-155 suppresses microRNA-155 expression and activates its target gene SOCS1, inhibiting the p-P65 signaling pathway and suppressing proinflammatory cytokine secretion. The current study suggests that deliberately designed nucleic acid drugs are promising nanomedicines for ALI treatment and the local administration may open up new practical applications of DNA in the future.

Mucus-Penetrating Nanoassembly as Potential Oral Phototherapeutic Formulation against Multi-Drug Resistant Helicobacter pylori Infection.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection presents increasing challenges to antibiotic therapies in limited penetration through gastric mucus, multi-drug resistance (MDR), biofilm formation, and intestinal microflora dysbiosis. To address these problems, herein, a mucus-penetrating phototherapeutic nanomedicine (RLs@T780TG) against MDR H. pylori infection is engineered. The RLs@T780TG is assembled with a near-infrared photosensitizer T780T-Gu and an anionic component rhamnolipids (RLs) for deep mucus penetration and light-induced anti-H. pylori performances. With optimized suitable size, hydrophilicity and weak negative surface, the RLs@T780TG can effectively penetrate through the gastric mucus layer and target the inflammatory site. Subsequently, under irradiation, the structure of RLs@T780TG is disrupted and facilitates the T780T-Gu releasing to target the H. pylori surface and ablate multi-drug resistant (MDR) H. pylori. In vivo, RLs@T780TG phototherapy exhibits impressive eradication against H. pylori. The gastric lesions are significantly alleviated and intestinal bacteria balance is less affected than antibiotic treatment. Summarily, this work provides a potential nanomedicine design to facilitate in vivo phototherapy in treatment of H. pylori infection.

Inhibition of murine colorectal cancer metastasis by targeting M2-TAM through STAT3/NF-kB/AKT signaling using macrophage 1-derived extracellular vesicles loaded with oxaliplatin, retinoic acid, and Libidibia ferrea

Colorectal cancer is still unmanageable despite advances in target therapy. However, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown potential in nanomedicine as drug delivery systems, especially for modulating the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In this study, M1 Macrophage EVs (M1EVs) were used as nanocarriers of oxaliplatin (M1EV1) associated with retinoic acid (M1EV2) and Libidibia ferrea (M1EV3), alone or in combination (M1EV4) to evaluate their antiproliferative and immunomodulatory potential on CT-26 and MC-38 colorectal cancer cell lines and prevent metastasis in mice of allograft and peritoneal colorectal cancer models. Tumors were evaluated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The cell death profile and epithelial-mesenchymal transition process (EMT) were analyzed in vitro in colorectal cancer cell lines. Polarization of murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) was also carried out. M1EV2 and M1EV3 used alone or particularly M1EV4 downregulated the tumor progression by TME immunomodulation, leading to a decrease in primary tumor size and metastasis in the peritoneum, liver, and lungs. STAT3, NF-kB, and AKT were the major genes downregulated by of M1EV systems. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) shifted from an M2 phenotype (CD163) to an M1 phenotype (CD68) reducing levels of IL-10, TGF-β and CCL22. Furthermore, malignant cells showed overexpression of FADD, APAF-1, caspase-3, and E-cadherin, and decreased expression of MDR1, survivin, vimentin, and PD-L1 after treatment with systems of M1EVs. The study shows that EVs from M1 antitumor macrophages can transport drugs and enhance their immunomodulatory and antitumor activity by modulating pathways associated with cell proliferation, migration, survival, and drug resistance.

Analysis of complementarities between nanomedicine and phytodrugs for the treatment of malarial infection.

The use of nanocarriers in medicine, so-called nanomedicine, is one of the most innovative strategies for targeting drugs at the action site and increasing their activity index and effectiveness. Phytomedicine is the oldest traditional method used to treat human diseases and solve health problems. The recent literature on the treatment of malaria infections using nanodelivery systems and phytodrugs or supplements has been analyzed. For the first time, in the present review, a careful look at the considerable potential of nanomedicine in promoting phytotherapeutic efficacy was done, and its key role in addressing a translation through a significant reduction of the current burden of malaria in many parts of the world has been underlined.