Recent advances in using folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) for cancer diagnosis and treatment, with an emphasis on cancers that affect women.

A glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored glycoprotein called the folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) facilitates the transportation of folate by mediating receptor-mediated endocytosis in response to ligand binding. While FOLR1 expression is typically restricted to the apical surfaces of the epithelium in the lung, kidney, and choroid plexus in healthy people, it is overexpressed in a number of solid tumours, including high-grade osteosarcoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. As a result, FOLR1 has become an attractive target for cancer detection and therapy, particularly for cancers that affect women. A number of methods have been developed to target FOLR1 in cancer therapy, including the development of FOLR1-targeted imaging agents for cancer diagnosis and the use of folate conjugates to deliver cytotoxic agents to cancer cells that overexpress FOLR1. Therefore, we focus on the most recent developments in employing FOLR1 for cancer diagnosis and treatment in this review, particularly with regard to cancers that affect women.

Recent trends in diabetic wound healing with nanofibrous scaffolds.

There is an emphasis in this review on nanofibrous scaffolds (NFSs) in diabetic wound healing, as well as their mechanisms and recent advancements. Diabetes-related complex wounds pose an important problem to humanity, due to the fact that their chronic nature can lead to serious complications including sepsis and amputations. Despite the fact that there are certain therapy options available for diabetic wound healing, these options are either ineffective or intrusive, making clinical intervention difficult. Clinical research is also challenged by the emergence of bacterial resistance to standard antibiotics. However, research into nanotechnology, in particular NFSs, is growing swiftly and has a positive impact on the treatment of diabetic wounds. For instance, SpinCare™, developed by Nanomedic Technologies Ltd, has successfully finished clinical testing and can re-epithelialize second-degree burns and chronic diabetic wounds in 7 and 14 days, respectively. In this review, we discussed homologous studies as well as other recent research studies on diabetic wound healing using NFSs.

Phthalate toxicity mechanisms: An update.

Phthalates are one of the most widely used plasticizers in polymer products, and they are increasingly being exposed to people all over the world, generating health concerns. Phthalates are often used as excipients in controlled-release capsules and enteric coatings, and patients taking these drugs may be at risk. In both animals and human, phthalates are mainly responsible for testicular dysfunction, ovarian toxicity, reduction in steroidogenesis. In this regard, for a better understanding of the health concerns corresponding to phthalates and their metabolites, still more research is required. Significantly, multifarious forms of phthalates and their biomedical effects are need to be beneficial to investigate in the various tissues or organs. Based on these investigations, researchers can decipher their toxicity concerns and related mechanisms in the body after phthalate's exposure. This review summarizes the chemical interactions, mechanisms, and their biomedical applications of phthalates in animals and human.

Modernistic and Emerging Developments of Nanotechnology in Glioblastoma-Targeted Theranostic Applications.

Brain tumors such as glioblastoma are typically associated with an unstoppable cell proliferation with aggressive infiltration behavior and a shortened life span. Though treatment options such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy are available in combating glioblastoma, satisfactory therapeutics are still not available due to the high impermeability of the blood-brain barrier. To address these concerns, recently, multifarious theranostics based on nanotechnology have been developed, which can deal with diagnosis and therapy together. The multifunctional nanomaterials find a strategic path against glioblastoma by adjoining novel thermal and magnetic therapy approaches. Their convenient combination of specific features such as real-time tracking, in-depth tissue penetration, drug-loading capacity, and contrasting performance is of great demand in the clinical investigation of glioblastoma. The potential benefits of nanomaterials including specificity, surface tunability, biodegradability, non-toxicity, ligand functionalization, and near-infrared (NIR) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging are sufficient in developing effective theranostics. This review discusses the recent developments in nanotechnology toward the diagnosis, drug delivery, and therapy regarding glioblastoma.

Synthesis of silver nanoparticles conjugated with kaempferol and hydrocortisone and an evaluation of their antibacterial effects.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have shown a wide range of antibacterial activities over the last 2 decades. Conjugated AgNPs have attracted much interest among researchers for their properties which allow alterations of their physicochemical and biological properties. In this study, two potential stabilizing agents, flavonoids (kaempferol) and corticosteroids (hydrocortisone), were employed in the preparation of silver conjugated kaempferol and hydrocortisone nanoparticles (i.e., KH-AgNPs). The as-synthesized KH-AgNPs demonstrated a uniform spherical morphology by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results along with excellent stability and also shown strong bactericidal properties against different bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The KH-AgNPs were characterized by UV-Visible and FTIR spectroscopy studies and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The KH-AgNPs activity was further analyzed by reactive oxygen species, live/dead bacterial assays, lactate dehydrogenase, and lipid peroxidation assays. The results have demonstrated the better antibacterial efficacy of the nanoparticles.

Ruthenium(II)-curcumin liposome nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and their effects against cervical cancer.

Ruthenium complexes have increased the scope for improvement in current cancer treatment by replacing platinum-based drugs. However, to reduce metal-associated toxicity, a biocompatible flavonoid, such as curcumin, is indispensable, as it offers uncompensated therapeutic benefits through formation of complexes. In this study, we synthesized metal-based flavonoid complexes using ruthenium(II) and curcumin by adopting a convenient reflux reaction, represented as Ru-Cur complexes. These complexes were thoroughly characterized using 1H, 13C NMR, XPS, FT-IR, and UV-vis spectroscopy. As curcumin is sparingly soluble in water and has poor chemical stability, we loaded Ru-Cur complexes into liposomes and further formed nanoparticles (NPs) using the thin layer evaporation method. These were named Ru-Cur loaded liposome nanoparticles (RCLNPs). The effects of RCLNPs on cell proliferation was investigated using human cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa). These RCLNPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity in HeLa cells. The anticancer properties of RCLNPs were studied using reactive oxygen species (ROS), LDH, and MTT assays as well as live-dead staining. Nuclear damage studies of RCLNPs were performed in HeLa cells using the Hoechst staining assay.

Lanthanum mediated rutin yellow-fluorescent carbon dots as multifaceted sensing probes for the detection of calcium ions in melanoma and plant cells.

Calcium (Ca2 +) as a signaling ion and intracellular second messenger plays a crucial role in living organisms for various cellular functions. In the present work, we have designed a novel yellow-fluorescent carbon dots (LERCDs) using lanthanum, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and rutin as precursors for the sensing of Ca2 + ions. In this sense, a combination of hydrothermal and reflux methods was adopted. The as-designed LERCDs display bright yellow color emission in the aqueous solutions with a high quantum yield (23.8%). The LERCDs showed excitation-independent emission property along with magnificent photostability and time stability. The LERCDs show potential fluorescence quenching response towards the Ca2+ ions in the concentration range of 0-25 µM with a detection limit of 2.19 µM. The LERCDs have studied for extracellular sensing of Ca2 + ions in both melanoma cell lines (A375) and onion epidermal cells by employing fluorescence microscopy. The LERCDs facilitate low cytotoxicity and superior biocompatibility features in A375 cells. The practicality of LERCDs was studied in biological samples like the human serum.

Current and emerging applications of nanostructured metal-organic frameworks in cancer-targeted theranostics.

Nanostructured metal-organic frameworks (N-MOFs) are crystalline coordination nanopolymers in which metals are conjugated with organic and inorganic linker molecules. At present, N-MOFs have attracted significant interest owing to their intrinsically high porosity and ultrahigh surface areas, which allow them to be loaded with a broad array of materials, including drug molecules. In addition, N-MOFs possess other unique properties, such as good mobility, high reactivity, outstanding stability, real-time intracellular pH sensitivity, photosensitization, and penetration ability, which make them suitable candidates as drug delivery carriers for cancer and other targeted therapies. The opportunity for using a diverse array of chemical building components in N-MOFs facilitates the formation of structures with preferred properties for targeted therapy. In this review, we focus on the synthesis, characterization and other potential applications of N-MOFs in targeted theranostic nanodrug for cancer therapy.

Synthesis and characterization of acetyl curcumin-loaded core/shell liposome nanoparticles via an electrospray process for drug delivery, and theranostic applications.

Despite substantial advancements in divergent drug delivery systems (DDS), there is still room for novel and innovative nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery methodologies such as core/shell liposomes to deliver drugs in a kinetically controlled manner into the active site without any side effects. Herein, ((1E,6E)-3,5-dioxohepta-1,6-diene-1,7-diyl) bis (2-methoxy-4,1-phenylene) diacetate acetyl curcumin (AC)-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) core/shell liposome nanoparticles (ACPCSLNPs) were prepared using an electron spray method under an applied electric field, which facilitated the uniform formation of nano-sized liposome nanoparticles (LNPs). Then, kinetically controlled and sustained drug release profiles were investigated using the as-prepared ACPCSLNPs. Moreover, the inner polymeric core could not only induce the generation of electrostatic interactions between the polymer and drug molecules but could also affect the prominent repulsions between the polar head groups of lipids and the nonpolar drug molecules. As a result, the sustained maximum release of the drug molecules (~48.5%) into the system was observed over a long period (~4 days). Furthermore, cell cytotoxicity studies were conducted in a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) and a healthy human dermal fibroblast cell line (HDFa) by employing all AC loaded LNPs along with free drugs. Multicolor cell imaging was also observed in HeLa cells using ACPCSLNPs. Notably, more curcumin was released from the ACPCSLNPs than AC due to the presence of polar group attractions and polar-polar interactions between the lipid head groups and curcumin since curcumin is more soluble than AC in aqueous medium. In addition, the predictions of the release kinetic patterns were also investigated thoroughly using the exponential-based Korsmeyer-Peppas (K-P) and Higuchi models for drug-loaded LNPs and PLGA NPs, respectively.

Nanoclusters prepared from ruthenium(II) and quercetin for fluorometric detection of cobalt(II), and a method for screening their anticancer drug activity.

Ruthenium-quercetin conjugated nanoclusters (Ru-QC NCs) were synthesized via a one-pot reflux reaction. As inhalation of heavy metal ions like cobalt can lead to lung cancer, a fluorescent probe was designed for the determination of Co(II) both in aqueous solutions and living cells. The probe consists of hybrid nanoclusters with an average size of 2 nm that were prepared from ruthenium(II) ions and the flavonoid quercetin. These are termed as Ru-QC NCs. They display strong orange-colored emission with a peak at 558 nm under 465-nm excitation. The Ru-QC NCs are cell viable and enable imaging of cells and intracellular fluorometric detection of Co(II). The anticancer properties of Ru-QC NCs were screened by using non-small cell lung cancer (A549) and human dermal fibroblast (HDFa) cell lines. The Ru-QC NCs exert considerable cytotoxicity in A549 cells (at levels of 20-50 µg·mL-1), whereas no significant cytotoxicity was observed in case of HDFa cells. The anticancer properties of Ru-QC NCs were screened via MTT assay, live-dead staining, and ROS assay, respectively. Morphological changes of cancer cells were observed using atomic force microscopy. The fluorescent probe can detect Co(II) with a detection limit of 9.28 nM and with a linear response in the 0.03-100 µM concentration range. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of ruthenium-quercetin nanoclusters with potential anticancer properties. They are promising fluorescent probes for intracellular sensing of cobalt (Co2+) and bio-imaging. They exhibited efficient fluorometric detection of Co2+ with the limit of detection (LOD) of 9.28 nM.

Potential anticancer applications of the novel naringin-based ruthenium (II) complex.

Ruthenium seems to be a promising alternative to platinum because of the wide range of oxidation states it has and its ability to form complexes with bioactive ligands. In this study, naringin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, was used to synthesize a novel ruthenium complex with potential anticancer activity. The characterization of the synthesized complex was done by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR and NMR studies. In addition, the complex was tested against Human A549 cell lines to determine the anticancer effect, and against human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa) to find any underlying toxicity. Further, the morphological changes of the cancer cells can be determined by using bio-atomic force microscopy. Results showed that the synthesized complex was able to induce anticancer effects against A549 with minimal impact to HDFa. In this study, we investigated the anticancer properties of naringin-ruthenium (II) complex using live- and dead-cell staining assay, MTT, Trypan blue, and lactate dehydrogenase assay. Further, morphological changes were observed in the A549 cells using Bio-AFM. The Bio-AFM results have proven the better cytotoxic behavior of naringin-ruthenium (II) complex. The cell viability results also provided the anticancer efficacy of the complex.

Quercetin mediated gold nanoclusters explored as a dual functional nanomaterial in anticancer and bio-imaging disciplines.

Quercetin-mediated gold nanoclusters (Qu-GNCs) were prepared for the first time by employing bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a stabilizer with a natural flavonoid, "quercetin" as a reducing agent. Interestingly, quercetin (Qu) forms a cluster by reacting with gold under alkali conditions in the presence of BSA. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of obtained nanoclusters exhibit the optimal size with homogenous distribution. Similarly, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the conjugation between Qu and GNCs and the photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed the bright yellowish-orange fluorescence of Qu-GNCs and they are stable over a long period of time. Further, Bio-atomic force microscopy (Bio-AFM) and confocal imaging of A549 (lung cancer cell lines) highlighted the cell morphology and cluster's efficacy, respectively. Moreover, as-synthesized Qu-GNCs exerted high and minimal toxicities on A549 and HDFa (fibroblast cells). The obtained results are very interesting and have shown that Qu-GNCs are promising anti-cancer agents as well as potential bio-imaging nanohybrids.