Mitochondria-Targeted Multifunctional Nanoprodrugs by Inhibiting Metabolic Reprogramming for Combating Cisplatin-Resistant Lung Cancer.

How to address the resistance of cisplatin (CDDP) has always been a clinical challenge. The resistance mechanism of platinum-based drugs is very complex, including nuclear DNA damage repair, apoptosis escape, and tumor metabolism reprogramming. Tumor cells can switch between mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis and develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs through metabolic variability. In addition, due to the lack of histone protection and a relatively weak damage repair ability, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is more susceptible to damage, which in turn affects mitochondrial OXPHOS and can become a potential target for platinum-based drugs. Therefore, mitochondria, as targets of anticancer drugs, have become a hot topic in tumor resistance research. This study constructed a self-assembled nanotargeted drug delivery system LND-SS-Pt-TPP/HA-CD. ß-Cyclodextrin-grafted hydronic acid (HA-CD)-encapsulated prodrug nanoparticles can target CD44 on the tumor surface and further deliver the prodrug to intracellular mitochondria through a triphenylphosphine group (TPP+). Disulfide bonds can be selectively degraded by glutathione (GSH) in mitochondria, releasing lonidamine (LND) and the cisplatin prodrug (Pt(IV)). Under the action of GSH and ascorbic acid, Pt(IV) is further reduced to cisplatin (Pt(II)). Cisplatin can cause mtDNA damage, induce mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy, and then affect mitochondrial OXPHOS. Meanwhile, LND can reduce the hexokinase II (HK II) level, induce destruction of mitochondria, and block energy supply by glycolysis inhibition. Ultimately, this self-assembled nano targeted delivery system can synergistically kill cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells, which supplies an overcome cisplatin resistance choice via the disrupt mitochondria therapy.

Progress of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) delivery system in tumor treatment.

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can use the intrinsic protein degradation system in cells to degrade pathogenic target proteins, and are currently a revolutionary frontier of development strategy for tumor treatment with small molecules. However, the poor water solubility, low cellular permeability, and off-target side effects of most PROTACs have prevented them from passing the preclinical research stage of drug development. This requires the use of appropriate delivery systems to overcome these challenging hurdles and ensure precise delivery of PROTACs towards the tumor site. Therefore, the combination of PROTACs and multifunctional delivery systems will open up new research directions for targeted degradation of tumor proteins. In this review, we systematically reviewed the design principles and the most recent advances of various PROTACs delivery systems. Moreover, the constructive strategies for developing multifunctional PROTACs delivery systems were proposed comprehensively. This review aims to deepen the understanding of PROTACs drugs and promote the further development of PROTACs delivery system.

Research Progress of Disulfide Bond Based Tumor Microenvironment Targeted Drug Delivery System.

Cancer poses a significant threat to human life and health. Chemotherapy is currently one of the effective cancer treatments, but many chemotherapy drugs have cell toxicity, low solubility, poor stability, a narrow therapeutic window, and unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties. To solve the above problems, target drug delivery to tumor cells, and reduce the side effects of drugs, an anti-tumor drug delivery system based on tumor microenvironment has become a focus of research in recent years. The construction of a reduction-sensitive nanomedicine delivery system based on disulfide bonds has attracted much attention. Disulfide bonds have good reductive responsiveness and can effectively target the high glutathione (GSH) levels in the tumor environment, enabling precise drug delivery. To further enhance targeting and accelerate drug release, disulfide bonds are often combined with pH-responsive nanocarriers and highly expressed ligands in tumor cells to construct drug delivery systems. Disulfide bonds can connect drug molecules and polymer molecules in the drug delivery system, as well as between different drug molecules and carrier molecules. This article summarized the drug delivery systems (DDS) that researchers have constructed in recent years based on disulfide bond drug delivery systems targeting the tumor microenvironment, disulfide bond cleavage-triggering conditions, various drug loading strategies, and carrier design. In this review, we also discuss the controlled release mechanisms and effects of these DDS and further discuss the clinical applicability of delivery systems based on disulfide bonds and the challenges faced in clinical translation.

Polydopamine-Based Nanoparticles for Synergistic Chemotherapy of Prostate Cancer.

Introduction: Immune regulatory small molecule JQ1 can block its downstream effector PD-L1 pathway and effectively reverse the PD-L1 upregulation induced by doxorubicin (DOX). So the synergistic administration of chemotherapeutic drug DOX and JQ1 is expected to increase the sensitivity of tumors to immune checkpoint therapy and jointly enhance the body's own immunity, thus effectively killing tumor cells. Therefore, a drug delivery system loaded with DOX and JQ1 was devised in this study. Methods: Polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) were synthesized through spontaneous polymerization. Under appropriate pH conditions, DOX and JQ1 were loaded onto the surface of PDA NPs, and the release of DOX and JQ1 were measured using UV-Vis or high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The mechanism of fabricated nanocomplex in vitro was investigated by cell uptake experiment, cell viability assays, apoptosis assays, and Western blot analysis. Finally, the tumor-bearing mouse model was used to evaluate the tumor-inhibiting efficacy and the biosafety in vivo. Results: JQ1 and DOX were successfully loaded onto PDA NPs. PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells, reduced the expression of apoptosis related proteins and induced apoptosis in vitro. The in vivo biodistribution indicated that PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs could accumulated at the tumor sites through the EPR effect. In tumor-bearing mice, JQ1 delivered with PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs reduced PD-L1 expression at tumor sites, generating significant tumor suppression. Furthermore, PDA-DOX/JQ1 NPs could reduce the side effects, and produce good synergistic treatment effect in vivo. Conclusion: We have successfully prepared a multifunctional platform for synergistic prostate cancer therapy.

TiO2 nanoparticles promote tumor metastasis by eliciting pro-metastatic extracellular vesicles.

The development of nanotechnology has provided numerous possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Paradoxically, some in vivo experimental studies have also shown that nanoparticles (NPs) could promote tumor progression, but the specific mechanism is not yet clear. Primary tumors can release extracellular vesicles (EVs) which can promote the inoculation and growth of tumor cells that have metastasized to distant organs. So, whether nanomaterials can promote tumor progression through tumor-derived EVs deserves further research. Here, we showed that TiO2 NPs, widely used in nanomedicine, could trigger tumor-derived EVs with enhanced pro-metastatic capacity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, miR-301a-3p derived from NPs-elicited EVs could be delivered into vascular endothelial cells, which inhibited the expression of VEGFR2 and VE-cadherin by targeting S1PR1, leading to disrupt the tight junctions of vascular endothelial cells, thus to promote vascular permeability and angiogenesis, and induce the formation of pre-metastasis niches in vivo. This study emphasizes that it is urgent to consider the effect of NPs on EVs under long-term use conditions when designing nanodrugs for cancer treatment.

Depletion of gut microbiota resistance in 5×FAD mice enhances the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSCs-exo) can be used for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) by promoting amyloid-ß (Aß) degradation, modulating immune responses, protecting neurology, promoting axonal growth, and improving cognitive impairment. Increasing evidence suggests that the alteration of gut microbiota is closely related to the occurrence and development of Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we hypothesized that dysbiosis of gut microbiota might limit the therapy of MSCs-exo, and the application of antibiotics would improve the therapy. METHODS: In this original research study, we used MSCs-exo to treat 5 ×FAD mice and fed them antibiotic cocktails for 1 week to detect cognitive ability and neuropathy. The mice's feces were collected to investigate alterations in the microbiota and metabolites. RESULTS: The results revealed that the AD gut microbiota eliminated the therapeutic effect of MSCs-exo, whereas antibiotic modulation of disordered gut microbiota and associated metabolites enhanced the therapeutic effect of MSCs-exo. CONCLUSIONS: These results encourage the research of novel therapeutics to enhance MSCs-exo treatment for AD, which could benefit a broader range of patients with AD.

Current progress of mesenchymal stem cell membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles for targeted therapy.

Nanodrug delivery systems have been widely used in disease treatment. However, weak drug targeting, easy to be cleared by the immune system, and low biocompatibility are great obstacles for drug delivery. As an important part of cell information transmission and behavior regulation, cell membrane can be used as drug coating material which represents a promising strategy and can overcome these limitations. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) membrane, as a new carrier, has the characteristics of active targeting and immune escape of MSC, and has broad application potential in tumor treatment, inflammatory disease, tissue regeneration and other fields. Here, we review recent progress on the use of MSC membrane-coated nanoparticles for therapy and drug delivery, aiming to provide guidance for the design and clinical application of membrane carrier in the future.

Synergistic treatment of osteosarcoma with biomimetic nanoparticles transporting doxorubicin and siRNA.

Introduction: Osteosarcoma tumors are the most common malignant bone tumors in children and adolescents. Their treatment usually requires surgical removal of all detectable cancerous tissue and multidrug chemotherapy; however, the prognosis for patients with unresectable or recurrent osteosarcoma is unfavorable. To make chemotherapy safer and more effective for osteosarcoma patients, biomimetic nanoparticles (NPs) camouflaged by mesenchymal stem cell membranes (MSCMs) were synthesized to induce osteosarcoma cell apoptosis by co-delivering the anticancer drug doxorubicin hydrochloride(DOX) and a small interfering RNA (siRNA). Importantly, these NPs have high biocompatibility and tumor-homing ability. This study aimed to improve the efficacy of osteosarcoma therapy by using the synergistic combination of DOX and an siRNA targeting the apoptosis suppressor gene survivin. Methods: Biomimetic NPs (DOX/siSUR-PLGA@MSCM NPs) were synthesized by coloading DOX and survivin siRNA (siSUR) into poly (lactide-co-glycolide acid) (PLGA) via a double-emulsion solvent evaporation method. The NPs were camouflaged by MSCMs to deliver both DOX and survivin-targeting siRNA and characterized and evaluated in terms of cellular uptake, in vitro release, in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects, and biosafety. Results: DOX/siSUR-PLGA@MSCM NPs had good tumor-homing ability due to the MSCMs modification. The drug-laden biomimetic NPs had good antitumor effects in homozygous MG63 tumor-bearing mice due to the synergistic effect of the drug combination. Conclusion: DOX/siSUR-PLGA@MSCM NPs can show improved therapeutic effects in osteosarcoma patients due to the combination of a chemotherapeutic drug and gene therapy based on their good tumor targeting and biosafety.

Nanoparticle-mediated therapeutic management in cholangiocarcinoma drug targeting: Current progress and future prospects.

Patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) often have an unfavorable prognosis because of its insidious nature, low resectability rate, and poor response to anticancer drugs and radiotherapy, which makes early detection and treatment difficult. At present, CCA has a five-year overall survival rate (OS) of only 5%, despite advances in therapies. New an increasing number of evidence suggests that nanoplatforms may play a crucial role in enhancing the pharmacological effects and in reducing both short- and long-term side effects of cancer treatment. This document reviews the advantages and shortcomings of nanoparticles such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticle，inorganic nanoparticle, nano-metals and nano-alloys, carbon dots, nano-micelles, dendrimer, nano-capsule, bio-Nanomaterials in the diagnosis and treatment of CCA and discuss the current challenges in of nanoplatforms for CCA.

Current progress of nanomedicine for prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common new cancer case and the second most fatal malignancy in men. Surgery, endocrine therapy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main clinical treatment options for PCa. However, most prostate cancers can develop into castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), and due to the invasiveness of prostate cancer cells, they become resistant to different treatments and activate tumor-promoting signaling pathways, thereby inducing chemoresistance, radioresistance, ADT resistance, and immune resistance. Nanotechnology, which can combine treatment with diagnostic imaging tools, is emerging as a promising treatment modality in prostate cancer therapy. Nanoparticles can not only promote their accumulation at the pathological site through passive targeting techniques for enhanced permeability and retention (EPR), but also provide additional advantages for active targeting using different ligands. This property results in a reduced drug dose to achieve the desired effect, a longer duration of action within the tumor and fewer side effects on healthy tissues. In addition, nanotechnology can create good synergy with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, thermotherapy, photodynamic therapy and gene therapy to enhance their therapeutic effects with greater scope, and reduce the resistance of prostate cancer. In this article, we intend to review and discuss the latest technologies regarding the use of nanomaterials as therapeutic and diagnostic tools for prostate cancer.

Granulation tissue-type hemangioma of ureter: a highly misdiagnosed disease (a rare case report and literature review).

BACKGROUND: Ureteral granulation tissue hemangiomas are rare benign vascular lesions, and they may be clinically asymptomatic or present with massive or recurrent hematuria. Sometimes hemangiomas are difficult to distinguish from malignant ureteral tumors, and most ureteral hemangiomas are confirmed by postoperative pathological examination. This article aims to present a case of granulation tissue-type hemangioma of the ureter and briefly review the current literature on this condition. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old male patient presented with complaints of painless macroscopic hematuria for 2 months. Computerized tomography of the urinary system showed that the upper 1/3 of the right ureter was occupied, and then the possibility of tumor lesions was considered. The urine cytology showed occasional nuclear abnormalities and many light-stained crystals in urine. Because of suspicious radiological and cytological findings, the patient underwent the right ureteroscopy and the laparoscopic right ureteral mass resection. The postoperative pathological report showed that it was a mesenchymal tumor. The morphological and immunohistochemical staining was consistent with that of hemangioma, tending to granulation tissue hemangioma. After surgery, the patient was in a good state and recovered well at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral granulation tissue hemangiomas are an easily misdiagnosed disease. Intermittent painless hematuria is an important characteristic of this disease. Therefore, we suggest that unnecessary radical surgery can be avoided when clinicians consider the possibility of benign ureteral tumors during the evaluation.

Doxorubicin and PD-L1 siRNA co-delivery with stem cell membrane-coated polydopamine nanoparticles for the targeted chemoimmunotherapy of PCa bone metastases.

Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade has achieved great success in cancer immunotherapy. PD-L1 siRNA can restore the immune anti-tumor activity of T cells by downregulating the level of PD-L1 on tumor cells, but the efficiency of PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy is relatively low. Doxorubicin (DOX) can induce tumor cell apoptosis, and then increase the release of tumor antigen. But the expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues treated with DOX will be enhanced adaptively. Therefore, DOX combination with PD-L1 siRNA can produce a good synergistic anti-tumor effect. In this study, stem cell membrane (SCM) camouflaged polydopamine nanoparticles carrying DOX and PD-L1 siRNA (PDA-DOX/siPD-L1@SCM) were constructed for targeting prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastases. PDA-DOX/siPD-L1@SCM NPs could effectively enhance blood retention and improve accumulation at tumor sites. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that PDA-DOX/siPD-L1@SCM NPs showed excellent performance in synergistic chemoimmunotherapy for PCa bone metastases. Hence, this study provided an effective strategy for developing biomimetic multifunctional nanoparticles for PCa bone metastasis treatment.

Polydopamine Nanoparticles Camouflaged by Stem Cell Membranes for Synergistic Chemo-Photothermal Therapy of Malignant Bone Tumors.

PURPOSE: Nanoparticle (NP)-based chemo-photothermal therapy (CPT) has been shown to be a promising non-invasive approach for antitumor treatment. However, NPs must overcome the limitations of opsonization, clearance of the reticuloendothelial system, and ineffective targeting of tumor tissue sites. To solve these problems, stem cell membrane (SCM)-camouflaged polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA@SCM NPs) carrying the hydrophobic anticancer drug 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) were constructed for CPT of malignant bone tumors. METHODS: We developed umbilical-cord mesenchymal stem cell membrane-coated polydopamine nanoparticles encapsulating SN38 (PDA-SN38@SCM NPs) as an efficient tumor-targeting drug-delivery platform for CPT of malignant bone tumors. We characterized PDA@SCM NPs and evaluated the biocompatibility and anti-phagocytosis properties of PDA@SCM NPs. The antitumor activity of PDA-SN38@SCM NPs was evaluated in MG63 lines and an MG63 xenograft model in mice. RESULTS: Synthesized PDA-SN38@SCM NPs retained an excellent photothermal effect after SN38 loading. The drug release of PDA-SN38@SCM NPs could be triggered by near-infrared irradiation and an acidic stimulus. PDA@SCM NPs exhibited lower nonspecific macrophage uptake, longer retention in blood, and more effective accumulation at tumor sites than that shown by PDA NPs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and flow cytometry showed that MG63 cells took up more PDA-SN38@SCM NPs than PDA-SN38 NPs. In vitro and in vivo antitumor studies demonstrated the outstanding performance of PDA-SN38@SCM NPs in synergistic CPT for bone tumors. CONCLUSION: PDA-SN38@SCM NPs demonstrated an extraordinary synergistic CPT effect and could be a promising strategy for the treatment of malignant bone tumors.

Protein targeting chimeric molecules specific for dual bromodomain 4 (BRD4) and Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) proteins in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are hetero-bifunctional molecules that could simultaneously bind to the target protein and the E3 ubiquitin ligase, thereby leading to selective degradation of the target protein. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and bromodomain 4 (BRD4) are both attractive therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we developed a small-molecule BRD4 and PLK1 degrader HBL-4 based on PROTAC technology, which leads to fast, efficient, and prolonged degradation of BRD4 and PLK1 in MV4-11 cells tested in vitro and vivo, and potent anti-proliferation and BRD4 and PLK1 degradation ability in human acute leukemia MOLM-13 and KG1 cells. Meanwhile, HBL-4 more effectively suppresses c-Myc levels than inhibitor BI2536, resulting in more effective inducing apoptosis activity in MV4-11 cells. At the same time, HBL-4 induced dramatically improved efficacy in the MV4-11 tumor xenograft model as compared with BI2536. This study is, to our knowledge, the first reports about dual PLK1 and BRD4 degraders, which potentially represents an important therapeutic advance in the treatment of cancer.

miR-106a contributes to prostate carcinoma progression through PTEN.

Prostate carcinoma is a global health problem and is estimated to be diagnosed in 1.1 million men/year, making this malignancy the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in males worldwide. micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. miRNAs contribute to cancer development and progression, and are expressed differently in normal tissues and cancers. In the present study, the biological function of miR-106a in the human prostate carcinoma and the associated regulatory mechanisms were investigated. miR-106a was significantly upregulated in human prostate cancer tissues when compared with normal tissues (P<0.05), and the overexpression of miR-106a was identified to promote PC-3 cell growth. Additionally, miRNA-106a inhibition significantly suppressed PC-3 cell growth. Furthermore, it was observed that the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression level was negatively associated with miR-106a expression level, and miRNA-106a directly targeted PTEN in the PC-3 cells. PTEN overexpression has a similar effect on PC-3 cell growth as loss of miR-106a. Taken together, the results of the present study indicate that upregulated miR-106a regulates PC-3 cell proliferation through PTEN. These results suggest that appropriate manipulation of miR-106a may provide a novel strategy in the future treatment of human prostate cancer.

Metadherin is an apoptotic modulator in prostate cancer through miR-342-3p regulation.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. This study focused to clarify the roles of Metadherin (MTDH) and miR-342-3p in prostate cancer. We identified that MTDH was up-regulated and miR-342-3p was down-regulated in the prostate tissues, and there is an inverse correlation between MTDH and miR-342-3p. Functional studies revealed that miR-342-3p directly targets MTDH via binding to the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) in the prostate cancer cells. Moreover, we also found MTDH overexpression in DU145 and PC3 cells inhibited apoptosis. Subsequently, miR-342-3p has been revealed to reverse the MTDH effect on the cellular apoptosis in the further studies. Our results indicate that MTDH repress apoptosis of prostate cancer in vitro and provides a new strategy for human prostate cancer therapy in the future.

DNA methylation is a common molecular alteration in colorectal cancer cells and culture method has no influence on DNA methylation.

The present study aimed to explore whether culture method had an influence on DNA methylation in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, CRC cells were cultured in two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D) and mouse orthotopic transplantation (Tis) cultures. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for global visualization of the three samples. A Venn diagram was applied for intersection and union analysis for different comparisons. The methylation condition of 5'-C-phosphate-G-3' (CpG) location was determined using unsupervised clustering analysis. Scatter plots and histograms of the mean ß values between 3D vs. 2D, 3D vs. Tis and Tis vs. 2D were constructed. In order to explore the biological function of the genes, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were utilized. To explore the influence of culture condition on genes, quantitative methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (QMSP) was performed. The three samples connected with each other closely, as demonstrated by PCA. Venn diagram analysis indicated that some differential methylation positions were commonly shared in the three groups of samples and 16 CpG positions appeared hypermethylated in the three samples. The methylation patterns between the 3D and 2D cultures were more similar than those of 3D and Tis, and Tis and 2D. Results of gene ontology demonstrated that differentially expressed genes were involved in molecular function, cellular components and biological function. KEGG analysis indicated that genes were enriched in 13 pathways, of which four pathways were the most evident. These pathways were pathways in cancer, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, axon guidance and insulin signaling. Furthermore, QMSP demonstrated that methylation of mutL homolog, phosphatase and tensin homolog, runt-related transcription factor, Ras association family member, cadherin-1, O-6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase and P16 genes had no obvious difference in 2D, 3D and Tis culture conditions. In conclusion, the culture method had no influence on DNA methylation in CRC cells.

DNA methylation is related to the occurrence of breast cancer and is not affected by culture conditions.

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between DNA methylation and breast cancer under different cell culture conditions. MCF­7 breast cancer cells were cultured in two­dimensional (2D), three­dimensional (3D) and orthotopic transplantation (Ti) adhesion substrates. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for global visualization of these three samples. The methylation status of CpG sites was examined by unsupervised clustering analysis. Scatter plots and histograms were constructed from the mean ß­values from 3D vs. 2D, 3D vs. Ti and Ti vs. 2D analysis. In addition, analyses of Gene Ontology (GO) terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were conducted to explore the putative biological functions in which mutL homolog (MLH), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), runt­related transcription factor (RUNX), Ras association domain family (RASSF), cadherin 1 (CDH1), O­6­methylguanine­DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) and P16 may serve a role. Quantitative methylation­specific polymerase chain reaction (QMSP) was performed to determine the influence of culturing conditions on important gene expression. Results from PCA analysis indicated that the three samples were closely connected with each other. Venn diagrams revealed that certain differential methylation positions were common among the three sample groups, and 116 CpG positions were identified that appeared to be hypermethylated. The methylation patterns were more similar between 3D vs. 2D cultures compared with those between 3D vs. Ti or between Ti vs. 2D. Results of GO term and KEGG pathway analyses indicated that genes were enriched in four pathways, including transporter activity and G­protein coupled receptor activity. In addition, QMSP analysis identified no notable differences in the methylation status of MLH, PTEN, RUNX, RASSF, CDH1, MGMT and P16 under 2D, 3D and Ti culture conditions. In conclusion, abnormal DNA methylation is related with breast cancer, and the methylation status did not change in breast cancer cells cultured in different conditions.

Seedless preparation of Au nanorods by hydroquinone assistant and red blood cell membrane camouflage.

Au nanorods (AuNRs) have attracted extensive attention in diagnosis and therapy, because of their excellent photothermal effects. Although many of attempts have been employed to prepare AuNRs with a good-size monodispersity, facile and feasible preparation methods are still welcomed in consideration of theranostics-related photothermal applications. In this work, AuNRs are prepared through a seedless method using hydroquinone as the reductant. The longitudinal located surface plasmon resonance peak of the as-prepared AuNRs can be tuned from 650 to 840 nm and the AuNRs indicate a good photothermal conversion efficiency. To lower the toxicity, natural red blood cell membranes are employed to coat the AuNRs. In the primary experiment in vitro, red blood cell membrane-coated AuNRs exhibit good biocompatibility and photothermal treatment effect.

siRNA Delivery with Stem Cell Membrane-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles for Imaging-Guided Photothermal Therapy and Gene Therapy.

Biomimetic cell membrane coated nanoparticles (NPs) with desirable features have been extensively applied for various personalized biomedicine. However, there have not been relative explorations by employing the membrane nanocomplexes for small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery. Herein, Fe3O4@PDA NPs with good photothermal capability were applied for efficient siRNA loading and delivery, which were then coated by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to form a membrane. The data showed that MSCs membrane coated Fe3O4@PDA-siRNA NPs (Fe3O4@PDA-siRNA@MSCs) maintained the photothermal functionality and the capability of magnetic resonance imaging inherited from Fe3O4@PDA. The synthesized nanocomplexes exhibited excellent abilities in the delivery of siRNA into DU145 cells. Furthermore, Fe3O4@PDA-siRNA@MSCs NPs delivering siRNA against Plk1 gene could inhibit the expression of endogenous Plk1 gene and cause obvious apoptosis in DU145 cells. The synergistic combination of photothermal treatment and gene silencing showed obvious antitumor efficacy in a DU145 xenograft mice model. On the basis of preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies, Fe3O4@PDA-siRNA@MSCs NPs hold considerable promise as a carrier for gene and photothermal therapy.