scholarly journals Biodegradable Micelles for NIR/GSH-Triggered Chemophototherapy of Cancer

Nanomaterials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chuan Zhang ◽  
Yuzhuo Wang ◽  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Hou Liu ◽  
Yueqi Zhao ◽  
...  

The chemotherapy of stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems (SDDSs) is a promising method to enhance cancer treatment effects. However, the low efficiency of chemotherapy drugs and poor degradation partly limit the application of SDDSs. Herein, we report doxorubicin (DOX)-loading mixed micelles for biotin-targeting drug delivery and enhanced photothermal/photodynamic therapy (PTT/PDT). Glutathione (GSH)-responsive mixed micelles were prepared by a dialysis method, proportionally mixing polycaprolactone-disulfide bond-biodegradable photoluminescent polymer (PCL-SS-BPLP) and biotin-polyethylene glycol-cypate (biotin-PEG-cypate). Chemically linking cypate into the mixed micelles greatly improved cypate solubility and PTT/PDT effect. The micelles also exhibited good monodispersity and stability in cell medium (~119.7 nm), low critical micelles concentration, good biodegradation, and photodecomposition. The high concentration of GSH in cancer cells and near-infrared light (NIR)-mediated cypate decomposition were able to achieve DOX centralized release. Meanwhile, the DOX-based chemotherapy combined with cypate-based NIR-triggered hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species could synergistically induce HepG2 cell death and apoptosis. The in vivo experiments confirmed that the micelles generated hyperthermia and achieved a desirable therapeutic effect. Therefore, the designed biodegradable micelles are promising safe nanovehicles for antitumor drug delivery and chemo/PTT/PDT combination therapy.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiyi Wang ◽  
Yanmin Ju ◽  
Zeeshan Ali ◽  
Hui Yin ◽  
Fugeng Sheng ◽  
...  

Abstract Smart drug delivery systems (SDDSs) for cancer treatment are of considerable interest in the field of theranostics. However, developing SDDSs with early diagnostic capability, enhanced drug delivery and efficient biodegradability still remains a scientific challenge. Herein, we report near-infrared light and tumor microenvironment (TME), dual responsive as well as size-switchable nanocapsules. These nanocapsules are made of a PLGA-polymer matrix coated with Fe/FeO core-shell nanocrystals and co-loaded with chemotherapy drug and photothermal agent. Smartly engineered nanocapsules can not only shrink and decompose into small-sized nanodrugs upon drug release but also can regulate the TME to overproduce reactive oxygen species for enhanced synergistic therapy in tumors. In vivo experiments demonstrate that these nanocapsules can target to tumor sites through fluorescence/magnetic resonance imaging and offer remarkable therapeutic results. Our synthetic strategy provides a platform for next generation smart nanocapsules with enhanced permeability and retention effect, multimodal anticancer theranostics, and biodegradability.


Biosensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 174
Author(s):  
Ramzan Ullah ◽  
Karl Doerfer ◽  
Pawjai Khampang ◽  
Faraneh Fathi ◽  
Wenzhou Hong ◽  
...  

Proper ventilation of a patient with an endotracheal tube (ETT) requires proper placement of the ETT. We present a sensitive, noninvasive, operator-free, and cost-effective optical sensor, called Opt-ETT, for the real-time assessment of ETT placement and alerting of the clinical care team should the ETT become displaced. The Opt-ETT uses a side-firing optical fiber, a near-infrared light-emitting diode, two photodetectors with an integrated amplifier, an Arduino board, and a computer loaded with a custom LabVIEW program to monitor the position of the endotracheal tube inside the windpipe. The Opt-ETT generates a visual and audible warning if the tube moves over a distance set by the operator. Displacement prediction is made using a second-order polynomial fit to the voltages measured from each detector. The system is tested on ex vivo porcine tissues, and the accuracy is determined to be better than 1.0 mm. In vivo experiments with a pig are conducted to test the performance and usability of the system.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (26) ◽  
pp. 6632-6637 ◽  
Author(s):  
He Ding ◽  
Lihui Lu ◽  
Zhao Shi ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
Lizhu Li ◽  
...  

Optical upconversion that converts infrared light into visible light is of significant interest for broad applications in biomedicine, imaging, and displays. Conventional upconversion materials rely on nonlinear light-matter interactions, exhibit incidence-dependent efficiencies, and require high-power excitation. We report an infrared-to-visible upconversion strategy based on fully integrated microscale optoelectronic devices. These thin-film, ultraminiaturized devices realize near-infrared (∼810 nm) to visible [630 nm (red) or 590 nm (yellow)] upconversion that is linearly dependent on incoherent, low-power excitation, with a quantum yield of ∼1.5%. Additional features of this upconversion design include broadband absorption, wide-emission spectral tunability, and fast dynamics. Encapsulated, freestanding devices are transferred onto heterogeneous substrates and show desirable biocompatibilities within biological fluids and tissues. These microscale devices are implanted in behaving animals, with in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrating their utility for optogenetic neuromodulation. This approach provides a versatile route to achieve upconversion throughout the entire visible spectral range at lower power and higher efficiency than has previously been possible.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (15) ◽  
pp. 2494-2513 ◽  
Author(s):  
João A. Oshiro-Júnior ◽  
Camila Rodero ◽  
Gilmar Hanck-Silva ◽  
Mariana R. Sato ◽  
Renata Carolina Alves ◽  
...  

Stimuli-responsive drug-delivery nanocarriers (DDNs) have been increasingly reported in the literature as an alternative for breast cancer therapy. Stimuli-responsive DDNs are developed with materials that present a drastic change in response to intrinsic/chemical stimuli (pH, redox and enzyme) and extrinsic/physical stimuli (ultrasound, Near-infrared (NIR) light, magnetic field and electric current). In addition, they can be developed using different strategies, such as functionalization with signaling molecules, leading to several advantages, such as (a) improved pharmaceutical properties of liposoluble drugs, (b) selectivity with the tumor tissue decreasing systemic toxic effects, (c) controlled release upon different stimuli, which are all fundamental to improving the therapeutic effectiveness of breast cancer treatment. Therefore, this review summarizes the use of stimuli-responsive DDNs in the treatment of breast cancer. We have divided the discussions into intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli and have separately detailed them regarding their definitions and applications. Finally, we aim to address the ability of these stimuli-responsive DDNs to control the drug release in vitro and the influence on breast cancer therapy, evaluated in vivo in breast cancer models.


2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (7) ◽  
pp. 1953-1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan S. Stowers ◽  
Shane C. Allen ◽  
Laura J. Suggs

Hydrogels are widely used as in vitro culture models to mimic 3D cellular microenvironments. The stiffness of the extracellular matrix is known to influence cell phenotype, inspiring work toward unraveling the role of stiffness on cell behavior using hydrogels. However, in many biological processes such as embryonic development, wound healing, and tumorigenesis, the microenvironment is highly dynamic, leading to changes in matrix stiffness over a broad range of timescales. To recapitulate dynamic microenvironments, a hydrogel with temporally tunable stiffness is needed. Here, we present a system in which alginate gel stiffness can be temporally modulated by light-triggered release of calcium or a chelator from liposomes. Others have shown softening via photodegradation or stiffening via secondary cross-linking; however, our system is capable of both dynamic stiffening and softening. Dynamic modulation of stiffness can be induced at least 14 d after gelation and can be spatially controlled to produce gradients and patterns. We use this system to investigate the regulation of fibroblast morphology by stiffness in both nondegradable gels and gels with degradable elements. Interestingly, stiffening inhibits fibroblast spreading through either mesenchymal or amoeboid migration modes. We demonstrate this technology can be translated in vivo by using deeply penetrating near-infrared light for transdermal stiffness modulation, enabling external control of gel stiffness. Temporal modulation of hydrogel stiffness is a powerful tool that will enable investigation of the role that dynamic microenvironments play in biological processes both in vitro and in well-controlled in vivo experiments.


Biomaterials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 164-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuzhu Wang ◽  
Jundong Shao ◽  
Mustafa Abd El Raouf ◽  
Hanhan Xie ◽  
Hao Huang ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 5101-5110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huiting Bi ◽  
Yunlu Dai ◽  
Ruichan Lv ◽  
Chongna Zhong ◽  
Fei He ◽  
...  

A CuS–DOX NP drug delivery system was synthesized by conjugating carboxyl-functionalized copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) and DOX through hydrazone bonds. The platform exhibits high in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer efficacy due to the combined chemo- and photothermal therapeutic effect upon 808 nm laser irradiation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 2657-2667
Author(s):  
Felipe Montecinos-Franjola ◽  
John Y. Lin ◽  
Erik A. Rodriguez

Noninvasive fluorescent imaging requires far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins for deeper imaging. Near-infrared light penetrates biological tissue with blood vessels due to low absorbance, scattering, and reflection of light and has a greater signal-to-noise due to less autofluorescence. Far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins absorb light >600 nm to expand the color palette for imaging multiple biosensors and noninvasive in vivo imaging. The ideal fluorescent proteins are bright, photobleach minimally, express well in the desired cells, do not oligomerize, and generate or incorporate exogenous fluorophores efficiently. Coral-derived red fluorescent proteins require oxygen for fluorophore formation and release two hydrogen peroxide molecules. New fluorescent proteins based on phytochrome and phycobiliproteins use biliverdin IXα as fluorophores, do not require oxygen for maturation to image anaerobic organisms and tumor core, and do not generate hydrogen peroxide. The small Ultra-Red Fluorescent Protein (smURFP) was evolved from a cyanobacterial phycobiliprotein to covalently attach biliverdin as an exogenous fluorophore. The small Ultra-Red Fluorescent Protein is biophysically as bright as the enhanced green fluorescent protein, is exceptionally photostable, used for biosensor development, and visible in living mice. Novel applications of smURFP include in vitro protein diagnostics with attomolar (10−18 M) sensitivity, encapsulation in viral particles, and fluorescent protein nanoparticles. However, the availability of biliverdin limits the fluorescence of biliverdin-attaching fluorescent proteins; hence, extra biliverdin is needed to enhance brightness. New methods for improved biliverdin bioavailability are necessary to develop improved bright far-red and near-infrared fluorescent proteins for noninvasive imaging in vivo.


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