RESUMO
Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have garnered significant interest due to their multifunctionality, offering the potential to enhance cancer treatment efficacy and improve patient tolerability. Membrane-coated drug delivery systems hold great potential for enhancing the therapeutic outcome of nanoparticle-based anticancer therapies. In this study, we report the synthesis of multifunctional iron-functionalized mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (MPDAFe NPs). These nanoformulations demonstrate substantial potential for combining efficient drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and showcase the advantages of biomimetic coating with tumor cell-derived membranes. This coating confers prolonged circulation and improved the targeting capabilities of the nanoparticles. Furthermore, comprehensive biosafety evaluations reveal negligible toxicity to normal cells, while the combined chemo- and phototherapy exhibited significant cytotoxicity towards cancer cells. Additionally, the photothermal effect evaluation highlights the enhanced cytotoxicity achieved through laser irradiation, showcasing the synergistic effects of the nanomaterials and photothermal therapy. Importantly, our chemotherapeutic effect evaluation demonstrates the superior efficacy of doxorubicin-loaded MPDAFe@Mem NPs (cancer cell membrane-coated MPDAFe NPs) in inhibiting cancer cell viability and proliferation, surpassing the potency of free doxorubicin. This study comprehensively investigates theranostic, membrane-coated drug delivery systems, underlining their potential to increase the efficacy of cancer treatment strategies. The multifunctional nature of the iron-functionalized polydopamine nanoparticles allows for efficient drug delivery and imaging capabilities, while the biomimetic coating enhances their biocompatibility and targeting ability. These findings contribute valuable insights towards the development of advanced nanomedicine for improved cancer therapeutics.
Assuntos
Hipertermia Induzida , Nanopartículas , Neoplasias , Humanos , Medicina de Precisão , Biomimética , Doxorrubicina/farmacologia , Neoplasias/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Fototerapia/métodos , Sistemas de Liberação de Medicamentos/métodos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Ferro , Nanomedicina TeranósticaRESUMO
Proteases encoded by SARS-CoV-2 constitute a promising target for new therapies against COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro, 3CLpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are responsible for viral polyprotein cleavage-a process crucial for viral survival and replication. Recently it was shown that 2-phenylbenzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one (ebselen), an organoselenium anti-inflammatory small-molecule drug, is a potent, covalent inhibitor of both the proteases and its potency was evaluated in enzymatic and antiviral assays. In this study, we screened a collection of 34 ebselen and ebselen diselenide derivatives for SARS-CoV-2 PLpro and Mpro inhibitors. Our studies revealed that ebselen derivatives are potent inhibitors of both the proteases. We identified three PLpro and four Mpro inhibitors superior to ebselen. Independently, ebselen was shown to inhibit the N7-methyltransferase activity of SARS-CoV-2 nsp14 protein involved in viral RNA cap modification. Hence, selected compounds were also evaluated as nsp14 inhibitors. In the second part of our work, we employed 11 ebselen analogues-bis(2-carbamoylaryl)phenyl diselenides-in biological assays to evaluate their anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in Vero E6 cells. We present their antiviral and cytoprotective activity and also low cytotoxicity. Our work shows that ebselen, its derivatives, and diselenide analogues constitute a promising platform for development of new antivirals targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2/metabolismo , Metiltransferases , Peptídeo Hidrolases , Antivirais/farmacologia , Antivirais/metabolismo , Cisteína Endopeptidases/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteases/farmacologia , Simulação de Acoplamento MolecularRESUMO
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumour. GBM cells have the ability to infiltrate into the surrounding brain tissue, which results in a significant decrease in the patient's survival rate. Infiltration is a consequence of the low adhesion and high migration of the tumour cells, two features being associated with the highly remodelled extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we report that ECM composition is partially regulated at the post-transcriptional level by miRNA. Particularly, we show that miR-218, a well-known miRNA suppressor, is involved in the direct regulation of ECM components, tenascin-C (TN-C) and syndecan-2 (SDC-2). We demonstrated that the overexpression of miR-218 reduces the mRNA and protein expression levels of TN-C and SDC-2, and subsequently influences biomechanical properties of GBM cells. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and real-time migration analysis revealed that miR-218 overexpression impairs the migration potential and enhances the adhesive properties of cells. AFM analysis followed by F-actin staining demonstrated that the expression level of miR-218 has an impact on cell stiffness and cytoskeletal reorganization. Global gene expression analysis showed deregulation of a number of genes involved in tumour cell motility and adhesion or ECM remodelling upon miR-218 treatment, suggesting further indirect interactions between the cells and ECM. The results demonstrated a direct impact of miR-218 reduction in GBM tumours on the qualitative ECM content, leading to changes in the rigidity of the ECM and GBM cells being conducive to increased invasiveness of GBM.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Encefálicas , Glioblastoma , MicroRNAs , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Movimento Celular/genética , Proliferação de Células , Matriz Extracelular/genética , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Glioblastoma/patologia , Humanos , MicroRNAs/genética , MicroRNAs/metabolismo , Tenascina/genética , Tenascina/metabolismoRESUMO
Glioma belongs to the most aggressive and lethal types of cancer. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common type of malignant gliomas, is characterized by a poor prognosis and remains practically incurable despite aggressive treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Brain tumor cells overexpress a number of proteins that play a crucial role in tumorigenesis and may be exploited as therapeutic targets. One such target can be an extracellular matrix glycoprotein-tenascin-C (TN-C). Downregulation of TN-C by RNA interference (RNAi) is a very promising strategy in cancer therapy. However, the successful delivery of naked double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) complementary to TN-C sequence (ATN-RNA) requires application of delivery vehicles that can efficiently overcome rapid degradation by nucleases and poor intracellular uptake. Here, we present a protocol for application of MNP@PEI as a carrier for ATN-RNA to GBM cells. The obtained complexes consisted of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-coated magnetic nanoparticles combined with the dsRNA show high efficiency in ATN-RNA delivery, resulting not only in significant TN-C expression level downregulation, but also impairing the tumor cells migration.
Assuntos
Portadores de Fármacos , Técnicas de Transferência de Genes , Nanopartículas de Magnetita , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/administração & dosagem , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/genética , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Expressão Gênica , Terapia Genética/métodos , Humanos , Lipídeos/química , Nanopartículas de Magnetita/química , Interferência de RNA , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/genética , RNA Interferente Pequeno/administração & dosagem , RNA Interferente Pequeno/genética , TransfecçãoRESUMO
Tenascin-C (TNC) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoprotein that plays an important role in cell proliferation, migration, and tumour invasion in various cancers. TNC is one of the main protein overexpressed in breast cancer, indicating a role for this ECM molecule in cancer pathology. In this study we have evaluated the TNC loss-off-function in breast cancer cells. In our approach, we used dsRNA sharing sequence homology with TNC mRNA, called ATN-RNA. We present the data showing the effects of ATN-RNA in MDA-MB-231 cells both in monolayer and three-dimensional culture. Cells treated with ATN-RNA were analyzed for phenotypic alterations in proliferation, migration, adhesion, cell cycle, multi-caspase activation and the involvement in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes. As complementary analysis the oncogenomic portals were used to assess the clinical implication of TNC expression on breast cancer patient's survival, showing the TNC overexpression associated with a poor survival outcome. Our approach applied first in brain tumors and then in breast cancer cell lines reveals that ATN-RNA significantly diminishes the cell proliferation, migration and additionally, reverses the mesenchymal cells phenotype to the epithelial one. Thus, TNC could be considered as the universal target in different types of tumors, where TNC overexpression is associated with poor prognosis.
Assuntos
Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/genética , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/genética , Tenascina/genética , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Adesão Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Adesão Celular/genética , Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Movimento Celular/genética , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/genética , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Transição Epitelial-Mesenquimal/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Células MCF-7 , Invasividade Neoplásica/genética , Invasividade Neoplásica/patologia , Prognóstico , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/farmacologia , Tenascina/antagonistas & inibidoresRESUMO
Currently, an increase in the awareness of a healthy lifestyle has been observed in society. People are seeking added health benefits from their dietary intake. Thus, functional foods with supplemented components that promote wellness are becoming popular. Lycopene is a carotenoid that gives vegetables and fruits their red color. Due to its chemical structure, lycopene acts as an antioxidant, which is the basis for its health-promoting properties. Oxidative stress is recognized as an important agent of many chronic diseases; thus, lycopene appears to be a universal medicine. Lycopene has the greatest antioxidant potential among carotenoids. Nutraceutical effects of lycopene have been reported for patients with cancer, infertility, metabolic syndrome and liver damage. Therefore, its supplementation can function as a proper causative treatment of disease. In this review, we highlight primary research and clinical trials involving lycopene and its impact on human health.
Assuntos
Dietoterapia , Suplementos Nutricionais/análise , Frutas/metabolismo , Licopeno/metabolismo , Verduras/metabolismo , Animais , Frutas/química , Humanos , Licopeno/análise , Verduras/químicaRESUMO
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of malignant gliomas, characterized by genetic instability, intratumoral histopathological variability and unpredictable clinical behavior. Disappointing results in the treatment of gliomas with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have fueled a search for new therapeutic targets and treatment modalities. Here we report new approach towards RNA interference therapy of glioblastoma multiforme based on the magnetic nanoparticles delivery of the double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with homological sequences to mRNA of tenascin-C (TN-C), named ATN-RNA. The obtained nanocomposite consisted of polyethyleneimine (PEI) coated magnetic nanoparticles conjugated to the dsRNA show high efficiency in ATN-RNA delivery, resulting not only in significant TN-C expression level suppressesion, but also impairing the tumor cells migration. Moreover, synthesized nanomaterials show high contrast properties in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and low cytotoxicity combining with lack of induction of interferon response. We believe that the present work is a successful combination of effective, functional, non-immunostimulatory dsRNA delivery system based on magnetic nanoparticles with high potential for further application in GBM therapy.
Assuntos
Terapia Genética/métodos , Nanopartículas de Magnetita/química , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/química , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patologia , Neoplasias Encefálicas/terapia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Glioblastoma/patologia , Glioblastoma/terapia , Humanos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética , Nanopartículas de Magnetita/toxicidade , Polietilenoimina/química , Interferência de RNA , RNA de Cadeia Dupla/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/química , RNA Interferente Pequeno/química , RNA Interferente Pequeno/metabolismo , Tenascina/genética , Tenascina/metabolismo , Transfecção/métodosRESUMO
Bisphosphonic acids, which are structural analogs of pyrophosphate, constitute a class of compounds with very high potential for the construction of effective inhibitors of enzymes operating on oligo- and polyphosphates. The bisphosphonate-based methodology was applied for the discovery of inhibitors of two families of polyphosphate kinases (PPK1 and PPK2). Screening of thirty-two structurally diverse bisphosphonic acids and related compounds revealed several micromolar inhibitors of both enzymes. Importantly, selectivity of bisphosphonates could be achieved by application of the appropriate side chain.
Assuntos
Difosfonatos/farmacologia , Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Isoenzimas/antagonistas & inibidores , Nucleotídeos/metabolismo , Fosfotransferases (Aceptor do Grupo Fosfato)/antagonistas & inibidores , Polifosfatos/metabolismoRESUMO
A collection of twenty-six organoselenium compounds, ebselen and its structural analogues, provided a novel approach for inhibiting the activity of human methionine aminopeptidase 2 (MetAP2). This metalloprotease, being responsible for the removal of the amino-terminal methionine from newly synthesized proteins, plays a key role in angiogenesis, which is essential for the progression of diseases, including solid tumor cancers. In this work, we discovered that ebselen, a synthetic organoselenium drug molecule with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and cytoprotective activity, inhibits one of the main enzymes in the tumor progression pathway. Using three-step synthesis, we obtained twenty-five ebselen derivatives/analogues, ten of which are new, and tested their inhibitory activity toward three neutral aminopeptidases (MetAP2, alanine and leucine aminopeptidases). All of the tested compounds proved to be selective, slow-binding inhibitors of MetAP2. Similarly to ebselen, most of its analogues exhibited a moderate potency (IC50=1-12µM). Moreover, we identified three strong inhibitors that bind favorably to the enzyme with the half maximal inhibitory concentration in the submicromolar range.