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1.
Biomed Mater ; 19(3)2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38574581

ABSTRACT

In terms of biomedical tools, nanodiamonds (ND) are a more recent innovation. Their size typically ranges between 4 to 100 nm. ND are produced via a variety of methods and are known for their physical toughness, durability, and chemical stability. Studies have revealed that surface modifications and functionalization have a significant influence on the optical and electrical properties of the nanomaterial. Consequently, surface functional groups of NDs have applications in a variety of domains, including drug administration, gene delivery, immunotherapy for cancer treatment, and bio-imaging to diagnose cancer. Additionally, their biocompatibility is a critical requisite for theirin vivoandin vitrointerventions. This review delves into these aspects and focuses on the recent advances in surface modification strategies of NDs for various biomedical applications surrounding cancer diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, the prognosis of its clinical translation has also been discussed.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds , Neoplasms , Humans , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Neoplasms/therapy , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Diagnostic Imaging/methods , Immunotherapy
2.
Cancer Lett ; 587: 216710, 2024 Apr 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38369006

ABSTRACT

Cancer remains a leading global cause of mortality, demanding early diagnosis and effective treatment. Traditional therapeutic methods often fall short due to their need for more specificity and systemic toxicity. In this challenging landscape, nanodiamonds (ND) emerge as a potential solution, mitigating the limitations of conventional approaches. ND are tiny carbon particles that mimic traditional diamonds chemical stability and hardness and harness nanomaterials' advantages. ND stands out for the unique properties that make them promising nanotheranostics candidates, combining therapeutic and imaging capabilities in one platform. Many of these applications depend on the design of the particle's surface, as the surface's role is crucial in transporting bioactive molecules, preventing aggregation, and building composite materials. This review delves into ND's distinctive features, structural and optical characteristics, and their profound relevance in advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment methods. The report delves into how these exceptional ND properties drive the development of state-of-the-art techniques for precise tumor targeting, boosting the effectiveness of chemotherapy as a chemosensitizer, harnessing immunotherapy strategies, facilitating precision medicine, and creating localized microfilm devices for targeted therapies.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds , Neoplasms , Humans , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Precision Medicine , Drug Delivery Systems , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Diagnostic Imaging
3.
ACS Sens ; 8(5): 1989-1999, 2023 05 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37129234

ABSTRACT

Spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4) is an oncofetal protein that has been identified to drive cancer progression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hematological malignancies. Furthermore, a high SALL4 expression level is correlated to poor prognosis in these cancers. However, SALL4 lacks well-structured small-molecule binding pockets, making it difficult to design targeted inhibitors. SALL4-induced expression of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) genes may serve as a therapeutically targetable vulnerability in HCC through OXPHOS inhibition. Because OXPHOS functions through a set of genes with intertumoral heterogeneous expression, identifying therapeutic sensitivity to OXPHOS inhibitors may not rely on a single clear biomarker. Here, we developed a workflow that utilized molecular beacons, nucleic-acid-based, activatable sensors with high specificity to the target mRNA, delivered by nanodiamonds, to establish an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform for rapid evaluation of patient-specific drug sensitivity. Specifically, when the HCC cells were treated with the nanodiamond-medicated OXPHOS biosensor, high sensitivity and specificity of the sensor allowed for improved identification of OXPHOS expression in cells. Assisted by a trained convolutional neural network, drug sensitivity of cells toward an OXPHOS inhibitor, IACS-010759, could be accurately predicted. AI-assisted OXPHOS drug sensitivity assessment could be accomplished within 1 day, enabling rapid and efficient clinical decision support for HCC treatment. The work proposed here serves as a foundation for the patient-based subtype-specific therapeutic research platform and is well suited for precision medicine.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents , Biosensing Techniques , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Liver Neoplasms , Nanodiamonds , Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Oxidative Phosphorylation , Artificial Intelligence , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
4.
Curr Cancer Drug Targets ; 23(8): 620-633, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36843367

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the foremost causes of cancer-related morbidities worldwide. Novel nanotechnology-backed drug delivery stratagems, including molecular targeting of the chemotherapeutic payload, have been considered. However, no quantum leap in the gross survival rate of patients with PDAC has been realized. One of the predominant causes behind this is tumor desmoplasia, a dense and heterogenous stromal extracellular matrix of the tumor, aptly termed tumor microenvironment (TME). It plays a pivotal role in the tumor pathogenesis of PDAC as it occupies most of the tumor mass, making PDAC one of the most stromal-rich cancers. The complex crosstalk between the tumor and dynamic components of the TME impacts tumor progression and poses a potential barrier to drug delivery. Understanding and deciphering the complex cascade of tumorstromal interactions are the need of the hour so that we can develop neoteric nano-carriers to disrupt the stroma and target the tumor. Nanodiamonds (NDs), due to their unique surface characteristics, have emerged as a promising nano delivery system in various pre-clinical cancer models and have the potential to deliver the chemotherapeutic payload by moving beyond the dynamic tumor-stromal barrier. It can be the next revolution in nanoparticle-mediated pancreatic cancer targeting.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal , Nanodiamonds , Pancreatic Neoplasms , Humans , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Molecular Targeted Therapy , Pancreatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology , Tumor Microenvironment , Pancreatic Neoplasms
5.
Chem Commun (Camb) ; 59(15): 2039-2055, 2023 Feb 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36723092

ABSTRACT

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are a remarkable class of carbon-based nanoparticles in nanomedicine which have recently become a hot topic of research due to their unique features including functionalization versatility, tunable opto-magnetic properties, chemical stability, minimal cytotoxicity, high affinity to biomolecules and biocompatibility. These attractive features make NDs versatile tools for a wide range of biologically relevant applications. In this feature article, we discuss the opto-magnetic properties of negatively charged nitrogen vacancy (NV-) centres in NDs as fluorescence probes. We further discuss the frequently used chemical methods for surface chemistry modification of NDs which are relevant for biomedical applications. The in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of modified NDs is also highlighted. Subsequently, we give an overview of recent state-of-the-art biomedical applications of NDs as versatile tools for bioimaging and detection, and as targeting nanocarriers for chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, antimicrobial and antiviral therapy, and bone tissue engineering. Finally, we pinpoint the main challenges for NDs in biomedical applications which lie ahead and discuss perspectives on future directions in advancing the field for practical applications and clinical translations.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds , Photochemotherapy , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanomedicine/methods , Tissue Engineering , Fluorescent Dyes
6.
Rheumatol Int ; 42(11): 1883-1891, 2022 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35587833

ABSTRACT

Nanomedicine (NM) is the medical use of nanotechnology (NT). NT is the study and control of nanoscale structures (between approximately 1 and 100 nm). Nanomaterials are created by manipulating atoms and molecules at the nanoscale, resulting in novel physical and chemical properties. With its targeted tissue delivery capabilities, NT has enabled molecular modulation of the immune response and underlying inflammatory responses in individuals with rheumatic diseases (RD). NM has enabled targeted drug delivery, reduced adverse effects on non-target organs, raised drug concentration in synovial tissue, and slowed the progression of immune-mediated RD such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Thus, NM has evolved in rheumatology prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. Animal models have proven superior outcomes to conventional techniques of treating specific illnesses. Nanodiamond (ND) immunomodulatory applications have been proposed as an alternative to traditional nanoparticles in the diagnosis and treatment of RA due to their small size and ability to be removed from the body without causing harm to the patient's organs, such as the liver. However, human clinical NM needs more research. We conducted a literature review to assess the present role of NM in clinical rheumatology, describing its current and future applications in the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases.


Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Nanodiamonds , Rheumatic Diseases , Rheumatology , Animals , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnosis , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosis , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Nanotechnology , Rheumatic Diseases/diagnosis , Rheumatic Diseases/drug therapy
7.
Drug Deliv ; 29(1): 937-949, 2022 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35319321

ABSTRACT

The present work aims to prove the concept of tumor-targeted drug delivery mediated by platelets. Doxorubicin (DOX) attached to nanodiamonds (ND-DOX) was investigated as the model payload drug of platelets. In vitro experiments first showed that ND-DOX could be loaded in mouse platelets in a dose-dependent manner with a markedly higher efficiency and capacity than free DOX. ND-DOX-loaded platelets (Plt@ND-DOX) maintained viability and ND-DOX could be stably held in the platelets for at least 4 hr. Next, mouse Lewis lung cancer cells were found to activate Plt@ND-DOX and thereby stimulate cargo unloading of Plt@ND-DOX. The unloaded ND-DOX was taken up by co-cultured cancer cells which consequently exhibited loss of viability, proliferation suppression and apoptosis. In vivo, Plt@ND-DOX displayed significantly prolonged blood circulation time over ND-DOX and DOX in mice, and Lewis tumor grafts demonstrated infiltration, activation and cargo unloading of Plt@ND-DOX in the tumor tissue. Consequently, Plt@ND-DOX effectively reversed the growth of Lewis tumor grafts which exhibited significant inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Importantly, Plt@ND-DOX displayed a markedly higher therapeutic potency than free DOX but without the severe systemic toxicity associated with DOX. Our findings are concrete proof of platelets as efficient and efficacious carriers for tumor-targeted nano-drug delivery with the following features: 1) large loading capacity and high loading efficiency, 2) good tolerance of cargo drug, 3) stable cargo retention and no cargo unloading in the absence of stimulation, 4) prolonged blood circulation time, and 5) excellent tumor distribution and tumor-activated drug unloading leading to high therapeutic potency and few adverse effects. Platelets hold great potential as efficient and efficacious carriers for tumor-targeted nano-drug delivery.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds , Neoplasms , Animals , Blood Platelets , Cell Survival , Doxorubicin/pharmacology , Doxorubicin/therapeutic use , Mice , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/drug therapy
8.
Drug Deliv Transl Res ; 12(5): 1017-1028, 2022 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33970463

ABSTRACT

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. With the projected increase in breast cancer cases in recent years, optimising treatment becomes increasingly important. Current treatment modalities in breast cancer present major limitations, including chemoresistance, dose-limiting adverse effects and lack of selectivity in aggressive subtypes of breast cancers such as triple-negative breast cancer. Nanodiamonds have demonstrated promising outcomes in preclinical models from their unique surface characteristics allowing optimised delivery of various therapeutic agents, overcoming some of the significant hurdles in conventional treatment modalities. This review will present an update on preclinical findings of nanodiamond-based drug delivery systems for breast cancer therapy to date, challenges with the use of nanodiamonds along with considerations for future research.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds , Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms , Drug Delivery Systems , Female , Humans , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use
9.
Nanotechnology ; 32(47)2021 Aug 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34380124

ABSTRACT

There is a renewed interest in nanodiamonds and their applications in biology and medicine, especially in bioimaging and photothermal therapy. This is due to their small size, chemical inertness and unique photo-properties such as bright and robust fluorescence, resistant to photobleaching and photothermal response under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. However, the biggest challenge limiting the wide-spread use of nanodiamonds is the high-energy consuming, dangerous and sophisticated synthetic methods currently adopted by industry named higher temperature high pressure approach, and detonation method. Despite over a decade of research towards the development of new synthetic approaches, most of the methods developed to date require sophisticated instrumentations and have high energy demand. To circumvent the reliance on high energy demanding sophisticated experimental setups, here we present a simple synthetic approach using solar energy as a sustainable sole energy source. Using low-grade coal as carbon precursor, we used high power magnifying glasses to concentrate and focus sunlight to induce synthesis of nanodiamonds. The synthesized nanodiamonds exhibit similar physicochemical and photo-properties as nanodiamonds synthesized using other synthetic approaches.In vitrostudies using macrophage Raw 264.7 cells demonstrated rapid uptake and bright fluorescence of the synthesized nanodiamonds with superior biocompatibility (≥95% cell viability). The synthesized nanodiamonds also exhibited dose dependent photothermal response under NIR irradiation.


Subject(s)
Hot Temperature , Nanodiamonds , Phototherapy , Sunlight , Animals , Mice , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , RAW 264.7 Cells
10.
Nanotechnology ; 32(46)2021 Aug 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34371485

ABSTRACT

Tumor angiogenesis has been identified as an important factor in the development and progression of tumors, and anti-angiogenesis therapy has been recognized as an effective tumor therapy pattern. The unique characteristics of nanodiamonds (NDs) have been explored for photothermal therapy (PTT) against cancer, while the efficiency of mild PTT mediated by bare NDs was limited. The combination of different therapies into a single nanoplatform has shown great potential for synergistic cancer treatment. In this investigation, we integrated hydrophobic antiangiogenesis agent combretastatin A4 (CA4) into the protamine sulfate (PS) functionalized NDs hybrids (NDs@PS) with a noncovalent self-assembling method (CA4-NDs@PS) for potential combined anti-angiogenesis and mild PTT in liver cancer. The resulted CA4-NDs@PS NDs exhibited high drug loading ability, good dispersibility and colloidal stability. The near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation could trigger the release of CA4 from CA4-NDs@PS NDs and elevate the temperature of CA4-NDs@PS NDs aqueous solution.In vitroresults illustrated that CA4-NDs@PS coupled with laser irradiation could remarkably enhance HepG-2 cells killing efficiency, leading to an enhanced photocytotoxicity. Furthermore,in vivoexperiments revealed that CA4-NDs@PS exhibited a highly synergistic anticancer efficacy with NIR laser irradiation in HepG-2 tumor-bearing mice. Altogether, our present study fabricated a novel NDs@PS-based nanoplatform for combined anti-tumor angiogenesis and mild PTT against liver cancer.


Subject(s)
Angiogenesis Inhibitors/pharmacology , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Protamines/pharmacology , Stilbenes/pharmacology , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Female , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Phototherapy/methods , Photothermal Therapy/methods
11.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 13(8): 9620-9629, 2021 Mar 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33595291

ABSTRACT

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are a type of biocompatible nanomaterial with easily modified surfaces and are considered as promising candidates in biomedicine. In this work, the inhibition of tumor cell migration by carboxylated nanodiamonds (cNDs) was investigated. AFM-based single cell adhesion and F-actin staining experiments demonstrated that cNDs treatment could enhance cell adhesion and impair assembly of the cytoskeleton. The mechanism analysis of the regulatory protein expression level also proved that cNDs could inhibit the migration of Hela cells by preventing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process through the transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) signaling pathway. The in vivo pulmonary metastasis model also showed that cNDs effectively reduced the metastasis of murine B16 melanoma cells. In summary, cNDs have been demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell migration in vitro and decrease tumor metastasis in vivo. Therefore, cNDs might have potential utility for specific cancer treatment.


Subject(s)
Cell Adhesion/drug effects , Cell Movement/drug effects , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Actin Cytoskeleton/drug effects , Actins/metabolism , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects , Female , Humans , Male , Mice , Neoplasm Metastasis/prevention & control
12.
Nanoscale ; 11(45): 22006-22018, 2019 Nov 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31710073

ABSTRACT

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease. Nanomedicine, however, offers new opportunities to facilitate drug delivery in PDAC. Our previous work has shown that poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized nanodiamond (ND) mediated drug delivery offered a considerable improvement over free drug in PDAC. Inspired by this result and guided by molecular simulations, we opted for simultaneous loading of irinotecan and curcumin in ultra-small PEGylated NDs (ND-IRT + CUR). We observed that ND-IRT + CUR was more efficacious in killing AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells than NDs with single drugs. Using NDs functionalized with a near-infrared (NIR) dye, we demonstrated the preferential localization of the NDs in tumors and metastatic lesions. We further demonstrate that ND-IRT + CUR is capable of producing pronounced anti-tumor effects in two different clinically relevant, immune-competent genetic models of PDAC. Cytokine profiling indicated that NDs with or without drugs downregulated the expression of IL-10, a key modulator of the tumor microenvironment. Thus, using a combination of in silico, in vitro, and in vivo approaches, we show for the first time the remarkable anti-tumor efficacy of PEGylated NDs carrying a dual payload of irinotecan plus curcumin. These results highlight the potential use of such nano-carriers in the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.


Subject(s)
Curcumin , Drug Carriers , Nanodiamonds , Pancreatic Neoplasms , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Curcumin/chemistry , Curcumin/pharmacokinetics , Curcumin/pharmacology , Drug Carriers/chemistry , Drug Carriers/pharmacokinetics , Drug Carriers/pharmacology , Humans , Mice , Mice, Mutant Strains , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Pancreatic Neoplasms/drug therapy , Pancreatic Neoplasms/metabolism , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry , Polyethylene Glycols/pharmacokinetics , Polyethylene Glycols/pharmacology , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays , Pancreatic Neoplasms
13.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 11(49): 45427-45441, 2019 Dec 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31718136

ABSTRACT

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer with high mortality but limited therapeutic options. Epigenetic regulations including DNA methylation and histone modification control gene expressions and play a crucial role during tumorigenesis. G9a, also known as EHMT2 (euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2), is a histone methyltransferase predominantly responsible for dimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9). G9a has been shown to play a key role in promoting tumor progression. Recent studies have identified that G9a is a critical mediator of HCC pathogenesis. UNC0646 is a G9a inhibitor that has shown potent in vitro efficacy. However, due to its water insolubility, the in vivo efficacy of UNC0646 is not satisfactory. In this study, nanodiamonds (NDs) were utilized as a drug delivery platform to improve in vivo delivery of this small-molecule inhibitor. Our results showed that ND-UNC0646 complexes could be rapidly synthesized by physical adsorption, meanwhile possessing favorable drug delivery properties and was able to improve the dispersibility of UNC0646 in water, therefore making it amenable for intravenous administration. The release profile of UNC0646 from ND-UNC0646 was demonstrated to be pH-responsive. Moreover, ND-UNC0646 maintained the biological functionality of UNC0646, with higher efficacy in reducing H3K9 methylation as well as enhanced invasion suppressive effects. Most importantly, increased in vivo efficacy was demonstrated using an orthotopic HCC mouse model, which paves the way of translating this small-molecule inhibitor toward HCC treatment. Our work demonstrates the potential of NDs in the clinical application for HCC treatment.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy , Drug Delivery Systems , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Animals , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , DNA Methylation/drug effects , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Histocompatibility Antigens/chemistry , Histone Code/drug effects , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/antagonists & inhibitors , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/chemistry , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/genetics , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Mice , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Quinazolines/chemistry , Quinazolines/pharmacology
14.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces ; 11(46): 43500-43508, 2019 Nov 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31657539

ABSTRACT

The artificial joints, for example, knee and hip implants, are widely used for the treatment of degenerative joint diseases and trauma. The current most common material choice for clinically used implants is the combination of polymer-on-metal structures. Unfortunately, these joints often suffer from high friction and wear, leading to associated inflammation and infection and ultimate failure of the artificial joints. Here, we propose an alternative solution to this tribologically induced failure of the joint materials. We demonstrate that the friction and wear behavior of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and titanium tribopair, used to mimic the artificial joint interface, can be improved by introducing nanodiamond (ND) particles in the sliding contact. Characterization of the wear track using energy-dispersive spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the tribofilm formed from embedded NDs during sliding significantly suppressed the wear of the UHMWPE surface. In addition to the improved lubrication characteristics, NDs exhibit high biocompatibility with the bone cells and promising antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus, the most common strain associated with artificial joint infection. These results indicate that NDs can be used as a promising nontoxic human-body lubricant with antiwear and antibacterial features, thus demonstrating their great potential to treat artificial joint complications through intra-articular injection.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents , Biocompatible Materials , Lubricants , Nanodiamonds , Polyethylenes , Prostheses and Implants , Staphylococcus aureus/growth & development , Titanium , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Biocompatible Materials/chemistry , Biocompatible Materials/pharmacology , Cell Line , Lubricants/chemistry , Lubricants/pharmacology , Mice , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Polyethylenes/chemistry , Polyethylenes/pharmacology , Surface Properties , Titanium/chemistry , Titanium/pharmacology
15.
Bioconjug Chem ; 30(8): 2228-2237, 2019 08 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31268690

ABSTRACT

Delivering functional proteins (such as enzymes) into cells is important in various biological studies and is often accomplished indirectly by transfection with DNA or mRNA encoding recombinant proteins. However, the transfection efficiency of conventional plasmid methods is low for primary cells, which are crucial sources of cell therapy. Here, we present a new platform based on the use of fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) as a biocompatible nanocarrier to enable rapid, effective, and homogeneous labeling of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with luciferase for multiplex assays and ultrasensitive detection. More than 100 pg of FND and 100 million copies of firefly luciferase can be delivered into each MSC through endocytosis. Moreover, these endocytic luciferase molecules are catalytically active for hours, allowing the cells to be imaged and tracked in vitro as well as in vivo by both fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. Our results demonstrate that luciferase-conjugated FNDs are useful as multifunctional labels of human stem cells for diverse theranostic applications.


Subject(s)
Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Luciferases/administration & dosage , Multimodal Imaging/methods , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Stem Cells/metabolism , Fluorescence , Humans , Luciferases/metabolism , Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism , Theranostic Nanomedicine
16.
Drug Discov Today ; 24(2): 584-594, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30408527

ABSTRACT

Neurodegenerative diseases are complex in both their nature and prognosis. The difficulties associated with penetrating the blood-brain barrier (BBB), achieving site-specific targeting to the brain, and identifying the genetic etiologies responsible make treating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and stroke, challenging. The aim to treat disease at the molecular level has galvanized nanotechnology research. Among the forms of nanoparticles (NPs) explored thus far, nanodiamonds (NDs) have shown great potential. Their unique physicochemical properties, such as a nanometer size range, stable and inert core, tunable surface, intrinsic fluorescence without photobleaching, negligible toxicity, and the ability to form complexes with drugs, highlight their theranostic potential. The ability of NDs to penetrate the BBB and target specific affected areas of the brain could take research one step closer to understanding the underlying disease etiology and unlocking more efficient methods of delivering neuromedicine to specific areas of the brain. Here, we explore interactions between NDs and the neuronal circuitry with a focus on the therapeutic potential of NDs as treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.


Subject(s)
Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Neurodegenerative Diseases/diagnosis , Neurodegenerative Diseases/drug therapy , Animals , Humans , Neurons/drug effects
17.
J Prosthodont ; 28(1): e417-e425, 2019 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30353608

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of addition of different concentrations of nanodiamonds (NDs) on flexural strength, impact strength, and surface roughness of heat-polymerized acrylic resin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 120 specimens were fabricated from heat-polymerized acrylic resin. They were divided into a control group of pure polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA; Major.Base.20) and three tested groups (PMMA-ND) with 0.5%wt, 1%wt, and 1.5%wt of added ND to PMMA. Flexural strength was determined using the three-point bending test. Impact strength was recorded by using a Charpy type impact test. Surface roughness test was performed using a Contour GT machine. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc analysis (p ≤ 0.05) were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Acrylic resin reinforced with 0.5% ND displayed significantly higher flexural strength than the unreinforced heat-polymerized specimens, acrylic resin reinforced with 1% ND and the 1.5% ND (p < 0.0001). The impact strength of unreinforced heat-polymerized specimens was significantly higher than all nano-composite materials (p < 0.0001) with no significant difference between 1% ND and the 1.5% ND (p > 0.05). The addition of 0.5% ND and 1% ND significantly decreased the surface roughness in comparison to both control and the 1.5% ND groups (p < 0.0001) while no significant differences between 0.5% ND and 1% ND (p > 0.05) were reported. Nano-composite material (0.5% ND) showed significantly lower surface roughness when compared to other specimens. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of NDs to acrylic denture base improved the flexural strength and surface roughness at low concentrations (0.5%), while the impact strength was decreased with ND addition.


Subject(s)
Denture Bases , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Polymethyl Methacrylate/therapeutic use , Dental Stress Analysis , Flexural Strength , Surface Properties
18.
Nat Commun ; 9(1): 4347, 2018 10 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30341298

ABSTRACT

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is a successful chemotherapeutic drug for blood cancers via selective induction of apoptosis; however its efficacy in solid tumors is limited. Here we repurpose nanodiamonds (NDs) as a safe and potent autophagic inhibitor to allosterically improve the therapeutic efficacy of ATO-based treatment in solid tumors. We find that NDs and ATO are physically separate and functionally target different cellular pathways (autophagy vs. apoptosis); whereas their metabolic coupling in human liver carcinoma cells remarkably enhances programmed cell death. Combination therapy in liver tumor mice model results in ~91% carcinoma decrease as compared with ~28% without NDs. Treated mice show 100% survival rate in 150 days with greatly reduced advanced liver carcinoma-associated symptoms, and ~80% of post-therapy mice survive for over 20 weeks. Our work presents a novel strategy to harness the power of nanoparticles to broaden the scope of ATO-based therapy and more generally to fight solid tumors.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Arsenic Trioxide/therapeutic use , Carcinoma/drug therapy , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents/adverse effects , Arsenic Trioxide/administration & dosage , Arsenic Trioxide/adverse effects , Autophagy/drug effects , Carcinoma/pathology , Drug Therapy, Combination , Hep G2 Cells , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Mice , Mice, Nude , Nanodiamonds/administration & dosage , Nanodiamonds/adverse effects
19.
Biomacromolecules ; 19(2): 481-489, 2018 02 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29316394

ABSTRACT

The introduction of a strategy toward polymer/nanodiamond hybrids with high polymer grafting density and accessible polymer structural characterization is of critical importance for nanodiamonds' surface modification and bioagent attachment for their biomedical application. Here, we report a glycopolymer/nanodiamond hybrid drug delivery system, which was prepared by grafting amonafide-conjugated glycopolymers onto the surface of nanodiamonds via oxime ligation. Poly(1-O-methacryloyl-2,3:4,5-di-O-isopropylidene-ß-d-fructopyranose)-b-poly(3-vinylbenzaldehyde-co-methyl methacrylate), featuring pendant aldehyde groups, is prepared via RAFT polymerization. The anticancer drug amonafide is conjugated to the polymer chains via imine chemistry, resulting in acid-degradable imine linkages. The obtained amonafide-conjugated glycopolymers are subsequently grafted onto the surface of aminooxy-functionalized nanodiamonds via oxime ligation. The molecular weight of the conjugated polymers is characterized by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), while the successful conjugation and corresponding grafting density is assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric aanalysis (TGA). Our results indicate that the mass percentage of amonafide in the polymer chains is around 17% and the surface density of polymer chains is 0.24 molecules/nm2. The prepared drug delivery system has a hydrodynamic size around 380 nm with low PDI (0.3) and can effectively deliver amonafide into breast cancer cell and significantly inhibit the cancer cell viability. In 2D cell culture models, the IC50 values of ND-Polymer-AMF delivery system (7.19 µM for MCF-7; 4.92 µM for MDA-MB-231) are lower than those of free amonafide (11.23 µM for MCF-7; 13.98 µM for MDA-MB-231). An inhibited cell viability of nanodiamonds/polymer delivery system is also observed in 3D spheroids' models, suggesting that polymer-diamonds hybrid materials can be promising platforms for breast cancer therapy.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Coated Materials, Biocompatible , Drug Delivery Systems/methods , Fructose , Nanodiamonds , Naphthalimides , Adenine , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/chemistry , Coated Materials, Biocompatible/pharmacology , Female , Fructose/chemistry , Fructose/pharmacology , Humans , MCF-7 Cells , Nanodiamonds/chemistry , Nanodiamonds/therapeutic use , Naphthalimides/chemistry , Naphthalimides/pharmacology , Organophosphonates
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