Research Highlights: Highlights From The Latest Articles in Nanomedicine

Andón, Fernando Torres; Pazinatto, Debora; Fadeel, Bengt

doi:10.2217/nnm.12.113

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 11 publications

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“…Dendrimers are a new class of polymers with a highly bio-degradable property and they are non-toxic. [31–33] All synthesized nanoparticles, at concentrations ranging from 100–500 μM, did not induce any detectable cytotoxicity in THP-1 macrophages. The free GaTP-treated cells displayed 95 and 90% viability at 300 and 500 μM, respectively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gallium nanoparticles facilitate phagosome maturation and inhibit growth of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages

et al. 2017

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New treatments and novel drugs are required to counter the growing problem of drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). Our approach against drug resistant M.tb, as well as other intracellular pathogens, is by targeted drug delivery using nanoformulations of drugs already in use, as well as drugs in development. Among the latter are gallium (III) (Ga)-based compounds. In the current work, six different types of Ga and rifampin nanoparticles were prepared in such a way as to enhance targeting of M.tb infected-macrophages. They were then tested for their ability to inhibit growth of a fully pathogenic strain (H37Rv) or a non-pathogenic strain (H37Ra) of M.tb. Encapsulating Ga in folate- or mannose-conjugated block copolymers provided sustained Ga release for 15 days and significantly inhibited M.tb growth in human monocyte-derived macrophages. Nanoformulations with dendrimers encapsulating Ga or rifampin also showed promising anti-tuberculous activity. The nanoparticles co-localized with M.tb containing phagosomes, as measured by detection of mature cathepsin D (34 kDa, lysosomal hydrogenase). They also promoted maturation of the phagosome, which would be expected to increase macrophage-mediated killing of the organism. Delivery of Ga or rifampin in the form of nanoparticles to macrophages offers a promising approach for the development of new therapeutic anti-tuberculous drugs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gallium nanoparticles facilitate phagosome maturation and inhibit growth of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages

et al. 2017

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Strategies for improving the specificity of siRNAs for enhanced therapeutic potential

Gatta

Hariharapura

Udupa

et al. 2018

Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery

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RNA interference has become a tool of choice in the development of drugs in various therapeutic areas of Post Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS). The critical element in developing successful RNAi therapeutics lies in designing small interfering RNA (siRNA) using an efficient algorithm satisfying the designing criteria. Further, translation of siRNA from bench-side to bedside needs an efficient delivery system and/or chemical modification. Areas covered: This review emphasizes the importance of dicer, the criteria for efficient siRNA design, the currently available algorithms and strategies to overcome off-target effects, immune stimulatory effects and endosomal trap. Expert opinion: Specificity and stability are the primary concerns for siRNA therapeutics. The design criteria and algorithms should be chosen rationally to have a siRNA sequence that binds to the corresponding mRNA as it happens in the Watson and Crick base pairing. However, it must evade a few more hurdles (Endocytosis, Serum stability etc.) to be functional in the cytosol.

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Nanomedicine and cancer immunotherapy – targeting immunosuppressive cells

Andón

Alonso

2015

Journal of Drug Targeting

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The search for pharmacological strategies to reach and impact on immunosuppressive cells is, currently, one of the most exciting areas in cancer immunology and clinical oncology. In this context, it is increasingly accepted that the success of these therapies will largely depend on the availability of appropriate drug delivery strategies. Considering the critical role that nanotechnology plays in the development of these novel therapies, the main goal of this article is to provide an overview of the potential of nanomedicines targeted to immunosuppressive cells for the treatment of cancer. We present, first, a brief description of classical cancer immunotherapies based on therapeutic vaccination and monoclonal antibodies, with a special focus on the use of nanotechnologies and the targeting of immunological checkpoints. Second, we provide a thoughtful analysis of the possibilities to target the immunosuppressive cells, namely tumour-associated macrophages, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumour-associated neutrophils and regulatory T cells, at the tissue level (i.e. tumour, spleen, blood, lymph) and, also, at the cellular level. Finally, we wrap the article with a disclosure of strategies used to impair the generation, kill or re-educate these immunosuppressive cells, thus providing an up-to-date picture of the choices available for therapeutic intervention.

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Research Highlights: Highlights From The Latest Articles in Nanomedicine

Cited by 4 publications

References 11 publications

Gallium nanoparticles facilitate phagosome maturation and inhibit growth of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages

Gallium nanoparticles facilitate phagosome maturation and inhibit growth of virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages

Strategies for improving the specificity of siRNAs for enhanced therapeutic potential

Nanomedicine and cancer immunotherapy – targeting immunosuppressive cells

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