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Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications
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Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 10951

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Guangbao Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
Interests: nanomedicine; biomaterials; drug delivery; radiotherapy; cancer immunotherapy
Prof. Dr. Dongdong Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
Interests: healthcare; MOFs; nanozyme; self-assemble; biomedicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the development of new nanomaterials is an evolving field with great potential for cancer therapies. A significant progress has been made in the synthesis of nanomaterials with controlled geometry, physicochemical properties, surface charge, and the decoration of their surfaces with polymers or bioactive molecules. Regarding cancer, nanomaterials, including inorganic nanomaterials (like silica nanoparticles, magnetic nanostructures, quantum dots, etc.) and emerging organic nanomaterials (such as micelles, liposomes, and dendrimers, etc.), have studied for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics due to their solubilization effect, drug/protein protection, passive/active tumor targeting, controlled drugs release which result in enhanced anti-cancer efficacy while reducing side effects. This research topic welcomes original research articles, communications, and reviews, including those that demonstrate superiority to current nanotechnology and/or present new perspectives on nanomaterial design, synthesis methods/mechanisms, as well as their potential applications in cancer therapy. Topics will include (but are not limited to):

  • Design and synthesis of novel nanomaterials
  • Structure identification and mechanism exploration of nanomaterials
  • Nanomaterials-based biosensor
  • Nanomaterials-based drug delivery
  • Nanomaterials-based bioimaging
  • New therapeutic strategies based on nanomaterials

Prof. Dr. Guangbao Yang
Prof. Dr. Dongdong Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • nanotechnology
  • inorganic nanoparticles
  • organic nanoparticles
  • nanomedicine
  • drug delivery
  • biomedical imaging
  • cancer therapy
  • theranostic

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3885 KiB  
Article
Cascade Hydroxyl Radical-Generating and Ferroptosis-Inducing Nanofiber System for the Therapy of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
by JiHye Park, Qiaojun Hao, Da In Jeong, Hyun-Jin Kim, Sungyun Kim, Song Yi Lee, Seongnam Chu, Usok Hyun and Hyun-Jong Cho
Molecules 2024, 29(16), 3964; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29163964 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 416
Abstract
Nanofiber (NF) membrane systems that can provide cascade catalytic reaction and ferroptosis induction were developed for oral cancer therapy. Glucose oxidase (GOx) and aminoferrocene (AF) were introduced into the NF system for glucose deprivation/H2O2 generation and OH radical generation, respectively. [...] Read more.
Nanofiber (NF) membrane systems that can provide cascade catalytic reaction and ferroptosis induction were developed for oral cancer therapy. Glucose oxidase (GOx) and aminoferrocene (AF) were introduced into the NF system for glucose deprivation/H2O2 generation and OH radical generation, respectively. GOx offers starvation therapy and AF (including iron) provides chemodynamic therapy/ferroptosis for combating oral cancer. GOx (water-soluble) and AF (poorly water-soluble) molecules were successfully entrapped in the NF membrane via an electrospinning process. GOx and AF were incorporated into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based NF, resulting in PVA/GOx/AF NF with fast disintegration and immediate drug-release properties. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (YD-9 cells), the PVA/GOx/AF NF group exhibited higher cytotoxicity, antiproliferation potential, cellular ROS level, apoptosis induction, lipid ROS level, and malondialdehyde level compared to the other NF groups. The electrospun PVA/GOx/AF NF can be directly applied to oral cancer without causing pain, offering starvation/chemodynamic therapy and ferroptosis induction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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14 pages, 8843 KiB  
Article
Metformin-Loaded Chitosan Hydrogels Suppress Bladder Tumor Growth in an Orthotopic Mouse Model via Intravesical Administration
by Xingjian Zhang, Xin Hu, Yijun Xie, Lejing Xie, Xiangyi Chen, Mei Peng, Duo Li, Jun Deng, Di Xiao and Xiaoping Yang
Molecules 2023, 28(18), 6720; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28186720 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1292
Abstract
Our previous study found that the intravesical perfusion of metformin has excellent inhibitory effects against bladder cancer (BC). However, this administration route allows the drug to be diluted and excreted in urine. Therefore, increasing the adhesion of metformin to the bladder mucosal layer [...] Read more.
Our previous study found that the intravesical perfusion of metformin has excellent inhibitory effects against bladder cancer (BC). However, this administration route allows the drug to be diluted and excreted in urine. Therefore, increasing the adhesion of metformin to the bladder mucosal layer may prolong the retention time and increase the pharmacological activity. It is well known that chitosan (Cs) has a strong adhesion to the bladder mucosal layer. Thus, this study established a novel formulation of metformin to enhance its antitumor activity by extending its retention time. In this research, we prepared Cs freeze-dried powder and investigated the effect of metformin-loaded chitosan hydrogels (MLCH) in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that MLCH had a strong inhibitory effect against proliferation and colony formation in vitro. The reduction in BC weight and the expression of tumor biomarkers in orthotopic mice showed the robust antitumor activity of MLCH via intravesical administration in vivo. The non-toxic profile of MLCH was observed as well, using histological examinations. Mechanistically, MLCH showed stronger functional activation of the AMPKα/mTOR signaling pathway compared with metformin alone. These findings aim to make this novel formulation an efficient candidate for managing BC via intravesical administration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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18 pages, 10118 KiB  
Article
Therapeutic Potential of Albumin Nanoparticles Encapsulated Visnagin in MDA-MB-468 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells
by Abdullah Alsrhani, Abozer Y. Elderdery, Badr Alzahrani, Nasser A. N. Alzerwi, Maryam Musleh Althobiti, Musaed Rayzah, Bandar Idrees, Ahmed M. E. Elkhalifa, Suresh K. Subbiah and Pooi Ling Mok
Molecules 2023, 28(7), 3228; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28073228 - 4 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2356
Abstract
Breast cancer is among the most recurrent malignancies, and its prevalence is rising. With only a few treatment options available, there is an immediate need to search for better alternatives. In this regard, nanotechnology has been applied to develop potential chemotherapeutic techniques, particularly [...] Read more.
Breast cancer is among the most recurrent malignancies, and its prevalence is rising. With only a few treatment options available, there is an immediate need to search for better alternatives. In this regard, nanotechnology has been applied to develop potential chemotherapeutic techniques, particularly for cancer therapy. Specifically, albumin-based nanoparticles are a developing platform for the administration of diverse chemotherapy drugs owing to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity. Visnagin, a naturally derived furanochromone, treats cancers, epilepsy, angina, coughs, and inflammatory illnesses. In the current study, the synthesis and characterization of albumin visnagin (AV) nanoparticles (NPs) using a variety of techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, UV-visible, Fourier transform infrared, energy dispersive X-ray composition analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence, X-Ray diffraction, and dynamic light scattering analyses have been carried out. The MTT test, dual AO/EB, DCFH-DA, Annexin-V-FITC/PI, Propidium iodide staining techniques as well as analysis of apoptotic proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling analysis was performed to examine the NPs’ efficacy to suppress MDA-MB-468 cell lines. The NPs decreased cell viability increased the amount of ROS in the cells, disrupted membrane integrity, decreased the level of antioxidant enzymes, induced cell cycle arrest, and activated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade, ultimately leading to cell death. Thus, AV NPs possesses huge potential to be employed as a strong anticancer therapy alternative. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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21 pages, 4115 KiB  
Article
Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimer/Camptothecin Complex: From Synthesis to In Vitro Cancer Cell Line Studies
by Ewa Oledzka, Klaudia Paśnik, Izabela Domańska, Monika Zielińska-Pisklak, Urszula Piotrowska, Marcin Sobczak, Łukasz Szeleszczuk and Anna Laskowska
Molecules 2023, 28(6), 2696; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28062696 - 16 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2188
Abstract
Camptothecin (CPT), an alkaloid with potent anticancer activity, is still not used in clinical practice due to its high hydrophobicity, toxicity, and poor active-form stability. To address these shortcomings, our research focuses on the encapsulation of this drug in the poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer [...] Read more.
Camptothecin (CPT), an alkaloid with potent anticancer activity, is still not used in clinical practice due to its high hydrophobicity, toxicity, and poor active-form stability. To address these shortcomings, our research focuses on the encapsulation of this drug in the poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer macromolecule. The PAMAM dendrimer/CPT complex was synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The in vitro drug release study revealed that the drug was released in a slow and controlled manner in acidic and physiological conditions and that more than 80% of the drug was released after 168 h of incubation. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that CPT was released with first-order kinetics and non-Fickian transport. The studies on the hemolytic activity of the synthesized complex indicated that it is hemocompatible for potential intravenous administration at a concentration ≤ 5 µg/mL. Additionally, the developed product was shown to reduce the viability of non-small-cell lung cancer cells (A549) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and cancer cells were more susceptible to the complex than normal fibroblasts. Lastly, molecular modeling studies revealed that the lactone or carboxylic forms of CPT had a significant impact on the shape and stability of the complex and that its formation with the lactone form of CPT was more energetically favorable for each subsequent molecule than the carboxylic form. The report represents a systematic and structured approach to develop a PAMAM dendrimer/CPT complex that can be used as an effective drug delivery system (DDS) for the potential treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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Review

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16 pages, 1534 KiB  
Review
Recent Progress in Photothermal, Photodynamic and Sonodynamic Cancer Therapy: Through the cGAS-STING Pathway to Efficacy-Enhancing Strategies
by Kelan Fang, Huiling Zhang, Qinghong Kong, Yunli Ma, Tianchan Xiong, Tengyao Qin, Sanhua Li and Xinting Zhu
Molecules 2024, 29(15), 3704; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29153704 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 829
Abstract
Photothermal, photodynamic and sonodynamic cancer therapies offer opportunities for precise tumor ablation and reduce side effects. The cyclic guanylate adenylate synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway has been considered a potential target to stimulate the immune system in patients and achieve a sustained [...] Read more.
Photothermal, photodynamic and sonodynamic cancer therapies offer opportunities for precise tumor ablation and reduce side effects. The cyclic guanylate adenylate synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway has been considered a potential target to stimulate the immune system in patients and achieve a sustained immune response. Combining photothermal, photodynamic and sonodynamic therapies with cGAS-STING agonists represents a newly developed cancer treatment demonstrating noticeable innovation in its impact on the immune system. Recent reviews have concentrated on diverse materials and their function in cancer therapy. In this review, we focus on the molecular mechanism of photothermal, photodynamic and sonodynamic cancer therapies and the connected role of cGAS-STING agonists in treating cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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19 pages, 4035 KiB  
Review
Nanotechnology Lighting the Way for Gene Therapy in Ophthalmopathy: From Opportunities toward Applications
by Weiming Ren, Suyang Duan, Chao Dai, Chunbao Xie, Lingxi Jiang and Yi Shi
Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3500; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083500 - 15 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3155
Abstract
Hereditary ophthalmopathy is a well-described threat to human visual health affecting millions of people. Gene therapy for ophthalmopathy has received widespread attention with the increasing understanding of pathogenic genes. Effective and safe delivery of accurate nucleic acid drugs (NADs) is the core of [...] Read more.
Hereditary ophthalmopathy is a well-described threat to human visual health affecting millions of people. Gene therapy for ophthalmopathy has received widespread attention with the increasing understanding of pathogenic genes. Effective and safe delivery of accurate nucleic acid drugs (NADs) is the core of gene therapy. Efficient nanodelivery and nanomodification technologies, appropriate targeted genes, and the choice of drug injection methods are the guiding lights of gene therapy. Compared with traditional drugs, NADs can specifically change the expression of specific genes or restore the normal function of mutant genes. Nanodelivery carriers can improve targeting and nanomodification can improve the stability of NADs. Therefore, NADs, which can fundamentally solve pathogeny, hold great promise in the treatment of ophthalmopathy. This paper reviews the limitations of ocular disease treatment, discusses the classification of NADs in ophthalmology, reveals the delivery strategies of NADs to improve bioavailability, targeting, and stability, and summarizes the mechanisms of NADs in ophthalmopathy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials in Cancer Therapy: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Applications)
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