Photodynamic, Photothermal and Photoimmune Therapy and Other Antimicrobial Nanomedicine-Related Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 5611

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Medical Physics, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I Boulevard, 700506 Iasi, Romania
Interests: nanomedicine; PDT; PTT; PIT; photobiomodulation; nanorobots

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Guest Editor
Distinguished Visiting Professor, Laser Research Centre, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Interests: photomedicine; photobiomodulation; photodynamic therapy; new photosensitizers; antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation; nanomedicine; drug delivery
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Guest Editor
Centre de Haute Energie, 10 Bd Pasteur, 06000 Nice, France
Interests: photobiomodulation; radiation therapy; supportive care in cancer; head and neck cancer

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Guest Editor
Department of Medical Physics, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, 11 Carol I Boulevard, 700506 Iasi, Romania
Interests: photobiomodulation; pain; rehabilitation; pediatrics; nanomedicine; photo-immunotherapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of original research manuscripts or reviews in the area of pharmaceutical sciences and the latest combined integrative therapies such as photothermal, photodynamic and photo-immunotherapy (PTT, PDT, and PIT) and other antimicrobial nanomedicine-related applications, together with light-triggered multifunctional nanoplatforms loaded with novel nanodrugs as smart solutions in synergistic nanomedicine of the future. We invite all of you to contribute interesting papers and cutting-edge results in this exciting research and medical field, and open up additional avenues to accelerate the advancement of innovative approaches for multi-target tumor management, so as to meet the critical needs of patients and redefine cancer therapy. We aim to collect and introspect high-tech medical applications in molecular and cellular research of photosensitizers, new light and laser energy delivery systems, and nanorobots and nanomedicines, as well as the features of photomedicine integration of PTT, PDT, and PIT as molecular-targeted therapies in immuno-oncology, from bench to bedside, as well as other antimicrobial nanomedicine-related applications.

The incredible nanomedical breakthroughs revealed in this Special Issue are expected to bring cancer patients new hope for a longer life expectancy or even a cure. It presents remarkable innovations that can overcome major challenges in cancer therapy, as well as other antimicrobial nanomedicine-related applications.

We plan to receive submissions until 31 July 2024. Manuscripts will be published online on an ongoing basis after being processed.

Dr. Laura Marinela Ailioaie
Prof. Dr. Michael R. Hamblin
Prof. Dr. René-Jean Bensadoun
Dr. Constantin Ailioaie
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • antimicrobial
  • cancer therapy
  • tumor recurrence and metastasis
  • photomedicine
  • photobiomodulation
  • new photosensitizers
  • nanotechnology
  • nanomedicine
  • photothermal therapy
  • photodynamic therapy
  • photo-immunotherapy
  • clinical applications of PTT, PDT, and PIT
  • immunogenic cell death
  • drug design
  • drug delivery systems
  • light-triggered multifunctional nanoplatforms
  • controlled release
  • unmet clinical needs
  • nanotherapies targeting mitochondria
  • nanoparticles
  • nanosystems
  • nanorobots
  • nanocarriers
  • radiation therapy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 8708 KiB  
Article
In Vitro and In Vivo Antipsoriatic Efficacy of Protected and Unprotected Sugar–Zinc Phthalocyanine Conjugates
by Sebastian Makuch, Piotr Kupczyk, Marta Woźniak, Alicja Makarec, Maja Lipińska, Magdalena Klyta, Joanna Sulecka-Zadka, Wiesław Szeja, Mariachiara Gani, Valentina Rapozzi, Piotr Ziółkowski and Piotr Smoleński
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(6), 838; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16060838 - 20 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1279
Abstract
Psoriasis, a chronic immune-mediated skin disorder affecting over 125 million people globally, is characterized by abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) remains underutilized in the treatment of psoriasis despite its potential as a promising and effective therapeutic approach. This [...] Read more.
Psoriasis, a chronic immune-mediated skin disorder affecting over 125 million people globally, is characterized by abnormal keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) remains underutilized in the treatment of psoriasis despite its potential as a promising and effective therapeutic approach. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and its sugar conjugates as potential antipsoriatic agents. We successfully synthesized protected and unprotected sugar-conjugated zinc phthalocyanines and evaluated their potential against cytokine-stimulated HaCaT keratinocytes, as well as an established IMQ psoriasis-like in vivo model. Tetrasubstituted protected glucose–ZnPc (Glu-4-ZnPc-P) demonstrated superior phototoxicity (IC50 = 2.55 µM) compared to unprotected glucose conjugate (IC50 = 22.7 µM), protected galactose–ZnPc (IC50 = 7.13 µM), and free ZnPc in cytokine-stimulated HaCaT cells (IC50 = 5.84 µM). Cellular uptake analysis revealed that IL-17A, a cytokine that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, enhanced unprotected Glu-4-ZnPc uptake by 56.3%, while GLUT1 inhibitor BAY-876 reduced its accumulation by 23.8%. Intracellular ROS generation following Glu-4-ZnPc-P-PDT was significantly increased after stimulation with IL-17A, correlating with in vitro photocytotoxicity. In vivo PDT using Glu-4-ZnPc-P exhibited significant improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), inhibiting splenomegaly and restoring normal skin morphology. This study highlights sugar-conjugated zinc phthalocyanines as potential candidates for targeted PDT in psoriasis, providing a basis for further clinical investigations. Full article
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46 pages, 4899 KiB  
Review
Lipid Nanocarriers-Enabled Delivery of Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Adjuvants to Overcome Bacterial Biofilms
by Anam Ahsan, Nicky Thomas, Timothy J. Barnes, Santhni Subramaniam, Thou Chen Loh, Paul Joyce and Clive A. Prestidge
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(3), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16030396 - 14 Mar 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3068
Abstract
The opportunistic bacteria growing in biofilms play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of chronic infectious diseases. Biofilm-dwelling bacteria behave differently than planktonic bacteria and are likely to increase resistance and tolerance to antimicrobial therapeutics. Antimicrobial adjuvants have emerged as a promising strategy [...] Read more.
The opportunistic bacteria growing in biofilms play a decisive role in the pathogenesis of chronic infectious diseases. Biofilm-dwelling bacteria behave differently than planktonic bacteria and are likely to increase resistance and tolerance to antimicrobial therapeutics. Antimicrobial adjuvants have emerged as a promising strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and restore the efficacy of existing antibiotics. A combination of antibiotics and potential antimicrobial adjuvants, (e.g., extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-degrading enzymes and quorum sensing inhibitors (QSI) can improve the effects of antibiotics and potentially reduce bacterial resistance). In addition, encapsulation of antimicrobials within nanoparticulate systems can improve their stability and their delivery into biofilms. Lipid nanocarriers (LNCs) have been established as having the potential to improve the efficacy of existing antibiotics in combination with antimicrobial adjuvants. Among them, liquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs), liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) are promising due to their superior properties compared to traditional formulations, including their greater biocompatibility, higher drug loading capacity, drug protection from chemical or enzymatic degradation, controlled drug release, targeted delivery, ease of preparation, and scale-up feasibility. This article reviews the recent advances in developing various LNCs to co-deliver some well-studied antimicrobial adjuvants combined with antibiotics from different classes. The efficacy of various combination treatments is compared against bacterial biofilms, and synergistic therapeutics that deserve further investigation are also highlighted. This review identifies promising LNCs for the delivery of combination therapies that are in recent development. It discusses how LNC-enabled co-delivery of antibiotics and adjuvants can advance current clinical antimicrobial treatments, leading to innovative products, enabling the reuse of antibiotics, and providing opportunities for saving millions of lives from bacterial infections. Full article
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