Repurposing Itraconazole Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles for Improved Antitumor Efficacy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers

Itraconazole (ITR) is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug, which has been shown to possess some promising anticancer, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic properties in some cancers, such as cancers of the lung, breast, and skin. However, ITR has some drawbacks, such as poor water solubility, which hinder its use as a therapeutic agent. Therefore, in the present study, we developed and characterized chitosan-coated PLGA nanoparticles of itraconazole and studied their anticancer activities in H1299 lung cancer cells. The prepared ITR nanoparticles showed a small particle size, narrow poly dispersity index (PDI), positive zeta potential, and a controlled drug release profile. The cytotoxicity of ITR nanoparticles (NPs) on H1299 cancer cells after 24 h of exposure was greater than that of the ITR solution. Apoptosis of cancer cells exposed to ITR nanoparticles was also enhanced in comparison with the ITR solution. At the molecular level, ITR NPs were more effective than ITR solution in inducing pro-apoptotic Bax and p53 while reducing anti-apoptotic Bcl2 protein expression. ITR NPs were more effective than ITR solution in arresting cells both at the G0/G1 as well as G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Hence, repurposing itraconazole by encapsulation into PLGA NPs with chitosan coating is a potentially promising approach to treat lung cancers.

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Actively Targeted and Redox Responsive Delivery of Anticancer Drug by Chitosan Nanoparticles

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics12010026 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 26 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Elisabetta Mazzotta ◽

Selene De Benedittis ◽

Antonio Qualtieri ◽

Rita Muzzalupo

Keyword(s):

Drug Release ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Anticancer Drug ◽

Water Solubility ◽

Chitosan Nanoparticles ◽

Controlled Drug Release ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

High Concentration ◽

Redox Responsive

The clinical efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) is limited by its poor water solubility, its low bioavailability, and the development of resistance in cancer cells. Herein, we developed novel folate redox-responsive chitosan (FTC) nanoparticles for intracellular MTX delivery. l-Cysteine and folic acid molecules were selected to be covalently linked to chitosan in order to confer it redox responsiveness and active targeting of folate receptors (FRs). NPs based on these novel polymers could possess tumor specificity and a controlled drug release due to the overexpression of FRs and high concentration of reductive agents in the microenvironment of cancer cells. Nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using an ionotropic gelation technique and characterized in terms of size, morphology, and loading capacity. In vitro drug release profiles exhibited a glutathione (GSH) dependence. In the normal physiological environment, NPs maintained good stability, whereas, in a reducing environment similar to tumor cells, the encapsulated MTX was promptly released. The anticancer activity of MTX-loaded FTC-NPs was also studied by incubating HeLa cells with formulations for various time and concentration intervals. A significant reduction in viability was observed in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In particular, FTC-NPs showed a better inhibition effect on HeLa cancer cell proliferation compared to non-target chitosan-based NPs used as control. The selective cellular uptake of FTC-NPs via FRs was evaluated and confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Overall, the designed NPs provide an attractive strategy and potential platform for efficient intracellular anticancer drug delivery.

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Synthesis and Characterization of the Ethylene-Carbonate-Linked L-Valine Derivatives of 4,4-Dimethylcurcumin with Potential Anticancer Activities

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26227050 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (22) ◽

pp. 7050

Author(s):

Der-Yen Lee ◽

Hui-Yi Lin ◽

Manickavasakam Ramasamy ◽

Sheng-Chu Kuo ◽

Pei-Chih Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Trifluoroacetic Acid ◽

Water Solubility ◽

Ethylene Carbonate ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

A549 Cells ◽

Intracellular Uptake ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Liver Cancers ◽

Anti Cancer

Natural phenolic products from herbal medicines and dietary plants constitute the main source of lead compounds for the development of the new drug. 4,4-Dimethylcurcumin (DMCU) is a synthetic curcumin derivative and exhibits anticancer activities against breast, colon, lung, and liver cancers. However, further development of DMCU is limited by unfavorable compound properties such as very low aqueous solubility and moderate stability. To increase its solubility, we installed either or both of the ethylene-carbonate-linked L-valine side chains to DMCU phenolic groups and produced targeted 1-trifluoroacetic acid (1-TFA) and 2-trifluoroacetic acid (2-TFA) derivatives. The terminus L-valine of ethylene-carbonate-linked side chain is known to be a L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) recognition element and therefore, these two derivatives were expected to readily enter into LAT1-expressing cancer cells. In practice, 1-TFA or 2-TFA were synthesized from DMCU in four steps with 34–48% overall yield. Based on the corresponding LC-MS analysis, water solubility of DMCU, 1-TFA, and 2-TFA at room temperature (25 ± 1 °C) were 0.018, 249.7, and 375.8 mg/mL, respectively, indicating >10,000-fold higher solubility of 1-TFA and 2-TFA than DMCU. Importantly, anti-proliferative assay demonstrated that 2-TFA is a potent anti-cancer agent against LAT1-expressing lung cancer cells NCI-H460, NCI-H358, and A549 cells due to its high intracellular uptake compared to DMCU and 1-TFA. In this study, we logically designed and synthesized the targeted compounds, established the LC-MS analytical methods for evaluations of drug solubility and intracellular uptake levels, and showed improved solubility and anti-cancer activities of 2-TFA. Our results provide a strategical direction for the future development of curcuminoid-like phenolic compounds.

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Anticancer Activity and Topoisomerase II Inhibition of Naphthalimides with ω-Hydroxylalkylamine Side-Chains of Different Lengths

Medicinal Chemistry ◽

10.2174/1573406414666180912105851 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 550-560

Author(s):

Mateusz D. Tomczyk ◽

Anna Byczek-Wyrostek ◽

Klaudia Strama ◽

Martyna Wawszków ◽

Przemysław Kasprzycki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Anticancer Activity ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Inhibitory Activity ◽

Topoisomerase Ii ◽

Significant Activity ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Human Colon Cancer ◽

Substitution Pattern ◽

Topo Ii

Background: The substituted 1,8-Naphthalimides (1H-benzo[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)- diones) are known as DNA intercalators stabilizing DNA-Topoisomerase II complexes. This interaction disrupts the cleavage-relegation equilibrium of Topo II, resulting in formation of broken strands of DNA. Objective: To investigate the influence of type of substituents and substitution positions in 1,8- naphthalimde skeleton on the inhibition of Topoisomerase II activity. Methods: The starting 1,8-naphthalimide were prepared from acenaphthene by introduction of appropriate substituents followed by condensation with ω-hydroxylakylamines of different chain length. The substituents were introduced to 1,8-naphthalimide molecule by nucleophilic substitution of leaving groups like nitro or bromo present in 4 or 4,5- positions using the ω- hydroxylalkylamines. The bioactivity of obtained compounds was examined in model cell lines. Results: Antiproliferative activity of selected compounds against HCT 116 human colon cancer cells, human non-small cell lung cells A549 and non-tumorigenic BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelium cells was examined. Several of investigated compounds exhibit a significant activity (IC50 µM to 7 µM) against model cancer cell lines. It was demonstrated that upon treatment with concentration of 200 µM, all derivatives display Topo II inhibitory activity, which may be compared with activity of Amonafide. Conclusion: The replacement of the nitro groups in the chromophore slightly reduces its anticancer activities, whereas the presence of both nitro group and ω-hydroxylalkylamine chain resulted in seriously increased anticancer activity. Obtained compounds showed Topo II inhibitory activity, moreover, influence of the substitution pattern on the ability to inhibit Topo II activity and cancer cells proliferation was observed.

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Development and Optimization of Sustained Release Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride Loaded Nanoemulsion for Ophthalmic Drug Delivery: A 32 Factorial Design Approach

Micro and Nanosystems ◽

10.2174/1876402912999200826111031 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sagar R. Pardeshi ◽

Harshal A. Mistari ◽

Rakhi S. Jain ◽

Pankaj R. Pardeshi ◽

Rahul L. Rajput ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Release ◽

Sustained Release ◽

Factorial Design ◽

Water Solubility ◽

Tween 80 ◽

Drug Release Profile ◽

Sustained Drug Release ◽

Bacterial Conjunctivitis ◽

Promising Alternative

Background: Moxifloxacin is a BCS class I drug used in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis and keratitis. Despite its high water solubility, it possesses limited bioavailability due to anatomical and physiological constraints associated with the eyes which required multiple administrations to achieve a therapeutic effect. Objective: In order to prolong drug release and to improve antibacterial efficacy for the treatment of bacterial keratitis and conjunctivitis, moxifloxacin loaded nanoemulsion was developed. Methods: The concentration of oil (oleic acid), surfactant (tween 80), and cosurfactant (propylene glycol) were optimized by employing a 3-level 2-factorial design of experiment for the development of nanoemulsion. The developed nanoemulsion was characterized by particle size distribution, viscosity, refractive index, pH, drug content and release, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and antibacterial study. The compatibility of the drug with the excipients was accessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Result: The average globule size was found to be 198.20 nm. The TEM study reveals the globules were nearly spherical and are well distributed. In vitro drug release profile for nanoemulsion shown sustained drug release (60.12% at the end of 6 h) compared to drug solution, where complete drug released within 2 h. The antibacterial effectiveness of the drug-loaded nanoemulsion was improved against S. aureus compared with the marketed formulation. Conclusion: The formulated sustained release nanoemulsion could be a promising alternative to eye drop with improved patient compliance by minimizing dosing frequency with improved antibacterial activity.

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Development of innovative paclitaxel-loaded small PLGA nanoparticles: Study of their antiproliferative activity and their molecular interactions on prostatic cancer cells

International Journal of Pharmaceutics ◽

10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.05.018 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 454 (2) ◽

pp. 712-719 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

D. Le Broc-Ryckewaert ◽

R. Carpentier ◽

E. Lipka ◽

S. Daher ◽

C. Vaccher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Molecular Interactions ◽

Antiproliferative Activity ◽

Prostatic Cancer ◽

Plga Nanoparticles

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Photo-Responsive Supramolecular Micelles for Controlled Drug Release and Improved Chemotherapy

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22010154 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 154

Author(s):

Fasih Bintang Ilhami ◽

Kai-Chen Peng ◽

Yi-Shiuan Chang ◽

Yihalem Abebe Alemayehu ◽

Hsieh-Chih Tsai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reactive Oxygen Species ◽

Drug Release ◽

Visible Light ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Laser Irradiation ◽

Reactive Oxygen ◽

Controlled Drug Release ◽

Grand Challenge ◽

Supramolecular System ◽

Oxygen Species

Development of stimuli-responsive supramolecular micelles that enable high levels of well-controlled drug release in cancer cells remains a grand challenge. Here, we encapsulated the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) and pro-photosensitizer 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) within adenine-functionalized supramolecular micelles (A-PPG), in order to achieve effective drug delivery combined with photo-chemotherapy. The resulting DOX/5-ALA-loaded micelles exhibited excellent light and pH-responsive behavior in aqueous solution and high drug-entrapment stability in serum-rich media. A short duration (1–2 min) of laser irradiation with visible light induced the dissociation of the DOX/5-ALA complexes within the micelles, which disrupted micellular stability and resulted in rapid, immediate release of the physically entrapped drug from the micelles. In addition, in vitro assays of cellular reactive oxygen species generation and cellular internalization confirmed the drug-loaded micelles exhibited significantly enhanced cellular uptake after visible light irradiation, and that the light-triggered disassembly of micellar structures rapidly increased the production of reactive oxygen species within the cells. Importantly, flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that laser irradiation of cancer cells incubated with DOX/5-ALA-loaded A-PPG micelles effectively induced apoptotic cell death via endocytosis. Thus, this newly developed supramolecular system may offer a potential route towards improving the efficacy of synergistic chemotherapeutic approaches for cancer.

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Use of Half-Generation PAMAM Dendrimers (G0.5–G3.5) with Carboxylate End-Groups to Improve the DACHPtCl2 and 5-FU Efficacy as Anticancer Drugs

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26102924 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (10) ◽

pp. 2924

Author(s):

Cláudia Camacho ◽

Helena Tomás ◽

João Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Cancer Cell ◽

Anticancer Drug ◽

Water Solubility ◽

Cancer Cell Lines ◽

Pamam Dendrimers ◽

Binding Assays ◽

End Groups ◽

Ic50 Values

The DACHPtCl2 compound (trans-(R,R)-1,2-diaminocyclohexanedichloroplatinum(II)) is a potent anticancer drug with a broad spectrum of activity and is less toxic than oxaliplatin (trans-l-diaminocyclohexane oxalate platinum II), with which it shares the active metal fragment DACHPt. Nevertheless, due to poor water solubility, its use as a chemotherapeutic drug is limited. Here, DACHPtCl2 was conjugated, in a bidentate form, with half-generation PAMAM dendrimers (G0.5–G3.5) with carboxylate end-groups, and the resulting conjugates were evaluated against various types of cancer cell lines. In this way, we aimed at increasing the solubility and availability at the target site of DACHPt while potentially reducing the adverse side effects. DNA binding assays showed a hyperchromic effect compatible with DNA helix’s disruption upon the interaction of the metallodendrimers and/or the released active metallic fragments with DNA. Furthermore, the prepared DACHPt metallodendrimers presented cytotoxicity in a wide set of cancer cell lines used (the relative potency regarding oxaliplatin was in general high) and were not hemotoxic. Importantly, their selectivity for A2780 and CACO-2 cancer cells with respect to non-cancer cells was particularly high. Subsequently, the anticancer drug 5-FU was loaded in a selected metallodendrimer (the G2.5COO(DACHPt)16) to investigate a possible synergistic effect between the two drugs carried by the same dendrimer scaffold and tested for cytotoxicity in A2780cisR and CACO-2 cancer cell lines. This combination resulted in IC50 values much lower than the IC50 for 5-FU but higher than those found for the metallodendrimers without 5-FU. It seems, thus, that the metallic fragment-induced cytotoxicity dominates over the cytotoxicity of 5-FU in the set of considered cell lines.

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Phytochemicals Block Glucose Utilization and Lipid Synthesis to Counteract Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11031259 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 1259

Author(s):

Qiong Wu ◽

Bo Zhao ◽

Guangchao Sui ◽

Jinming Shi

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Metabolic Pathways ◽

De Novo ◽

Aerobic Glycolysis ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Natural Compounds ◽

Metabolic Reprogramming ◽

De Novo Lipogenesis ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Substrate Analogs

Aberrant metabolism is one of the hallmarks of cancers. The contributions of dysregulated metabolism to cancer development, such as tumor cell survival, metastasis and drug resistance, have been extensively characterized. “Reprogrammed” metabolic pathways in cancer cells are mainly represented by excessive glucose consumption and hyperactive de novo lipogenesis. Natural compounds with anticancer activities are constantly being demonstrated to target metabolic processes, such as glucose transport, aerobic glycolysis, fatty acid synthesis and desaturation. However, their molecular targets and underlying anticancer mechanisms remain largely unclear or controversial. Mounting evidence indicated that these natural compounds could modulate the expression of key regulatory enzymes in various metabolic pathways at transcriptional and translational levels. Meanwhile, natural compounds could also inhibit the activities of these enzymes by acting as substrate analogs or altering their protein conformations. The actions of natural compounds in the crosstalk between metabolism modulation and cancer cell destiny have become increasingly attractive. In this review, we summarize the activities of natural small molecules in inhibiting key enzymes of metabolic pathways. We illustrate the structural characteristics of these compounds at the molecular level as either inhibitor of various enzymes or regulators of metabolic pathways in cancer cells. Our ultimate goal is to both facilitate the clinical application of natural compounds in cancer therapies and promote the development of novel anticancer therapeutics.

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Dehydrodiisoeugenol inhibits colorectal cancer growth by endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced autophagic pathways

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research ◽

10.1186/s13046-021-01915-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Changhong Li ◽

Kui Zhang ◽

Guangzhao Pan ◽

Haoyan Ji ◽

Chongyang Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Cell Growth ◽

Er Stress ◽

Cancer Cells ◽

Tumor Xenograft ◽

Anticancer Activities ◽

Colorectal Cancer Cells

Abstract Background Dehydrodiisoeugenol (DEH), a novel lignan component extracted from nutmeg, which is the seed of Myristica fragrans Houtt, displays noticeable anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in digestive system diseases. However, the mechanism of its anticancer activity in gastrointestinal cancer remains to be investigated. Methods In this study, the anticancer effect of DEH on human colorectal cancer and its underlying mechanism were evaluated. Assays including MTT, EdU, Plate clone formation, Soft agar, Flow cytometry, Electron microscopy, Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used in vitro. The CDX and PDX tumor xenograft models were used in vivo. Results Our findings indicated that treatment with DEH arrested the cell cycle of colorectal cancer cells at the G1/S phase, leading to significant inhibition in cell growth. Moreover, DEH induced strong cellular autophagy, which could be inhibited through autophagic inhibitors, with a rction in the DEH-induced inhibition of cell growth in colorectal cancer cells. Further analysis indicated that DEH also induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and subsequently stimulated autophagy through the activation of PERK/eIF2α and IRE1α/XBP-1 s/CHOP pathways. Knockdown of PERK or IRE1α significantly decreased DEH-induced autophagy and retrieved cell viability in cells treated with DEH. Furthermore, DEH also exhibited significant anticancer activities in the CDX- and PDX-models. Conclusions Collectively, our studies strongly suggest that DEH might be a potential anticancer agent against colorectal cancer by activating ER stress-induced inhibition of autophagy.

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