Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a group of short peptides that easily pass through the cell membrane and are able to carry various types of cargoes, such as drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins, into cells. Therefore, CPPs are investigated with the aim of effective drug delivery to treat diseases such as cancer, diabetes and genetic disorders. CPPs have different applications in different fields.CPPs have common functions and some structural features, such as a high content of positively charged amino acids, but their structural differences are in the high variety of elements in them. In this paper, the effect of cell penetrating peptides on the efficiency of lipid nanoparticles containing chemotherapeutics is reviewed. Various drug delivery systems such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles and exosomes were considered. Both in-vitro and in-vivo delivery routes were discussed.
Background: Liposomes are microspheres formed by phospholipids and have received attention as sophisticated drug carriers because they can retain both water-soluble and fat-soluble drugs. Their applications have made them very versatile and have resulted in their great exploration in many aspects of therapy.Objective(s):The present review sets out to provide an exhaustive overview of the nature of liposomes, their preparation tactics, measures of their efficiency, and the trending applications of liposomes in contemporary medicine, with a focus on optimization measures and the future of this technology.Materials and Methods: The mini-review of the literature was done with an emphasis on the various methods of liposome preparation, which included the Bangham method, solvent injection methods, as well as the removal methods of detergents. Efficiency was analyzed based on optimization and evaluation parameters, including vesicle size, shape, zeta potential, and in vitro release profile of the drug to evaluate their contribution to formulation efficiency.Results: Recent innovations have resulted in the creation of new generation liposomal systems, such as active targeting liposomes, stimuli-reactive liposomes, and surface-modified liposomes. These advances bring substantive benefits to drug delivery effectiveness and outcomes in the therapeutic arena and decreased systemic toxicities. Liposomal formulations find increasing use in cancer treatment, in the treatment of infectious diseases, and in gene delivery. A number of novel systems are in the clinical trial stage, indicating their translational potential.Conclusion: Liposomes are a very flexible and evolving drug delivery mechanism. The development of improved surface modification, targeting approaches, and stimuli-responsive systems still augers well with the therapeutic potential. Continuing advances in the development and clinical assessment of new liposomal preparations demonstrate the future of these agent-carrying constructs to transform the field of disease management in the domains of cancer, infectious disease, and gene therapy.
Chemotherapy is typically used to treat cancer, but it can have a number of negative side effects. Nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems have gained much interest cancer treatment in recent years due to their advantages compared to conventional delivery systems. Recently, transfersomes (TFs) have been known to be the most outstanding innovative drug delivery systems that make them an attractive carriers for drug administration and cancer therapy. TFs have a bilayered structure that facilitates the encapsulation of lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs/agents with higher permeation efficiencies, offering a promising alternative to conventional liposomes as an anti-cancer drug delivery method. They are highly interesting for applications that involve controlled release. TFs are being explored as a complex system for drug delivery, with a focus on enhancing local drug penetration. This paper overview the current advancements in transfersomes-encapsulated with anti-cancer drugs for intelligent medication delivery to various cancers. In conclusion, this paper briefly discusses the prospects and problems of transfersomes-based anti-cancer drug delivery.
Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most prevalent and fatal cancers worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for the development of advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.Objective(s): Quantum dots (QDs), semiconductor nanomaterials with distinctive optical properties, have emerged as promising tools in the fight against colorectal cancer (CRC).Materials and Methods: The ability of QDs to emit tunable fluorescence, combined with their small size and potential for surface functionalization, enables high sensitivity and specificity in early detection and targeted treatment. In the context of CRC, QDs can be used to identify biomarkers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and folate receptors, facilitating non-invasive imaging with high resolution.Results: Furthermore, QDs can be functionalized for targeted therapy, enhancing the selective delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumor sites, reducing systemic toxicity, and allowing real-time monitoring of treatment efficacy. Despite these advantages, the clinical application of QDs in CRC is limited by challenges, including toxicity, biocompatibility, long-term stability, and efficient targeting. This review examines the current state of quantum dot-based technologies in CRC diagnostics and therapy, emphasizing their potential as nanotheranostic platforms. We also address the key barriers to clinical translation and propose future research directions to improve quantum dots' safety, efficiency, and clinical utility in CRC management.Conclusion: Ultimately, quantum dots offer significant potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer, paving the way for more personalized and effective patient care.
Background: Nanoceria exhibits unique catalytic activity toward reactive oxygen species (ROS), mimicking the functions of natural enzymes-a property that underlies its biomedical applications, given the essential role of ROS in living organisms. Carnosine is a pH buffer with intrinsic antioxidant properties; it chelates metals and binds carbonyl compounds. Objective(s): Using human embryonic lung fibroblast model, this study investigates the impacts of carnosine-conjugated nanoscale CeO2 on cell survival, cellular oxidative status, ROS-induced DNA oxidation, dual-strand DNA breaks, activation of DNA repair response, and gene and protein expression of NOX4, NRF2, STAT3, as well as proliferation and autophagy markers. Results: Carnosine-conjugated nanoceria proved to be non-cytotoxic at millimolar concentrations. Its effects on cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, DNA repair, mitochondrial membrane potential, autophagy, and NOX4 and NRF2 expression were similar to those of bare nanoceria. The principal differences were observed in the expression of STAT3, PCNA, and BCL2 proteins, where carnosine-coated nanoceria induced a pronounced activating impact after 24 h of exposure, thus promoting proliferation and increasing concentration of the PCNA proliferation marker. Conclusion: We hypothesize that carnosine-coated nanoceria directly activates the STAT3/BCL2 axis. These findings may facilitate the development of new molecular models for studying signaling pathways and advance in characterization of the nanoceria's biochemical roles in regulating ROS-driven cellular pathways. Moreover, carnosine-coated nanoceria could be considered a potential agent for enhancing the survival of cell cultures-such as hematopoietic cultures intended for activation of the STAT3/BCL2 axis.
