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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy
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Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2024) | Viewed by 9484

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sibusiso Alven

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6001, South Africa
Interests: polymers; nanoparticles; wound dressings; skin regeneration; nanofibers; membranes; hydrogels; essential oils; anticancer drugs; antimalarials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Blessing Atim Aderibigbe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus, Alice 5700, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Interests: polymer-based materials; wound dressings; drug delivery systems; drug discovery and design; organic synthesis of drug molecules (antimalarials, antimicrobials, anticancer)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite many advanced treatment methods in the field of oncology, cancer remains a deadly disease globally. The administration of anticancer drugs is the most common treatment approach for various cancer types. However, most of the currently available anticancer drugs suffer from limitations, including multi-drug resistance, drug toxicity, poor drug bioavailability, etc. Nanomedicines are based on the application of nanotechnology for the monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of different types of cancers. Nanomedicines have been widely explored and studied in preclinical studies and provide improved therapeutic outcomes when compared to conventional anticancer drugs. Today, there are some nanomedicine formulations and devices on the market and many more undergoing clinical trials and development. They are developed from materials such as polymers, carbon-based materials, metallic and non-metallic nanomaterials. The advantages of nanomedicines include a targeted drug delivery, sustained and controlled drug release, enhanced drug stability, high drug encapsulation efficiency, reduced drug toxicity, high cellular uptake, and an improvement of the pharmacokinetic parameters. Furthermore, nanomedicines can be used for combination chemotherapy, resulting in significant synergistic anticancer activity. This Special Issue is focused on the current status and prospects of nanomedicines based on preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of cancer. Original research articles and reviews are welcome in this Special Issue. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Nano-based drug delivery systems for the delivery of anticancer drugs;
  2. Nanomedicines in clinical trials;
  3. Nanodevices for cancer diagnoses and monitoring treatment;
  4. Combination therapy employing nanocarriers;
  5. New nanomedicine technologies;
  6. Safety evaluation of nanomedicines;
  7. Biomaterials employed for the design of nanomedicine drug formulations: advantages and limitations;
  8. The mechanisms of interaction between nanomedicines and the immune system;
  9. Limitations associated with the translation of nanomedicines to clinical applications;
  10. Nano-based delivery systems using stimulus-responsive and smart biomaterials;
  11. Success stories of nanomedicine formulations and devices that are currently in clinical use, lessons learnt, and prospects.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sibusiso Alven
Prof. Dr. Blessing Atim Aderibigbe
Guest Editors

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
  • biomaterials
  • anticancer drugs
  • nanotherapeutics
  • nano-based diagnostic devices
  • nanoparticles
  • polymer–drug conjugates
  • nanoliposomes
  • exosomes
  • nanocapsules
  • dendrimers

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3813 KiB  
Article
An Electrochemical Biosensor Analysis of the Interaction of a Two-Vector Phospholipid Composition of Doxorubicin with dsDNA and Breast Cancer Cell Models In Vitro
by Lyubov V. Kostryukova, Anastasia S. Serdyukova, Veronica V. Pronina, Victoria V. Shumyantseva and Yulia A. Tereshkina
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(11), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16111412 - 2 Nov 2024
Viewed by 653
Abstract
Objectives: The main aim of our experiments was to demonstrate the suitability of cell-based biosensors for searching for new anticancer medicinal preparations. Methods: The effect of the substance doxorubicin, doxorubicin embedded in phospholipid nanoparticles, and doxorubicin with phospholipid nanoparticles modified by targeting vectors [...] Read more.
Objectives: The main aim of our experiments was to demonstrate the suitability of cell-based biosensors for searching for new anticancer medicinal preparations. Methods: The effect of the substance doxorubicin, doxorubicin embedded in phospholipid nanoparticles, and doxorubicin with phospholipid nanoparticles modified by targeting vectors (cRGD and folic acid) on dsDNA and breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231) was studied. Results: In the obtained doxorubicin nanoforms, the particle size was less than 60 nm. Our study of the percentage of doxorubicin inclusion showed the almost complete embeddability of the substance into nanoparticles for all samples, with an average of 95.4 ± 4.6%. The calculation of the toxicity index of the studied doxorubicin samples showed that all substances were moderately toxic drugs in terms of adenine and guanine. The biosensor analysis using electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes showed an intercalation interaction between doxorubicin and its derivatives and dsDNA, except for the composition of doxorubicin with folic acid with a linker length of 2000 (NPh-Dox-Fol(2.0)). The results of the electroanalysis were normalized to the total cell protein (mg) and cell concentration. The highest intensity of the electrochemical signals was observed in intact control cells of the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Conclusions: The proposed electrochemical approach is useful for the analysis of cell line responses to the medicinal preparations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy)
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15 pages, 3368 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of ZIF-90 Nanoparticles as Potential Brain Cancer Therapy
by Lorenzo Monarca, Francesco Ragonese, Paola Sabbatini, Concetta Caglioti, Matteo Stamegna, Federico Palazzetti, Paolo Sportoletti, Ferdinando Costantino and Bernard Fioretti
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(3), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16030414 - 18 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2558
Abstract
Human glioblastoma is probably the most malignant and aggressive among cerebral tumors, of which it represents approximately 80% of the reported cases, with an overall survival rate that is quite low. Current therapies include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, with associated consistent side effects [...] Read more.
Human glioblastoma is probably the most malignant and aggressive among cerebral tumors, of which it represents approximately 80% of the reported cases, with an overall survival rate that is quite low. Current therapies include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, with associated consistent side effects and low efficacy. The hardness in reaching the site of action, and overcoming the blood–brain barrier, is a major limitation of pharmacological treatments. In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of ZIF-90 (ZIF, Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework) nanoparticles as putative carriers of anticancer drugs to the brain. In particular, we successfully evaluated the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles, their stability in body fluids, and their ability to uptake in U251 human glioblastoma cell lines. Furthermore, we managed to synthesize ZIF-90 particles loaded with berberine, an alkaloid reported as a possible effective adjuvant in the treatment of glioblastoma. These findings could suggest ZIF-90 as a possible new strategy for brain cancer therapy and to study the physiological processes present in the central nervous system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy)
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Review

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32 pages, 4110 KiB  
Review
Platinum Group Metals Nanoparticles in Breast Cancer Therapy
by Sibusiso Alven, Sendibitiyosi Gandidzanwa, Basabele Ngalo, Olwethu Poswayo, Tatenda Madanhire, Blessing A. Aderibigbe and Zenixole Tshentu
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(9), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16091162 - 3 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1374
Abstract
Despite various methods currently used in cancer therapy, breast cancer remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current therapeutics face limitations such as multidrug resistance, drug toxicity and off-target effects, poor drug bioavailability and biocompatibility, and inefficient drug delivery. Nanotechnology has [...] Read more.
Despite various methods currently used in cancer therapy, breast cancer remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current therapeutics face limitations such as multidrug resistance, drug toxicity and off-target effects, poor drug bioavailability and biocompatibility, and inefficient drug delivery. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach to cancer diagnosis, imaging, and therapy. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that compounds and nanoparticles formulated from platinum group metals (PGMs) effectively treat breast cancer. PGMs are chemically stable, easy to functionalise, versatile, and tunable. They can target hypoxic microenvironments, catalyse the production of reactive oxygen species, and offer the potential for combination therapy. PGM nanoparticles can be incorporated with anticancer drugs to improve efficacy and can be attached to targeting moieties to enhance tumour-targeting efficiency. This review focuses on the therapeutic outcomes of platinum group metal nanoparticles (PGMNs) against various breast cancer cells and briefly discusses clinical trials of these nanoparticles in breast cancer treatment. It further illustrates the potential applications of PGMNs in breast cancer and presents opportunities for future PGM-based nanomaterial applications in combatting breast cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy)
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12 pages, 3160 KiB  
Review
Nano-Delivery of Immunogenic Cell Death Inducers and Immune Checkpoint Blockade Agents: Single-Nanostructure Strategies for Enhancing Immunotherapy
by Yujeong Moon, Hanhee Cho and Kwangmeyung Kim
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(6), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16060795 - 12 Jun 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized oncology by harnessing the patient’s immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. However, immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) face limitations such as low response rates, particularly in immunologically ‘cold’ tumors. Enhancing tumor immunogenicity through immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducers [...] Read more.
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized oncology by harnessing the patient’s immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. However, immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs) face limitations such as low response rates, particularly in immunologically ‘cold’ tumors. Enhancing tumor immunogenicity through immunogenic cell death (ICD) inducers and advanced drug delivery systems represents a promising solution. This review discusses the development and application of various nanocarriers, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, peptide-based nanoparticles, and inorganic nanoparticles, designed to deliver ICD inducers and ICBs effectively. These nanocarriers improve therapeutic outcomes by converting cold tumors into hot tumors, thus enhancing immune responses and reducing systemic toxicity. By focusing on single-nanoparticle systems that co-deliver both ICD inducers and ICBs, this review highlights their potential in achieving higher drug concentrations at tumor sites, improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and facilitating clinical translation. Future research should aim to optimize these nanocarrier systems for better in vivo performance and clinical applications, ultimately advancing cancer immunotherapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy)
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29 pages, 3558 KiB  
Review
Emerging Trends of Nanomedicines in the Management of Prostate Cancer: Perspectives and Potential Applications
by Rohitas Deshmukh, Vaibhav Singh, Ranjit K. Harwansh, Rutvi Agrawal, Akash Garg, Sudarshan Singh, Gehan M. Elossaily, Mohd Nazam Ansari, Nemat Ali and Bhupendra G. Prajapati
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(3), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16030297 - 20 Feb 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2806
Abstract
Prostate cancer is one of the most life-threatening disorders that occur in males. It has now become the third most common disease all over the world, and emerging cases and spiking mortality rates are becoming more challenging day by day. Several approaches have [...] Read more.
Prostate cancer is one of the most life-threatening disorders that occur in males. It has now become the third most common disease all over the world, and emerging cases and spiking mortality rates are becoming more challenging day by day. Several approaches have been used to treat prostate cancer, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, etc. These are painful and invasive ways of treatment. Primarily, chemotherapy has been associated with numerous drawbacks restricting its further application. The majority of prostate cancers have the potential to become castration-resistant. Prostate cancer cells exhibit resistance to chemotherapy, resistance to radiation, ADT (androgen-deprivation therapy) resistance, and immune stiffness as a result of activating tumor-promoting signaling pathways and developing resistance to various treatment modalities. Nanomedicines such as liposomes, nanoparticles, branched dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, and quantum dots are promising disease management techniques in this context. Nanomedicines can target the drugs to the target site and enhance the drug’s action for a prolonged period. They may also increase the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This review summarizes the current data on nanomedicines for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Thus, nanomedicine is pioneering in disease management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomedicines in Cancer Therapy)
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