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A coating technology based on low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HA) and ferulic acid (FA) was applied to the coating of low generation poly(propylene imine) dendrimers through a biocompatible hexa(ethylene glycol) spacer. The ensuing HA‐FA‐HEG‐PPID dendrimeric materials showed interesting loading capability (between 7.65% and 9.08%) regarding anticancer agent doxorubicin, and their interactions with the drug appeared to hamper the drug release in the physiological environment. Thus, the stable nanostructured loaded delivery systems were able to internalize into cells expressing the HA receptor CD44 and to demonstrate high cytotoxicity comparable to that shown by equivalent amounts of free doxorubicin. Thus, HA‐FA‐HEG‐PPID dendrimeric materials were proposed as biocompatible drug carriers capable of transporting anticancer doxorubicin to tumor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HBDI‐like chromophores represent a novel set of biomimetic switches mimicking the fluorophore of the green fluorescent protein that are currently studied with the hope to expand the molecular switch/motor toolbox. However, until now members capable of absorbing visible light in their neutral (i. e. non‐anionic) form have not been reported. In this contribution we report the preparation of an HBDI‐like chromophore based on a 3‐phenylbenzofulvene scaffold capable of absorbing blue light and photoisomerizing on the picosecond timescale. More specifically, we show that double‐bond photoisomerization occurs in both the E‐to‐Z and Z‐to‐E directions and that these can be controlled by irradiating with blue and UV light, respectively. Finally, as a preliminary applicative result, we report the incorporation of the chromophore in an amphiphilic molecule and demonstrate the formation of a visible‐light‐sensitive nanoaggregated state in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) can combine therapeutic hyperthermia with diagnostic features, representing a smart choice to address personalized cancer treatments. In this regard, a crucial quest is the selection of the right biocompatible coating agent able to stabilize them in the physiological environment, further endowing the possibility to load bioactive molecules and/or targeting moieties. Therefore, AuNRs optical properties can be successfully merged with advantageous materials features to obtain selective photothermal therapy (PTT) systems. Here, the natural materials lipoic acid (LA) and the polysaccharide gellan gum (GG) were chosen to prepare three types of stabilized gold nanorods, using LA (AuNRs/LA), a layered coating of LA and GG (AuNRs/LA,GG) or a newly synthesized covalent derivative of LA and GG (AuNRs/GG-LA). The samples displayed diverse stability and dispersibility. Hydrodynamic diameters and surface potential analyses confirmed the nanometric size (100–200 nm) and showed surface charges ranging from +19.5 to −25.6 mV. Particular attention was thus paid to analyze the differences between hyperthermia properties exhibited after near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility and photothermal effect were tested on HCT116 human colon cancer cell line. Collected data have finally allowed selecting AuNRs/LA,GG as the best candidate for possible use in PTT of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer theranostics is a new concept of medical approach that attempts to combine in a unique nanoplatform diagnosis, monitoring and therapy so as to provide eradication of a solid tumor in a non-invasive fashion. There are many available solutions to tackle cancer using theranostic agents such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) under the guidance of imaging techniques (e.g., magnetic resonance—MRI, photoacoustic—PA or computed tomography—CT imaging). Additionally, there are several potential theranostic nanoplatforms able to combine diagnosis and therapy at once, such as gold nanoparticles (GNPs), graphene oxide (GO), superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and carbon nanodots (CDs). Currently, surface functionalization of these nanoplatforms is an extremely useful protocol for effectively tuning their structures, interface features and physicochemical properties. This approach is much more reliable and amenable to fine adjustment, reaching both physicochemical and regulatory requirements as a function of the specific field of application. Here, we summarize and compare the most promising metal- and carbon-based theranostic tools reported as potential candidates in precision cancer theranostics. We focused our review on the latest developments in surface functionalization strategies for these nanosystems, or hybrid nanocomposites consisting of their combination, and discuss their main characteristics and potential applications in precision cancer medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract The extremely complex tumor microenvironment (TME) in humans is the major responsible for the therapeutic failure in cancer nanomedicine. A new concept of disease-driven nanomedicine, henceforth named "Theranomics", which attempts to target cancer cells and TME on the whole, represents an attractive alternative. Herein, a nanomedicine able to co-deliver doxorubicin and a tumor suppressive proteolytic protein such as collagenase-2 was developed. We successfully obtained superparamagnetic nanogels (SPIONs/Doco@Col) via the intermolecular azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition. We demonstrated that a local ECM degradation and remodeling in solid tumors by means of collagenase-2 could enhance tumor penetration of nanomedicines and the in situ sustained release of the drug payload throughout 3-D tumor spheroids up to the core (parenchyma), thus enabling a synergistic and efficient anticancer effect toward highly invasive breast tumors. We illustrate that SPIONs/Doxo@Col is also capable of reducing the invasivity of cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]