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Amphiphilic FA-L-PEG-PCL (PEG: Poly ethylene glycol-hydrophilic segment, FA: Folic acid-targeting agent, L: Lysine-linker, PCL: Poly caprolactone-hydrophobic segment) copolymer was synthesized. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (HNMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic scanning colorimetry (DSC) were used for characterization of synthesizes copolymers. For determining cytotoxicity of our copolymers, we used from MTT assay, Hemolysis assay and lethal dose 50 (LD50) test. These tests revealed that copolymers had least in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity and they are categorized as practically none toxic. These copolymers were self-assembled into Round-shaped folate-functionalized micelles in aqueous medium for the folate receptor (FR)-mediated targeted delivery of Tamoxifen (TMX)-the anticancer drug- to cancer cells. The drug loading capacity and in vitro pH responsive controlled release performance showed that these micelles had potential as drug delivery systems (DDS) for hydrophobic anti-cancer drugs such as TMX. FA-L-PEG-PCL micelles was non-cytotoxic in high concentrations. Loaded-TMX micelles obviously showed an increase in killing of the cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two of decades, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have attracted significant attention for a wide range of biomedical applications. For the successful use of IONPs in nano-biotechnology, surface coating and specific functionalization is critical. Many types of materials can be used in the surface coating of IONPs for nano-bio applications, including organic compounds and inorganic materials. This review focuses on recent developments and various strategies for surface coating of IONPs. In addition, the different materials used for the functionalization of IONPs are classified and discussed in detail. The design of IONPs with multifunctional coatings for bio-applications is an area of considerable interest. Surface functionalization of IONPs allows them to attach to various biomolecules, making them a promising candidate for bio-applications. Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of high-Z nanomaterials are fabricated to decrease radiation dose by sensitizing cells to irradiation through various mechanisms such as ROS generation enhancement. Alginate-coated silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag 2 S@Alg) were synthesized and characterized by SEM, TEM, DLS, XRD, EPS, FT-IR, and UV–vis analysis techniques. Cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was tested against HFF-2, MCF-7, and 4 T1 cell lines for biocompatibility and radio enhancement ability evaluation, respectively. Moreover, the hemolysis assay demonstrated that the nanoparticles were biocompatible and nontoxic. In vitro intracellular ROS generation and calcein AM/PI co-staining unveiled cancerous cell death induction by nanoradiosensitizer, Ag 2 S@Alg. Further, histopathology results emphasized the tumor ablation capability of Ag 2 S@Alg. Silver anticancer properties were also recognized and combined with its radiosensitizing effect under X-ray irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • BSA coated Pt nanoparticles was applied as both radiosensitizer and drug carrier. • In terms of morphology, nanoparticles appeared to be homogenous and monodispersed. • The results disclosed that designed nanoplatform due to the presence of Pt and BSA had ability to kill cancer cells effectively. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) coated platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (Pt@BSA NPs) were synthesized, followed by the conjugation of an anticancer drug (MTX) with the aim of chemoradiation therapy. The physical and chemical properties of Pt@BSA-MTX were evaluated by DLS, FESEM, STEM, UV–Vis and XRD. A release study was performed in the presence and absence of the proteinase K enzyme. In terms of morphology, nanoparticles appeared to be monodispersed and spherical. The size of nanoparticles was 7.4 ± 1.4 nm. Release behavior of Pt@BSA-MTX depended significantly on enzyme presence which accelerated and promoted the release of MTX. The improved chemoradiation was demonstrated in vitro using MTT, colony formation and apoptosis assays on mouse breast carcinoma cells (4T1). It was concluded that the combination of a nanoradiosensitizer with a chemotherapeutic agent resulted in superior anticancer activity after X-ray exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer, a prevalent disease across various societies, presents a significant challenge in treatment research. Studies show that combination therapies are one of the methods that can help in the effective treatment of cancer. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are among the main cancer treatments and in this project, for combined chemoradiotherapy treatment, carbon nanotubes were used as improved carriers of chemotherapy in tumors, as well as a substrate for the preparation of radiation sensitizers for local radiation therapy. Following the synthesis of CNT-Platinum-Curcumin nanoparticles (CNT-Pt-CUR), a series of analyses were conducted to verify the successful production of these nanoparticles. Techniques such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were employed. The characterization data revealed a spherical shape Pt nanoparticle morphology with an 8.5 nm diameter on rod-shape CNT, as observed through TEM. Furthermore, FTIR analysis confirmed the successful loaded of the drug into the nanoparticles, highlighting the potential of this approach in cancer treatment. Then, hemolysis and (3(-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) tests on normal cells were used to assess the biocompatibility of CNT-Pt-CUR nanoparticles. It also explored the anticancer efficacy of these nanoparticles at varying concentrations against cancer cells, both with and without exposure to X-rays. The research confirmed the successful synthesis of these nanoparticles and demonstrated their potential impact on cell viability. Specifically, breast cancer cells exhibited heightened susceptibility to toxicity when exposed to nanoparticles and X-rays. Further analysis revealed that the toxicity of nanoparticles is dose-dependent, and modifying the surface of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanoparticles with CUR significantly reduced blood toxicity. Interestingly, nanoparticle toxicity was significantly amplified in the presence of X-rays, suggesting mechanisms such as DNA damage and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels within cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Radiation therapy and phototherapy are commonly used cancer treatments that offer advantages such as a low risk of adverse effects and the ability to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. A promising strategy for cancer treatment involves using nanoparticles (NPs) in combination with radiation and photothermal therapy to target cancer cells and improve treatment efficacy. The synthesis of gold NPs (AuNPs) for use in biomedical applications has traditionally involved toxic reducing agents. Here we harnessed dopamine (DA)-conjugated alginate (Alg) for the facile and green synthesis of Au NPs (Au@Alg-DA NPs). Alg-DA conjugate reduced Au ions, simultaneously stabilized the resulting AuNPs, and prevented aggregation, resulting in particles with a narrow size distribution and improved stability. Injectable Au@Alg-DA NPs significantly promoted ROS generation in 4T1 breast cancer cells when exposed to X-rays. In addition, their administration raised the temperature under a light excitation of 808 nm, thus helping to destroy cancer cells more effectively. Importantly, no substantial cytotoxicity was detected in our Au@Alg-DA NPs. Taken together, our work provides a promising route to obtain an injectable combined radio enhancer and photothermally active nanosystem for further potential clinic translation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have the potential to serve as delivery systems for medicinal substances and gene treatments, particularly in cancer treatment. Co-delivery of curcumin (CUR) and Methotrexate (MTX) has shown promise in cancer treatment, as it uses fewer drugs and has fewer side effects. This study used MTX-conjugated albumin (BSA)-based nanoparticles (BSA-MTX) to enhance and assess the efficiency of CUR. In-vitro cytotoxicity tests, DLS, TEM, FTIR, UV/Vis, SEM, and DSC studies assessed the formulations' physical and chemical properties. The Proteinase K enzyme was used to severe amidic linkages between MTX and BSA. The findings demonstrated the efficacy of using ƒ-MWCNT-CUR-BSA-MTX as a vehicle for efficient co-delivery of CUR and MTX in cancer treatment. The MTT colorimetric method was used to evaluate the effect of chemical and medicinal compounds. Cell division was studied using the MTT method to investigate the effect of pure MWCNT, pure CUR, MTX-BSA, and ƒ-MWCNT-CUR-MTX-BSA. Studies on cell lines have shown that the combination of curcumin and MTX with CNT can increase and improve the effectiveness of both drugs against cancer. A combination of drugs curcumin and methotrexate simultaneously had a synergistic effect on MCF-7 cells, which indicated that these drugs could potentially be used as a strategy for both prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Also, ƒ-MWCNT-CUR-MTX-BSA was found to have a significant effect on cancer treatment with minimal toxicity compared to pure curcumin, pure MTX-BSA, MTX, and ƒ-MWCNT alone. Unique properties such as a high ratio of specific surface area to volume, high chemical stability, chemical adsorption ability, high capacity of drug and biomolecules of carbon nanotubes, as well as multiple drug loading at the same time The combination of ƒ-MWCNT-CUR-BSA MTX significantly impacts cancer therapy), are desirable as an alternative option for targeted drug delivery and high therapeutic efficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Among all the cancers, colorectal cancer (CRC) has the third mortality rank in both genders. Cancer vaccines have shown promising results in boosting patients' immune systems to fight cancer. Using the IEDB database, we predicted mouse MHC-I (H2-Ld) binding epitopes from four tumor-associated antigens (APC, KRAS, TP53, and PIK3CA) and designed a multi-epitope vaccine. We expressed the candidate vaccine and encapsulated it into the cationic micelle with polyethyleneimine conjugated to oleic acid as its building blocks. We studied tumor inhibition effect, cytokine production, and lymphocyte proliferation in the mouse CRC model after vaccination. Our finding illustrated significant tumor growth inhibition in mouse models treated with the candidate nanovaccine. Besides the significant release of IFN-γ and IL-4 by immunized mouse spleen T-lymphocytes, T-cell proliferation assay results confirmed effective immune response after the vaccination. These results demonstrate the potential therapeutic effects of nanovaccines and could be a possible approach to CRC immunotherapy., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The use of nanomaterial-based radiosensitizers to improve the therapeutic ratio has gained attraction in radiotherapy. Increased radiotoxicity applied to the tumor region may result in adverse impact on the unexposed normal cells to the radiation, a phenomenon known as radiation-induced bystander effect (RIBE)., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Bi 2 S 3 @BSA nanoparticles (NPs) as radiosensitizers on the enhancement of bystander response in non-irradiated cells., Materials and Methods: Lung carcinoma epithelial cells were exposed to 6 MV x-ray photons at different doses of 2 and 8 Gy, with and without Bi 2 S 3 @BSA NPs. The irradiated-cell's conditioned medium (ICCM) was collected and incubated with MCR-5 human fetal lung fibroblasts., Results: This study showed that ICCM collected from 2-Gy-irradiated A549 cells in the presence of Bi 2 S 3 @BSA NPs reduced the cell viability of MCR-5 bystander cells more than ICCM collected from irradiated cells without NPs ( P <0.05), whereas such a difference was not observed after 8-Gy radiation. The mRNA expression of the BAX and XPA genes, as well as the cell death rate in MCR-5 bystander cells, revealed that the Bi 2 S 3 @BSA NPs significantly improved bystander response at 2-Gy ( P <0.05), but the efficacy was not statistically significant after 8-Gy Irradiation., Conclusion: The results indicated that the presence of NPs did not affect bystander response enhancement at higher concentrations. These findings highlighted the potential use of radiation-enhancing agents and their benefits in radiotherapy techniques with high doses per fraction., Competing Interests: Nothing to declare., (Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s); Published by Iranian Journal of Biotechnology.)

Background: Nanotechnology has introduced valuable carriers for vaccine delivery. The success of vaccination depends on many factors, such as the intact and safe presentation of vaccine candidates to immune cells. We have conjugated branched PEI-2k and oleic acid (OL) as the building block of the cationic micelle. We aimed to introduce a novel carrier for vaccine candidates., Materials and Methods: We conjugated polyethyleneimine and OL (POA) to synthesize the building blocks of cationic micelles. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), size and zeta potential of micelles, and their stability in 60 days were determined. Loading, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release study were assessed using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protein model. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity and hemocompatibility of developed nanosized micelles were evaluated to ascertain the biocompatibility of fabricated micelles. Cell uptake of cationic micelles in the macrophage cell line was also followed up., Results: The conjugation of two polymer parts was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The CMC of the developed micelles was around 5.62 × 10 -8 mg / ml, whereas the loading and encapsulation efficiencies were 16.5% and 70%, respectively. The size and zeta potential of the cationic micelles were 96.53 ± 18.53 nm and 68.3 mV, respectively. The release of BSA from POA micelles after 8 and 72 hours was 8.5% and 82%, respectively. Finally, fluorescence microscopy showed that the prepared micelles were successfully and effectively taken up by RAW264.7 cells., Conclusion: These results may provide a cutting-edge vaccine delivery solution and open up a new avenue for future vaccine research., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2023 Advanced Biomedical Research.)

Ischemic stroke is the most common among various stroke types and the second leading cause of death, worldwide. Edaravone (EDV) is one of the cardinal antioxidants that is capable of scavenging reactive oxygen species, especially hydroxyl molecules, and has been already used for ischemic stroke treatment. However, poor water solubility, low stability, and bioavailability in aqueous media are major EDV drawbacks. Thus, to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, nanogel was exploited as a drug carrier of EDV. Furthermore, decorating the nanogel surface with glutathione as targeting ligands would potentiate the therapeutic efficacy. Nanovehicle characterization was assessed with various analytical techniques. Size (199 nm, hydrodynamic diameter) and zeta potential (-25 mV) of optimum formulation were assessed. The outcome demonstrated a diameter of around 100 nm, sphere shape, and homogenous morphology. Encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were determined to be 99.9% and 37.5%, respectively. In vitro drug release profile depicted a sustained release process. EDV and glutathione presence in one vehicle simultaneously made the possibility of antioxidant effects on the brain in specific doses, which resulted in elevated spatial memory and learning along with cognitive function in Wistar rats. In addition, significantly lower MDA and PCO and higher levels of neural GSH and antioxidant levels were observed, while histopathological improvement was approved. The developed nanogel can be a suited vehicle for drug delivery of EDV to the brain and improve ischemia-induced oxidative stress cell damage., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Faezeh Mozafari et al.)

Despite the over spatial separation and the ability to determine soft tissues, insufficient contrast is the shortcoming of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that could be circumvented by the use of contrast agents. The use of MRI contrast agents are widely applied to enhance the vision of internal body structures. Nano-sized contrast materials have unique application advantages compared to other contrast agents due to their size and shape. However, for contrast agents such as bare iron (II, III) oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), aggregation and accumulation are the main shortcomings. Thus, surface modifications are necessary for their use in biopharmaceutical applications. Gold, Au, nanoparticles are of big interesting for use in biomedical purposes due to their chemical stability and oxidation resistance. In this study, we synthesized magnetic Fe 3 O 4 -Au hybrid NPs with a facile method and coated them with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to increase their chemical stability and biocompatibility. Afterwards, the hybrid nanosystem was characterized by some methods, and their potential to increase MRI contrast was investigated by the phantom MRI experiments. Our data showed that the signal intensity on MR images was significantly reduced, thus confirming the contrast ability of the formulated Fe 3 O 4 -Au-BSA NPs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Cancer is among the most common causes of death in the world that affects a large number of people every year. Curcumin is one of the natural anticancer therapeutics with little or no negative effects. However, due to its hydrophobic nature, poor bioavailability, limited gastrointestinal uptake, and fast metabolism, its therapeutic applications are constrained. Therefore, the Bovine Serum Albumin-Coated Copper Sulfide anoparticles (CuS@BSA) for curcumin (CUR) drug delivery were synthesized and characterized, and then curcumin release from the nanosystem. Hemotoxicity, and cytotoxicity was investigated. This study involved the one-step synthesis of CuS@BSA nanoparticles first, followed by the addition of CUR. Then the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized employing Scanning Transient Electron Microscopy (STEM), Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The Size and surface charge (zeta potential) of synthesized nanoparticles were determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to be 120 nm and -13 eV, respectively. The results showed that the CUR loading was around 15% and also the release pattern of CUR was dependent on pH and increased in an acidic environment. The results of the hemolysis assay showed that the synthesized nanoparticles are not hemotoxic. The investigation of the cytotoxic effects of synthesized nanoparticles on cancer cells demonstrated that CuS@BSA nanoparticles did not exhibit any toxicity and therefore are an appropriate candidate for drug delivery., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The discovery of bacterial-derived Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system has revolutionized genome engineering and gene therapy due to its wide range of applications. One of the major challenging issues in CRISPR/Cas system is the lack of an efficient, safe, and clinically suitable delivery of the system's components into target cells. Here, we describe the development of polyethylenimine coated-bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA-PEI NPs) for efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 system in both DNA (px458 plasmid) and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) forms into MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. Our data showed that synthesized BSA-PEI (BP) NPs delivered plasmid px458 at concentrations of 0.15, 0.25, and 0.35 µg/µl with efficiencies of approximately 29.7, 54.8, and 84.1% into MDA-MB-231 cells, respectively. Our study demonstrated that Cas9/sgRNA RNP complex efficiently (~ 92.6%) delivered by BSA-PEI NPs into the same cells. Analysis of toxicity and biocompatibility of synthesized NPs on human red blood cells, MDA-MB-231 cells, and mice showed that the selected concentration (28 µg/µl) of BSA-PEI NPs for transfection had no remarkable toxicity effects. Thus, obtained results suggest BSA-PEI NPs as one of the most promising carrier for delivering CRISPR/Cas9 to target cells., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Aim: Quorum sensing (QS) is a density-dependent chemical process of cell-to-cell communication in which certain signals are activated, leading to the coordination of pathogenic behaviors and the regulation of virulence in bacteria. Inhibition of QS can prevent biofilm formation and reduce virulence behaviors of bacteria. Herein, bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated silver nanoparticles (NPs) (Ag-Ag 2 S@BSA NPs) were synthesized and studied as an anti-QS agent. Materials & methods: Ag-Ag 2 S NPs prepared through a BSA-mediated biomineralization process under ambient aqueous conditions and their physicochemical properties were characterized. The anti-QS activity of the resulting BSA-coated NPs (Ag-Ag 2 S@BSA NPs) was investigated for the first time. Results & conclusion: The result confirmed the potential of Ag-Ag 2 S@BSA NPs as novel and useful therapeutic tools for antibacterial purposes.

Janus heterostructures based on bimetallic nanoparticles have emerged as effective radiosensitizers owing to their radiosensitization capabilities in cancer cells. In this context, this study aims at developing a novel bimetallic nanoradiosensitizer, Bi 2 S 3 -Fe 3 O 4 , to enhance tumor accumulation and promote radiation-induced DNA damage while reducing adverse effects. Due to the presence of both iron oxide and bismuth sulfide metallic nanoparticles in these newly developed nanoparticle, strong radiosensitizing capacity is anticipated through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce DNA damage under X-Ray irradiation. To improve blood circulation time, biocompatibility, colloidal stability, and tuning surface functionalization, the surface of Bi 2 S 3 -Fe 3 O 4 bimetallic nanoparticles was coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA). Moreover, to achieve higher cellular uptake and efficient tumor site specificity, folic acid (FA) as a targeting moiety was conjugated onto the bimetallic nanoparticles, termed Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-Fe 3 O 4 -FA. Biocompatibility, safety, radiation-induced DNA damage by ROS activation and generation, and radiosensitizing ability were confirmed via in vitro and in vivo assays. The administration of Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-Fe 3 O 4 -FA in 4T1 breast cancer murine model upon X-ray radiation revealed highly effective tumor eradication without causing any mortality or severe toxicity in healthy tissues. These findings offer compelling evidence for the potential capability of Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-Fe 3 O 4 -FA as an ideal nanoparticle for radiation-induced cancer therapy and open interesting avenues of future research in this area., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest J.C. is a co-founder and shareholder of TargTex S.A., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of the present investigation was to develop niosomes containing both curcumin (CUR) and methotrexate (MTX). Also, the combinational effect of CUR and MTX in both free and niosomal forms on growth inhibition potential and induction of apoptosis in the HCT-116 cell line were exploited. Materials & methods: Niosomes were prepared by the thin-film hydration method and their physicochemical properties were determined by various techniques. Cellular uptake, cell apoptosis, wound healing and MTT assay were conducted to ascertain niosomes' feasibility for cancer therapy. Results: The combination of CUR and MTX in niosomal formulation showed more toxicity than their combination in free form. Conclusion: The nanocarrier-based approach was effective for the codelivery of CUR and MTX against cancer cells in vitro .

Aim: To prepare a novel hybrid system for the controlled release and delivery of curcumin (CUR). Methods: A method for the ultrasound-assisted fabrication of protein-modified nanosized graphene oxide-like carbon-based nanoparticles (CBNPs) was developed. After being modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA), CUR was loaded onto the synthesized hybrid (labeled CBNPs@BSA-CUR). The structure and properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were elucidated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods. Results: CBNPs@BSA-CUR showed pH sensitivity and were calculated as controlled CUR release behavior. The drug-free system exhibited good biocompatibility and was nontoxic. However, CBNPs@BSA-CUR showed acceptable antiproliferative ability against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Conclusion: CBNPs@BSA-CUR could be considered a highly promising nontoxic nanocarrier for the delivery of CUR with good biosafety.

COVID-19, as an emerging infectious disease, has caused significant mortality and morbidity along with socioeconomic impact. No effective treatment or vaccine has been approved yet for this pandemic disease. Cutting-edge tools, especially nanotechnology, should be strongly considered to tackle this virus. This review aims to propose several strategies to design and fabricate effective diagnostic and therapeutic agents against COVID-19 by the aid of nanotechnology. Polymeric, inorganic self-assembling materials and peptide-based nanoparticles are promising tools for battling COVID-19 as well as its rapid diagnosis. This review summarizes all of the exciting advances nanomaterials are making toward COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis and therapy.

In The present project, a variety of MnFe 2 O 4 (Mn) and Cr 2 Fe 6 O 12 (Cr)-based nanocarriers (NCs) were synthesized as photosensitizer and NCs for delivery of chemotherapeutic curcumin (CUR) and provide a new structure for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). For determining efficiency of NCs release study, MTT assay, lethal dose test and hemolysis assay were carried out. The release study showed the release of CUR from NCs was pH-dependent, but, every NCs had its own behavior for releasing the drug. The data acquired from the release study showed the CUR release from Mn can reach to over 90% at acidic media instead of 41% at neutral media. However, the CUR released from Cr were approximately equal as Cr had equal zeta potential at both media. Hemolysis activity and lethal dose test displayed the cytotoxicity of NCs was neglectable at both in vitro and in vivo study. Also, the results of anti-cancer activity assay (MTT assay) showed that both of Cr and Mn NCs are suitable systems for PDT. Therefore, the results demonstrated that Mn is suitable NCs for PDT and anticancer drugs delivery of therapeutic drugs.

Combination therapy such as radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy has attracted excessive interest in the new cancer research area. Therefore, developing nanobiomaterials for combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy is required for more powerful and successful cures. Because of the amazing X-ray sensitization proficiency of Bi based nanoparticles, in this work, we synthesized and used Bi 2 S 3 as an enhancer of X-ray radiation therapy, and furthermore, Bi 2 S 3 served as carrier of curcumin (CUR), a chemotherapy drug, for the goal of combination therapy. Additionally, we selected and conjugated folic acid (FA) as a targeting molecule for the direction of the designed system to the tumor site. After characterization of drug loaded FA conjugated Bi 2 S 3 @BSA nanoparticles (Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-FA-CUR) and in vitro and in vivo safety assessment, we applied it for enhanced chemotherapy and X-ray radiation therapy in cancer cells and a tumor bearing mice model. Moreover, the CT contrast ability of synthesized nanoparticles was examined. Here, we (1) for the first time developed the novel and targeted CUR loaded Bi 2 S 3 @BSA (Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-FA-CUR) to promote chemoradiation therapy in 4T1 cells and breast tumor in mice; (2) found the synthesized nanoparticles to have good stability; (3) injected a single dose of the designed radiosensitizer for cancer therapy; and (4) used a conventional X-ray dose, 2Gy, for X-ray radiation therapy. The result of in vivo X-ray radiotherapy shows that the mice tumors vanished near 3 weeks after radiation. Interestingly, these results show that Bi 2 S 3 @BSA-FA-CUR with the aid of X-ray can clearly promote the efficacy of chemoradiation therapy.

The present study aimed to synthesize triacetin-microemulsion (T-ME) and T-ME hybridized with bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (T-BSA-ME) having narrow particle size distribution and versatile carrier systems as a novel microemulsion system. The suggested ME system was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The physicochemical properties of microemulsion system including particle size, PDI and ζ-potential, refractive index, Conductivity, %Transmittance, pH, and rheological behavior were also evaluated. In vivo biocompatibility was done using Median Lethal Dose (LD 50) calculated and trialed to evaluate the acute toxicity. In Addition, hemolysis and leukocyte proliferation assay were characterized to evaluate in-vitro biocompatibility of the suggested MEs systems. Moreover, cytotoxicity of MEs systems was also investigated on HFF-2 and HEK-293 cells. The presence of BSA NPs as a macromolecular biomaterial hybridized with T-ME reduced the cytotoxicity. The properties of the suggested MEs system proposed the T-ME hybridized with BSA-NPs as a promising candidate for co-delivery and multifunctional biomedicine applications.

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (IONPs) have attracted enormous attention because of their extensive medicinal and industrial applicability. PEGylated L-arginine modified iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (PEG-Arg@IONPs) were synthesized and functioned in the present research as MRI contrast agents considered in vivo BALB/c model. The Synthesized PEG-Arg@IONPs were tracked in certain time intervals by MRI. The intensity of MR imaging of kidneys increased after administration of PEG-Arg@IONPs, which could confirm the emission of these nanoparticles by kidneys shortly after administration. Although PEG-Arg@IONPs were uptake by liver within 2 hours after injection, whereas, the signal change intensity of spleen, heart and kidneys confirmed that PEG-Arg@IONPs existed in other organs. The results illustrated that IONPs coated with PEGylated natural amino acid thin layers had a long circulation time and could be served as T 2 contrast agents for diagnosis purpose. Notably, to the best of our knowledge, it was the first time the biocompatibility and biodegradability of IONPs was studied and evaluated by stereological and MRI technique.

Background: Plumbagin is as an important bioactive secondary metabolite found in the roots of Plumbago spp. The only one species, Plumbago europaea L., grows wild in Iran. The therapeutic use of plumbagin is limited due to its insufficient supply from the natural sources as the plants grow slowly and take several years to produce quality roots., Objectives: To develop an efficient protocol for the establishment of callus and cell suspension cultures of P. europaea and to evaluate production of plumbagin in callus and cell suspension cultures of P. europaea for the first time., Material and Methods: Stems and leaves explants were cultured on agar solidified (7% w/v) MS media, supplemented with different combination of 2, 4-D and Kin or 6-Benzylaminopurin (BA) for callus induction. The rapid growing calli were cultured in liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS) media in agitated condition for establishing cell suspension cultures of P. europaea . Moreover, the effects of light and dark conditions on the cell growth, cell viability and plumbagin production in cell suspension cultures of P. europaea were assessed., Results: Friable calli were successfully induced using stem segments of P. europaea in semisolid MS medium supplemented with 1 mg.L -1 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D) and 0.5 mg.L -1 of kinetin (Kin). Optimal cell growth was obtained when the cells were grown in MS liquid media supplemented with 1 mg.L -1 2, 4-D and 0.5 mg.L -1 kinetin with an initial cell density of ~3×10 5 cells per ml incubated in the dark at 25 ± 1 °C. Growth curve revealed that the maximum cell growth rate (14.83×10 5 cells per ml) achieved on the day 18 and the highest plumbagin content (0.9 mg.g -1 Dry Cell Weight (DCW)) in the cells was obtained at the late exponential phase under dark condition which determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) technique. Based on the obtained results, cell viability remained around 82.73% during the 18 days of cell culture in darkness. These suspension cultures showed continuous and stable production of plumbagin., Conclusions: Our study suggests that cell suspension cultures of P. europaea represent an effective system for biosynthesis and production of plumbagin as a valuable bioactive compound.