DNA vaccination for prostate cancer: key concepts and considerations
Abstract
While locally confined prostate cancer is associated with a low five year mortality rate, advanced or metastatic disease remains a major challenge for healthcare professionals to treat and is usually terminal. As such, there is a need for the development of new, efficacious therapies for prostate cancer. Immunotherapy represents a promising approach where the host’s immune system is harnessed to mount an anti-tumour effect, and the licensing of the first prostate cancer specific immunotherapy in 2010 has opened the door for other immunotherapies to gain regulatory approval. Among these strate...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - July 2, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Exploratory use of docetaxel loaded acid-prepared mesoporous spheres for the treatment of malignant melanoma
This study aims to assess the ability of the previously developed APMS-TEG particles to deliver therapeutic doses of docetaxel for the treatment of melanoma.
Methods
In vitro experiments were performed to assess docetaxel loading onto APMS-TEG particles and release kinetics. Toxicity experiments were performed using docetaxel and docetaxel loaded APMS-TEG. The effect on cell growth was assessed using the MelJuSo, UACC903, and WM1205 melanoma cell lines.
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Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - January 24, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Contact-mediated intracellular delivery of hydrophobic drugs from polymeric nanoparticles
Abstract
Encapsulation of drugs in nanoparticles can enhance the accumulation of drugs in tumours, reduce toxicity toward healthy tissue, and improve pharmacokinetics compared to administration of free drug. To achieve efficient delivery and release of drugs at the target site, mechanisms of interaction between the nanoparticles and cells and the mechanism of delivery of the encapsulated drug are crucial to understand. Our aim was to determine the mechanisms for cellular uptake of a fluorescent hydrophobic model drug from poly(butylcyanoacrylate) nanoparticles. Prostate adenocarcinoma cells were incubat...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - December 6, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Cell localisation of gadolinium-based nanoparticles and related radiosensitising efficacy in glioblastoma cells
In this study, a set of methods was used to unambiguously and fully characterise the uptake of label-free NPs, their co-localisation with cell organelles, and their radiosensitising efficacy. This set was applied to the case of gadolinium-based nanoparticles (GdBN) used to amplify the radiation killing of U87 glioblastoma cells extracted from highly aggressive human tumor. For the first time, Synchrotron Radiation Deep UV (SR-DUV) microscopy is proposed as a new tool to track label-free GdBN. It confirmed the localisation of the NPs in the cytoplasm of U87 cells and the absence of NPs in the nucleus. In a second step, Tran...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - October 10, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Could nanoparticle corona characterization help for biological consequence prediction?
Abstract
As soon as they enter a biological medium (cell culture medium for in vitro, blood or plasma for in vivo studies), nanoparticles, in most cases, see their surface covered by biomolecules, especially proteins. What the cells see is thus not the ideal nanoparticle concocted by chemists, meaning the biomolecular corona could have great biological and physiological repercussions, sometimes masking the expected effects of purposely grafted molecules. In this review, we will mainly focus on gold nanoparticles. In the first part, we will discuss the fate of these particles once in a biological medium,...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - October 1, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
The role of mitochondrial function in gold nanoparticle mediated radiosensitisation
This study aimed to determine the role of mitochondrial function in GNP radiosensitisation. Using assays of DNA damage and mitochondrial function through levels of oxidation and loss of membrane potential, we demonstrate a potential role of mitochondria as a central biological mechanism of GNP mediated radiosensitisation. (Source: Cancer Nanotechnology)
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - September 16, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Advantages of gadolinium based ultrasmall nanoparticles vs molecular gadolinium chelates for radiotherapy guided by MRI for glioma treatment
Abstract
AGuIX nanoparticles are formed of a polysiloxane network surrounded by gadolinium chelates. They present several characteristics. They are easy to produce, they present very small hydrodynamic diameters (<5 nm) and they are biodegradable through hydrolysis of siloxane bonds. Such degradation was evaluated in diluted conditions at physiological pH by dynamic light scattering and relaxometry. AGuIX nanoparticles are also known as positive contrast agents and efficient radiosensitizers. The aim of this paper is to compare their efficiency for magnetic resonance imaging and radiosensitization t...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - July 1, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Effective cellular internalization of silica-coated CdSe quantum dots for high contrast cancer imaging and labelling applications
Abstract
The possibility of developing novel contrast imaging agents for cancer cellular labelling and fluorescence imaging applications were explored using silica-coated cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs). The time dependent cellular internalization efficiency study was carried out using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (cLSM) after exposing QDs to stem cells and cancer cells. The strong fluorescence from the cytoplasm confirmed that the QDs were efficiently internalized by the cells. The internalization maxima were observ...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - June 27, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Modulation of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of nanoparticles in cancer cells by external magnetic field
Abstract
Magnetic nanoparticles are well known for anticancer activity by deregulating cellular functions. In the present study, cellular effects of low strength static magnetic field (SMF) were explored. How nanoparticles affect the cellular response in presence and absence of static magnetic field was also studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and human lymphoma monocytic cell line U937 were chosen as representative normal and cancer cells models. The two effects we would like to report in this paper are, DNA damage induced by SMF of the order of 70 mT, and alteration in membrane potentia...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - June 26, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Potential carriers of chemotherapeutic drugs: matrix based nanoparticulate polymeric systems
Abstract
In this work matrix based nanoparticulate polymer systems have been designed using the diacrylate derivative of the well-known biocompatible polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). This has been crosslinked using bifunctional (ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) and tetrafunctional (pentaerythritol tetraacrylate) crosslinkers in varied concentrations (10-90%) to result in a polymeric network. The crosslinked polymers thus obtained were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (NMR and FTIR) and then prepared nanoparticles by the nanoprecipitation technique. Particle size analysis showed sizes of ~150...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - June 18, 2014 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Gemcitabine-loaded PLGA-PEG immunonanoparticles for targeted chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer
Abstract
The aim of the present study was the direct covalent coupling of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) to the surface of poly(lactide)-co-glycolide (PLGA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles in order to achieve a cell type-specific drug carrier system against pancreatic cancer. The PLGA-PEG-NH2 diblock copolymer was synthesized by coupling reaction via amide linkage between PEG-diamine and activated PLGA. PLGA and PLGA-PEG-NH2 nanoparticles loaded with gemcitabine were prepared using the double-emulsion solvent evaporation method. PLGA-PEG immunonano...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - December 1, 2013 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles for cancer chemotherapy
Abstract
Cisplatin is used to treat a variety of tumors, but dose-limiting toxicities or intrinsic and acquired resistance limit its application in many types of cancer including breast. Cisplatin was attached to silica nanoparticles using aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a linker molecule and characterized in terms of size, shape, as well as the dissolution of cisplatin from the silica surface. The primary particle diameter of the as received silica nanoparticles ranged from 20 to 90 nm. The results show that adverse effects on cell function, as evidenced by reduced metabolic activity measured by the MT...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - December 1, 2013 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles using the extract of Alternanthera sessilis —antiproliferative effect against prostate cancer cells
Abstract
Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles was carried out using the aqueous extract of Alternanthera sessilis under various experimental conditions. The aqueous extract of Alternanthera sessilis showed significant potential for the quick reduction of silver ions. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized with UV-visible absorption spectrophotometer, XRD, SEM, and FTIR analysis. The average crystallite size as calculated from x-ray diffraction studies and SEM analysis was found to be less than 100 nm. The cytotoxic activity of synthesized nanosilver was carried out against prostate ...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - December 1, 2013 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Surface modification of cobalt oxide nanoparticles using phosphonomethyl iminodiacetic acid followed by folic acid: a biocompatible vehicle for targeted anticancer drug delivery
Abstract
The aim of our study was to prepare multifunctional, biocompatible nanoparticles for site-specific drug delivery. Hydrophilic nanoparticles with surface-adorned amine, carboxyl, or aldehyde groups, to be later used for bio-conjugation, were designed using phosphonomethyl iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) as the coupling agent. These PMIDA-coated cobalt oxide nanoparticles (PMIDA-CoO) were further functionalized with folic acid (FA), using simple technique. The particles show excellent aqueous dispersion stability in physiological pH without any deterioration in hydrodynamic size. The cytotoxicity and ...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - August 1, 2013 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
Encapsulation of exemestane in polycaprolactone nanoparticles: optimization, characterization, and release kinetics
This study was aimed at developing a polymeric drug delivery system for a steroidal aromatase inhibitor, exemestane (exe) intended for sustained targeted delivery of drug through intravenous route. Carboxylated polycaprolactone (cPCL) was synthesized by ring opening polymerization of caprolactone. Exe-loaded cPCL nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by interfacial deposition of preformed polymer and characterized. A 3-factor, 3-level Box–Behnken design was used to derive a second-order polynomial equation and construct contour and response plots for maximized response of percentage drug entrapment (PDE) with constraints on ...
Source: Cancer Nanotechnology - August 1, 2013 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research
