Citation Details

Journal Article

SKOV3-luc-D3, SKOV3-luc, IVIS, Ovarian Cancer, Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/*administration & dosage; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Carriers/*chemical synthesis/chemistry/therapeutic use; Drug Delivery Systems/*methods; Female; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Integrin alpha Chains/metabolism; Mice; Mice, Nude; Micelles; Microscopy, Confocal; Nanoparticles/chemistry/therapeutic use; Ovarian Neoplasms/*drug therapy; Paclitaxel/*administration & dosage; Peptides/chemical synthesis/therapeutic use; Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry

Micellar nanoparticles based on linear polyethylene glycol (PEG) block dendritic cholic acids (CA) copolymers (telodendrimers), for the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of cancers, are reported. The micellar nanoparticles have been decorated with a high-affinity “OA02” peptide against alpha-3 integrin receptor to improve the tumor-targeting specificity which is overexpressed on the surface of ovarian cancer cells. “Click chemistry” was used to conjugate alkyne-containing OA02 peptide to the azide group at the distal terminus of the PEG chain in a representative PEG(5k)-CA(8) telodendrimer (micelle-forming unit). The conjugation of OA02 peptide had negligible influence on the physicochemical properties of PEG(5k)-CA(8) nanoparticles and as hypothesized, OA02 peptide dramatically enhanced the uptake efficiency of PEG(5k)-CA(8) nanoparticles (NP) in SKOV-3 and ES-2 ovarian cancer cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis, but not in alpha-3 integrin-negative K562 leukemia cells. When loaded with paclitaxel, OA02-NPs had significantly higher in vitro cytotoxicity against both SKOV-3 and ES-2 ovarian cancer cells as compared with nontargeted nanoparticles. Furthermore, the in vivo biodistribution study showed OA02 peptide greatly facilitated tumor localization and the intracellular uptake of PEG(5k)-CA(8) nanoparticles into ovarian cancer cells as validated in SKOV3-luc tumor-bearing mice. Finally, paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded OA02-NPs exhibited superior antitumor efficacy and lower systemic toxicity profile in nude mice bearing SKOV-3 tumor xenografts, when compared with equivalent doses of nontargeted PTX-NPs as well as clinical paclitaxel formulation (Taxol). Therefore, OA02-targeted telodendrimers loaded with paclitaxel have great potential as a new therapeutic approach for patients with ovarian cancer.

Journal Article

LL/2-luc-M38, LL/2-luc, Lewis Lung Carcinoma, IVIS

BACKGROUND: Overall clinical outcome for advanced lung cancer remains very disappointing despite recent advances in treatment. Curcumin has been reported as potentially active against cancer. METHODS: Owing to poor curcumin solubility, we have used cyclodextrins (CD) as an excipient allowing a considerable increase of aqueous solubility and bioavailability of curcumin. The effects of solubilised curcumin have been evaluated in cell cultures as well as in an in vivo orthotopic lung tumour mouse model. RESULTS: Cell proliferation was reduced while apoptosis rates were increased when lung epithelial tumour cells were cultured in the presence of curcumin-CD complexes. For in vivo experiments, cells were grafted into lungs of C57Bl/6 mice treated by an oral administration of a non-soluble form of curcumin, CDs alone or curcumin-CD complexes, combined or not with gemcitabine. The size of orthotopically implanted lung tumours was reduced upon curcumin complex administration as compared with treatments with placebo or non-solubilised curcumin. Moreover, curcumin potentiated the gemcitabine-mediated antitumour effects. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that curcumin, when given orally in a CD-solubilised form, reduces lung tumour size in vivo. In vitro experiments show impaired tumour cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis. Moreover, our data underline a potential additive effect of curcumin with gemcitabine thus providing an efficient therapeutic option for antilung cancer therapy.

Journal Article

LnCaP-luc2, Prostate Cancer, IVIS, *Gene Silencing; *Gold; Metal Nanoparticles/*chemistry/ultrastructure; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Polylysine/chemistry; RNA, Small Interfering/*genetics

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been widely proposed to treat various diseases by silencing genes, but its delivery remains a challenge. A well controlled assembly approach is applied to prepare a protease-assisted nanodelivery system. Protease-degradable poly-L-lysine (PLL) and siRNA are fabricated onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), by alternating the charged polyelectrolytes. In this study, up to 4 layers of PLL and 3 layers of siRNA (sR3P) are coated. Due to the slow degradation of PLL, the incorporated siRNA is released gradually and shows extended gene-silencing effects. Importantly, the inhibition effect in cells is found to correlate with the number of siRNA layers.

Journal Article

Xen5, Xen39, Xen26, Xen14, Xen36, Xen 5, Xen 39, Xen 26, Xen 14, Xen 36, Psuedomonas aeruginosa, S. aureus, Klebsiella, E. coli, Salmonella,

The 3(2H) furanone derivative 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone (DMHF) was investigated for its antimicrobial and cell-adhesion inhibition properties against Klebsiella pneumoniae Xen 39, Staphylococcus aureus Xen 36, Escherichia coli Xen 14, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Xen 5 and Salmonella typhimurium Xen 26. Nanofibers electrospun from solution blends of DMHF and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were tested for their ability to inhibit surface-attachment of bacteria. Antimicrobial and adhesion inhibition activity was determined via the plate counting technique. To quantify viable but non-culturable cells and to validate the plate counting results, bioluminescence and fluorescence studies were carried out. Nanofiber production was upscaled using the bubble electrospinning technique. To ascertain that no DMHF leached into filtered water, samples of water filtered through the nanofibrous mats were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were used to characterize the electrospun nanofibers.

Journal Article

Xen5, Xen 5, Pseudomonas aeruginosa

OBJECTIVES: We aim to develop antibacterial peptide mimics resistant to protease degradation, with broad-spectrum activity at sites of infection. METHODS: The bactericidal activities of LL-37, ceragenins CSA-13, CSA-90 and CSA-92 and the spermine-conjugated dexamethasone derivative D2S were evaluated using MIC and MBC measurements. Gingival fibroblast counting, interleukin-8 (IL-8) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from keratinocytes (HaCat) were used to determine effects on cell growth, pro-inflammatory response and toxicity. RESULTS: All tested cationic lipids showed stronger bactericidal activity than LL-37. Incubation of Staphylococcus aureus with half the MIC of LL-37 led to the appearance of bacteria resistant to its bactericidal effects, but identical incubations with CSA-13 or D2S did not produce resistant bacteria. Cathelicidin LL-37 significantly increased the total number of gingival fibroblasts, but ceragenins and D2S did not alter gingival fibroblast growth. Cationic lipids showed no toxicity to HaCat cells at concentrations resulting in bacterial killing. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that cationic lipids such as ceragenins warrant further testing as potential novel antibacterial agents.