Hydrogen sulfide responsive nanoplatforms: Novel gas responsive drug delivery carriers for biomedical applications.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a toxic, essential gas used in various biological and physical processes and has been the subject of many targeted studies on its role as a new gas transmitter. These studies have mainly focused on the production and pharmacological side effects caused by H2S. Therefore, effective strategies to remove H2S has become a key research topic. Furthermore, the development of novel nanoplatforms has provided new tools for the targeted removal of H2S. This paper was performed to review the association between H2S and disease, related H2S inhibitory drugs, as well as H2S responsive nanoplatforms (HRNs). This review first analyzed the role of H2S in multiple tissues and conditions. Second, common drugs used to eliminate H2S, as well as their potential for combination with anticancer agents, were summarized. Not only the existing studies on HRNs, but also the inhibition H2S combined with different therapeutic methods were both sorted out in this review. Furthermore, this review provided in-depth analysis of the potential of HRNs about treatment or detection in detail. Finally, potential challenges of HRNs were proposed. This study demonstrates the excellent potential of HRNs for biomedical applications.

ROS-responsive nano-medicine for navigating autophagy to enhance targeted therapy of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by immune dysregulation and intestinal inflammation. Rapamycin (Ra), an mTORC1 pathway inhibitor, has shown promise for autophagy induction in IBD therapy but is associated with off-target effects and toxicity. To address these issues, we developed an oral liposome responsive to reactive oxygen species (ROS) using lipids and amphiphilic materials. We combined ketone thiol (TK) for ROS responsive and hyaluronic acid (HA) with high affinity for CD44 receptors to prepare rapamycin-loaded nanoparticle (Ra@TH). Owing to its ROS responsive characteristic, Ra@TH can achieve inflammatory colonic targeting. Additionally, Ra@TH can induce autophagy by inhibiting the mTORC1 pathway, leading to the clearance of damaged organelles, pathogenic microorganisms and oxidative stress products. Simultaneously, it also collaboratively inhibits the NF-κB pathway suppressed by the removal of ROS resulting from TK cleavage, thereby mediating the expression of inflammatory factors. Furthermore, Ra@TH enhances the expression of typical tight junction proteins, synergistically restoring intestinal barrier function. Our research not only expands the understanding of autophagy in IBD treatment but also introduces a promising therapeutic approach for IBD patients.

Sequential Rocket-Mode Bioactivating Ticagrelor Prodrug Nanoplatform Combining Light-Switchable Diphtherin Transgene System for Breast Cancer Metastasis Inhibition.

The increased risk of breast cancer metastasis is closely linked to the effects of platelets. Our previously light-switchable diphtheria toxin A fragment (DTA) gene system, known as the LightOn system, has demonstrated significant therapeutic potential; it lacks antimetastatic capabilities. In this study, we devised an innovative system by combining cell membrane fusion liposomes (CML) loaded with the light-switchable transgene DTA (pDTA) and a ticagrelor (Tig) prodrug. This innovative system, named the sequential rocket-mode bioactivating drug delivery system (pDTA-Tig@CML), aims to achieve targeted pDTA delivery while concurrently inhibiting platelet activity through the sequential release of Tig triggered by reactive oxygen species with the tumor microenvironment. In vitro investigations have indicated that pDTA-Tig@CML, with its ability to sequentially release Tig and pDTA, effectively suppresses platelet activity, resulting in improved therapeutic outcomes and the mitigation of platelet driven metastasis in breast cancer. Furthermore, pDTA-Tig@CML exhibits enhanced tumor aggregation and successfully restrains tumor growth and metastasis. It also reduces the levels of ADP, ATP, TGF-ß, and P-selectin both in vitro and in vivo, underscoring the advantages of combining the bioactivating Tig prodrug nanoplatform with the LightOn system. Consequently, pDTA-Tig@CML emerges as a promising light-switchable DTA transgene system, offering a novel bioactivating prodrug platform for breast cancer treatment.