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Nanotechnology products such as titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) can be used for viral infections because of their unique characteristics. The current study aimed to determine the impact of TiO2-NPs on HPV type 1 and 2 infections. The characterization of these NPs was performed using dynamic light scattering (DLS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The MTT assay was used to determine the toxic impacts of TiO2-NPs on BHK-21 cells. The efficiency of TiO2-NPs was performed using several parameters, including TCID50 and RT-PCR assays. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was performed to estimate the inhibitory impact of TiO2-NPs on viral antigen expression, and Acyclovir was used as a reference medicine. When the human papilloma type 1 and 2 viruses exposed to TiO2-NPs at high doses (100 μg/mL) produced 0.3, 1.1, 2.3, and 3.3 log10 TCID50 decreases in infective virus load when compared with control viruses (P<0.0001), these TiO2-NPs doses were related to 24.9%, 35.1%, 47.2%, 59.5%, and 66.6% inhibition percentages that were determined depending on the viral titer as compared to virus control. It is concluded that TiO2-NPs have strong potential for the treatment of face and labial lesions caused by papillomaviruses 1 and 2 and could be used in topical formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistant pathogen is one of the most urgent issues facing global health care. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have demonstrated a strong antibacterial capacity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, according to a number of studies. In the present study, ZnO NPs were synthesized using laser ablation in water technique by various laser energies and wavelengths. The optical absorption study proves the high peak absorption and the blue shift at 1000 mJ laser energy and 1064 nm wavelength. UV visible spectroscopy shows an absorption peak seen at (255–342) nm and the estimated optical band gap was 3.8 eV. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the appearance of stretching mode Zn–O bond at 667 cm−1. The notice Raman peaks at 437 and 380 cm−1 were assign to the E2 (high) and A1(TO) modes respectively. The broad band at 330 cm−1 is due to second order Raman scattering. X-ray diffraction shows a hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO at 2θ ≈ (32.5°, 33.9°, 37.1°, 57.24°, and 63.6°) correspond to the diffraction planes of (100), (002), (101), and (110), (103), respectively. Chemical composition using Energy Dispersive X-Ray analysis ensured the high purity sharp peaks for Zn and O. High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope HR-TEM showed the creation of hexagon-shaped ZnO nanoparticles with average particle diameter of the produced ZnO nanoparticles was found to be 35 ± 5.1 nm. Dynamic light scattering shows particle size of 35 nm and zeta potential of − 37 mV which means high dispersity. Bacterial sensitivity test shows interesting antibacterial activity in concentration dependent manner and there is a remarkable effectiveness of ZnO NPs against negative gram Escherichia coli than positive gram strain Staphylococcus aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking care of wounds costs a lot of money. A significant medical problem is the treatment of burns, surgical and trauma wounds and skin wounds, with current therapies primarily emphasizing supportive care techniques. Coagulation, inflammation, angiogenesis, new tissue creation and extracellular matrix modification are necessary processes for successful wound healing. Metal oxides (Titanium, Silver, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Nickel) with potent antibacterial and healing characteristics can be employed as nanomaterials in dressings. Metal oxide nanoparticles (MeO-NPs) have a wide range of physicochemical properties that allow them to function as antimicrobial agents through a variety of mechanisms. The treatment of lethal infectious diseases will be impacted by the enormous variety of features demonstrated by MeO-NPs. This study covers the antibacterial mechanisms of common MeO-NPs, factors affecting their antibacterial activity and their role in accelerating wound healing. In the current review, an updated mechanism work of the many metal oxide nanoparticles inside the bacterial cell was presented. In addition, the connections between the usage of metal oxide nanoparticles in the medical field were also clarified, with a focus on their function as antimicrobial agents, and the characteristics that affect their antimicrobial response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In order to improve the water solubility and bioavailability of curcumin in cancer therapy, we prepared and tested a novel waterborne cationic polyurethane (PU) as a nano-carrier for curcumin loading (CU-PU). We studied the effect of this prepared nano-drug on melanoma (F10B16) and fibroblasts cells (L929). Methods: Morphology, size and cell internalization ability of the prepared nanoparticles were analyzed by zetasizer, SEM, AFM and fluorescent microscopy, respectively. We anticipated that curcumin was loaded in the hydrophobic core of the PU carrier. Next, the suitable dose and therapeutic effects of CU-PU for both skin cancer and normal cell lines were evaluated by the MTT assay and real-time PCR. Results: The average diameters and polydispersity of the nanoparticles were 62.37 ± 1.7 nm and 0.080 ± 2.1 at 25 °C, respectively. The drug encapsulation efficiency was 87 ± 0.2%. The morphological analysis confirmed both a spherical shape and good dispersion without remarkable aggregation. The MTT assay results showed that the IC50 at 24 hours was 36.2 μM, whereas it was 25.4 μM at 48 hours. Real-time PCR results indicated that the CU-PU significantly decreased mRNA expressions of VEGF, Bcl-2, MMP-9 and COX-2 genes. An increase in mRNA expression of the BAX gene was also observed. Conclusion: Our result provided acceptable evidence for cell proliferation inhibition and the apoptotic effect of CU-PU on skin cancer cells. There were no adverse effects detected for normal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects cells known as fibroblasts that are malignant, locally recurring, and spreading tumor in fibrous tissue. In this work, an iron plate immersed in an aqueous solution of double added deionized water, supplemented with potassium permanganate solution (KMnO4) was carried out by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method (PLAIL). Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were synthesized using different laser wavelengths (1064, 532, and 266 nm) at a fluence of 28 J/cm2 with 100 shots of the iron plate to control the concentration, shape and size of the prepared high-stability SPIONs. The drug nanocarrier was synthesized by coating SPION with paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded chitosan (Cs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). This nanosystem was functionalized by receptors that target folate (FA). The physiochemical characteristics of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA nanoparticles were evaluated and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. Cell internalization, cytotoxicity assay (MTT), apoptosis induction, and gene expression of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA were estimated in fibrosarcoma cell lines, respectively. In vivo studies used BALB/c tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA exhibited suitable physical stability, spherical shape, desirable size, and charge. SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of cancer cells (P < 0.01). The results of the in vivo study showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA significantly decreased tumor size compared to free PTX and control samples (P < 0.05), leading to longer survival, significantly increased splenocyte proliferation and IFN-γ level, and significantly decreased the level of IL-4. All of these findings indicated the potential of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA as an antitumor therapeutic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles (IONPs) have received remarkable attention in a wide range of applications because of their unique physicochemical properties' inheritance to the nanoscale. Among these nanoparticles (NPs), superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), as powerful noninvasive NPs, are widely used in nanomedicine applications such as targeted drug/ gene delivery, magnetic separation, cancer therapy, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) hyperthermia because of their superparamagnetic activity and remarkable small size. The synthesis of SPIONs and surface modification of these NPs for biological applications is an interesting research topic. These NPs have high magnetic susceptibility, a single magnetic domain, and a controlled magnetic behavior due to the SPION superparamagnetic feature. This review aims to explore the recently developed synthetic routes of SPIONs and show the best parameters to prepare SPIONs using pulsed laser ablation in liquid "PLAL" for biomedical applications. Furthermore, we highlight the properties, coating, and functionalization of SPIONs and their importance for biomedical applications, including targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy. The Fe3O4, or superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), have received considerable attention in a wide range of applications because of their unique physicochemical properties inherent to the nanoscale. These NPs have gained significant benefits due to their unique characteristics, such as superparamagnetic and small size, biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxic, efficiently cleared from the human body through iron metabolism pathways, physicochemical properties, drug conjugation/release, scaled up syntheses, and, hence, optimizing the overall parameters for effective medical performance. Various methods are used to synthesize SPION, such as pulsed laser ablation in liquid "PLAL", gas phase deposition, chemical co-precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized dextran (DEX)-coated iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4) and encapsulated it by the anticancer drug cisplatin (CP). This nano-composite functionalized with folic acid (FA) molecules for targeted delivery. These nanoparticles (NPs) were then used as nanocarriers for the targeted administration of CP for treating thyroid tumor cancer. The Fe 3 O 4 NPs were synthesized using a chemical technique. The development of the Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA nanosystem was achieved using a reverse microemulsion technique. The morphological features of the NPs were characterized using several methods, including dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The docking study has verified that nanoparticles have anti-proliferative effects in thyroid cancer by attaching strongly to molecular targets. The MTT test evaluated the effects of a curative Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA effect on cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. The results obtained from the formulation of Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA revealed the presence of spherical particles with an average size of 107.3 nm, a zeta potential of −28.7 mV, and a polydispersity value of 0.055 mV. Depending on the dose, the nanosystem exhibited cytotoxic effects on thyroid tumor (TT) and normal human thyroid (NHT) cell lines. The study findings indicate that Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA demonstrated sustained antitumor efficacy while not revealing a harmful impact on normal cells. [Display omitted] • Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA NPs were produced by the chemical. • We measured the size of the nanoparticle by using DLS, AFM, SEM, and TEM. • Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA NPs showed noticeable efficiency with sustained pH-controlled drug liberation. • Docking study has verified the anticancer properties of nanoparticles by demonstrating their strong binding affinity with molecular targets in thyroid malignance. • The combination of Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA showed high-er inhibitory action in suppressing tumor growth in Thyroid Tumor cancer cells compared to CP alone and Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-FA. • Fe 3 O 4 @DEX-CP-FA has demonstrated notable attributes such as biocompatibility, loading efficiency, controllability, and penetrability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-targeting nanomedicine composed of pH-sensitive superparamagnetic iron oxide core-gold shell SPION@Au, chitosan (CS), and folate (FA) was developed as a doxorubicin (DOX) antitumor medication. Microemulsion was used for preparation and cross-linking conjugation. The characteristics of the designed nanocomposite were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, UV-visible spectroscopy, Zeta potential and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The prepared SPION@Au-CS-DOX-FA nanoparticles (NPs) were spherical with an average diameter of 102.6 ± 7 nm and displayed an elevated drug loading behavior and sustained drug release capacity. The SPION@Au-CS-DOX-FA NPs revealed long term anti-cancer efficacy due to their cytotoxic effect and apoptotic inducing efficiency in SkBr3 cell lines. Additionally, Real-time PCR outcomes significantly showed an increase in BAK and BAX expression and a decrease in BCL-XL and BCL-2. In vivo results revealed that SPION@Au significantly decreased the tumor size in treated mice through magnetization. In conclusion, prepared SPION@Au-CS-DOX-FA could be a beneficial drug formulation for clinical breast cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advanced nanobiotechnology provides safe and efficient drug delivery systems to deliver chemotherapy that targets cancer cells efficiently. Methods: A polymeric-magnetic nanocarrier was composed of a dextran (DEX) shell, a superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPION) core and was conjugated with folate (FA) to carry the anticancer drug vincristine (VNC) in Tera-1 testicular tumor cells. The molecular mechanisms by which apoptosis was induced were analyzed using flow cytometry and qPCR, which exhibited anticancer activity of nanoparticles (NPs). Results: This nanocarrier revealed a controlled release of VNC in citrate and phosphate buffer solutions that were maintained at pH 5.5 and pH 7.4, respectively. The Inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were greater than 5 mg/mL and displayed ten times higher cytotoxicity than the comparable free drug concentration. The Caspase-9 and P53 expressions were increased, whereas P21 and AKt1 decreased noticeably in the treated cells. The results point to the possible activation of apoptosis following treatment with NPs loaded with vincristine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of honey/tripolyphosphate (TPP)/chitosan (HTCs) nanofibers loaded with capsaicin derived from the natural extract of hot pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) and loaded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as biocompatible antimicrobial nanofibrous wound bandages in topical skin treatments. The capsaicin and AuNPs were packed within HTCs in HTCs-capsaicin, HTCs-AuNP, and HTCs-AuNPs/capsaicin nanofibrous mats. In vitro antibacterial testing against Pasteurella multocida, Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis,Staphylococcus pyogenes, and Vibrio vulnificus was conducted in comparison with difloxacin and chloramphenicol antibiotics. Cell viability and proliferation of the developed nanofibers were evaluated using an MTT assay. Finally, in vivo study of the wound-closure process was performed on New Zealand white rabbits. The results indicate that HTCs-capsaicin and HTCs-AuNPs are suitable in inhibiting bacterial growth compared with HTCs and HTCs-capsaicin/AuNP nanofibers and antibiotics (P < 0.01). The MTT assay demonstrates that the nanofibrous mats increased cell proliferation compared with the untreated control (P < 0.01). In vivo results show that the developed mats enhanced the wound-closure rate more effectively than the control samples. The novel nanofibrous wound dressings provide a relatively rapid and efficacious wound-healing ability, making the obtained nanofibers promising candidates for the development of improved bandage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the surface of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPION) was coated with dextran (DEX), and conjugated with folic acid (FA), to enhance the targeted delivery and uptake of vinblastine (VBL) in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Numerous analyses were performed to validate the prepared FA-DEX-VBL-SPION, such as field emission scanning transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The delivery system capacity was evaluated by loading and release experiments. Moreover, in vitro biological studies, including a cytotoxicity study, cellular uptake assessment, apoptosis analysis, and real-time PCR, were carried out. The results revealed that the obtained nanocarrier was spherical with a suitable dispersion and without visible aggregation. Its average size, polydispersity, and zeta were 74 ± 13 nm, 0.080, and −45 mV, respectively. This dual functional nanocarrier also exhibited low cytotoxicity and a high apoptosis induction potential for successful VBL co-delivery. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated the activation of caspase-3, NF-1, PDL-1, and H-ras inhibition, in PANC-1 cells treated with the FA-VBL-DEX-SPION nanostructure. Close inspection of the obtained data proved that the FA-VBL-DEX-SPION nanostructure possesses a noteworthy chemo-preventive effect on pancreatic cancer cells through the inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many nanoforms of zinc oxide (ZnO) structures can be synthesized, such as spheres, rods, flowers, disks and walls, as scatter centers in random laser. However, nanoflower and nanowire shapes in this work have received particular interest due to their wide range of applications, including biological, medical cancer cell detection, gas sensors, and biosensors. In this paper, we investigate the optical and morphological properties of two-shaped nanoparticles as scatter centers in the laser active medium on the performance emission of a random laser. Fluorescence and absorption spectra show that 10 − 4 M for R6G dye and 0. 1 8 4 × 1 0 1 3 cm − 3 ZnO NPs are the optimal nanocomposite film concentrations for R6G dye. With excitation energies ranging from 3.44 mJ to 28.34 mJ and a repetition rate of 2 Hz, second-harmonic generation Nd: YAG laser Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectra of the nanocomposite films were observed. The results indicated a minimum bandwidth (Full width at half maximum (FWHM)) of 13 nm at a threshold energy of 8.65 mJ for ZnO NW (nanowire) nanocomposite films at 0. 1 8 4 × 1 0 1 3 cm − 3 with R6G dye at 10 − 4 M and Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The ZnO NF (nanoflower) nanocomposite film had an FWHM of 11 nm and a threshold energy of 4.8 mJ at the same concentrations of R6G dye on PMMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to prepare nanoencapsulation synthesized with a new formulation of Fe@Au-CS-CU-FA nanoparticle (NPs) by pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) method as drug delivery to treat breast cancer (T-47D) and (MCF12A) as a normal cell line. The method synthesized Fe@Au NPs using the PLAL working at wavelength 532 nm with different laser fluence (1.9, 2.2, and 2.5) J/cm2. These Fe@Au NPs were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The obtained mean sizes of Fe@Au NPs were 63.65, 32.47, and 31.18 nm at 1.9, 2.2, and 2.5 J/cm2, respectively. Results of the MTT assay of CU loaded Fe@Au-CS-FA NPs on human breast cancer cell line (T-47D) confirmed that cytotoxicity of CU can enhance when they are loaded on Fe@Au-CS-FA NPs in comparison with free CU. While results of flow cytometry showed that this combination can increase the therapeutic effects of CU by apoptosis induction in the T-47D cell line. Conclusion of Fe@Au-CS-CU-FA NPs causes a decrease in T-47D cell viability and caused induces 85% apoptosis. The in vivo study of Fe@Au-CS-CU-FA nanoformulation confirmed that the mean tumor size decreases in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rates of mortality and morbidity from treatment failures have increased due to microorganisms’ growing resistance to antimicrobial medicines, signaling a severe hazard in the near future. Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using the laser penetration in water (LPW) method, which is regarded as an innovative and effective technique for producing a wide range of nanomaterials. The physical properties of the prepared NPs were studied by identifying them by dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The absorption spectrum showed two peaks, one with a modest intensity at 650 nm and the other at 280 nm. In the optical characteristics study, the band gaps estimated for the CuO NPs are 3.6 eV. XRD shows the prepared CuO NPs have a polycrystalline structure with a pre-indication particle size of approximately 35 nm. The DLS results showed that the synthesized CuO nanoparticle has 35.19 ± 12.82 nm in size and − 21.3 ± 6.56 in charge. FESEM image shows that CuO NPs have a homogeneous distributed spherical shape with some accumulation NPs in a cauliflower-like shape. Antibacterial activity of the prepared nanoparticles was tested against two types of bacterial strains, gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli), isolated from the infected wounds. AgNO3 was used as a control to compare with different concentrations of CuO NPs. The result indicated the antibacterial activity of CuO NPs was concentration-dependent and exceeded the antibacterial activity of the control agent (AgNO3). At CuO NPs, the maximum concentration used was 200 µg/ml, and the inhibition zone was 16.5 mm and 15 mm for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the considerable anticancer agents, curcumin (CU) drug has been confirmed to be very extraordinary towards any type of cancer cells. Chitosan coated core–shell nanocarrier was prepared and used as a nano-carrier for encapsulation of CU drug (Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA NP's) through a reverse micro-emulsion method. Each shape and size and polydispersity (PDI) properties in addition to the contents of Fe@Au core–shell and Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA NP's were studied utilizing zeta potential particles analyzer, Atomic Force Microscope, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-rays spectroscopy, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy. On the other hand, those nanosystems characterized by UV–Visible spectrophotometer. Fe@Au NP's possess a nearly uniform size of around ~ 63.65 nm and a spherical form as core–shell at temperature 38 °C and the Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA NP's possess a nearly uniform size of around 206.5 nm and a spherical form. EDX results for Fe@Au core–shell structure show percentage ratio of (Fe, Au) elements, and the results of Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA NP's show percentage ratio of (Fe, Au, C, O, N) elements. Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA NP's use as drug delivery to treat different types of cancers. Finally, the results showed that synthesized nanosystems are noticeably potent for cancer therapy purposes due to their suitable characteristics such as small size, spherical shape, negligible aggregation, good polydispersity (PDI), correct content and appropriate magnetic responsive properties. This Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA also exhibited a controlled release of CU at 37 °C in (7.4) and (5.4) pH. Afterward, the ideal dose and therapeutic effects of (Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA) for lung cancer and normal cell lines were evaluated through MTT assay. Then the flow cytometry assay shows significant cell apoptosis induction by Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA. The results confirmed that Fe@Au-CU-CS-FA retained considerable antitumor effects; no adverse consequences were detected for normal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we investigated novel, green, and facile approach for the synthesis of stable silver nanoparticles by use of inexpensive and available Iraqi Zahdi palm dates extract as reducing and stabilizing agents. The formation and color change of dark brown suspension of silver nanoparticles were monitored and examined by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometric analysis at maximum wavelength of 401 nm. The produced nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform-infrared spectrometry (FTIR), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results demonstrated that particle size distribution was around 90 ± 40 nm which was in line with grain size of the nanoparticles measured by AFM, while the crystallite size was about 20 nm according to the results observed from XRD technique. Additionally, the zeta potential of synthesized silver nanoparticles was found to be nearly about -25 mV, whereby the suspension showed high stability upon storing the sample in a cool place for a long period of time. The synthesized silver nanoparticles exhibited efficient antibacterial activity against pathogenic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria. They also showed enhanced anticancer activity against breast cancer cells (MCF7) with high apoptotic effect as compared with normal MCF10A cells, which confirmed the biocompatible nature of green synthesized silver nanoparticles. It is considered that nanosilver particles synthesized with palm dates extract may basically establish a significant step to synthesize such nanoparticles for topical applications as well as an alternative anticancer drug of existing chemotherapeutics of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) contain a chemotherapeutic drug and are regarded as a promising technique for improving targeted delivery into cancer cells. Results: In this study, the fabrication of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was investigated with loaded Dextran (DEXSPION) using the co-precipitation technique and conjugated by folate (FA). These nanoparticles (NPs) were employed as carriers and anticancer compounds against liver cancer cells in vitro. Structural, magnetic, morphological characterization, size, and drug loading activities of the obtained FA-DEX-5-FUSPION NPs were checked using FTIR, VSM, FESEM, TEM, DLS, and zeta potential techniques. The cellular toxicity effect of FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION NPs was evaluated using the MTT test on liver cancer (SNU-423) and healthy cells (LO2). Furthermore, the apoptosis measurement and the expression levels of NF-1, Her-2/neu, c-Raf-1, and Wnt-1 genes were evaluated post-treatment using flow cytometry and RT-PCR, respectively. The obtained NPs were spherical with a suitable dispersity without noticeable aggregation. The size of the NPs, polydispersity, and zeta were 74 ± 13 nm, 0.080 and -45 mV, respectively. The results of the encapsulation efficiency of the nano-compound showed highly colloidal stability and proper drug maintenance. The results indicated that FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION demonstrated a sustained release profile of 5-FU in both phosphate and citrate buffer solutions separately, with higher cytotoxicity against SNU-423 cells than against other cells types. These findings suggest that FA-DEX-SPION NPs exert synergistic effects for targeting intracellular delivery of 5-FU, apoptosis induction, and gene expression stimulation. Conclusions: The findings proved that FA-DEX-5-FU-SPION presented remarkable antitumor properties; no adverse subsequences were revealed against normal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we have synthesized guanidine functionalized PEGylated mesoporous silica nanoparticles as a novel and efficient drug delivery system (DDS). For this purpose, guanidine functionalized PEGylated I3ad mesoporous silica nanoparticle KIT-6 [Gu@PEGylated KIT-6] was utilized as a promising system for the effective delivery of curcumin into the breast cancer cells. The modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) was fully characterized by different techniques such as transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM & SEM), N2 adsorption-desorption measurement, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The average particle size of [Gu@PEGylated KIT-6] and curcumin loaded [Gu@PEGylated KIT-6] nanoparticles were about 60 and 70 nm, respectively. This new system exhibited high drug loading capacity, sustained drug release profile, and high and long term anticancer efficacy in human cancer cell lines. It showed pH-responsive controlled characteristics and highly programmed release of curcumin leading to the satisfactory results in in vitro breast cancer therapy. Our results depicted that the pure nanoparticles have no cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), mouse breast cancer cells (4T1), and human mammary epithelial cells (MCF10A). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]