Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sinan Cheng, Zheng Lu, Yang Feng, Xuewei Zhao, Ruixia Zhao, Zuchun Qiu, Chenshuang Jia, Lirong Chen, Yue Yuan, Xinyao Li, Qian Gao, Jie Xu, Zhan Shu, Wei Duan, Yingchun Hou, Guochao Nie, Li Xiao
Summary: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and leading cause of death in women. Current chemotherapy has low efficacy and high side effects, necessitating the development of a novel targeted drug delivery formulation. The study discovered a new drug formulation that showed satisfactory therapeutic efficacy for breast cancer, particularly for drug resistant cases.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jie Mi, Dandan Cui, Zhenhui Zhang, Gen Mu, Yujiao Shi
Summary: This study presents a femtosecond-laser-pumped ultrafast photoacoustic cavitation technique using nanoprobes coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone-40000 (PVP). The technique allows for sustainable and highly efficient shockwave theranostics, overcoming the limitations of nanodroplets. The experiments demonstrate significant anti-tumor effects and potential clinical applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jie Mi, Dandan Cui, Zhenhui Zhang, Gen Mu, Yujiao Shi
Summary: This study proposes a femtosecond-laser-pumped ultrafast photoacoustic cavitation technique that relies on nanomaterials to overcome the limitations of existing methods. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and precision of this method in inhibiting tumor growth, highlighting its significance in the field of photoacoustic theranostics.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chih-Peng Lin, Shu-Hui Wu, Tzu-Yin Lin, Chia-Hui Chu, Leu-Wei Lo, Ching-Chuan Kuo, Jang-Yang Chang, Szu-Chun Hsu, Bor-Sheng Ko, Ming Yao, Jong-Kai Hsiao, Shih-Wei Wang, Dong-Ming Huang
Summary: This study develops a simple and versatile biological drug delivery system (bDDS) based on human red blood cell-derived vesicles (RDVs), which shows excellent biocompatibility for cancer chemotherapy. The bDDS, named Dox-gluRDVs, effectively suppress multidrug resistance in uterine sarcoma by inducing cell death through a lysosomal-mitochondrial axis-dependent mechanism.
PHARMACOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jelena Vasiljeva, Marina Makrecka-Kuka, Ilona Domracheva, Karlis Vilks, Pavels Dimitrijevs, Pavel Arsenyan
Summary: This study reports the design and synthesis of novel selenophenoquinolinones and their ability to reverse doxorubicin resistance in uterus sarcoma cells. Compound 5e demonstrated the best cytotoxicity and attenuated cell resistance to doxorubicin by inhibiting ABCB1 transporter activity and suppressing ABCB1 gene expression.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Juan Wang, Liyan Qiu
Summary: In this study, a pH-responsive drug-induced self-assembled nanovesicle was developed based on an amphiphilic copolymer for the simultaneous delivery of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) and chloroquine (CQ). The nanovesicle exhibited excellent delivery performance both in vitro and in vivo, and CQ enhanced the efficacy of DOX·HCl by inhibiting autophagy. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy for precise combination therapy.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xuan Xiao, Kewei Wang, Qingyu Zong, Yalan Tu, Yansong Dong, Youyong Yuan
Summary: This study introduces a polyprodrug (PSSD) that can deplete GSH and activate drugs simultaneously, aiming to reverse multidrug resistance. The poly(disulfide) backbone depletes GSH and triggers the activation of DOX through a cascade reaction, showing promising potential in overcoming drug resistance.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chuan Yu, Chen Li, Haofeng Pan, Tian Li, Suna He
Summary: 2-ME-SEDDS, a designed and characterized emulsified drug delivery system, showed a considerable cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADM cells and exhibited a synergistic effect in combination with doxorubicin, increasing its cellular uptake by MCF-7/ADM cells.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Yuan Liu, Ziwen Tong, Jingru Shi, Ruichao Li, Mathew Upton, Zhiqiang Wang
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance poses a global health challenge, but a combination of antibiotics and non-antibiotic compounds offers an effective strategy. A pathogen-by-pathogen approach highlights the critical value of drug repurposing.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Yingxiao Yu, Huimin Zhao, Jiayin Lin, Zongshao Li, Guobao Tian, Yi Yan Yang, Peiyan Yuan, Xin Ding
Summary: The combination of non-antibiotic drugs auranofin and pentamidine exhibits a strong synergistic antibacterial effect against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The mechanism involves bacterial membrane disruption and enhanced intracellular drug uptake, resulting in efficient bacterial killing and delayed drug resistance development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Qingjie Min, Yan Wang, Qingnan Wu, Xianfeng Li, Huajing Teng, Jiawen Fan, Yiren Cao, Pingsheng Fan, Qimin Zhan
Summary: Treatment-resistant patients with ESCC undergoing combined TVCC therapy exhibit significant genetic and epigenetic temporal heterogeneity. Subclonal expansions driven by beneficial new mutations are observed during combined therapies, leading to the emergence of multidrug resistance. The study also identifies SLC7A8 as a potentially novel multidrug resistance gene, with functional assays demonstrating that mutant SLC7A8 promotes resistance phenotypes in ESCC cell lines.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
An Yan, Zherui Zhang, Jiamei Gu, Xiaoran Ding, Yongchen Chen, Jingjing Du, Shu Wei, Hongcheng Sun, Jiayun Xu, Shuangjiang Yu, Junqiu Liu
Summary: In this study, a therapeutic hydrogel was developed for the local release of cisplatin, BSO, and GOx, effectively addressing drug resistance in tumor treatment. The sequential release of BSO and the depletion of GSH by GOx-catalyzed glucose oxidation enhanced the sensitivity of cisplatin and improved tumor treatment.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
An Yan, Zherui Zhang, Jiamei Gu, Xiaoran Ding, Yongchen Chen, Jingjing Du, Shu Wei, Hongcheng Sun, Jiayun Xu, Shuangjiang Yu, Junqiu Liu
Summary: In this study, a therapeutic cisplatin-crosslinked albumin hydrogel (BC-Gel) was developed for localized release of L-Buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO), cisplatin, and glucose oxidase (GOx) with distinct release kinetics. The preferentially released BSO suppressed cisplatin resistance, while cisplatin achieved long-term treatment through sequential release under bioresponsive gel degradation. The overproduced H2O2 from GOx-catalyzed glucose oxidation further weakened cisplatin resistance and enhanced tumor treatment. This sequential drug release strategy disrupts the balance of the tumor microenvironment and improves sensitivity to cisplatin, offering a promising approach for temporal control of drug release and efficient cancer combination therapy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aleksandra Filipiak-Duliban, Klaudia Brodaczewska, Arkadiusz Kajdasz, Claudine Kieda
Summary: 2D culture as a model for drug testing often fails to mimic in vivo drug responses, while 3D cultures show potential to better model these responses. In this study, we compared 3D and 2D cultures and found that tumor cells in 3D models exhibited higher resistance to anti-cancer drugs, suggesting the presence of new non-canonical mechanisms for drug resistance in the tumor microenvironment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ali Maruf, Malgorzata Milewska, Anna Lalik, Ilona Wandzik
Summary: This study reports the synthesis of degradable pH/reduction dual-responsive nanogels for encapsulation and targeted release of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) in conditions characteristic of the cancer microenvironment. The nanogels showed high drug loading capacity and stability in various biological media. In vitro experiments demonstrated enhanced cytotoxic effect of the DOX-loaded nanogels compared to free DOX.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Iris Neto, Eva Maria Dominguez-Martin, Epole Ntungwe, Catarina P. Reis, Milica Pesic, Celia Faustino, Patricia Rijo
Summary: The study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of dehydroabietic acid (DHA) as an antibiofilm agent, testing it against various Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria, and yeasts. The results showed that DHA demonstrated high efficiency and potential in combating bacteria and inhibiting biofilm formation.
Article
Neurosciences
Ana Kostic, Sofija Jovanovic Stojanov, Ana Podolski-Renic, Marija Nesovic, Miodrag Dragoj, Igor Nikolic, Goran Tasic, Silvia Schenone, Milica Pesic, Jelena Dinic
Summary: The Src kinase inhibitors Si306 and pro-Si306 demonstrated significant pro-oxidative potential in patient-derived GBM cells, leading to cell death and senescence.
Article
Neurosciences
Miodrag Dragoj, Jasmina Stojkovska, Tijana Stankovic, Jelena Dinic, Ana Podolski-Renic, Bojana Obradovic, Milica Pesic
Summary: A long-term 3D glioblastoma model was developed using alginate microfibers, allowing U87 cells to remain viable for up to 28 days. Treatment with temozolomide (TMZ) in the 3D model reduced cell growth but increased drug resistance-related gene expression, with a more pronounced effect compared to 2D cell culture. This model system could be beneficial for drug testing and treatment optimization in glioblastoma.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Francisco J. Hicke, Adrian Puerta, Jelena Dinic, Milica Pesic, Jose M. Padron, Oscar Lopez, Jose G. Fernandez-Bolanos
Summary: Novel mitochondria-targeted compounds, combining a phenethyl alcohol motif with a triphenyl phosphonium scaffold, exhibited strong antiproliferative activities against tumor cells, showing up to 350-fold improvement compared to classical chemotherapeutic agents. These compounds also demonstrated promising selectivity and potency, including towards multidrug resistant cells when co-administered with a pump-efflux inhibitor.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Epole N. Ntungwe, Sofija Jovanovic Stojanov, Noelia M. Duarte, Nuno R. Candeias, Ana M. Diaz-Lanza, Mate Vagvolgyi, Attila Hunyadi, Milica Pesic, Patricia Rijo
Summary: The bioguided fractionation and chromatographic methods were used in this study to isolate four abietane diterpenoids from Plectranthus mutabilis extract, with compound 4 being the major component. These compounds showed selectivity towards cancer cells, inhibited P-glycoprotein activity, and reversed doxorubicin resistance. The extract significantly increased P-glycoprotein expression without affecting the expression of P-glycoprotein in cancer cells.
ACS MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mirna Jovanovic, Ana Podolski-Renic, Mikhail Krasavin, Milica Pesic
Summary: The Trx system plays a crucial role in regulating the redox environment and cell proliferative potential while cancer cells develop counteracting mechanisms to increase oxidative stress resistance and drug tolerance. Inhibitors of the Trx system are potential candidates to enhance cytotoxicity in cancer therapy, highlighting the importance of developing multitarget therapies to overcome treatment limitations.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Mirna Jovanovic, Tijana Stankovic, Sonja Stojkovic Buric, Jasna Bankovic, Jelena Dinic, Mila Ljujic, Milica Pesic, Miodrag Dragoj
Summary: Tspan14, a member of the tetraspanin protein family, plays an important role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progression. The inactivation of TSPAN14 gene is associated with low survival rate and aggressive tumor types in NSCLC patients.
Article
Biology
Sofija Jovanovic Stojanov, Ana Kostic, Mila Ljujic, Ema Lupsic, Silvia Schenone, Milica Pesic, Jelena Dinic
Summary: Drug resistance is a major challenge in treating glioblastoma. Autophagy plays a crucial role in drug resistance, and the use of autophagy inhibitors can enhance the effectiveness of targeted therapy. This study shows that two Src tyrosine kinase inhibitors can induce autophagy in glioblastoma cells, and inhibiting autophagy can increase the anticancer effects of these inhibitors.
Article
Biology
Carmen Ortega-Sabater, Gabriel F. Calvo, Jelena Dinic, Ana Podolski, Milica Pesic, Victor Perez-Garcia
Summary: Evolutionary dynamics helps us understand changes in biological systems and plays a role in the organizational changes observed in cancers. Tumour heterogeneity shapes its development and relationship with the environment. Phenotypic plasticity may contribute to the acceleration of tumour growth over time.
BULLETIN OF MATHEMATICAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jesus M. Roldan-Pena, Adrian Puerta, Jelena Dinic, Sofija Jovanovic Stojanov, Aday Gonzalez-Bakker, Francisco J. Hicke, Atreyee Mishra, Akkharadet Piyasaengthong, Ines Maya, James W. Walton, Milica Pesic, Jose M. Padron, Jose G. Fernandez-Bolanos, Oscar Lopez
Summary: Most of the currently available cytotoxic agents lack selectivity and cause severe side-effects. In order to address this issue, we focused on selenium derivatives as potential prodrugs that can release reactive species on tumour cells. By conjugating the optimized structure with biotin, we developed a selective vector for malignant cells, which exhibited strong antiproliferative effects and outstanding selectivity.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sofija Jovanovic Stojanov, Epole N. Ntungwe, Jelena Dinic, Ana Podolski-Renic, Milica Pajovic, Patricia Rijo, Milica Pesic
Summary: Coleon U, a natural compound not recognized as a substrate of P-glycoprotein, has equal efficacy against sensitive and multidrug-resistant cancer cells. It delays the decrease in P-glycoprotein activity by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibiting P-glycoprotein expression.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ljiljana Koracak, Ema Lupsic, Natasa Terzic Jovanovic, Mirna Jovanovic, Miroslav Novakovic, Paraskev Nedialkov, Antoaneta Trendafilova, Mario Zlatovic, Milica Pesic, Igor M. Opsenica
Summary: The synthesis of hybrid molecules consisting of artesunate and synthetic 4-aryl-2-aminopyrimidines was described. These new compounds showed improved cytotoxic properties and selectivity against non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells, and could also overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype. Among them, compound 16k exhibited the most potent anticancer activity with low IC50 values in sensitive and MDR NSCLC cells.
NEW JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Plant Sciences
V. M. S. Isca, E. Ntungwe, G. Bangay, S. Princiotto, J. Dinic, M. Pesic, L. Saraiva, C. A. M. Afonso, P. Rijo
Meeting Abstract
Plant Sciences
E. Ntungwe, A. M. Diaz-Lanza, M. Pesic, P. Rijo
Article
Oncology
Berta Segura-Collar, Juan Jimenez-Sanchez, Ricardo Gargini, Miodrag Dragoj, Juan M. Sepulveda-Sanchez, Milica Pesi, Maria A. Ramirez, Luis E. Ayala-Hernandez, Pilar Sanchez-Gomez, Victor M. Perez-Garcia
Summary: In-silico simulations and in-vitro and in-vivo studies suggest that increasing time between doses of Temozolomide (TMZ) may reduce toxicity, delay resistance, and improve survival in slowly-growing glioblastomas through changes in tumor phenotype.
NEURO-ONCOLOGY ADVANCES
(2022)
