KCl-CaCO3 nanoclusters armored with Pt Nanocrystals for Enhanced Electro-driven Tumor Inhibition

Electrodynamic therapy (EDT) has recently emerged as an alternative approach for tumor therapy via generating ROS by platinum (Pt) nanoparticles under electric field. An interesting phenomenon observed during EDT is...

Catalytic core–shell nanoparticles with self-supplied calcium and H2O2 to enable combinational tumor inhibition

Nanoparticles, presenting catalytic activity to induce intracellular oxidative species, have been extensively explored for tumor treatment, but suffer daunting challenges in the limited intracellular H2O2 and thus suppressed therapeutic efficacy. Here in this study, a type of composite nanoparticles, consisting CaO2 core and Co-ferrocene shell, is designed and synthesized for combinational tumor treatment. The findings indicate that CaO2 core can be hydrolyzed to produce large amounts of H2O2 and calcium ions at the acidic tumor sites. Meanwhile, Co-ferrocene shell acts as an excellent Fenton catalyst, inducing considerable ROS generation following its reaction with H2O2. Excessive cellular oxidative stress triggers agitated calcium accumulation in addition to the calcium ions released from the particles. The combined effect of intracellular ROS and calcium overload causes significant tumor inhibition both in vitro and in vivo.

A Low Dose of Hydrous Icaritin Nano-Formulation with Remarkable Efficacy and Tumor Targeting in Cancer Therapy

Background: The use of chemotherapeutic drugs is restricted in the tumor-therapy because of the severely toxic and side effects among most important factors. The active herbal extracts are always used as a high dose while in the tumortherapy to achieve good anti-tumor effects. Hydrous icaritin has a high activity while there are few existing dosage forms as a result of low solubility in water and poor bioavailability. Results: The prepared hydrous icaritin nanorods (DP-HICT NRs) using mPEG2000-DSPE as a stabilizer, presented a narrow distribution of particle size with of 217 nm and a properly high drug-loading content of approximately 65.3±1.5%. A low dose of hydrous icaritin nano-formulation shows remarkable efficacy in cancer therapy (tumor inhibition rate: 61.36±10.80%) compared with the same dose of Paclitaxel injection (tumor inhibition rate: 66.80±4.43%), which approved as medicaments. Not only that, DP-HICT NRs can escape the clearance of the immune system and enhance targeting ability to the tumor site with only one excipient and such a low dose. Conclusions: This kind of nanoparticles contain a low dose of HICT used mPEG2000-DSPE as a stabilizer, while can achieve good tumor targeting as some active targeting agents and an anti-tumor effect as the PTX injection. There are broad prospects in drug safety, anti-tumor efficacy and even prognosis.

Topical instillation of cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated melphalan blocks metastases of retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in infancy with a metastases-related death risk. However, a safe and convenient treatment without enucleation is still an unmet clinical need. In this work, a cell-penetrating peptide, 89WP, was conjugated with melphalan (89WP-Mel), which achieved comparable tumor inhibition effects to intravitreally injected melphalan via topical instillation for the first time. Notably, the “outside-in” diffusion of instilled 89WP-Mel created a protective shield surrounding the eye, efficiently preventing tumor metastases. In contrast, the mice treated with intravitreally injected melphalan suffered more brain metastases related death, probably due to the “inside-out” diffusion of injected melphalan expelling the tumor outside the eye. The ocular absorption of 89WP-conjugated melphalan and other small molecules, both hydrophobic and hydrophilic, occurred via non-corneal pathway with high safety and a prolonged residence duration in retina up to 24 h. The present work paves a new avenue for simultaneous intraocular tumor inhibition and extraocular metastases prevention in a safe and convenient way via topical instillation.

Catalytic Core-Shell Nanoparticles With Self-Supplied Calcium And H2O2 To Enable Combinational Tumor Inhibition

Nanoparticles, presenting catalytic activity to induce intracellular oxidative species, have been extensively explored for tumor treatment, but suffer daunting challenges in the limited intracellular H2O2 and thus suppressed therapeutic efficacy. Here in this study, a type of composite nanoparticles, consisting CaO2 core and Co-ferrocene shell, is designed and synthesized for combinational tumor treatment. The findings indicate that CaO2 core can be hydrolyzed to produce large amounts of H2O2 and calcium ions at the acidic tumor sites. Meanwhile, Co-ferrocene shell acts as an excellent Fenton catalyst, inducing considerable ROS generation following its reaction with H2O2. Excessive cellular oxidative stress triggers agitated calcium accumulation in addition to the calcium ions released from the particles. The combined effect of intracellular ROS and calcium overload causes significant tumor inhibition both in vitro and in vivo.