Composite Hydrogels of Ultrasound-Assisted-Digested Formic Acid-Decellularized Extracellular Matrix and Sacchachitin Nanofibers Incorporated with Platelet-Rich Plasma for Diabetic Wound Treatment.

In this study, an ultrasound-assisted digestion method of a formic acid-decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) of porcine skin was developed and optimized to form UdECM hydrogels for diabetic wound healing. Results demonstrated that ultrasonication improved the extraction rate of collagen from dECM samples, preserved the collagen content of dECM, reduced residual cells, and extracted greater DNA contents. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were performed, which demonstrated the optimal porosity on the surface and density of the cross-section in the hydrogel structure, which could control the release of growth factors embedded in UdECM hydrogels at desirable rates to boost wound healing. A wound-healing study was conducted with six different composite hydrogels, both empty materials and materials enriched with rat platelet-rich plasma (R-PRP), sacchachitin nanofibers (SCNFs), and TEMPO-oxidized sacchachitin in diabetic rats. The assessment based on scars stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Masson's trichrome (MT), and a cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) staining showed that the UdECM/SC/R-PRP treatment group had the most significant efficacy of promoting healing and even recovery of diabetic wounds to normal tissues. UdECM/R-PRP and UdECM/SCNFs demonstrated better healing rates than UdECM hydrogel scaffolds, which had only recovered 50% resemblance to normal skin. Treatment with both UdECM/TEMPO 050 and UdECM/TEMPO 050/R-PRP hydrogel scaffolds was ranked last, with even poorer efficacy than UdECM hydrogels. In summary, formulated UdECM and SCNF hydrogels loaded with PRP showed synergistic effects of accelerating wound healing and ultimately stimulating the wound to recover as functional tissues. This newly UdECM/SCNF composite hydrogel has promising potential for healing and regenerating diabetic wounds.

Synergistic Combination of Irinotecan and Rapamycin Orally Delivered by Nanoemulsion for Enhancing Therapeutic Efficacy of Pancreatic Cancer.

In recent years, combining different types of therapy has emerged as an advanced strategy for cancer treatment. In these combination therapies, oral delivery of anticancer drugs is more convenient and compliant. This study developed an irinotecan/rapamycin-loaded oral lecithin-based self-nanoemulsifying nanoemulsion preconcentrate (LBSNENPir/ra) and evaluated its synergistic combination effects on pancreatic cancer. LBSNENP loaded with irinotecan and rapamycin at a ratio of 1:1 (LBSNENPir10/ra10) had a better drug release profile and smaller particle size (<200 nm) than the drug powder. Moreover, LBSNENPir10/ra10 exhibited a strong synergistic effect (combination index [CI] < 1.0) in cell viability and combination effect studies. In the tumor inhibition study, the antitumor activity of LBSNENPir10/ra10/sily20 against MIA PaCa-2 (a human pancreatic cancer cell line) was significantly increased compared with the other groups. When administered with rapamycin and silymarin, the area under the curve and the maximum concentration of irinotecan significantly improved compared with the control. We successfully developed an irinotecan/rapamycin-loaded oral self-nanoemulsifying nanoemulsion system to achieve treatment efficacy for pancreatic cancer.

Combined Docetaxel/Pictilisib-Loaded mPEGylated Nanocarriers with Dual HER2 Targeting Antibodies for Synergistic Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer.

Introduction: Approximately 15%~30% of breast cancers have gene amplification or overexpression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), resulting in the chemotherapy resistance, a more-aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis. Methods: We propose a strategy of nanocarriers co-loaded with docetaxel (DTX) and pictilisib (PIC) at a synergistic ratio and non-covalently bound with dual anti-HER2 epitopes bispecific antibodies (BsAbs: anti-HER2-IV/methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG) and anti-HER2-II/methoxy-PEG) for synergistic targeting to overcome the therapeutic dilemmas of the resistance for HER2-targetable chemodrugs. DTX/PIC-loaded nanocarriers (D/P_NCs) were prepared with single emulsion methods and characterized using dynamic light scattering analysis, and the drug content was assayed by high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The integrity and function of BsABs were evaluated using sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The in vitro cell studies and in vivo breast tumor-bearing mice model were used to evaluate the anti-cancer effect and biosafety of formulations. Results: D/P_NCs optimally prepared exhibited a spherical morphology with small particle sizes (~140 nm), high drug loading (~5.5%), and good colloidal stability. The synergistic tumor cytotoxicity of loading DTX and PIC at 2:1 ratio in D/P_NCs was discovered. The BsAbs are successfully decorated on mPEGylated DTX/PIC-loaded nanocarriers via anti-mPEG moiety. In vitro studies revealed that non-covalent decoration with dual BsAbs on D_P-NCs significantly and synergistically increased cellular uptake, while with loading DTX and PIC at a synergistic ratio of 2:1 in D/P_NCs further resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity. In vivo tumor inhibition studies showed the comparable results for synergistic antitumor efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity of chemodrugs. Conclusion: Non-covalent modification with dual distinct epitopes BsAbs on the nanocarriers loaded with dual chemodrugs at a synergistic ratio was expected to be a promising therapeutic platform to overcome the chemoresistance of various cancers and warrants further development for future therapy in the clinical.

Glycosylation of OVA antigen-loaded PLGA nanoparticles enhances DC-targeting for cancer vaccination.

Cancer vaccines have recently garnered tremendous interest. However, the targeted delivery of antigens and adjuvants to dendritic cells (DCs) still remains challenging. In this study, we developed glycosylated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with the SIINFEKL peptide (OVA) as a tumor-specific antigen and CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG) as an adjuvant for an effective DC-targeted cancer vaccine. Surface modification of NPs with galactose (Gal) or mannose (Man) was carried out by a double-emulsion solvent evaporation method, and the products were respectively named OVA-CpG Gal-NPs and OVA-CpG Man-NPs. They exhibited a uniform particle size, high loading capacity, robust stability, and extended release. The OVA-CpG Gal-NPs were found to rapidly enhance antigen uptake and DC maturation. In the in vivo study, OVA-CpG Gal-NPs via intravenous (i.v.), intranasal (i.n.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) routes had rapidly accumulated in the spleen. Moreover, the non-glycosylated OVA-CpG NPs after s.c. immunization could rapidly be trafficked to distal lymph nodes and sustained higher levels. All of these formulations increased the level of cluster of differentiation 4-positive (CD4+) T cells and interferon (IFN)-γ in the spleen, then promoted the cytotoxic CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes against E.G7-OVA lymphomas. In conclusion, galactosylated NPs provided an effective platform to enhance the DC targeting to induce cellular immunity and T-cell recruitment into tumor sites in vivo, thus showing great potential to be developed as a prophylactic vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.

Bispecific T-cell engagers non-covalently decorated drug-loaded PEGylated nanocarriers for cancer immunochemotherapy.

Immunotherapy is blooming in recent years. However, this therapy needs to overcome off-target effects, cytokine release syndrome, and low responses in the 'cold' tumor environment. Herein, various combinations of immunotherapies and chemotherapies were proposed to transform 'cold' tumors into 'hot' tumors to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapies. In this study, we prepared a biocompatible ganetespib (GSP)-loaded PEGylated nanocarriers (NCs) with a thin-film method, which exhibited a small particle size (~220.6 nm), high drug loading (~5.8%), and good stability. We designed and produced the cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3)/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)/methoxy-polyethylene glycol (mPEG) trispecific antibodies (TsAbs) as bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) to non-covalently bind the GSP-NCs via anti-mPEG fragment and endowed the GSP-NCs with a targeting ability and immunotherapeutic potential to activate cytotoxic T cells. Decoration of the GSP-NCs with TsAbs (BiTEs-GSP-NCs) significantly promoted the cellular uptake and showed synergistic effects through respective anti-PD-L1 and anti-CD3 activation of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. In vivo tumor-inhibition studies also showed that the BiTEs-GSP-NCs could inhibit tumor growth with the GSP chemodrug and increase T-cell infiltration. This study provides a promising drug delivery strategy for cancer immunochemotherapy.

In situ subcutaneously injectable thermosensitive PEG-PLGA diblock and PLGA-PEG-PLGA triblock copolymer composite as sustained delivery of bispecific anti-CD3 scFv T-cell/anti-EGFR Fab Engager (BiTEE).

In this study, PEGylated poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) thermosensitive composite hydrogels (DTgels) loaded with bispecific anti-cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3) scFv T-cell/anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) Fab engager (BiTEE) were subcutaneously (s.c.) injected for the in situ formation of a drug deposit to resolve limitations of the clinical application of the BiTEE of a short half-life and potential side effects. Three kinds of DTgels prepared with different ratios of methoxy poly (ethylene glycol) (mPEG)-PLGA (diblock copolymer, DP) and PLGA-PEG-PLGA (triblock copolymer, TP) were designated DTgel-1, DTgel-2, and DTgel-2S. All three DTgel formulations showed thermosensitive properties with a sol-gel transition temperature at 28-34 °C, which is suitable for an injection. An in vitro release study showed that all DTgel formulations loaded with stabilized BiTEE extended the release of the BiTEE for up to 7 days. In an animal pharmacokinetics study, an s.c. injection of BiTEE/DTgel-1, BiTEE/DTgel-2, or BiTEE/DTgel-2S respectively prolonged the half-life of the BiTEE by 3.5-, 2.0-, and 2.2-fold compared to an intravenous injection of the BiTEE solution. Simultaneously, BiTEE/DTgel formulations showed almost no proinflammatory cytokine release in mice injected with T cells after s.c. administration. Results of an animal antitumor (MDA-MB-231) study indicated that an s.c. injection of the BiTEE/DTgel formulations significantly improved the antitumor efficacy compared to an intravenous (i.v.) or s.c. injection of the BiTEE solution. Moreover, BiTEE/DTgel formulations led to enhanced T-cell recruitment to solid-tumor sites. In conclusion, the in situ formation of injectable PEGylated PLGA thermosensitive hydrogels loaded with the BiTEE was successfully carried out to increase its half-life, maintain a constant blood level within therapeutic windows, and enhance T-cell recruitment to solid-tumor sites resulting in exceptional treatment efficacy.

Carfilzomib and Paclitaxel Co-Loaded Protein Nanoparticles an Effective Therapy Against Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas.

PURPOSE: Therapeutic efficacy of pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PACs) with combined therapy of carfilzomib (CFZ) and paclitaxel (PTX) co-loaded in human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles (NPs) was examined. METHODS: CFZ and PTX were encapsulated individually or combined into HSA NPs by a simple reverse self-assembly method developed to achieve an optimal combination ratio for synergistic therapy. CFZ or/and PTX loaded HSA nanoparticles were physically characterized and the evaluation of combination index, drug release, pharmacokinetic, anti-tumor, and biodistribution studies were conducted. RESULTS: All resultant drug-loaded HSA NPs were spherical with a particle size of <150 nm and a zeta potential of -21.1~-23.0 mV. Drug loading rates and entrapment efficiencies were 9.1%~10.1% and 90.7%~97.1%, respectively. CFZ and PTX demonstrated synergistic effects in an MIA PaCa-2 cytotoxicity at a 1:2 ratio (CI50 were 0.01~0.25). In vitro dissolution revealed that the CFZ/PTX ratio released from the co-loaded HSA NPs (CFZ/PTX/HSA NPs) was about 1.77~2.08, which conformed to the designated loaded ratio. In vivo evaluation showed that the combined therapy of CFZ and PTX at a 1:2 ratio co-loaded in HSA NPs (CFZ/PTX/HSA NPs) demonstrated optimal synergistic improvement of the growth inhibition of MIA PaCa-2 cells with less systematic toxicity, even though the pharmacokinetic profiles observed did not show obvious beneficial and their biodistributions in tumors were found to be smaller. CONCLUSION: The one-pot reverse assembly method developed was environmentally friendly and capable of co-loading an optimal combination ratio of two chemodrugs into HSA NPs for synergistic therapy.

Active Tumoral/Tumor Environmental Dual-Targeting by Non-Covalently Arming with Trispecific Antibodies or Dual-Bispecific Antibodies on Docetaxel-Loaded mPEGylated Nanocarriers to Enhance Chemotherapeutic Efficacy and Minimize Systemic Toxicity.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at developing the trispecific antibodies (anti-EGFR/anti-FAP/anti-mPEG, TsAb) or dual bispecific antibodies (anti-EGFR/anti-mPEG and anti-FAP/anti-mPEG) docetaxel (DTX)-loaded mPEGylated lecithin-stabilized micelles (mPEG-lsbPMs) for improving the targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy. METHODS: mPEG-lsbPMs were simply prepared via thin film method. The trispecific antibodies or bispecific antibodies bound the mPEG-lsbPMs by anti-mPEG Fab fragment. The formulations were characterized by DLS and TEM; in vitro and in vivo studies were also conducted to evaluate the cellular uptake, cell cytotoxicity and therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: The particle sizes of mPEG-lsbPMs with or without the antibodies were around 100 nm; the formulations showed high encapsulation efficiencies of 97.12%. The TsAb and dual bispecific antibodies were fabricated and demonstrated their targeting ability. Two EGFR-overexpressed cell lines (HT-29 and MIA PaCa-2) were co-cultured with FAP-overexpressed WS1 cells (HT-29/WS1; MIA PaCa-2/WS1) to mimic a tumor coexisting in the tumor microenvironment. Cellular binding study revealed that the binding of anti-FAP micelles to three co-culture ratios (4:1, 1:1, and 1:4) of HT-29/EGFR to WS1/FAP was significantly higher than that for TsAb micelles and dual (1:1) micelles, and the binding of those targeting antibodies to WS1/FAP and MIA PaCa-2/EGFR was equally efficacious resulting in a similar binding amount of the TsAb and dual BsAbs (1:1) with the co-culture of MIA PaCa-2/EGFR and WS1/FAP at a 1:1 ratio. Antitumor efficacy study showed that treatment with DTX-loaded mPEG-lsbPMs modified with or without BsAbs, dual BsAbs (1:1), and TsAbs was enhanced in inhibiting tumor growth compared with that for Tynen® while showing fewer signs of adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Active targeting of both tumors and TAF-specific antigens was able to increase the affinity of DTX-loaded mPEG-lsbPMs toward tumor cells and TAFs leading to successive uptake by tumor cells or TAFs which enhanced their chemotherapeutic efficacy against antigen-positive cancer cells.

Honokiol/Magnolol-Loaded Self-Assembling Lecithin-Based Mixed Polymeric Micelles (lbMPMs) for Improving Solubility to Enhance Oral Bioavailability.

OBJECTIVE: This study was intended to utilize lecithin-based mixed polymeric micelles (lbMPMs) for enhancing the solubility and bioavailability of honokiol and magnolol to resolve the hindrance of their extreme hydrophobicity on the clinical applications. METHODS: Lecithin was selected to increase the volume of the core of lbMPMs, thereby providing a greater solubilization capacity. A series of amphiphilic polymers (sodium deoxycholate [NaDOC], Cremophor®, and Pluronic® series) were included with lecithin for screening and optimization. RESULTS: After preliminary evaluation and subsequentially optimization, two lbMPMs formulations composed of honokiol/magnolol:lecithin:NaDOC (lbMPMs[NaDOC]) and honokiol/magnolol:lecithin:PP123 (lbMPMs[PP123]) in respective ratios of 6:2:5 and 1:1:10 were optimally obtained with the mean particle sizes of 80-150 nm, encapsulation efficacy (EEs) of >90%, and drug loading (DL) of >9.0%. These lbMPMs efficiently stabilized honokiol/magnolol in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at room temperature or 4 °C and in fetal bovine serum or PBS at 37 °C. PK study demonstrated that lbMPMs[NaDOC] showed much improvement in enhancing bioavailability than that by lbMPMs[PP123] for both honokiol and magnolol. The absolute bioavailability for honokiol and magnolol after intravenous administration of lbMPMs[NaDOC] exhibited 0.93- and 3.4-fold increases, respectively, compared to that of free honokiol and magnolol. For oral administration with lbMPMs[NaDOC], the absolute bioavailability of honokiol was 4.8%, and the absolute and relative bioavailability of magnolol were 20.1% and 2.9-fold increase, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, honokiol/magnolol loaded in lbMPMs[NaDOC] showed an improvement of solubility with suitable physical characteristics leading to enhance honokiol and magnolol bioavailability and facilitating their wider application as therapeutic agents for treating human disorders.

One-pot fabrication of sacchachitin for production of TEMPO-oxidized sacchachitin nanofibers (TOSCNFs) utilized as scaffolds to enhance bone regeneration.

One-pot fabrication of sacchachitin (SC) for mass-production was developed and optimized by selecting KOH as alkaline agent in depigmentation step and utilizing NaClO2 as bleaching agent in subsequent step in the same pot. Overall yield of one-pot-fabricated SC was up to 35 %w/w of initial weight with a fibrous texture soft enough for mechanical disintegration into SC nanofibers (SCNFs) and better dispersion for producing TEMPO-oxidized SCNFs (T033SC). Both SCNFs and T033SC could form a 3D gelatinous scaffold into which MC3T3-E1 cells were attracted. Higher calcium-trapping ability of T033SC resulting from a greater extent of carboxylate groups provided an excellent bone regeneration environment that resulted in better outcomes of bone regeneration in a femur defect rat model compared to those with SCNFs possessed fewer carboxylate groups. In conclusion, biomaterial scaffolds based on TEMPO-oxidized SCNFs produced from one-pot fabricated SC showed great potential for bone regeneration due to unique physical and chemical properties.

A Novel Composite Hydrogel Composed of Formic Acid-Decellularized Pepsin-Soluble Extracellular Matrix Hydrogel and Sacchachitin Hydrogel as Wound Dressing to Synergistically Accelerate Diabetic Wound Healing.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) hydrogel can create a favorable regenerative microenvironment and act as a promising dressing for accelerating the healing of diabetic wound. In this study, a simple and effective decellularization technique was developed and optimized to obtain acellular extracellular matrix (aECM) from porcine skin. It was found that decellularization at 30% formic acid for 72 h effectively decellularized porcine skin while retaining >75% collagen and ~37% GAG in the aECM with no presence of nuclei of cellular remnants. aECM hydrogel was fabricated by digesting aECM with pepsin in various acidic solutions (0.1 N HCl, glycolic acid (GA) and 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid (PCA)) and then treated with a pH-controlled neutralization and temperature-controlled gelation procedure. Based on physical characterizations, including SDS-PAGE, rheological analysis and SEM analysis, aECMHCl hydrogels fabricated at 25 mg/mL in 0.1 N HCl were selected. Four polymeric ECM-mimic hydrogels, including sacchachitin (SC), hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CS) and three composite hydrogels of combining SC either with aECMHCl,25 (aECMHCl/SC), HA (HA/SC) or CS (SC/CS) were prepared and evaluated for WS-1 cell viability and wound-healing effectiveness. Cell viability study confirmed that no hydrogel dressings possessed any toxicity at all concentrations examined and ECMHCl, HA and ECMHCl/SC at higher concentrations (>0.05%) induced statistically significant proliferation. Diabetic wound healing study and histological examinations revealed that ECMHCl/SC hydrogel was observed to synergistically accelerate wound healing and ultimately stimulated the growth of hair follicles and sweat glands in the healing wound indicating the wound had healed as functional tissues. The results support the great potential of this newly produced ECMHCl/SC composite hydrogel for healing and regeneration of diabetic wounds.

TEMPO-Oxidized Sacchachitin Nanofibers (TOSCNFs) Combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for Management of Dry Eye Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, the combination of TEMPO-oxidized sacchachitin nanofibers (TOSCNFs) with chitosan-activated platelet-rich plasma (cPRP) was evaluated for remedying dry eye syndrome (DES). METHODS: TOSCNFs, designated T050SC, were generated. T050SC combined with chitosan-activated (cPRP) was formulated as eye drops for application for severe DES. To evaluate the effects of cPRP and TOSCNFs on the repair of corneal injury, in vitro studies were conducted using Statens Seruminstitut rabbit corneal (SIRC) epithelial cells for cell proliferation and cell migration assays, and a severe DES animal model using rabbits was established with benzalkonium chloride (BAC) treatment for the evaluation. RESULTS: Results showed that the optimal eye formulation contained PRP activated by 350 µg/mL of the low-molecular-weight chitosan group (L3) combined with 300 µg/mL TO50SC (L3+T050SC). In the WST-1 cell-proliferation assay, L3 and L3+TO50SC significantly increased Statens SIRC cell proliferation after 24 hrs of incubation. In the SIRC cell migration assay, the L3+TO50SC group showed a wound-healing efficiency of 89% after 24-hr treatment. After 5 days of treatment, Schirmer's test results did not simulate the dry eye animal model. Typical cornea appearance and eye fluorescein staining results showed that the L3 group had the best effect on improving cornea haze and epithelial damage. CONCLUSION: This study has determined that TOSCNFs effectively promoted the healing effect on severe cases of corneal damage, and also might enhance the clinical application and medical potential of PRP in ophthalmology.

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Swellable and Floating Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System (sfGRDDS) for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Nilotinib.

Regarding compliance and minimization of side effects of nilotinib therapy, there is a medical need to have a gastroretentive drug delivery system (GRDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability that is able to administer an optimal dose in a quaque die (QD) or daily manner. In this study, the influence on a swelling and floating (sf) GRDDS composed of a polymeric excipient (HPMC 90SH 100K, HEC 250HHX, or PEO 7000K) and Kollidon® SR was examined. Results demonstrated that PEO 7000K/Kollidon SR (P/K) at a 7/3 ratio was determined to be a basic GRDDS formulation with optimal swelling and floating abilities. MCC PH102 or HPCsssl,SFP was further added at a 50% content to this basic formulation to increase the tablet hardness and release all of the drug within 24 h. Also, the caplet form and capsule form containing the same formulation demonstrated higher hardness for the former and enhanced floating ability for the latter. A pharmacokinetic study on rabbits with pH values in stomach and intestine similar to human confirmed that the enhanced oral bioavailability ranged from 2.65-8.39-fold with respect to Tasigna, a commercially available form of nilotinib. In conclusion, the multiple of enhancement of the oral bioavailability of nilotinib with sfGRDDS could offer a pharmacokinetic profile with therapeutic effectiveness for the QD administration of a reasonable dose of nilotinib, thereby increasing compliance and minimizing side effects.

Preparation and characterization of chemically TEMPO-oxidized and mechanically disintegrated sacchachitin nanofibers (SCNF) for enhanced diabetic wound healing.

TEMPO-oxidization and mechanical disintegration were utilized to develop sacchachitin nanofibers (SCNF) with a 3D gel structure for being an ideal scaffold. Mechanically disintegrated SCNF (MDSCNF) with NanoLyzer® at 20,000 psi for 5 cycles and TEMPO-oxidized SCNF (TOSCNF) produced with 5.0 and 10.0 mmole NaClO/g SC was designated as SCN5, T050SC, and T100SC, respectively. All 2% MDSCNF suspensions were demonstrated to be in gel form, while all except T100SC of 2% TOSCNF suspensions showed to be wet fiber-like hydrogel. In diabetic wound healing study, both SCN5 and T050SC incorporated in AMPS (2-acrylamide-2-methyl-propane sulfonate)-based wound dressing were showed to accelerate diabetic wound healing forming nearly the same as normal tissues. T050SC/H further provided the healed wound with growth of sweat glands and hair follicles indicating the wound had healed as functional tissue. Conclusively, TEMPO-oxidized SCNF-based hydrogel scaffolds showed greater potentials in tissue regeneration due to its unique physical and chemical properties.

In situ chemically crosslinked injectable hydrogels for the subcutaneous delivery of trastuzumab to treat breast cancer.

Recently, novel approaches for the delivery of therapeutic antibodies have attracted much attention, especially sustained release formulations. However, sustained release formulations capable of carrying a high antibody load remain a challenge for practical use. In this study, a novel injectable hydrogel composed of maleimide-modified γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA-MA) and thiol end-functionalized 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (4-arm PEG-SH) was developed for the subcutaneous delivery of trastuzumab. γ-PGA-MA and 4-arm PEG-SH formed a hydrogel through thiol-maleimide reactions, which had shear-thinning properties and reversible rheological behaviors. Moreover, a high content of trastuzumab (>100 mg/mL) could be loaded into this hydrogel, and trastuzumab demonstrated a sustained release over several weeks through electrostatic attraction. In addition, trastuzumab released from the hydrogel had adequate stability in terms of its structural integrity, binding bioactivity, and antiproliferative effect on BT-474 cells. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that trastuzumab-loaded hydrogel (Her-hydrogel-10, composed of 1.5% γ-PGA-MA, 1.5% 4-arm PEG-SH, and 10 mg/mL trastuzumab) and trastuzumab/Zn-loaded hydrogel (Her/Zn-hydrogel-10, composed of 1.5% γ-PGA-MA, 1.5% 4-arm PEG-SH, 5 mM ZnCl2, and 10 mg/mL trastuzumab) could lower the maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) than the trastuzumab solution. Furthermore, Her/Zn-hydrogel-10 was better able to release trastuzumab in a controlled manner, which was ascribed to electrostatic attraction and formation of trastuzumab/Zn nanocomplexes. In a BT-474 xenograft tumor model, Her-hydrogel-10 had a similar tumor growth-inhibitory effect as that of the trastuzumab solution. By contrast, Her/Zn-hydrogel-10 exhibited a superior tumor growth-inhibitory capability due to the functionality of Zn. This study demonstrated that this hydrogel has potential as a carrier for the local and systemic delivery of proteins and antibodies. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Recently, novel sustained-release formulations of therapeutic antibodies have attracted much attention. However, these formulations should be able to carry a high antibody load owing to the required high dose, and these formulations remain a challenge for practical use. In this study, a novel injectable chemically cross-linked hydrogel was developed for the subcutaneous delivery of trastuzumab. This novel hydrogel possessed ideal characteristics of loading high content of trastuzumab (>100 mg/mL), sustained release of trastuzumab over several weeks, and maintaining adequate stability of trastuzumab. In vivo studies demonstrated that a trastuzumab-loaded hydrogel possessed the ability of controlled release of trastuzumab and maintained antitumor efficacy same as that of trastuzumab. These results implied that a γ-PGA-MA and 4-arm PEG-SH-based hydrogel has great potential in serving as a carrier for the local or systemic delivery of therapeutic proteins or antibodies.

Lecithin-Stabilized Polymeric Micelles (LsbPMs) for Delivering Quercetin: Pharmacokinetic Studies and Therapeutic Effects of Quercetin Alone and in Combination with Doxorubicin.

In this study, lecithin-stabilized polymeric micelles (LsbPMs) were prepared to load quercetin (QUE) in order to improve its bioavailability and increase its antitumor activity. Its combination with doxorubicin (DOX) to minimize DOX-mediated cardiac toxicity and increase the antitumor activity of QUE-loaded LsbPMs was also examined. LsbPMs were prepared following a previously reported procedure. Results demonstrated that optimal QUE-loaded LsbPMs contained quercetin, D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and lecithin at a weight ratio of 6:40:80. Drug-release studies showed that QUE released from LsbPMs followed a controlled release pattern. A cytotoxicity assay revealed that QUE-loaded LsbPMs had significant anticancer activities against MCF-7, SKBR-3, and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and CT26 mouse colon cancer cells. In animal studies, intravenous administration of QUE-loaded LsbPMs resulted in efficient growth inhibition of CT26 colon cancer cells in a Balb/c mice model. In a pharmacokinetics study compared to free QUE, intravenous and oral administration of QUE-loaded LsbPMs was found to have significantly increased the relative bioavailability to 158% and 360%, respectively, and the absolute bioavailability to 5.13%. The effect of QUE-loaded LsbPMs in combination with DOX resulted in efficient growth inhibition of CT26 colon cancer cells and reduced cardiac toxicity in the Balb/c mice model.

Stearyl polyethylenimine complexed with plasmids as the core of human serum albumin nanoparticles noncovalently bound to CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids or siRNA for disrupting or silencing PD-L1 expression for immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: In this study, a double emulsion method for complexing plasmids with stearyl poly-ethylenimine (stPEI) as the core to form human serum albumin (HSA) (plasmid/stPEI/HSA) nanoparticles (NPs) was developed for gene delivery by non-covalently binding onto plasmid/stPEI/HSA nanoparticles with CRISPR/Cas9 or siRNA, which disrupts or silences the expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) for immunotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chemically synthesized stearyl-polyethyenimine (stPEI)/plasmids/HSA nanoparticles were maded by double emulsion method. They were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope and also evaluated by in vitro study on CT 26 cells. RESULTS: stPEI was synthesized by an N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)-N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) reaction, and we found that the degree of substitution was ~1.0 when the ratio of PEI to stearic acid was 1:7 in the reaction. Then, two sgRNA sequences were selected and evaluated for their ability to knock out PD-L1 by decreasing its expression by about 20%. Based on the trend of particle size/zeta potential values as a function of ratio, F25P1 containing 25 µg of plasmid/stPEI/HSA NPs noncovalently bound to 1 µg plasmids via charge-charge interactions was found to be optimal. Its particle size was about 202.7±4.5 nm, and zeta potential was 12.60±0.15 mV. In an in vitro study, these NPs showed little cytotoxicity but high cellular uptake. Moreover, they revealed the potential for transfection and PD-L1 knockout in an in vitro cell model. Furthermore, F25P1S0.5 containing 25 µg of plasmid/stPEI/HSA NPs noncovalently bound to 1 µg of plasmids and 0.5 µg siRNA was prepared to simultaneously deliver plasmids and siRNA. An in vitro study demonstrated that the siRNA did not interfere with the transfection of plasmids and showed a high-transfection efficiency with a synergistic effect on inhibition of PD-L1 expression by 21.95%. CONCLUSION: The plasmids/stPEI/HSA NPs could be a promising tool for gene delivery and improved immunotherapy.

New Hirsutinolide-Type Sesquiterpenoids from Vernonia cinerea Inhibit Nitric Oxide Production in LPS-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells.

Phytochemical investigation of ethanol extracts from two Taiwanese collections of Vernonia cinerea resulted in the isolation of eighteen hirsutinolide-type sesquiterpenoids, including seven new ones designated as vernolides E - K (1: -7: ). All structures were determined by a combination of detailed spectroscopic analyses (NMR and MS) and comparison with reported data. In an in vitro anti-inflammatory assay, compounds 3, 7, 9, 11: , and 14: exhibited strong inhibitory activities toward NO production by LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages, with IC50 values of 1.18, 0.85, 0.66, 0.71 and 0.45 µM, respectively, without affecting cellular viability at 40 µM. Preliminary structure-activity relationships indicate that the ester groups at C-8 and C-13 may enhance inhibition of NO production.

Complex Hydrogels Composed of Chitosan with Ring-opened Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone as a Gastroretentive Drug Dosage Form to Enhance the Bioavailability of Bisphosphonates.

Complex hydrogels formed with chitosan (CS) and ring-opened polyvinyl pyrrolidone (roPVP) as a swellable mucoadhesive gastroretentive drug dosage form (smGRDDF) were prepared and characterized. CS/roPVP hydrogels were produced by blending CS with roPVP obtained by basic treatment of PVP. Effects of the heating time and NaOH concentration employed for preparing roPVP, and CS molecular weights (Mws), and roPVP/CS ratios on the swelling ability of the resultant hydrogels were characterized. Rheological characteristics were further examined. Results demonstrated that roPVP obtained in a 0.5 M NaOH solution heated to 50 °C for 4 h was suitable for producing complex hydrogels with CS. At a roPVP/CS ratio of 20:1, hydrogels composed of three different Mws of CS possessed optimal swelling and mucoadhesive abilities and rheological properties. In vitro dissolution revealed sustained drug release. A pharmacokinetic study exhibited that the plasma profile of alendronate followed a sustained manner with 3-fold enhancement of the oral bioavailability. In conclusion, the smGRDDF composed of CS/roPVP complex hydrogels was successfully developed and is potentially applicable to improve the clinical efficacy of bisphosphonates.

Bispecific antibodies (anti-mPEG/anti-HER2) for active tumor targeting of docetaxel (DTX)-loaded mPEGylated nanocarriers to enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy of HER2-overexpressing tumors.

Anti-mPEG/anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) non-covalently bound to a docetaxel (DTX)-loaded mPEGylated lecithin-stabilized micellar drug delivery system (LsbMDDs) were endowed with active targetability to improve the chemotherapeutic efficacy of DTX. DTX-loaded mPEGylated LsbMDDs formulations were prepared using lecithin/DSPE-PEG(2K or 5K) nanosuspensions to hydrate the thin film, and then they were subjected to ultrasonication. Two BsAbs (anti-mPEG/anti-DNS or anti-HER2) were simply mixed with the LsbMDDs to form BsAbs-LsbMDDs formulations, respectively, referred as the DNS-LsbMDDs and HER2-LsbMDDs. Results demonstrated that the physical characteristics of the BsAbs-LsbMDDs were similar to those of the plain LsbMDDs but more slowly released DTX than that from the LsbMDDs. Results also showed that the HER2-LsbMDDs suppressed the growth of HER2-expressing MCF-7/HER2 tumors, increasing the amount taken up via an endocytosis pathway leading to high drug accumulation and longer retention in the tumor. In conclusion, the BsAbs-LsbMDDs preserved the physical properties of the LsbMDDs and actively targeted tumors with a drug cargo to enhance drug accumulation in tumors leading to greater antitumor activity against antigen-positive tumors.