Magnetic carbon nanotubes modified with proteins and hydrophilic monomers: Cytocompatibility, in-vitro toxicity assays and permeation across biological interfaces.

Carbon nanotubes are promising materials for biomedical applications like delivery systems and tissue scaffolds. In this paper, magnetic carbon nanotubes (M-CNTs) covered with bovine serum albumin (M-CNTs-BSA) or functionalized with hydrophilic monomers (M-CNTs-HL) were synthesized, characterized, and evaluated concerning their interaction with Caco-2 cells. There is no comparison between these two types of functionalization, and this study aimed to verify their influence on the material's interaction with the cells. Different concentrations of the nanotubes were applied to investigate cytotoxicity, cell metabolism, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and capability to cross biomimetic barriers. The materials showed cytocompatibility up to 100 µg mL-1 and a hemolysis rate below 2 %. Nanotubes' suspensions were allowed to permeate Caco-2 monolayers for up to 8 h under the effect of the magnetic field. Magnetic nanoparticles associated with the nanotubes allowed estimation of permeation through the monolayers, with values ranging from 0.50 to 7.19 and 0.27 to 9.30 × 10-3 µg (equivalent to 0.43 to 6.22 and 0.23 to 9.54 × 10-2 % of the initially estimated mass of magnetic nanoparticles) for cells exposed and non-exposed to the magnets, respectively. Together, these results support that the developed materials are promising for applications in biomedical and biotechnological fields.

Fluoroquinolone-Based Organic Salts (GUMBOS) with Antibacterial Potential.

Antimicrobial resistance is a silent pandemic considered a public health concern worldwide. Strategic therapies are needed to replace antibacterials that are now ineffective. One approach entails the use of well-known antibacterials along with adjuvants that possess non-antibiotic properties but can extend the lifespan and enhance the effectiveness of the treatment, while also improving the suppression of resistance. In this regard, a group of uniform materials based on organic salts (GUMBOS) presents an alternative to this problem allowing the combination of antibacterials with adjuvants. Fluoroquinolones are a family of antibacterials used to treat respiratory and urinary tract infections with broad-spectrum activity. Ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin-based GUMBOS were synthesized via anion exchange reactions with lithium and sodium salts. Structural characterization, thermal stability and octanol/water partition ratios were evaluated. The antibacterial profiles of most GUMBOS were comparable to their cationic counterparts when tested against Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli, except for deoxycholate anion, which demonstrated the least effective antibacterial activity. Additionally, some GUMBOS were less cytotoxic to L929 fibroblast cells and non-hemolytic to red blood cells. Therefore, these agents exhibit promise as an alternative approach to combining drugs for treating infections caused by resistant bacteria.

Multifunctional targeted solid lipid nanoparticles for combined photothermal therapy and chemotherapy of breast cancer.

Photothermal therapy has emerged as a new promising strategy for the management of cancer, either alone or combined with other therapeutics, such as chemotherapy. The use of nanoparticles for multimodal therapy can improve treatment performance and reduce drug doses and associated side effects. Here we propose the development of a novel multifunctional nanosystem based on solid lipid nanoparticles co-loaded with gold nanorods and mitoxantrone and functionalized with folic acid for dual photothermal therapy and chemotherapy of breast cancer. Nanoparticles were produced using an economically affordable method and presented suitable physicochemical properties for tumor passive accumulation. Upon Near-Infrared irradiation (808 nm, 1.7 W cm-2, 5 min), nanoparticles could effectively mediate a temperature increase of >20 °C. Moreover, exposure to light resulted in an enhanced release of Mitoxantrone. Furthermore, nanoparticles were non-hemolytic and well tolerated by healthy cells even at high concentrations. The active targeting strategy was found to be successful, as shown by the greater accumulation of the functionalized nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. Finally, the combined effects of chemotherapy, light-induced drug release and photothermal therapy significantly enhanced breast cancer cell death. Overall, these results demonstrate that the developed lipid nanosystem is an efficient vehicle for breast cancer multimodal therapy.

New Frontiers in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Combining Nanotechnology with Photo- and Radiotherapy.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Despite recent advances in the treatment of this pathology, which include a personalized approach using radio- and chemotherapies in combination with advanced surgical techniques, it is imperative to enhance the performance of these treatments and decrease their detrimental side effects on patients' health. Nanomedicine is likely the pathway towards solving this challenge by enhancing both the therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities. In particular, plasmonic nanoparticles show remarkable potential due to their dual therapeutic functionalities as photothermal therapy agents and as radiosensitizers in radiotherapy. Their dual functionality, high biocompatibility, easy functionalization, and targeting capabilities make them potential agents for inducing efficient cancer cell death with minimal side effects. This review aims to identify the main challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. The heterogeneous nature of this cancer is also discussed from a single-cell point of view. The most relevant works in photo- and radiotherapy using nanotechnology-based therapies for colorectal cancer are addressed, ranging from in vitro studies (2D and 3D cell cultures) to in vivo studies and clinical trials. Although the results using nanoparticles as a photo- and radiosensitizers in photo- and radiotherapy are promising, preliminary studies showed that the possibility of combining both therapies must be explored to improve the treatment efficiency.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate Delivered in Nanoparticles Increases Cytotoxicity in Three Breast Carcinoma Cell Lines.

The anticancer activity of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), orally administrated, is limited by poor bioavailability, absorption, and unpredictable distribution in human tissues. EGCG charged nanoparticles may represent an opportunity to overcome these limitations. We assayed two different kinds of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs and LNPs functionalized with folic acid) charged with EGCG on three breast carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7TAM) and the human normal MCF10A mammary epithelial cells. Both LNPs loaded with EGCG, at low concentrations, induced a significant cytotoxicity in the three breast carcinoma cells but not in MCF10A cells. In view of a future application, both LNPs and LNPs-FA were found to be very suitable for in vitro studies and useful to improve EGCG administration in vivo. Since they are produced by inexpensive procedures using bioavailable, biocompatible, and biodegradable molecules, they represent an applicable tool for a more rationale use of EGCG as an anti-cancer agent.

Folate receptor-mediated delivery of mitoxantrone-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles to breast cancer cells.

The standard breast cancer therapy still faces major challenges due to non-specific tumor distribution and occurrence of dose-limiting adverse side-effects. Nanomedicine constitutes an appealing approach to improve the therapeutic index of different anti-cancer drugs. Given their biocompatibility, low-cost manufacture and easy surface modification, lipid nanoparticles, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), have a great potential for drug delivery in cancer therapy. In this work, SLN entrapping the antineoplastic drug Mitoxantrone (Mito) were developed and functionalized with Disteroylphosphatidylethanolamine-poly(ethylene glycol)-folic acid (DSPE-PEG-FA) ligand to improve blood circulation and tumor selectivity and limit the drug systemic side-effects. Nanoparticles presented adequate size and size distribution for intravenous injection and were stable for at least 6 months. Additionally, their hemocompatibility was demonstrated. Moreover, functionalized nanoparticles were able to improve the anti-cancer effect of the free drug, as assessed by the values of IC50 and the apoptotic effects in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, an enhanced cellular internalization of the functionalized SLN was demonstrated by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry studies. Finally, the cellular uptake of the SLN was found to occur via macropinocytosis and clathrin-mediated endocytosis, suggesting the involvement of (folate receptor) (FR)-mediated endocytosis. Overall these findings highlight that the developed SLN are efficient nanocarriers for the selective delivery of Mito to breast cancer cells.

Mitoxantrone-loaded lipid nanoparticles for breast cancer therapy - Quality-by-design approach and efficacy assessment in 2D and 3D in vitro cancer models.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. The conventional chemotherapeutic regimens used in the treatment of this disease often lead to severe side-effects and reduced efficacy. In this study, a novel drug delivery system for the chemotherapeutic drug mitoxantrone (Mito) was developed using solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). The production of the SLN was carried out using an organic-solvent-free, low-cost method and optimized using a Box-Behnken design. SLN presented adequate size for cancer-related applications, more than 90% of EE% and remained stable for at least 6 months. A much higher drug release was obtained at acidic pH (mimicking the endosomal compartment) than plasmatic pH, highlighting the potential of the nanosystem for tumor drug delivery. Additionally, SLN were non-hemolytic and cytocompatible, even at high concentrations of lipid. A significantly higher anti-cancer efficacy was obtained for Mito-loaded SLN comparing to the free drug at different concentrations in MCF-7 2D models. Finally, the nanoformulation was evaluated in heterotypic breast cancer spheroids showing capacity to penetrate the tridimensional structure and ability to induce a high anti-tumoral effect, similarly to the free drug. Overall, these results support that the developed SLN are effective Mito nanocarriers for the treatment of breast cancer.

Gold nanostructures as mediators of hyperthermia therapies in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Due to the limitations of the current therapeutics, new treatment options are needed. Hyperthermia is a promising approach to improve breast cancer therapy, particularly when combined with chemo and radiotherapy. This area has gained more attention following association with nanotechnology, with the emergence of modalities, such as photothermal therapy (PTT). PTT is a simple, minimally invasive technique that requires a near infrared (NIR) light source and a PTT agent. Gold nanostructures are excellent PTT agents as they offer biocompatibility, versatility, high photothermal conversion efficiency, imaging contrast and an easily-modified surface. In this review, we describe the molecular basis and the current clinical aspects of hyperthermia-based therapies. The emergent area of nanoparticle-induced hyperthermia will be explored, in particular gold nanostructure-mediated PTT, focusing on recent preclinical studies for breast cancer management.

EGCG Mediated Targeting of Deregulated Signaling Pathways and Non-Coding RNAs in Different Cancers: Focus on JAK/STAT, Wnt/ß-Catenin, TGF/SMAD, NOTCH, SHH/GLI, and TRAIL Mediated Signaling Pathways.

Decades of research have enabled us to develop a better and sharper understanding of multifaceted nature of cancer. Next-generation sequencing technologies have leveraged our existing knowledge related to intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity to the next level. Functional genomics have opened new horizons to explore deregulated signaling pathways in different cancers. Therapeutic targeting of deregulated oncogenic signaling cascades by products obtained from natural sources has shown promising results. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has emerged as a distinguished chemopreventive product because of its ability to regulate a myriad of oncogenic signaling pathways. Based on its scientifically approved anticancer activity and encouraging results obtained from preclinical trials, it is also being tested in various phases of clinical trials. A series of clinical trials associated with green tea extracts and EGCG are providing clues about significant potential of EGCG to mechanistically modulate wide ranging signal transduction cascades. In this review, we comprehensively analyzed regulation of JAK/STAT, Wnt/ß-catenin, TGF/SMAD, SHH/GLI, NOTCH pathways by EGCG. We also discussed most recent evidence related to the ability of EGCG to modulate non-coding RNAs in different cancers. Methylation of the genome is also a widely studied mechanism and EGCG has been shown to modulate DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and protein enhancer of zeste-2 (EZH2) in multiple cancers. Moreover, the use of nanoformulations to increase the bioavailability and thus efficacy of EGCG will be also addressed. Better understanding of the pleiotropic abilities of EGCG to modulate intracellular pathways along with the development of effective EGCG delivery vehicles will be helpful in getting a step closer to individualized medicines.

EGCG intestinal absorption and oral bioavailability enhancement using folic acid-functionalized nanostructured lipid carriers.

This work aimed to develop folic acid-functionalized nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) loading epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to increase its oral bioavailability. An active targeting strategy was used and these nanoparticles (NPs) were fully characterized. The NP's effect on Caco-2 cell viability was evaluated and the apparent permeability (Papp) on a Caco-2 cell monolayer was determined. The results demonstrated that the developed NPs exhibited adequate physicochemical characteristics for oral administration and were found to be biocompatible with epithelial Caco-2 cells. Further, folic acid-functionalized EGCG-loaded NLC significantly increased EGCG transport across the intestinal barrier, promoting a 1.8- fold increase in its apparent permeability (Papp). Taken together, these results support that the developed NLC can be used as a promising carrier for safer and efficient management of several diseases since the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of EGCG were improved with this nanomedicine-based strategy.

Folate-targeted nanostructured lipid carriers for enhanced oral delivery of epigallocatechin-3-gallate.

The well-known pleiotropic health benefits of green tea are mainly attributed to epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a polyphenolic compound from the group of catechins. EGCG's poor stability and intestinal permeability, however, can strongly impair its biological activities. In this work, EGCG-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) functionalized with folic acid were optimized through a Box-Behnken design intended to provide an enhanced oral absorption and increased bioavailability of EGCG. Size, zeta potential and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of the produced spherical nanoparticles were evaluated. NLC were further characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). An in vitro release study in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was conducted and the storage stability of the nanoparticles was evaluated over a period of 8weeks. The overall results demonstrated the suitability of the developed formulation for the oral delivery of EGCG and its potential for applications in food industry.

Therapeutic Potential of Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanodelivery Systems.

Nowadays, the society is facing a large health problem with the rising of new diseases, including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and obesity. Thus, it is important to invest in substances that enhance the health of the population. In this context, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a flavonoid found in many plants, especially in tea. Several studies support the notion that EGCG has several benefits in fighting cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity, among others. Nevertheless, the poor intestinal absorbance and instability of EGCG constitute the main drawback to use this molecule in prevention and therapy. The encapsulation of EGCG in nanocarriers leads to its enhanced stability and higher therapeutic effects. A comprehensive review of studies currently available on the encapsulation of EGCG by means of nanocarriers will be addressed.

Epigallocatechin Gallate Nanodelivery Systems for Cancer Therapy.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality all over the world. Conventional treatments, such as chemotherapy, are generally expensive, highly toxic and lack efficiency. Cancer chemoprevention using phytochemicals is emerging as a promising approach for the treatment of early carcinogenic processes. (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the major bioactive constituent in green tea with numerous health benefits including anti-cancer activity, which has been intensively studied. Besides its potential for chemoprevention, EGCG has also been shown to synergize with common anti-cancer agents, which makes it a suitable adjuvant in chemotherapy. However, limitations in terms of stability and bioavailability have hampered its application in clinical settings. Nanotechnology may have an important role in improving the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of EGCG. Indeed, several studies have already reported the use of nanoparticles as delivery vehicles of EGCG for cancer therapy. The aim of this article is to discuss the EGCG molecule and its associated health benefits, particularly its anti-cancer activity and provide an overview of the studies that have employed nanotechnology strategies to enhance EGCG's properties and potentiate its anti-tumoral activity.