Targeted core-shell nanoparticles for precise CTCF gene insert in treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology emerges a remarkable potential for cure of refractory cancer like metastatic breast cancer. However, how to efficiently deliver the CRISPR system with non-viral carrier remains a major issue to be solved. Here, we report a kind of targeted core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) carrying dual plasmids (pHR-pCas9) for precise CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) gene insert to circumvent metastatic breast cancer.

Tumor Associated Macrophages and TAMs-Based Anti-Tumor Nanomedicines.

As an important part of tumor microenvironment, tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) play a vital role in the occurrence, development, invasion, and metastasis of many malignant tumors and can significantly promote the formation of tumor blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, hence TAMs are greatly associated with poor prognosis. The research on nanomedicine has achieved huge progress, and nano-drugs have been widely utilized to treat various diseases through different mechanisms. Therefore, developing nano-drugs that are based on TAMs-associated anti-tumor mechanisms to effectively suppress tumor growth is expected to be a promising research filed.

Regulating Stem Cell-Related Genes Induces the Plastic Differentiation of Cancer Stem Cells to Treat Breast Cancer.

Relapse of cancer is associated with multidirectional differentiation and unrestricted proliferative replication potential of cancer stem cells. Herein, we propose the plastic differentiation strategy for irreversible differentiation of cancer stem cells; further, salinomycin and its newly constructed functional liposomes are used to implement this strategy. Whole gene, cancer stem cell-related RNA, and protein expression analyses reveal that salinomycin induces the cancer stem cells into normal cells, dormant cells, and mature cancer cells.

A Precise Nanostructure of Folate-Overhung Mitoxantrone DNA Tetrahedron for Targeted Capture Leukemia.

Regular chemotherapy cannot eliminate leukemic cells, due to the sparse distribution of cancer cells in leukemia patients. Here, we report a precise nanostructure of folate-overhung mitoxantrone DNA tetrahedron that enables the treatment of leukemic cells by targeted action. Folate is used as a targeting molecule and synthesized with DNA strand in forming the folate-overhang DNA complement, and the complement is then separately base-paired onto six sides of the fabricated DNA tetrahedron.

Nanostructured SL9-CpG Lipovaccines Elicit Immune Response for the Treatment of Melanoma.

Antigen peptides and adjuvants have been extensively investigated for cancer immunotherapy, and they are expected to elicit specific immune responses for cancer treatment. However, the anti-cancer efficacy of antigen peptide and adjuvant-based cancer vaccines has been limited due to the inefficient delivery to draining lymph nodes after administration. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a suitable delivery system to transport antigen peptides and adjuvants.

Development of double strand RNA mPEI nanoparticles and application in treating invasive breast cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been characterized as a very heterogeneous subtype, and is more invasive and non-expressing of the genes for the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2/neu, with poor prognosis, and hence the efficacy of regular chemotherapy is very limited. Here, we report a kind of double strand RNA (dsRNA) mPEI nanoparticle for treatment of invasive TNBC. The studies were performed on TNBC cells and in TNBC cancer-bearing mice.

Functional chlorin gold nanorods enable to treat breast cancer by photothermal/photodynamic therapy.

Background: The existing chemo/radiotherapy fail to eliminate cancer cells due to the restriction of either drug resistance or radio tolerance. The predicament urges researchers to continuously explore alternative strategy for achieving a potent curative effect.

Methods: Functional chlorin gold nanorods (Ce6-AuNR@SiO-d-CPP) were fabricated aiming at treating breast cancer by photothermal/photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT).

Nanostructured Dihydroartemisinin Plus Epirubicin Liposomes Enhance Treatment Efficacy of Breast Cancer by Inducing Autophagy and Apoptosis.

The heterogeneity of breast cancer and the development of drug resistance are the relapse reasons of disease after chemotherapy. To address this issue, a combined therapeutic strategy was developed by building the nanostructured dihydroartemisinin plus epirubicin liposomes. Investigations were performed on human breast cancer cells in vitro and xenografts in nude mice.

Development of functional docetaxel nanomicelles for treatment of brain glioma.

The efficacy of anticancer drugs is rather limited in the treatment of brain glioma due to the hindrance of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Herein, we reported an easy formulation of functional docetaxel nanomicelles for the treatment of brain glioma using a graft copolymer soluplus as basic material through dual-modifications with a glucose-lipid derivative and a dequalinium-lipid derivative. The studies were performed on brain glioma U87MG cells, in vitro BBB models and brain glioma-bearing nude mice.

Efficacy in Treating Lung Metastasis of Invasive Breast Cancer with Functional Vincristine Plus Dasatinib Liposomes.

Background: The metastasis of breast cancer is the leading cause of death, while lung metastasis is a major clinical phenomenon in patients with invasive breast cancer. The current treatment option comprising surgery, radiation, and standard chemotherapy cannot achieve a satisfactory effect on the treatment of lung metastasis of breast cancer. In this study, we report the potential of preventing lung metastasis of invasive breast cancer using the newly developed functional vincristine plus dasatinib liposomes.

The use of functional epirubicin liposomes to induce programmed death in refractory breast cancer.

Currently, chemotherapy is less efficient in controlling the continued development of breast cancer because it cannot eliminate extrinsic and intrinsic refractory cancers. In this study, mitochondria were modified by functional epirubicin liposomes to eliminate refractory cancers through initiation of an apoptosis cascade. The efficacy and mechanism of epirubicin liposomes were investigated on human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo using flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, high-content screening system, in vivo imaging system, and tumor inhibition in mice.

Lipid vesicles containing transferrin receptor binding peptide TfR-T and octa-arginine conjugate stearyl-R efficiently treat brain glioma along with glioma stem cells.

Surgery and radiotherapy cannot fully remove brain glioma; thus, chemotherapy continues to play an important role in treatment of this illness. However, because of the restriction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the regeneration of glioma stem cells, post-chemotherapy relapse usually occurs. Here, we report a potential solution to these issues that involves a type of novel multifunctional vinblastine liposomes equipped with transferrin receptor binding peptide TfR-T and octa-arginine conjugate stearyl-R.

Dual-functional drug liposomes in treatment of resistant cancers.

Efficacy of regular chemotherapy is significantly hampered by multidrug resistance (MDR) and severe systemic toxicity. The reduced toxicity has been evidenced after administration of drug liposomes, consisting of the first generation of regular drug liposomes, the second generation of long-circulation drug liposomes, and the third generation of targeting drug liposomes. However, MDR of cancers remains as an unsolved issue.

C-type natriuretic peptide-modified lipid vesicles: fabrication and use for the treatment of brain glioma.

Chemotherapy of brain glioma faces a major obstacle owing to the inability of drug transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Besides, neovasculatures in brain glioma site result in a rapid infiltration, making complete surgical removal virtually impossible. Herein, we reported a novel kind of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) modified vinorelbine lipid vesicles for transferring drug across the BBB, and for treating brain glioma along with disrupting neovasculatures.

Construction of Functional Targeting Daunorubicin Liposomes Used for Eliminating Brain Glioma and Glioma Stem Cells.

The highly infiltrative nature of brain glioma makes total surgical removal of cancerous cells virtually impossible. Regular chemotherapy plays an important role in eradicating the residual cancer cells but is ineffective in treating brain glioma due to the hindrance of drug penetration into the tumor site by the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the regeneration of cancer cells by glioma stem cells (GSCs). In this study, functional targeting daunorubicin liposomes were developed by modifying the liposomes with distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine polyethylene glycol-polyethylenimine (DSPE-PEG2000PEI600 and a lipid-glucose derivative (DSPE-PEG2000-GLU).

Destruction of vasculogenic mimicry channels by targeting epirubicin plus celecoxib liposomes in treatment of brain glioma.

The efficacy of chemotherapy for brain glioma is restricted by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and surgery or radiotherapy cannot eliminate the glioma cells because of their unique location. Residual brain glioma cells can form vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels that can cause a recurrence of brain glioma. In the present study, targeting liposomes incorporating epirubicin and celecoxib were prepared and used for the treatment of brain glioma, along with the destruction of their VM channels.

A Combination of Targeted Sunitinib Liposomes and Targeted Vinorelbine Liposomes for Treating Invasive Breast Cancer.

Regular chemotherapy cannot eradicate invasive breast cancer cells and the residual cancer cells will form vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels under hypoxic conditions to provide nutrients for cancer masses prior to angiogenesis. This phenomenon is a major reason for the recurrence of invasive breast cancer after treatment. In this study, a novel type of targeted liposomes was developed by modifying a mitochondria-tropic material, D-a-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate- triphenylphosphine conjugate (TPGS1000-TPP), to encapsulate sunitinib and vinorelbine separately and a combination of the two targeted drug liposomes was used to treat invasive breast cancer as well as VM channels.

Application of functional vincristine plus dasatinib liposomes to deletion of vasculogenic mimicry channels in triple-negative breast cancer.

Standard chemotherapy cannot eradicate triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) while the residual cancer cells readily form the vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels, which lead to the relapse of cancer after treatment. In this study, the functional vincristine plus dasatinib liposomes, modified by a targeting molecule DSPE-PEG2000-c(RGDyK), were fabricated to address this issue. The investigations were performed on TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells and MDA-MB-231 xenografts in nude mice.

A nanostructure of functional targeting epirubicin liposomes dually modified with aminophenyl glucose and cyclic pentapeptide used for brain glioblastoma treatment.

The objectives of the present study were to develop functional targeting epirubicin liposomes for transferring drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), treating glioblastoma, and disabling neovascularization. The studies were performed on glioblastoma cells in vitro and on glioblastoma-bearing mice. The results showed that the constructed liposomes had a high encapsulation efficiency for drugs (>95%), suitable particle size (109 nm), and less leakage in the blood component-containing system; were significantly able to be transported across the BBB; and exhibited efficacies in killing glioblastoma cells and in destroying glioblastoma neovasculature in vitro and in glioblastoma-bearing mice.

Targeting Epirubicin Plus Quinacrine Liposomes Modified with DSPE-PEG2000-C(RGDfK) Conjugate for Eliminating Invasive Breast Cancer.

Recurrence of invasive breast cancer could arise from the residual cancer cells after comprehensive treatment. It is possible that residual invasive cancer cells are capable of forming highly patterned vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels, leading to relapse and metastasis. In the present study, a new type of targeting epirubicin plus quinacrine liposomes was developed by modifying functional DSPE-PEG2000 with C(RGDfK), a cyclic peptide containing Arg-Gly-Asp.

Multifunctional liposomes loaded with paclitaxel and artemether for treatment of invasive brain glioma.

Invasive brain glioma is the most lethal type of cancer and is highly infiltrating. This leads to an extremely poor prognosis and makes complete surgical removal of the tumor virtually impossible. Non-penetration of therapeutic drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), brain cancer stem cells (CSCs), and brain cancer vasculogenic mimicry (VM) results in relapse after surgical and radio therapy.

Targeting drug delivery systems for circumventing multidrug resistance of cancers.

Multidrug resistance is a major obstacle to successful chemotherapy of cancer. To overcome multidrug resistance, our research is to develop new liposome and nanomicelle delivery systems. Investigations are focusing on certain aspects, including resistant cancer cell membranes, cancer stem cells, mitochondria, apoptosis genes, vasculogenic mimicry and heterogeneity of cancer cells.

Modulation of drug-resistant membrane and apoptosis proteins of breast cancer stem cells by targeting berberine liposomes.

The recurrence of breast cancer is associated with drug-resistance of cancer stem cells (CSCs), while overexpression of cell membrane ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and resistance of mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins are responsible for the drug-resistance of CSCs. The targeting berberine liposomes were developed to modulate the resistant membrane and mitochondrial proteins of breast CSCs for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer relapse. Evaluations were performed on human breast CSCs and CSC xenografts in nude mice.