Synergetic delivery of artesunate and isosorbide 5-mononitrate with reduction-sensitive polymer nanoparticles for ovarian cancer chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer is a highly fatal gynecologic malignancy worldwide. Chemotherapy remains the primary modality both for primary and maintenance treatments of ovarian cancer. However, the progress in developing chemotherapeutic agents for ovarian cancer has been slow in the past 20 years. Thus, new and effective chemotherapeutic drugs are urgently needed for ovarian cancer treatment. A reduction-responsive synergetic delivery strategy (PSSP@ART-ISMN) with co-delivery of artesunate and isosorbide 5-mononitrate was investigated in this research study. PSSP@ART-ISMN had various effects on tumor cells, such as (i) inducing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which contributes to mitochondrial damage; (ii) providing nitric oxide and ROS for the tumor cells, which further react to generate highly toxic reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and cause DNA damage; and (iii) arresting cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase and inducing apoptosis. PSSP@ART-ISMN also demonstrated excellent antitumor activity with good biocompatibility in vivo. Taken together, the results of this work provide a potential delivery strategy for chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

ROS-Triggered Self-Assembled Nanoparticles Based on a Chemo-Sonodynamic Combinational Therapy Strategy for the Noninvasive Elimination of Hypoxic Tumors.

The hypopermeability and hypoxia in the tumor milieu are important factors that limit multiple treatments. Herein, the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered self-assembled nanoparticles (RP-NPs) was constructed. The natural small molecule Rhein (Rh) was encapsulated into RP-NPs as a sonosensitizer highly accumulated at the tumor site. Then highly tissue-permeable ultrasound (US) irradiation induced apoptosis of tumor cells through the excitation of Rh and acoustic cavitation, which prompted the rapid production of large amounts of ROS in the hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In addition, the thioketal bond structures in the innovatively designed prodrug LA-GEM were triggered and broken by ROS to achieve rapid targeted release of the gemcitabine (GEM). Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) increased the tissue permeability of solid tumors and actively disrupted redox homeostasis via mitochondrial pathways to kill hypoxic tumor cells, and the triggered response mechanism to GEM synergistically amplified the effect of chemotherapy. The chemo-sonodynamic combinational treatment approach is highly effective and noninvasive, with promising applications for hypoxic tumor elimination, such as in cervical cancer (CCa) patients who want to maintain their reproductive function.

Photothermal Therapy via NIR II Light Irradiation Enhances DNA Damage and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress for Efficient Chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer has the highest death rate in gynecologic tumors and the main therapy for patients with advanced is chemotherapy based on cisplatin. Additionally, hyperthermic intraperitoneal has been used in clinic to obtain better efficacy for patients. Hence, combined photothermal therapy with platinum drugs in a new delivery system might bring new hope for ovarian cancer. A reduction sensitive polymer encapsulating a Pt (IV) prodrug and a near infrared II (NIR II) photothermal agent IR1048 to form nanoparticles were reported to enhance the efficacy of ovarian cancer treatment. At the same time, endoplasmic reticulum stress indicates an imbalance in proteostasis which probably caused by extrinsic stress such as chemotherapy and the temperature changed. The efficacy of nanoparticles containing Pt (IV) and IR1048 under NIR II light might be caused via increased DNA damage and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Electrocatalytic water-splitting for the controllable and sustainable synthesis of deuterated chemicals.

Tandem water electrolysis for the transformation of universal feedstock to value-added chemicals integrated with hydrogen generation and in situ utilization is a promising approach to address the economic challenges of electrochemical hydrogen evolution and storage. Herein, we present the controllable electrocatalytic deuteration of halides using inexpensive and reusable heavy water (D2O) as a D-source for the preparation of valuable D-labelled chemicals and pharmaceuticals under mild conditions. This electrochemical deuteration method with high efficiency and selectivity furnishes a series of D-labelled chemicals and pharmaceuticals in high yields with excellent D-incorporation. The reaction efficiency and selectivity, that is, the precise substitution of deuterium atoms at different halogen positions, can be tuned by varying the applied voltages. The results show the great potential of green and economical electrocatalytic methods for producing value-added fine chemicals in addition to hydrogen evolution.