Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Brian Jurgielewicz, Steven Stice, Yao Yao
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanocarriers used for delivering nucleic acid therapies, showing potential advantages in treating genetic disorders.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Rong Du, Chen Wang, Ling Zhu, Yanlian Yang
Summary: This review discusses the advantages and challenges of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as drug delivery systems in cancer therapy, as well as their applications in gene therapy and combination with other cancer therapies. The review summarizes the techniques and methods to increase EV yield, enhance nucleic acid loading efficiency, improve targeted delivery, and extend circulation time, and also discusses the current status, challenges, and prospects of EVs as a therapeutic tool for the clinical application of nucleic acid drugs.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ying Zhang, Qiqi Liu, Xinmeng Zhang, Haoqiang Huang, Shiqi Tang, Yujuan Chai, Zhourui Xu, Meirong Li, Xin Chen, Jia Liu, Chengbin Yang
Summary: Cancer is a global public health problem with challenging treatments. Gene therapy has emerged as a potential solution, but delivery methods are limiting its effectiveness. Exosomes, as therapeutic carriers and diagnostic markers, have gained extensive attention for their favorable characteristics. This review discusses the characteristics of exosomes, their applications in cancer therapy, and the challenges in exosome-mediated nucleic acid delivery for cancer treatment.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yaqin Tang, Xingyou Liu, Meng Sun, Su Xiong, Nianting Xiao, Jianchao Li, Xiao He, Jing Xie
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane-based vesicles that play a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes by serving as vehicles for intercellular communication. EVs have emerged as a promising cell-free therapy strategy for treating diseases, including cancer, due to their ability to transport various therapeutic molecules. Modifying or engineering EVs can improve their efficacy and specificity as drug carriers for cancer therapy. This review comprehensively outlines the biogenesis, isolation, and methodologies of EVs, as well as their biological functions, focusing on their specific applications as drug carriers in cancer therapy.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Ngoc Phung Ly, Hwa Seung Han, Myungsuk Kim, Jae Hyung Park, Ki Young Choi
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive introduction to plant-derived vesicles (PDVs), including their biological characteristics, purification methods, and a summary of their current development potential for cancer therapy.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Naoya Kuriyama, Yusuke Yoshioka, Shinsuke Kikuchi, Akihiko Okamura, Nobuyoshi Azuma, Takahiro Ochiya
Summary: Nucleic acid drugs, such as siRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, and miRNAs, have shown promising therapeutic effects in cancer treatment, with extracellular vesicles (EVs) emerging as a potential drug delivery system due to their stability in the blood and low immunogenicity. Various methods are being developed to efficiently load nucleic acid drugs into EVs and deliver them to target organs, showing potential for improving the efficacy of cancer therapies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peng Xia, Haitao Yuan, Ming Tian, Tianyu Zhong, Rui Hou, Xiaolong Xu, Jingbo Ma, Huifang Wang, Zhifen Li, Defa Huang, Chengming Qu, Lingyun Dai, Chengchao Xu, Chuanbin Yang, Haibo Jiang, Yuanqiao He, Felix Rueckert, Zhijie Li, Yufeng Yuan, Jigang Wang
Summary: In this study, a delivery system was designed using EVs derived from HEK-293 cells modified with nanobodies against CDH17 and loaded with ICG and/or RRx-001. The engineered EVs showed efficient tumor imaging and significant anti-tumor photothermal therapeutic (PTT) effect in a CDH17-positive GC model. Furthermore, dual loading of ICG/RRx-001 in engineered EVs exhibited maximal anti-tumor efficacy in both cancer cell and patient-derived GC models after single injection.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qiurong Yang, Jing Xu, Jianmei Gu, Hui Shi, Jiayin Zhang, Jianye Zhang, Zhe-Sheng Chen, Xinjian Fang, Taofeng Zhu, Xu Zhang
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play critical roles in cancer progression, including cancer growth, metastasis, and drug resistance. They regulate signaling pathways associated with cancer stemness and autophagy, influencing cancer cells' resistance to chemotherapy and other treatments. Additionally, EVs modulate the interactions between cancer cells and noncancer cells in the tumor microenvironment, leading to therapy resistance.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xin-Hui Cao, Ming-Xing Liang, Yang Wu, Kai Yang, Jin-Hai Tang, Wei Zhang
Summary: EVs serve as nano-carriers for antitumor drugs, gene drugs, and other nanomaterials with anticancer capabilities. Improving the preparation methods and drug loading capacity of EVs can enhance their cancer-targeting efficiency. EV-based drug delivery holds promise for precise cancer treatment in the future.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Peiwen Fu, Yumeng Guo, Yanan Luo, Michael Mak, Jianguo Zhang, Wenrong Xu, Hui Qian, Zhimin Tao
Summary: This study presents a nano-scale fluorescent off-on complex encapsulated by small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for real-time visualization and evaluation of gene therapy efficiency in cancer. The results demonstrate that the complex is able to activate the turn-on fluorescent signal and exhibit the longest retention time in vivo, promoting cancer apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Haotian Luo, Danying Chen, Ruoyu Li, Runze Li, Yungshan Teng, Yang Cao, Xuenong Zou, Weicai Wang, Chen Zhou
Summary: Biofilm-related diseases are difficult to treat due to their tolerance to antimicrobial chemotherapies. Periodontitis, a chronic biofilm disease induced by dental plaque, provides a good model to study the effects of host factors on the biofilm microenvironment. This study confirmed the reduction of microRNA-126 (miR-126) with the recruitment of macrophages in periodontitis and explored a strategy for targeted delivery of miR-126 to macrophages. Exosomes overexpressing CXCR4 and loaded with miR-126 successfully regulated macrophages and reduced bone resorption and osteoclastogenesis in periodontitis. These findings provide new insights for the treatment of periodontitis and other biofilm-related diseases.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yunyue Zhang, Mona Belaid, Xiang Luo, Armond Daci, Rine Limani, Julia Mantaj, Matthias Zilbauer, Komal Nayak, Driton Vllasaliu
Summary: This study comprehensively investigates the potential of extracellular vesicles from bovine milk for oral nucleic acid therapies. The results show that these vesicles have good translocation ability across the intestinal barrier, can transport in intestinal models and organoids, and are capable of inducing gene silencing and reducing inflammation. These findings contribute to the development of novel nanoparticle systems for oral nucleic acid therapies.
JOURNAL OF NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonella Barone, Nicola d'Avanzo, Maria Chiara Cristiano, Donatella Paolino, Massimo Fresta
Summary: The incidence of cancer is increasing significantly and the lack of efficacy in cancer therapies can be attributed to various factors such as delayed diagnosis, tumor regrowth, and multidrug resistance. Macrophages play a crucial role in tumor suppression or progression, and macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important mediators in the tumor microenvironment. Their ability to facilitate cell-cell and organ-cell communication by delivering nucleic acids and proteins makes them potential targets for personalized anticancer nanomedicine.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Martijn J. W. Evers, Simonides van de Wakker, Ellis M. de Groot, Olivier G. de Jong, Jerney J. J. Gitz-Francois, Cor S. Seinen, Joost P. G. Sluijter, Raymond M. Schiffelers, Pieter Vader
Summary: EV-liposome hybrid nanoparticles have been investigated as a potential siRNA delivery system, demonstrating their ability to encapsulate siRNA, contain EV-surface markers, and functionally deliver siRNA to different cell types. These hybrids combine the benefits of both synthetic and biological drug delivery systems, showing altered functional behavior compared to liposomes and varying efficacy among recipient cell types.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sai V. V. Chitti, Christina Nedeva, Raja Manickam, Pamali Fonseka, Suresh Mathivanan
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a critical role in cancer by facilitating the interaction between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Targeting the release of tumor-derived EVs has been proposed as an ideal strategy for cancer treatment, and EVs have shown potential as drug delivery vehicles in preclinical settings.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mariarosaria Conte, Rosanna Palumbo, Alessandra Monti, Elisabetta Fontana, Angela Nebbioso, Menotti Ruvo, Lucia Altucci, Nunzianna Doti
Summary: The AIF/CypA complex has lethal activity in rodent models of acute brain injury, but an AIF peptide has been found to restore cell survival and prevent brain injury. This study shows that the peptide can also protect against apoptosis in PD cells, suggesting the AIF/CypA complex as a potential target for developing new PD therapies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roberta Pacifico, Nunzio Del Gaudio, Guglielmo Bove, Lucia Altucci, Lydia Siragusa, Gabriele Cruciani, Menotti Ruvo, Rosa Bellavita, Paolo Grieco, Mauro F. A. Adamo
Summary: We have developed a synthetic method to produce two types of triazole compounds. Through virtual screening and experimental validation, one of the triazole compounds showed specific binding and inhibition towards KAT2A, laying the foundation for a new class of KAT2A inhibitors.
JOURNAL OF ENZYME INHIBITION AND MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Margherita Borriello, Diego Ingrosso, Alessandra Fortunata Perna, Angela Lombardi, Paolo Maggi, Lucia Altucci, Michele Caraglia
Summary: Poliomavirus BK virus (BKV) is a highly infective virus that can cause asymptomatic infections. In renal transplanted recipients, BKV can lead to severe complications. Current treatments and prophylaxis options are limited, but increasing surveillance and early diagnosis show promise in improving outcomes.
Article
Oncology
Laura Mosca, Alessandra de Angelis, Andrea Ronchi, Annarosaria De Chiara, Flavio Fazioli, Carlo Ruosi, Lucia Altucci, Mariarosaria Conte, Filomena de Nigris
Summary: Understanding the expression of MHC class I in cancer cells is crucial for T cell-mediated immunotherapy, while variations in HLA-I alleles may impact the efficacy of immunotherapy in rare sarcomas.
Review
Oncology
Ahmad Ali, Ugo Chianese, Chiara Papulino, Antonella Toraldo, Mawada Elmagboul Abdalla Abakar, Eugenia Passaro, Rosario Cennamo, Nunzio Del Gaudio, Lucia Altucci, Rosaria Benedetti
Summary: This article describes the metabolic features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and discusses how this could be exploited as a weakness for clinical interventions. Metabolism plays a crucial role in the development of PDAC, and interventions on bioenergetic circuits could potentially reduce its aggressiveness.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Adele Cutignano, Mariarosaria Conte, Virginia Tirino, Vitale Del Vecchio, Roberto De Angelis, Angela Nebbioso, Lucia Altucci, Giovanna Romano
Summary: Marine microalgae are important sustainable sources of bioactive metabolites. In this study, a bioassay-guided screening identified an enriched fraction from the marine diatom Thalassiosira rotula, which contains cytotoxic molecules. The phytosterol 24-methylene cholesterol showed cytotoxic activity on breast cancer and lung cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
Article
Biology
Mehrad Babaei, Tom M. J. Evers, Fereshteh Shokri, Lucia Altucci, Elizabeth C. M. de Lange, Alireza Mashaghi
Summary: Drug combination therapy is a promising strategy for enhanced therapeutic effects and reduced side effects. In this study, reaction network topology-guided design of combination therapy was investigated as a predictive in silico drug-drug interaction screening approach. The results revealed that drug-drug interactions are influenced by target arrangement, drug nature, and desired change in network output.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Guglielmo Bove, Sajid Amin, Mehrad Babaei, Rosaria Benedetti, Angela Nebbioso, Lucia Altucci, Nunzio Del Gaudio
Summary: Chromatin has a flexible structure that allows for precise gene expression regulation. Epigenetic modifications and modifications on RNA and histone substrates play important roles in governing cellular functions and contribute to cancer development. The interplay between genetic mutations and reversible epigenetic alterations has been of great interest. The modification of the RNA code, such as m(6)A, affects the stability, metabolism, and life cycle of various mRNAs, including those associated with cancer. Epigenetic and epitranscriptomic pathways collectively control cellular expression profile and cell fate. The crosstalk between these two pathways has recently been revealed, uncovering previously unknown interactions. Dysregulation of this network has been implicated in cancer, adding a new layer of complexity to gene expression. This article summarizes the current understanding of the interplay between m(6)A epitranscriptome and epigenome, with a focus on cancer processes. Strategies to target the m(6)A machinery for future therapeutic intervention are also discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Giovanna Santaniello, Angela Nebbioso, Lucia Altucci, Mariarosaria Conte
Summary: In recent years, the study of anticancer bioactive compounds from marine sources has gained significant attention. Regulatory authorities have approved marine molecules and new synthetic derivatives for cancer treatment. However, the administration of drugs in cancer patients requires careful evaluation due to their interaction with biological macromolecules. The search for personalized therapies and advancements in tumor prevention has been aided by new knowledge on cancer mechanisms, but a definitive therapy for cancer is still being sought.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Federica Sarno, Desiree Goubert, Emilie Logie, Martijn G. S. Rutten, Mihaly Koncz, Christophe Deben, Anita E. Niemarkt, Lucia Altucci, Pernette J. Verschure, Antal Kiss, Wim Vanden Berghe, Marianne G. Rots
Summary: Plasminogen activator, urokinase (PLAU) plays a role in cell migration, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Its upregulation is associated with increased aggressiveness and metastasis in various cancer types, including breast cancer. This study examined the effects of modulating PLAU expression on breast cancer cells using CRISPR-dCas9 tools, and found that it affected cell proliferation and metastatic properties.
Article
Oncology
Mariarosaria Conte, Annabella Di Mauro, Lucia Capasso, Liliana Montella, Mariacarla De Simone, Angela Nebbioso, Lucia Altucci
Summary: This study identified simultaneous alterations in HDAC2, CIITA, and B2M genes in colorectal cancer patients and explored their potential role in immune dysfunction. HDAC2 was found to be deregulated in a subset of patients, while CIITA had specific alterations. Correlations among these genes and differential infiltration levels suggested an indirect immune-related role of HDAC2 in specific immune infiltrates. Further immunological signature studies could provide valuable clinical information for resistant forms of colorectal cancer.
Review
Cell Biology
Emanuele Fabbrizi, Francesco Fiorentino, Vincenzo Carafa, Lucia Altucci, Antonello Mai, Dante Rotili
Summary: SIRT5, a mitochondrial enzyme, regulates cellular homeostasis and the activity of proteins involved in various metabolic pathways. It plays critical roles in myocardial energy metabolism, neurodegenerative disease protection, and tumor development. SIRT5 is also implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review discusses its molecular actions, effects on metabolic targets, potential as a therapeutic target, and currently reported modulators including activators and inhibitors.
Review
Cell Biology
Vincenza Capone, Laura Della Torre, Daniela Carannante, Mehrad Babaei, Lucia Altucci, Rosaria Benedetti, Vincenzo Carafa
Summary: Histone modifications play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diseases, including cancer, and acetylation is a reversible epigenetic process with important functions in cell life. HAT1 has been found to regulate molecular pathways, including those involved in cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge and recent advances of HAT1 in the pathogenesis of cancer.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Deborah Giordano, Bernardina Scafuri, Luigi De Masi, Lucia Capasso, Viviana Maresca, Lucia Altucci, Angela Nebbioso, Angelo Facchiano, Paola Bontempo
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Cambinol and its underlying mechanisms on cell differentiation. The findings demonstrated that Cambinol induced differentiation in MCF-7, NB4, and 3T3-L1 cell lines by modulating the expression of cell cycle-related proteins and nuclear receptors. In addition, molecular simulations revealed that Cambinol showed inhibitory effects on human SIRT1 and SIRT2, with stronger interaction with the substrate binding site of SIRT1. Overall, Cambinol may serve as a potential alternative for epigenetic therapies targeting SIRTs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Catarina Macedo-Silva, Vera Miranda-Goncalves, Nuno Tiago Tavares, Daniela Barros-Silva, Joana Lencart, Joao Lobo, Angelo Oliveira, Margareta P. Correia, Lucia Altucci, Carmen Jeronimo
Summary: This study found that p53 is highly expressed in radioresistant prostate cancer cells and in prostate cancer patients with recurrence or disease progression after radiation therapy. Mechanistic analysis showed that radiation therapy can promote p53 expression through epigenetic modulation. Inhibition of KDM6B decreased p53 expression and attenuated the radioresistant phenotype of prostate cancer cells.
SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION AND TARGETED THERAPY
(2023)
