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G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), as the largest family of membrane receptors, actively modulate plasma membrane and endosomal signalling. Importantly, GPCRs are naturally nanosized, and spontaneously formed nanoaggregates of GPCRs (natural nano-GPCRs) may enhance GPCR-related signalling and functions. Although GPCRs are the molecular targets of the majority of marketed drugs, the poor pharmacokinetics and physicochemical properties of GPCR ligands greatly limit their clinical applicability. Nanotechnology, as versatile techniques, can encapsulate GPCR ligands to assemble synthetic nano-GPCRs to overcome their obstacles, robustly elevating drug efficacy and safety. Moreover, endosomal delivery of GPCR ligands by nanoparticles can precisely initiate sustained endosomal signal transduction, while nanotechnology has been widely utilized for isolation, diagnosis, and detection of GPCRs. In turn, due to overexpression of GPCRs on the surface of various types of cells, GPCR ligands can endow nanoparticles with active targeting capacity for specific cells via ligand-receptor binding and mediate receptor-dependent endocytosis of nanoparticles. This significantly enhances the potency of nanoparticle delivery systems. Therefore, emerging evidence has revealed the interplay between GPCRs and nanoparticles, although investigations into their relationship have been inadequate. This review aims to summarize the interaction between GPCRs and nanotechnology for understanding their mutual influences and utilizing their interplay for biomedical applications. It will provide a fundamental platform for developing powerful and safe GPCR-targeted drugs and nanoparticle systems. GPCRs as molecular targets for the majority of marketed drugs are naturally nanosized, and even spontaneously form nano aggregations (nano-GPCRs). Nanotechnology has also been applied to construct synthetic nano-GPCRs or detect GPCRs, while endosomal delivery of GPCR ligands by nanoparticles can magnify endosomal signalling. Meanwhile, molecular engineering of nanoparticles with GPCRs or their ligands can modulate membrane binding and endocytosis, powerfully improving the efficacy of nanoparticle system. However, there are rare summaries on the interaction between GPCRs and nanoparticles. This review will not only provide a versatile platform for utilizing nanoparticles to modulate or detect GPCRs, but also facilitate better understanding of the designated value of GPCRs for molecular engineering of biomaterials with GPCRs in therapeutical application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) mediates the effects of many drugs, including the accumulation of nanocarriers at tumor sites, but its efficiency remains low. In this study, this limitation was overcome by developing a dual-targeting delivery system based on hyaluronan (HA, a major ligand of CD44) and tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac, a specific ligand of α v β 3 ), which was exploited to carry docetaxel (DTX) for the synergistic active targeting to tumors. First, a tetrac-HA (TeHA) conjugate was synthesized and grafted onto the surfaces of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) (TeHA-SLNs/DTX), with a high encapsulation efficiency of > 91.6%. The resulting SLNs exhibited an approximately toroid morphology revealed using TEM. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of various formulations on CD44/α v β 3 -enriched B16F10 cells were then assessed, and both results confirmed the selective uptake and high cytotoxicity of the TeHA-SLNs/DTX in a TeHA-dependent manner. In vivo imaging and vessel distribution tests revealed the efficiency of synergistic active targeting was higher than that of EPR-mediated passive targeting by the TeHA-SLNs to α v β 3 -expressing tumor blood vessels and CD44-expressing tumor cells via selective targeting. Finally, in both xenograft tumor mice and in situ lung metastasis tumor mice, tumor growth was significantly inhibited by TeHA-SLNs/DTX. Therefore, TeHA-SLNs are an efficient system for the dual-targeted delivery of drugs to treat cancer in vivo . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A co-delivery system that can transport cancer related microRNAs and chemotherapeutics to their distinct targets in the tumors is an attractive strategy to eliminate tumor relapse in lung cancer therapy. In this study, we developed a dual-drug delivery system for an endogenous microRNA (miR-34a) and paclitaxel (PTX) for synergistic cancer therapy. PTX (a meiotic inhibitor) and miR-34a were loaded into cationic solid lipid nanoparticles (miSLNs-34a/PTX) which were used to treat murine B16F10-CD44 + melanoma metastasized to the lungs of mice. This nanoparticle system demonstrated good protection for miR-34a and PTX from degradation in the serum, and had an average size of approximately 220 nm by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). In vitro , the parallel activity of PTX and miR-34a show synergistic anticancer efficacy. In vivo , miSLNs-34a/PTX showed passive targetability to the tumor-bearing lung tissues, and was demonstrated to be much more potent in inhibition of B16F10-bearing tumor growth and elimination of cancer cell populations in the lung than single drug-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles. It has been shown that such co-delivery of miR-34a and PTX is promising for enhanced cancer therapy to reduce tumor relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Potential blood-based biosources in cancer liquid biopsy were introduced. • We reviewed nanoparticle-labeled with targeting-moieties, nanostructured substrates and nanobiosensors in liquid biopsy. • The mechanisms and methods of using functional nanoparticles to capture and recover CTCs were summarized. • Nanotechnology-mediated downstream analysis and elimination of CTCs were also discussed. • We offered an outlook on the challenges and suggestions for nanotechnology-based cancer liquid biopsy. The applications of nanotechnology on the detection, recovery, analysis, and elimination of liquid biopsy components in cancer. [Display omitted] Liquid biopsy allows for the quick and noninvasive detection of tumor-associated components. Various liquid biopsy components, which include circulating tumor cells, tumor-derived extracellular vesicles, circulating tumor nucleic acids, and tumor-educated platelets, can be analyzed. These components hold great potential for tracking the evolutionary dynamics of tumors and detecting the early emergence of therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence. In recent decades, significant advances in nanotechnology have contributed to the development of blood-based liquid biopsy with higher sensitivity and specificity. This review discusses the key nanotechnologies that can be used to detect, isolate, and recover tumor-associated components, providing a brief overview of the downstream analysis of these components and then focusing on the different types of nanomaterials that can be applied for the treatment of circulating tumor cells to prevent metastasis. Taken together, these noninvasive nanotechnology-mediated diagnostic approaches can aid precise cancer assessment and guide modifications to current treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is emerging as a serious pathogenic bacterium in the clinical setting, and antibiotic resistance is spreading faster than the introduction of new agents to kill such bacteria. In our study, Fusarium sp. 152, a marine fungus obtained from the South China Sea, was fermented to screen new anti-MRSA compounds including equisetin (EQ) with a MIC value of 1 µg/mL. Then, EQ was loaded into nanoparticle-based polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) electrospinning to facilitate its practical use. After electrospinning, the EQ nanofibers (EQ/NPs nanofiber) were 374.9 nm in diameter, and they showed a good flexibility and foldability. Additionally, the EQ/NPs nanofibers showed a better antibacterial effect both in vitro and in vivo than cefoxitin. Simultaneously, the infectious wounds treated with EQ/NPs nanofiber healed better and faster than those treated with EQ and cefoxitin. These findings strongly demonstrate that PVP-based electrospinning dressings are a candidate delivery carrier for the new anti-MRSA compound EQ for topical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cur@PLGA-NPs are a novel AIE formulation capable of providing rich optical properties. • Hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic interaction, and π-π conjugation are responsible for the AIE properties. • The curcumin-based nano-AIE formulation could be successful used to image live cells. To revise the emission of curcumin (Cur) from "off" to "on", poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with Cur were embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) emulsifier (named Cur@PLGA-NPs). First, the emission intensities of different nanoformulations, including liposomes, bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles, and PLGA nanoparticles, were examined to discover the most effective carriers for Cur luminescence. As a result, Cur@PLGA-NPs exhibited the highest fluorescence intensity due to aggregation-induced emission (AIE), with quantum yields of 23.78% in aqueous solution and 21.52% in the solid state. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) data, Cur@PLGA-NPs existed in the amorphous state, with a size of 217.2 ± 5.2 nm, an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 69.98%, and a drug loading efficiency (LE) of 1.37%. The intramolecular interactions, which included hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions, π-π interactions and solvatochromic effects, stabilized the chromophore cluster of Cur@PLGA-NPs in terms of nanoparticle formulation. Compared with free Cur, Cur@PLGA-NPs sensitized CT26 cells more efficiently with an IC 50 value of 16.9 μmol/L and an apoptotic rate of 17.20% at 10 μmol/L Cur. Because of the robust fluorescence emission based on AIE, Cur@PLGA-NPs were utilized as a nano-AIE probe for cell bioimaging, and many red fluorescent signals were observed in CT26 cells after treatment. These results suggest that Cur@PLGA-NPs provide a novel amorphous AIE formulation with imaging and bioactive capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]