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Pharmaceutics
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Research on New Strategies for Tumor Therapy Based on Nanostructured...
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Research on New Strategies for Tumor Therapy Based on Nanostructured Materials

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2025) | Viewed by 6419

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Željko Prijović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: cancer therapy; tumor models; nanomaterials; combination therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite being one of the most investigated diseases, cancer is still causing excessive burden that reaches much further than the affected person. Nanomaterial-based therapies, in addition to biological-based approaches, are one of the fastest developing new modalities to fight cancer. These efforts have already resulted in hundreds of new modalities based on unique and sometimes unexpected properties of nanomaterials. Being inorganic, organic, or biomaterial-based; "soft" or "hard"; with a core or hollow; and serving as either carriers of drugs, radioisotopes, or immune system triggers, these materials are proven to be capable of fighting cancers. However, this battle is far from over. Rather, it is just beginning. Relying on an endless pool of unique properties of nanomaterials, new modalities appear every day. In this Special Issue, we would like to shed light on the recent status and offer a glimpse of the future perspective of fighting cancer using the unique properties of nanomaterials.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Željko Prijović
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer
  • tumor
  • nanomaterial-based therapies
  • nanomaterials
  • nanostructured

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3668 KiB  
Article
Inhibitory Effect of Nano-Formulated Extract of Passiflora incarnata on Dalton’s Lymphoma Ascites-Bearing Swiss albino Mice
by Balasubramanian Deepika, Gopalarethinam Janani, Devadass Jessy Mercy, Saranya Udayakumar, Agnishwar Girigoswami and Koyeli Girigoswami
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17020270 - 18 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 554
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study explored the antitumor effect of Passiflora incarnata leaves’ nanoformulation (N-EEP) in fibroblasts, A375 cell lines, and in vivo using Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA)-bearing mice. Methods: N-EEP treatment could significantly slow scratch closing in A375 cells compared to in the extract [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study explored the antitumor effect of Passiflora incarnata leaves’ nanoformulation (N-EEP) in fibroblasts, A375 cell lines, and in vivo using Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA)-bearing mice. Methods: N-EEP treatment could significantly slow scratch closing in A375 cells compared to in the extract itself (EEP). Results: The hemolytic assay showed that N-EEP had less than 2% hemolysis, making the formulation highly biocompatible. In vivo N-EEP administration delayed the tumor growth rate, reduced weight gain, and increased the tumor-bearing mice’s life span. Furthermore, the ascitic cells were aspirated from the tumor and investigated for various gene expressions. The tumor suppressor gene p53, which plays a significant role in the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway, was found to be elevated in animals treated with N-EEP. We assessed the cytotoxicity of isolated DLA cells from induced mice using both the trypan blue and MTT assays, while apoptotic studies were conducted using Hoechst staining. Results from the trypan blue and MTT assays indicated that nearly 80% of the cells were killed by N-EEP treatment (200 μg/mL). Additionally, apoptosis, characterized by condensed nuclei, was observed after N-EEP treatment, confirming that one of the modes of cell death was caspase-dependent apoptosis. Conclusions: Our study suggests that N-EEP delayed the growth of DLA by upregulating p53 gene expression and inducing apoptosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on New Strategies for Tumor Therapy Based on Nanostructured Materials)
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19 pages, 3741 KiB  
Article
Fmoc-FF Nanogel-Mediated Delivery of Doxorubicin and Curcumin in Thyroid Cancer Cells
by Enrico Gallo, Giovanni Smaldone, Luca Cimmino, Mariantonia Braile, Francesca Maria Orlandella, Neila Luciano, Antonella Accardo and Giuliana Salvatore
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(2), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17020263 - 17 Feb 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 814
Abstract
Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most prevalent endocrine malignancy, and is categorized into well-differentiated and aggressive anaplastic types. Novel therapeutic modalities are needed for TC. Nanomedicine is a promising strategy for the development of precision medicine. In this context, we investigated the [...] Read more.
Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most prevalent endocrine malignancy, and is categorized into well-differentiated and aggressive anaplastic types. Novel therapeutic modalities are needed for TC. Nanomedicine is a promising strategy for the development of precision medicine. In this context, we investigated the use of nanogels (NGs) to deliver agents with different physicochemical properties, specifically the hydrophilic agent doxorubicin (DOX) and the hydrophobic compound curcumin (CUR), in TC cell lines. Methods: Nα-9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) peptide-based NGs loaded with DOX and CUR were formulated using the solvent-switch method. DOX-loaded NGs were previously characterized. CUR-loaded NGs were characterized through rheology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Confocal microscopy, q-RT-PCR, and ATP lite assays were performed to evaluate the uptake and delivery of DOX- and CUR-loaded NGs on TC cell lines. Results: CUR-loaded NGs exhibited a mean diameter of approximately 204.3 nm and a zeta potential of −34.6 mV, indicative of a good stability. In vitro release studies revealed a sustained release profile of CUR over 72 h. Functional analyses demonstrated that Fmoc-FF-loaded NGs were internalized into TC cell lines. They were primarily localized in the cytoplasm rather than in early endosomes, thereby ensuring intracellular stability. Furthermore, Fmoc-FF NGs reduced the nuclear uptake kinetics of DOX in TC cells, suggesting a potential reduction in dose-limiting toxicity. Comparative studies with CUR-loaded NGs revealed similar internalization and delayed nuclear uptake, highlighting the efficacy of Fmoc-FF NGs in delivering hydrophobic agents. Conclusions: Overall, the data suggest that Fmoc-FF NGs represent a promising strategy for delivering agents with diverse physicochemical properties in TC, enhancing their efficacy and safety and warranting further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on New Strategies for Tumor Therapy Based on Nanostructured Materials)
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Review

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28 pages, 5511 KiB  
Review
Evaluation of Advanced Nanomaterials for Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
by Nkanyiso L. Ndlovu, Wendy B. Mdlalose, Bulelwa Ntsendwana and Thomas Moyo
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(4), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16040473 - 28 Mar 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4216
Abstract
Cancer is a persistent global disease and a threat to the human species, with numerous cases reported every year. Over recent decades, a steady but slowly increasing mortality rate has been observed. While many attempts have been made using conventional methods alone as [...] Read more.
Cancer is a persistent global disease and a threat to the human species, with numerous cases reported every year. Over recent decades, a steady but slowly increasing mortality rate has been observed. While many attempts have been made using conventional methods alone as a theragnostic strategy, they have yielded very little success. Most of the shortcomings of such conventional methods can be attributed to the high demands of industrial growth and ever-increasing environmental pollution. This requires some high-tech biomedical interventions and other solutions. Thus, researchers have been compelled to explore alternative methods. This has brought much attention to nanotechnology applications, specifically magnetic nanomaterials, as the sole or conjugated theragnostic methods. The exponential growth of nanomaterials with overlapping applications in various fields is due to their potential properties, which depend on the type of synthesis route used. Either top-down or bottom-up strategies synthesize various types of NPs. The top-down only branches out to one method, i.e., physical, and the bottom-up has two methods, chemical and biological syntheses. This review highlights some synthesis techniques, the types of nanoparticle properties each technique produces, and their potential use in the biomedical field, more specifically for cancer. Despite the evident drawbacks, the success achieved in furthering nanoparticle applications to more complex cancer stages and locations is unmatched. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on New Strategies for Tumor Therapy Based on Nanostructured Materials)
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