Polyethylene glycol-conjugated hyaluronic acid-ceramide self-assembled nanoparticles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated hyaluronic acid-ceramide (HACE) was synthesized for the preparation of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded HACE-PEG-based nanoparticles, 160 nm in mean diameter with a negative surface charge. Greater uptake of DOX from these HACE-PEG-based nanoparticles was observed in the CD44 receptor highly expressed SCC7 cell line, compared to results from the CD44-negative cell line, NIH3T3. A strong fluorescent signal was detected in the tumor region upon intravenous injection of cyanine 5.5-labeled nanoparticles into the SCC7 tumor xenograft mice; the extended circulation time of the HACE-PEG-based nanoparticle was also observed. Pharmacokinetic study in rats showed a 73.0% reduction of the in vivo clearance of DOX compared to the control group. The antitumor efficacy of the DOX-loaded HACE-PEG-based nanoparticles was also verified in a tumor xenograft mouse model. DOX was efficiently delivered to the tumor site by active targeting via HA and CD44 receptor interaction and by passive targeting due to its small mean diameter (<200 nm). Moreover, PEGylation resulted in prolonged nanoparticle circulation and reduced DOX clearance rate in an in vivo model. These results therefore indicate that PEGylated HACE nanoparticles represent a promising anticancer drug delivery system for cancer diagnosis and therapy.     

Intraperitoneal delivery of platinum with in-situ crosslinkable hyaluronic acid gel for local therapy of ovarian cancer

Intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy is a promising post-surgical therapy of solid carcinomas confined within the peritoneal cavity, with potential benefits in locoregional and systemic management of residual tumors. In this study, we intended to increase local retention of platinum in the peritoneal cavity over a prolonged period of time using a nanoparticle form of platinum and an in-situ crosslinkable hyaluronic acid gel. Hyaluronic acid was chosen as a carrier due to the biocompatibility and biodegradability. We confirmed a sustained release of platinum from the nanoparticles (PtNPs) and nanoparticle/gel hybrid (PtNP/gel), receptor-mediated endocytosis of PtNPs, and retention of the gel in the peritoneal cavity over 4 weeks: conditions desirable for a prolonged local delivery of platinum. However, PtNPs and PtNP/gel did not show a greater anti-tumor efficacy than CDDP solution administered at the same dose but rather caused a slight increase in tumor burdens at later time points, which suggests a potential involvement of empty carriers and degradation products in the growth of residual tumors. This study alerts that although several materials considered biocompatible and safe are used as drug carriers, they may have unwanted biological effects on the residual targets once the drug is exhausted; therefore, more attention should be paid to the selection of drug carriers.     

Folate-conjugated amphiphilic block copolymer micelle for targeted and redox-responsive delivery of doxorubicin

In this paper, novel folate-conjugated and redox-responsive crosslinked block copolymer was successfully synthesized for targeted and controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX) to cancer cells. Folate-conjugated poly(ethylene glycol)-b-copolycarbonates (FA-PEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)) and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-copolycarbonates (mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)) were firstly synthesized by enzymatic method. FA-PEG/mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)-SS was then obtained by further crosslinking reaction with cystamine. Non-conjugated crosslinked copolymer mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)-SS- and non-conjugated uncrosslinked copolymer mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC) were also synthesized for comparison. All the amphiphlic copolymers could self-assemble to form nano-sized micelles which dispersed in spherical shape before and after DOX loading. The core crosslinking structure of FA-PEG/mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)-SS could improve the micellar stability and drug loading capacity, while in vitro release studies also showed more sustained drug release behavior which could be accelerated in reductive condition. Moreover, confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the conjugation of FA could enhance the cellular uptake efficiency obviously via FA-receptor-mediated endocytosis, and MTT assays demonstrated highly potent cytotoxic activity of FA-PEG/mPEG-b-P(MAC-co-DTC)-SS.     

Bio-functional micelles self-assembled from a folate-conjugated block copolymer for targeted intracellular delivery of anticancer drugs

In this study, a block copolymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide-co-2-aminoethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(10-undecenoic acid) (P(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm-co-AMA)-b-PUA) was synthesized, and folic acid was conjugated to the hydrophilic block through the amine group in AMA. This polymer was self-assembled into micelles, which exhibited pH-induced temperature sensitivity. They were smaller in size, and possessed a better-defined core-shell structure as well as more stable hydrophobic core than the random copolymer P(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm-co-UA), and provided a shell with folate molecules. An anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated into the micelles. The mean diameter of the blank and DOX-loaded micelles was less than 100 nm. DOX release was pH-dependent, being faster at low pH (endosomes/lysosomes). Therefore, DOX was readily released from the micelles into the nucleus after being taken up. More importantly, IC50 of DOX-loaded micelles with folate against folate receptor-expressing 4T1 and KB cells was much lower than that of the DOX-loaded micelles without folate (3.8 vs. 7.6 mg/L for 4T1 cells and 1.2 vs. 3.0mg/L for KB cells). In vivo experiments conducted in a 4T1 mouse breast cancer model demonstrated that DOX-loaded micelles had a longer blood circulation time than free DOX (t(1/2): 30 min and 140 min, respectively). In addition, the micelles delivered an increased amount of DOX to the tumor when compared to free DOX. These bio-functional micelles may make a promising carrier to transport anticancer drugs specifically to tumor cells and release the drug molecules inside the cells to the cytosols for improved chemotherapy.     

基于改性复合多糖的载阿霉素纳米粒子的制备及其靶向肝癌细胞的研究

目的 制备一种具有氧化还原敏感性的载阿霉素(DOX)纳米粒子,并研究其体外释放及靶向肝癌细胞的性能.方法 以1-(3-二甲氨基丙基)-3-乙基碳二亚胺盐酸盐/N-羟基琥珀酰亚胺为催化剂,使透明质酸(HA)侧链接枝胱胺,进一步通过Schiff碱反应偶联β-环糊精(β-CD)制备β-环糊精接枝透明质酸(HACD).然后以HACD为载体材料,采用透析法制备载DOX纳米粒子(HACD/DOX),并对其载药量、包封率、粒径及分布、zeta电位等理化性质及体外释放行为进行表征;采用细胞计数试剂盒(CCK-8)检测HACD/DOX纳米粒子对肝癌细胞HepG2的毒性作用;通过流式细胞术及激光共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)研究HACD/DOX纳米粒子对HepG2细胞的靶向作用.结果 成功制备了HACD,其可携载DOX形成形态均匀的纳米粒子.DOX在纳米粒子中的载药量为(16.1±0.2)％,包封率为(64.2±0.9)％.透射电子显微镜结果显示其为球形结构;粒度分析结果表明,HACD/DOX纳米粒子的平均粒径为(203.1±2.5) nm,多分散系数为0.202,zeta电位为(-29.1±0.8)mV.该纳米粒子的体外释放行为具有明显的氧化还原敏感性.体外毒性结果显示,空白载体材料HACD对肝癌细胞无明显毒性,而HACD/DOX纳米粒子可有效杀伤肝癌细胞,48 h的半数抑制浓度(IC50)值为0.38 μg/ml.流式细胞术和CLSM结果均显示HACD/DOX纳米粒子是通过HA的介导而发挥肝癌靶向作用的.结论 制备的HACD/DOX纳米粒子具有适宜的粒径、高载药量和包封率,能在还原剂刺激下释放药物,且具有明显靶向肝癌细胞的作用,有望成为一种具有良好应用前景的靶向治疗肝癌的药物递送系统.     

Amphiphilic carboxymethyl chitosan-quercetin conjugate with P-gp inhibitory properties for oral delivery of paclitaxel

An amphiphilic carboxymethyl chitosan-quercetin (CQ) conjugate was designed and synthesized for oral delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) to improve its oral bioavailability by increasing its water solubility and bypassing the P-gp drug efflux pumps. CQ conjugate had low critical micelle concentration (55.14 μg/mL), and could self assemble in aqueous condition to form polymeric micelles (PMs). PTX-loaded CQ PMs displayed a particle size of 185.8 ± 4.6 nm and polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.134 ± 0.056. The drug-loading content (DL) and entrapment efficiency (EE) were 33.62 ± 1.34% and 85.63 ± 1.26%, respectively. Moreover, PTX-loaded CQ PMs displayed similar sustained-release profile in simulated gastrointestinal fluids (pH 1.2/pH 6.8) and PBS (pH 7.4). In situ intestinal absorption experiment showed that PTX-loaded CQ PMs significantly improved the effective permeability of PTX as compared to verapamil (P < 0.01). Likewise, PTX-loaded CQ PMs significantly enhanced the oral bioavailability of PTX, resulting in strong antitumor efficacy against tumor xenograft models with better safety profile as compared to Taxol^® and Taxol^® with verapamil. Overall, the results implicate that CQ PMs are promising vehicles for the oral delivery of water-insoluble anticancer drugs.     

Co-delivery of hydrophobic paclitaxel and hydrophilic AURKA specific siRNA by redox-sensitive micelles for effective treatment of breast cancer

In this study, a novel redox-sensitive micellar system constructed from a hyaluronic acid-based amphiphilic conjugate (HA-ss-(OA-g-bPEI), HSOP) was successfully developed for tumor-targeted co-delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) and AURKA specific siRNA (si-AURKA). HSOP exhibited excellent loading capacities for both PTX and siRNA with adjustable dosing ratios and desirable redox-sensitivity independently verified by morphological changes of micelles alongside in vitro release of both drugs in different reducing environments. Moreover, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy analysis confirmed that HSOP micelles were capable of simultaneously delivering PTX and siRNA into MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells via HA-receptor mediated endocytosis followed by rapid transport of cargoes into the cytosol. Successful delivery and transport amplified the synergistic effects between the drugs while leading to substantially greater antitumor efficacy when compared with single drug-loaded micelles and non-sensitive co-loaded micelles. In vivo investigation demonstrated that HSOP micelles could effectively accumulate in tumor sites and possessed the greatest antitumor efficacy over non-sensitive co-delivery control and redox-sensitive single-drug controls. These findings indicated that redox-sensitive HSOP co-delivery system holds great promise for combined drug/gene treatment for targeted cancer therapy.     

A conformal hydrogel nanocomposite for local delivery of paclitaxel

Conventional surgical methods can not completely remove the tumor cells, and an inevitable recurrence always results in death. In this study, we prepared a conformal hydrogel nanocomposite with potential to inhibit the recurrence of glioma. Based on the MRI of a patient’s brain tumor cavity (BTC), we 3D-printed a mould for preparing the customized implants that could match the resection cavity. The obtained macroporous hydrogel, containing Paclitaxel (PTX) nanoparticles, could sustained release PTX. From the confocal microscopy image, we could detect that the hydrogel nanocomposite combined with nanoparticles uniformly. The nanoparticles were fabricated through a self-assembled process with PTX. Moreover, the in vitro studies showed that nanoparticles could release PTX slowly and efficiently inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells. This work prepared a conformal hydrogel nanocomposite for local delivery of paclitaxel, which could inspire the development of future protocols for precision therapy of residual glioma after surgical resection.     

Folic acid conjugated glycol chitosan micelles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin: preparation and preliminary evaluation in vitro

For folate receptor (FR) targeted anticancer therapy, novel folic acid (FA) conjugated cholesterol-modified glycol chitosan (FCHGC) micelles were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The degree of substitution was 1.4 FA groups and 7.7 cholesterol groups per 100 sugar residues of glycol chitosan. The critical aggregation concentration of FCHGC micelles in aqueous solution was 0.0169?mg/ml. The doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded FCHGC (DFCHGC) micelles were prepared by an emulsion/solvent evaporation method. The DFCHGC micelles were almost spherical in shape and their size increased from 282 to 320?nm with the DOX-loading content increasing from 4.53 to 11.4%. DOX released from DOX-loaded micelles displayed sustained release behavior. The targeted micelles encapsulated DOX showed significantly greater cytotoxicity against FR-positive HeLa cells than the nontargeted DOX-loaded micelles and free DOX. These results suggested that FCHGC micelles could be a potential carrier for targeted drug delivery.     

Actively targeted delivery of anticancer drug to tumor cells by redox-responsive star-shaped micelles

In cancer therapy nanocargos based on star-shaped polymer exhibit unique features such as better stability, smaller size distribution and higher drug capacity in comparison to linear polymeric micelles. In this study, we developed a multifunctional star-shaped micellar system by combination of active targeting ability and redox-responsive behavior. The star-shaped micelles with good stability were self-assembled from four-arm poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer. The redox-responsive behaviors of these micelles triggered by glutathione were evaluated from the changes of micellar size, morphology and molecular weight. In vitro drug release profiles exhibited that in a stimulated normal physiological environment, the redox-responsive star-shaped micelles could maintain good stability, whereas in a reducing and acid environment similar with that of tumor cells, the encapsulated agent was promptly released. In vitro cellular uptake and subcellular localization of these micelles were further studied with confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry against the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa. In vivo and ex vivo DOX fluorescence imaging displayed that these FA-functionalized star-shaped micelles possessed much better specificity to target solid tumor. Both the qualitative and quantitative results of the antitumor effect in 4T1 tumor-bearing BALB/c mice demonstrated that these redox-responsive star-shaped micelles have a high therapeutic efficiency to artificial solid tumor. Therefore, the multifunctional star-shaped micelles are a potential platform for targeted anticancer drug delivery.     

Supramolecular self-assembly forming a multifunctional synergistic system for targeted co-delivery of gene and drug

For developing a multifunctional bioreducible targeted and synergistic co-delivery system for anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) and p53 gene for potential cancer therapy, supramolecular self-assembled inclusion complex was prepared from PTX and star-shaped cationic polymer containing γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) and multiple oligoethylenimine (OEI) arms with folic acid (FA) conjugated via a disulfide linker. The inclusion complex, termed as γ-CD-OEI-SS-FA/PTX, was formed between PTX and the hydrophobic cavity of γ-CD core of the star polymer. The γ-CD-OEI-SS-FA/PTX complex further formed polyplexes with pDNA to give positively charged nanoparticles, becoming multifunctional supramolecular self-assembled co-delivery system for PTX and pDNA targeting to cancer cells that overexpress folate receptors (FRs). The results showed that the FA-targeted function induced higher gene transfection efficiency in the FR-positive KB cells. The redox-sensitive disulfide linker in the self-assembly system led to the detachment of the FA groups from the carrier after the FR-mediated endocytosis, which resulted in the release of the bound FRs followed by the recycling of the FRs from the cytosol onto the cell membrane surface, facilitating continuous FR-mediated endocytosis to achieve enhanced gene transfection. In addition, the complexed PTX was co-delivered to the cells with pDNA, which further enhanced the gene transfection even at low N/P ratios in the FR-positive KB cells. Further, the efficient delivery of wild-type p53 gene resulted in large cell population at sub G1 and G2/M phases, inducing significant cell apoptosis. Therefore, the multifunctional γ-CD-OEI-SS-FA/PTX self-assembly system with the synergistic effects of redox-sensitive FA-targeted and PTX-enhanced p53 gene delivery may be promising for cancer therapeutic application.     

Polymeric micelles for GSH-triggered delivery of arsenic species to cancer cells

Arsenic trioxide (ATO), dissolved in water as arsenous acid or inorganic arsenite (As^III), is an effective chemotherapeutic agent against acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It has been under investigation as a potential treatment for a variety of solid tumors although with much poorer efficacy than for APL. The toxicity of As^III and its derivatives is a common concern that has limited its use. The objective of the current study was to develop a polymeric micelle drug delivery system for efficient and controlled delivery of trivalent arsenicals to solid tumor cells. A polymeric micelle-based drug delivery system can potentially extend the duration of drug circulation in blood, restrict access of encapsulated drug to normal tissues, achieve tumor targeted drug delivery, enhance drug accumulation in the tumor area, and trigger drug release at tumor sites if designed properly. These, in turn, can lead to an improved therapeutic index for the polymeric micellar formulation of arsenic species compared to their free form. Towards this goal, a biodegradable block copolymer with pendent thiol groups on the hydrophobic block, i.e., methoxy poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly[α-(6-mecaptohexyl amino)carboxylate-ε-caprolactone] [PEO-b-P(CCLC₆-SH)], was synthesized and used for conjugation of a trivalent arsenical, phenylarsine oxide (PAO), to free thiol groups on the polymer backbone. PAO-loaded micelles had refined size distribution with an average diameter of 150 nm as evidenced by dynamic light scattering (DLS) in water. Prepared polymeric micelles were characterized for the level of PAO conjugation using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed 65% of total free thiols were conjugated to PAO providing an arsenic/polymer loading content of ∼2.5 wt%. In vitro release study suggests prolonged release of PAO from its polymeric micellar carrier, which was accelerated in the presence of glutathione (GSH). Cytotoxicity studies against MDA-MB-435 cells show that the IC₅₀ of PEO-b-P(CCLC₆-S-PAO) is not significantly different from that of free PAO. The results indicate that PEO-b-P(CCLC₆-SH) is a promising carrier for successful arsenic delivery for cancer therapy.     

Mulberry-like dual-drug complicated nanocarriers assembled with apogossypolone amphiphilic starch micelles and doxorubicin hyaluronic acid nanoparticles for tumor combination and targeted therapy

A comprehensive strategy for the preparation of mulberry-like dual-drug complicated nanocarriers (MLDC NCs) with high drug loading and adjustable dual-drug ratio was developed. First, apogossypolone (ApoG2) amphiphilic starch micelles (AASt MCs) were prepared by self-assembly process, and doxorubicin (DOX) hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (DHA NPs) were prepared by DOX absorption with excess HA by electrostatic absorption. MLDC NCs were obtained by adsorption of 8–9 DHA NPs around one AASt MC via electrostatic interaction. UV–visible and fluorescence spectrophotometers were used to measure the entrapment efficiency and loading efficiency of the two drugs. Transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering method were used to observe the size distribution and morphology of the particles. The tumor-targeting feature caused by HA-receptor mediation was confirmed by in vitro cell uptake and in vivo near-infrared fluorescence imaging. MLDC NCs were found to possess a mulberry-like shape with a dynamic size of 83.1 ± 6.6 nm. The final encapsulation efficiencies of ApoG2 and DOX in MLDC NCs were 94 ± 1.7% and 87 ± 5.8% with respect to drug-loading capacities of 13.3 ± 1.2% and 13.1 ± 3.7%, respectively. Almost no ApoG2 release was found within 80 h and less than 30% of DOX was released into the outer phase even after 72 h. In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that MLDC NCs had highly efficient targeting and accumulation at the tumor in vivo and was maintained for 96 h after being injected intravenously in mice. Low LD₅₀ for the two drugs in MLDC NCs was found after acute toxicity test. One-fifth normal dosage of the two drugs in MLDC NCs exhibited significantly higher anti-tumor efficiency in reducing tumor size compared with free drugs combination or single drug-loaded nanoparticles individually, indicating that the mulberry-like dual-drug nanoplatform has a great potential in tumor therapy.     

Antibody fragment-conjugated polymeric micelles incorporating platinum drugs for targeted therapy of pancreatic cancer

Antibody-mediated therapies including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have shown much potential in cancer treatment by tumor-targeted delivery of cytotoxic drugs. However, there is a limitation of payloads that can be delivered by ADCs. Integration of antibodies to drug-loaded nanocarriers broadens the applicability of antibodies to a wide range of therapeutics. Herein, we developed antibody fragment-installed polymeric micelles via maleimide-thiol conjugation for selectively delivering platinum drugs to pancreatic tumors. By tailoring the surface density of maleimide on the micelles, one tissue factor (TF)-targeting Fab' was conjugated to each carrier. Fab'-installed platinum-loaded micelles exhibited more than 15-fold increased cellular binding within 1 h and rapid cellular internalization compared to non-targeted micelles, leading to superior in vitro cytotoxicity. In vivo, Fab'-installed micelles significantly suppressed the growth of pancreatic tumor xenografts for more than 40 days, outperforming non-targeted micelles and free drugs. These results indicate the potential of Fab'-installed polymeric micelles for efficient drug delivery to solid tumors.     

人血清透明质酸夹心化学发光免疫检测方法的建立

目的建立人血清透明质酸夹心化学发光免疫检测方法。方法用透明质酸结合蛋白分别进行固相载体包被和与辣根过氧物酶偶联,建立定量测定人血清透明质酸的夹心化学发光免疫检测法,并对该方法进行方法学和临床应用性评价。结果所建立血清透明质酸化学发光免疫检测法灵敏度为0.66μg/L,线性范围在1.8~1000μg/L,批内变异系数低于7.05%,批间变异系数低于8.0%,平均添加回收率为103.1%,稀释回收率为106.8%,与肝纤维化其他血清标志物IV型胶原、III型前胶原和层黏连蛋白的交叉反应率分别只有0.19%、0.16%和0.17%,样本中添加的抗凝剂及胆红素、胆固醇、甘油三酯等物质对检测结果没有影响。辽宁抚顺市传染病医院用该方法检测737份样本的临床总符合率为98.64%;检测197份样本透明质酸含量的结果与美国Corgenix试剂盒检测结果的相关性为y=0.855x+26.874(r=0.9877)。结论该方法灵敏度高、特性好、线性范围宽,有良好的准确性和重复性,完全可用于临床样本的肝纤维化检测。     

Amphiphilic micelles of poly(2-methyl-2-carboxytrimethylene carbonate-co-D,L-lactide)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) for anti-cancer drug delivery to solid tumours

Drug delivery to solid tumours remains a challenge because both tumour physiology and drug solubility are unfavourable. Engineered materials can provide the basis for drug reformulation, incorporating active compounds and modulating their pharmacokinetic and biodistribution behaviour. To this end, we encapsulated docetaxel, a poorly soluble taxane drug, in a self-assembled polymeric nanoparticle micelle of poly(2-methyl-2-carboxytrimethylene carbonate-co-d,l-lactide)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) (poly(TMCC-co-LA)-g-PEG). This formulation was compared with its conventional ethanolic polysorbate 80 formulation in terms of plasma circulation and biodistribution in an orthotopic mouse model of breast cancer. Notably, the polymeric nanoparticle formulation achieved greater tumour retention, resulting in prolonged exposure of cancer cells to the active drug. This behaviour was unique to the tumour tissue. The active drug was eliminated at equal or greater rates in all other tissues assayed when delivered in the polymeric nanoparticles vs. the free drug formulation. Thus, these polymeric nanoparticles are promising vehicles for solid tumour drug delivery applications, offering greater tumour exposure while eliminating the need for toxic solvents and surfactants in the dosing formulation.     

Telodendrimer nanocarrier for co-delivery of paclitaxel and cisplatin: A synergistic combination nanotherapy for ovarian cancer treatment

Cisplatin (CDDP) and paclitaxel (PTX) are two established chemotherapeutic drugs used in combination for the treatment of many cancers, including ovarian cancer. We have recently developed a three-layered linear-dendritic telodendrimer micelles (TM) by introducing carboxylic acid groups in the adjacent layer via “thio-ene” click chemistry for CDDP complexation and conjugating cholic acids via peptide chemistry in the interior layer of telodendrimer for PTX encapsulation. We hypothesize that the co-delivery of low dosage PTX with CDDP could act synergistically to increase the treatment efficacy and reduce their toxic side effects. This design allowed us to co-deliver PTX and CDDP at various drug ratios to ovarian cancer cells. The in vitro cellular assays revealed strongest synergism in anti-tumor effects when delivered at a 1:2 PTX/CDDP loading ratio. Using the SKOV-3 ovarian cancer xenograft mouse model, we demonstrate that our co-encapsulation approach resulted in an efficient tumor-targeted drug delivery, decreased cytotoxic effects and stronger anti-tumor effect, when compared with free drug combination or the single loading TM formulations.     

Antiadhesive and antibiofilm activity of hyaluronic acid against bacteria responsible for respiratory tract infections

To address the problem of limited efficacy of existing antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial biofilm, it is necessary to find alternative remedies. One candidate could be hyaluronic acid; this study therefore aimed to evaluate the in vitro antiadhesive and antibiofilm activity of hyaluronic acid toward bacterial species commonly isolated from respiratory infections. Interference exerted on bacterial adhesion was evaluated by using Hep‐2 cells, while the antibiofilm activity was assessed by means of spectrophotometry after incubation of biofilm with hyaluronic acid and staining with crystal violet. Our data suggest that hyaluronic acid is able to interfere with bacterial adhesion to a cellular substrate in a concentration‐dependent manner, being notably active when assessed as pure substance. Moreover, we found that Staphylococcus aureus biofilm was more sensitive to the action of hyaluronic acid than biofilm produced by Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis. In conclusion, hyaluronic acid is characterized by notable antiadhesive properties, while it shows a moderate activity against bacterial biofilm. As bacterial adhesion to oral cells is the first step for colonization, these results further sustain the role of hyaluronic acid in prevention of respiratory infections.     

siRNA delivery from triblock copolymer micelles with spatially-ordered compartments of PEG shell,siRNA-loaded intermediate layer,and hydrophobic core

Hydrophobized block copolymers have widely been developed for construction of polymeric micelles for stable delivery of nucleic acids as well as anticancer drugs. Herein, we elaborated an A-B-C type of triblock copolymer featuring shell-forming A-segment, nucleic acid-loading B-segment, and stable core-forming C-segment, directed toward construction of a three-layered polymeric micelle as a small interfering RNA (siRNA) vehicle. The triblock copolymer was prepared with nonionic and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), cationic poly(l-lysine) (PLys), and poly{N-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-2-aminoethyl]aspartamide} [PAsp(DET)] bearing a hydrophobic dimethoxy nitrobenzyl ester (DN) moiety in the side chain [PEG-PLys-PAsp(DET-DN)]. The resulting triblock copolymers spontaneously formed sub-100 nm-sized polymeric micelles with a hydrophobic PAsp(DET-DN) core as well as PEG shell in an aqueous solution. This micelle was able to incorporate siRNA into the intermediate PLys layer, associated with slightly reduced size and a narrow size distribution. The triblock copolymer micelles (TCMs) stably encapsulated siRNA in serum-containing medium, whereas randomly hydrophobized triblock copolymer [PEG-PLys(DN)-PAsp(DET-DN)] control micelles (RCMs) gradually released siRNA with time and non-PEGylated diblock copolymer [PLys-PAsp(DET-DN)] control micelles (DCMs) immediately formed large aggregates. The TCMs thus induced appreciably stronger sequence-specific gene silencing in cultured cancer cells, compared to those control micelles. The siRNA delivery with TCMs was further examined in terms of cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking. The flow cytometric analysis revealed that the cellular uptake of TCMs was more efficient than that of RCMs, but less efficient than that of DCMs. The intracellular trafficking study using confocal laser scanning microscopy combined with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) revealed that the TCMs could readily release the siRNA payload within cells, which was in contrast to the DCMs exhibiting much slower release profile. This result indicates that PEG shell contributed to the smooth release of siRNA from TCMs within the cells, presumably due to avoiding irreversible aggregate formation. The obtained results demonstrated that the design of separately functionalized polymer segments expanded the performance of polymeric micelles for successful siRNA delivery.     

The degradation and biocompatibility of pH-sensitive biodegradable polyurethanes for intracellular multifunctional antitumor drug delivery

To obtain controllable stepwise biodegradable polymer for multifunctional antitumor drug carriers, pH-sensitive biodegradable polyurethanes were firstly synthesized using poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and pH-sensitive poly(ε-caprolactone)-hydrazone-poly(ethylene glycol)-hydrazone-poly(ε-caprolactone) macrodiol (PCLH) as soft segment; l-lysine ethyl ester diisocyanate (LDI), l-lysine derivative tripeptide and 1,4-butandiol (BDO) as hard segment; and hydrazone-linked methoxyl-poly(ethylene glycol)(m-PEG-Hyd) as end-capper. Then, an extensive degradation process of the prepared pH-sensitive polyurethanes was investigated in vitro with proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (¹H NMR), gel permeation chromatograph (GPC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and weight loss. It was found that the degradation of these polyurethanes occurred via the random hydrolytic ester cleavage along the PCL segments close to PEG segments in enzymatic solutions while the hydrazone bond in the polymer chain was more easily cleaved in acidic media, which was accelerated with decreasing pH value. Furthermore, the biocompatibility in vivo was evaluated in an intramuscular implantation model on Sprague-Dawley rats, using SEM and light microscopy. The result showed that the prepared polyurethanes can be easily degraded and the degradation products do not induce any adverse response from surrounding muscle tissues. Our work suggests that the prepared pH-sensitive polyurethanes could be promising materials as controllable biodegradable and non-cyctotoxic multifunctional carriers for active intracellular drug delivery.