Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Aastha Gupta, Ankita Dhiman, Ankur Sood, Ravi Bharadwaj, Neal Silverman, Garima Agrawal
Summary: In this study, disulfide crosslinked dextran/eudragit S-100 nanoparticles (DEEU NPs) were developed for colorectal cancer treatment. These redox environment sensitive DEEU NPs showed high encapsulation efficiency for the doxorubicin (DOX) model drug and exhibited significant release in the reducing environment. The DOX-DEEU NPs demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity for cancer cells and the in vivo biodistribution results indicated their potential as a promising platform for colorectal cancer treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peng Liu, Ping Huang, En-Tang Kang
Summary: This study introduces a novel dextran-based drug delivery system that exhibits pH sensitivity during cancer chemotherapy. Experimental results show that the system has good biocompatibility and anti-tumor effects in vitro, while in vivo studies demonstrate its effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth with minimal weight loss.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xianbin Wang, Wenjun Cao, Chuanfen Sun, Yutie Wang, Mingyu Wang, Jiarong Wu
Summary: This study developed a pH-sensitive nanodrug, MTX@pH-AcDEX NPs, to decrease the toxicity of methotrexate (MTX) and enhance its therapeutic effect for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. The nanodrug showed notable pH-responsiveness and high drug loading. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated reduced cytotoxicity and better anti-inflammatory effect compared to free MTX. Upon administration in an adjuvant-induced arthritis rat model, the nanodrug exhibited potent pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles, accumulating in RA lesions and releasing MTX inhibitors for regulating the JAK-STAT pathways. These findings suggest the strong potential of the nanodrug for safe and effective RA therapy as well as other autoimmune diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Sidra Kanwal, Muhammad Naveed, Ali Arshad, Azka Arshad, Farhat Firdous, Amir Faisal, Basit Yameen
Summary: Novel reduction-sensitive polymer-drug conjugate (PDC) nanoparticles with precise drug release control exhibit significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells in vitro, highlighting their potential in tumor therapy.
BIOCONJUGATE CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yang Han, Jieyi Pan, Na Liang, Xianfeng Gong, Shaoping Sun
Summary: The study synthesized an amphiphilic conjugate based on mPEG and cholesterol-modified chitosan with hydrazone bonds, which was used to prepare PTX-loaded micelles. These micelles exhibited promising therapeutic efficacy of PTX and reduced side effects, indicating potential as pH-sensitive nanocarriers for drug delivery.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fenghui Qiao, Zhiqi Jiang, Wen Fang, Jingzhi Sun, Qiaoling Hu
Summary: In this study, dual responsive nanoparticles were developed for drug delivery. The nanoparticles were able to release drug under the acidic tumor microenvironment and in the presence of mannitol. The nanoparticles were composed of chitosan, heparin, and poly(vinyl alcohol), and they exhibited dynamic covalent bonds and various functional groups for drug release.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Xiahui Wang, Bowen Yang, Xiaowen Xu, Meiling Su, Mingrong Xi, Zongning Yin
Summary: A drug delivery system, LDH-MTX-DS, with targeting and pH-sensitivity was developed to reduce the side effects of methotrexate and enhance its anti-inflammatory effect in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The in vitro release experiments showed faster drug release at pH 5.5, while in vivo pharmacodynamic experiments demonstrated significantly improved therapeutic efficacy in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohamed Alaa Mohamed, Ajay Singh, Paras N. Prasad, Chong Cheng
Summary: Delivery of chemotherapeutics to cancer cells using polymeric micelles is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the limited stability of micelles, premature drug release, and off-target effect hinder their utilization as effective drug delivery systems. In this study, pH-sensitive crosslinked polymeric micelles were designed to address these challenges and showed remarkable promise as smart drug delivery systems for cancer therapy.
Article
Polymer Science
Bogdan-Florin Craciun, Isabela-Andreea Sandu, Dragos Peptanariu, Mariana Pinteala
Summary: Nanomedicine has gained attention for its advantages in the treatment of cancer-related diseases. This study focuses on loading methotrexate and cytarabine into PEGylated squalene micelles to enhance therapeutic effectiveness and minimize drawbacks. The drug-encapsulated micelles demonstrated higher antitumoral activity compared to free drugs and provided sustained release for at least 48 hours.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Caiwei Yu, Hui Liu, Chunjing Guo, Qiang Chen, Yanguo Su, Huimin Guo, Xiaoya Hou, Feng Zhao, Huaying Fan, Hui Xu, Yan Zhao, Xiaofeng Mu, Guohua Wang, Haiyu Xu, Daquan Chen
Summary: This study developed a new nanoparticle system for targeted delivery of Celastrol to rheumatoid arthritis and specific drug release. The nanoparticles effectively delivered Cel to activated macrophages and significantly improved bioavailability. In vivo experiments showed that the system had better anti-rheumatoid arthritis effects and lower systemic toxicity.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Dongdong Wang, Xiaoyi Zhang, Bingbing Xu
Summary: Efforts to design and develop advanced drug delivery systems for targeted cancer chemotherapy remain a major challenge. A reduction-responsive PEGylated doxorubicin prodrug was reported, which self-assembled into biodegradable micelles in solutions and exhibited enhanced therapeutic efficacy with low side effects for targeted tumors. The reduction-sensitive micelles could also encapsulate free DOX drug into polymer cargo, showing potential as an intelligent and multifunctional chemotherapeutic payload transporter for effective tumor therapy.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Ionela-Amalia Bradu, Titus Vlase, Madalin Bunoiu, Madalina Gradinaru, Alexandru Pahomi, Dorothea Bajas, Mihaela Maria Budiul, Gabriela Vlase
Summary: This study presents the synthesis of membranes based on anionic polysaccharides and cationic polysaccharides for transdermal delivery of methotrexate. The membranes suitable for the release of the active ingredient were validated through characterization.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Han-yuan Zheng, Yu-dun Liu, Yu-lei Zhang, Qing-hua Shi, Xue-li Hou, Lin An
Summary: In this study, a supramolecular drug delivery system based on PDCA micelles has been developed to transport CPT to the therapeutic target. The CPT@PDCA micelles show high encapsulation efficiency and pH-responsive release behavior. CPT-loaded PDCA exhibits decreased toxicity to normal cells and comparable inhibitory effect on tumor proliferation compared with CPT alone.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Linrui Jiang, Wenpeng Li, Qingshan Miao, Jing Yang, Shaoyun Shan, Hongying Su
Summary: Introducing hydrophobic microstructures into polymer hydrogels has been considered as an effective strategy for hydrophobic drug delivery. In this study, fluorescent micelle-hydrogel composites were formed by combining AIE-active polyethylenimine (PEI) micelles into a dextran hydrogel matrix. The release of doxorubicin (DOX) loaded in the micelles and the following drug release from the hydrogel matrix were investigated. The results suggest that this AIE micelle-hydrogel system could be a valuable carrier for hydrophobic drugs with potential applications in intracellular imaging and drug release tracing.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dong Wan, Yujun Liu, Xinhao Guo, Jianxin Zhang, Jie Pan
Summary: By introducing MMPs responsive peptide chain GPLGVRGDG, the polymeric prodrug can be endowed with smart properties through a safe and simple method. In this study, it was found that during the doxorubicin delivery in TPGS(3350)-GPLGVRGDG-DOX&DOX micelles, the cleavage of the peptide chain triggers de-PEGylation, retaining the VRGDG sequence on the micelles' surface, which acts as a ligand to facilitate cell uptake and enhances cytotoxicity against 4T1 cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Editorial Material
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Guillermo Blanco-Fernandez, Barbara Blanco-Fernandez, Anxo Fernandez-Ferreiro, Francisco Otero-Espinar
Summary: Liquid crystals have found applications in biomedicine, particularly in therapeutics delivery, imaging, and tissue engineering, with a focus on lipid lyotropic LCs. The scientific community is encouraged to further explore the design of more complex LCs.
TRENDS IN PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Harriet R. Fowler, Dara M. O'Brien, Daniel J. Keddie, Cameron Alexander, Derek J. Irvine, Robert A. Stockman, Steven M. Howdle, Vincenzo Taresco
Summary: Polyols and polyacrylates are widely used in polymer synthesis and can be used as monomers, initiators, or building blocks. Finding bio-based/renewable sources for these compounds is crucial due to the increasing need to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. By functionalizing the alkene moieties of common terpenes through oxidation, the toolbox of bio-based diols and triols is expanded. These polyols can be easily converted into terpene-derived diacrylates under mild conditions. As demonstrated, these monomers can be used in aza-Michael polymerizations to form new (bio)degradable poly-beta-amino esters.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Alfonso Bayon-Fernandez, Alejandro Mendez-Ardoy, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Juan R. Granja, Javier Montenegro
Summary: This article introduces the design principles of a new family of self-assembling cyclic octapeptides that can be used as scaffolds for the development of self-healing hydrogels. By inserting different aromatic aldehyde pendants to modulate the hydrophobic/hydrophilic balance and fine-tune the properties of the resulting gel, self-healable hydrogels with viscoelastic properties can be formed.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2023)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Ana F. F. Pereira-da-Mota, Maria Vivero-Lopez, Piyush Garg, Chau-Minh Phan, Angel Concheiro, Lyndon Jones, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the release profiles of two drug-loaded contact lenses (CLs) in a 3D in vitro eye blink model and compare them with in vivo profiles. The results showed that the release of both drugs was more sustained and lower in the 3D eye model compared to in vitro release in vials. The findings suggest that the current 3D printed eye blink model could be a useful tool to measure the release of ophthalmic drugs from medicated CLs, but further optimization is needed.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Maria Vivero-Lopez, Angel Concheiro
Summary: This study demonstrates the spontaneous formation of anisotropic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) inside preformed contact lenses (CLs) without the need for additional reductant agents. The formation of AuNPs was achieved through a precise tuning of the monomeric composition, saline concentration, and the use of steam heat sterilization. The potential applications of incorporating AuNPs in CLs in the ocular field for prophylaxis, therapy, and diagnosis are highlighted. The developed CLs also exhibit photoresponsiveness and efficient filtering of highly penetrant light.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Carmela Tommasino, Giulia Auriemma, Carla Sardo, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Emilia Garofalo, Silvana Morello, Giovanni Falcone, Rita P. Aquino
Summary: In this study, a PCL/INU-PLA hybrid biomaterial was prepared, which showed improved surface properties, swelling ability, and in vitro biodegradation rate compared to PCL alone. The 3D printed scaffolds exhibited dimensional and structural parameters close to the digital model and showed favorable results in biocompatibility and osteogenic activity tests.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Kathleen Abigail Montoya-Villegas, Mirian Angelene Gonzalez-Ayon, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Angel Licea-Claverie, Emilio Bucio, Alejandro Ramirez-Jimenez
Summary: Thermo-responsive, hydrophilic, hemo- and biocompatible poly(DEGMA-co-OEGMA) was grafted onto silicone rubber using the gamma-radiation pre-irradiation method. The size of the grafted chains was controlled using a RAFT agent. The grafted materials showed enhanced hydrophilicity and excellent hemo- and cytocompatibility, indicating potential applications in the biomedical field.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Fadi Soukarieh, Pratik Gurnani, Manuel Romero, Nigel Halliday, Michael Stocks, Cameron Alexander, Miguel Camara
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat with a forecasted negative financial impact. Bacteria resistance is further enhanced by the ability to form biofilms, making most treatments ineffective. A study has developed polymers that improve the penetration of inhibitors to enhance biofilm antimicrobial activity.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Axel Kattar, Ana Quelle-Regaldie, Laura Sanchez, Angel Concheiro, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop cationic niosomes for the ocular delivery of epalrestat, a drug used in the treatment of diabetic eye damage. The niosomes were characterized and found to have a size of 80 nm, a charge ranging from -23 to +40 mV, and a spherical shape. The encapsulation efficiency of the niosomes was 99.76% and they showed a sustained release of the drug over 20 days. The niosomes were non-irritating, non-toxic, and showed higher permeation in the sclera compared to the unencapsulated drug.
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Mariana Zarur, Alejandro Seijo-Rabina, Alvaro Goyanes, Angel Concheiro, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
Summary: This review focuses on the recent advances in pH-responsive polymer-based scaffolds that have been demonstrated in vivo to be suitable for wound and bone healing. pH plays a critical role in the tissue regeneration process, and small changes can significantly impact the healing process. Various strategies, including changes in ionization of natural polymers, ionizable monomers and clays, reversible cross-linkers, coatings, and production of CO2 gas, have been tested to prepare pH-responsive scaffolds. These techniques have shown promise in achieving biocompatible and environment-friendly scaffolds that can be translated to clinical applications.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Federica Ragucci, Francesca Sireci, Francesco Cavallieri, Jessica Rossi, Giuseppe Biagini, Giovanni Tosi, Chiara Lucchi, Rodolfo Molina-Pena, Natalia Helen Ferreira, Mariana Zarur, Alba Ferreiros, William Bourgeois, Francois Berger, Miguel Abal, Audrey Rousseau, Frank Boury, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Emmanuel Garcion, Anna Pisanello, Giacomo Pavesi, Corrado Iaccarino, Luca Ghirotto, Maria Chiara Bassi, Franco Valzania
Summary: Nanotechnology shows promise in cancer treatment, particularly in the field of neuro-oncology. It is important to explore clinicians' intentions and perspectives on using this new technology in clinical practice.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Mariana Zarur, Alejandro Seijo-Rabina, Barbara Blanco-Fernandez, Isabel Rodriguez-Moldes, Angel Concheiro
Summary: The imbalance between life expectancy and quality of life is increasing due to the raising prevalence of chronic diseases. Scaffolds that can mimic natural physical stimuli and deliver dynamic physical stimuli, such as electrical signals, have shown potential for more efficient tissue regeneration.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Cara Moloney, Fatemeh Mehradnia, Robert J. Cavanagh, Asmaa Ibrahim, Amanda K. Pearce, Alison A. Ritchie, Philip Clarke, Ruman Rahman, Anna M. Grabowska, Cameron Alexander
Summary: The therapeutic effectiveness of nanomedicines depends on their access to target sites in the body, which is affected by their size, shape, and transport properties. Designing nanomaterials with optimal physicochemical properties for in vivo efficacy remains a challenge.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Amr Elsherbeny, Hulya Bayraktutan, Umut Can Oz, Cara Moloney, Jennifer C. Ashworth, Anna M. Grabowska, Cameron Alexander
Summary: Pancreatic cancer treatment is hindered by the complex tumor microenvironment, but the emergence of stimuli-responsive nanomaterials presents a promising avenue for targeted drug delivery. These nanomaterials can intelligently and selectively respond to external and internal stimuli, promoting drug accumulation and release in pancreatic cancer tissue for enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Paola Carou-Senra, Lucia Rodriguez-Pombo, Atheer Awad, Abdul W. Basit, Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo, Alvaro Goyanes
Summary: Inkjet printing (IJP) enables precise material deposition for personalized medicine and drug delivery. This review explores the formulation and components of pharma-inks, various substrate materials, and potential improvements through hardware, software, and artificial intelligence integration. Further exploration and optimization are needed to fully harness the healthcare capabilities of IJP.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
