Folic acid-doxorubicin polymeric nanocapsules: A promising formulation for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancers among women and is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in this population. In this study, we aimed to conjugate doxorubicin (DOX), a drug widely used in cancer chemotherapy, and folic acid (FA), a ligand targeted for cancer therapy, to lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC), and evaluate the efficacy of the nanoformulation against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cells that overexpress folate receptors (FRs). We performed cell viability assays, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), cell migration assay, and clonogenic assay, as well as measured the levels of nitric oxide (NO) generated and cellular uptake.

Folic Acid-Doxorubicin-Double-Functionalized-Lipid-Core Nanocapsules: Synthesis, Chemical Structure Elucidation, and Cytotoxicity Evaluation on Ovarian (OVCAR-3) and Bladder (T24) Cancer Cell Lines.

Purpose: Folic acid-doxorubicin-double-functionalized-lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC-CS--Zn-DOX-FA) were prepared, characterized, and evaluated in vitro against ovarian and bladder cancer cell lines (OVCAR-3 and T24).

Methods: LNC-CS--Zn-DOX-FA was prepared by self-assembly and interfacial reactions, and characterized using liquid chromatography, particle sizing, transmission electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. Cell viability and cellular uptake were studied using MTT assay and confocal microscopy.

Perspectives of photodynamic therapy in biotechnology.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a current and innovative technique that can be applied in different areas, such as medical, biotechnological, veterinary, among others, both for the treatment of different pathologies, as well as for diagnosis. It is based on the action of light to activate photosensitizers that will perform their activity on target tissues, presenting high sensitivity and less adverse effects. Therefore, knowing that biotechnology aims to use processes to develop products aimed at improving the quality of life of human and the environment, and optimizing therapeutic actions, researchers have been used PDT as a tool of choice.

Zinc(II), copper(II) and nickel(II) ions improve the selectivity of tetra-cationic platinum(II) porphyrins in photodynamic therapy and stimulate antioxidant defenses in the metastatic melanoma lineage (A375).

Tetra-cationic porphyrins with peripheral Pt (II) -bipyridyl complexes demonstrated a potential as photosensitizers to be used in photodynamic therapy (PDT). First-line transition metals, such as zinc (II), copper (II) and nickel (II), can be incorporated into the porphyrin nucleus, making this molecule more selective and more effective for this therapy in combating to tumor cells, such as metastatic melanoma. We characterized these derivatives to verify the improvement in selectivity of platinum (II) 4-PtTPyP porphyrins.

Tetra-cationic platinum(II) porphyrins like a candidate photosensitizers to bind, selective and drug delivery for metastatic melanoma.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an expanding treatment modality due to its minimally invasive localized activity and few adverse effects. This therapy requires photosensitive compounds, which have high sensitivity to light exposure. Thus, in this work, the in vitro antitumor activity of meso-tetra(3- and 4-pyridyl)porphyrins (3-TPyP and 4-TPyP) in metastatic melanoma cell (WM1366 line) and non-tumoral Ovarian lineage Chinese Hamister (CHO) was evaluated using photodynamic process.

The Melding of Drug Screening Platforms for Melanoma.

The global incidence of cancer is rising rapidly and continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the world. Melanoma deserves special attention since it represents one of the fastest growing types of cancer, with advanced metastatic forms presenting high mortality rates due to the development of drug resistance. The aim of this review is to evaluate how the screening of drugs and compounds for melanoma has been performed over the last seven decades.