Effective delivery of chemotherapeutics with minimal toxicity and maximal outcome is clinically important but technically challenging. Here, we synthesize a complex of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded magneto-liposome (DOX-ML) microbubbles (DOX-ML-MBs) for magnetically responsive and ultrasonically sensitive delivery of anticancer therapies with enhanced efficiency. Citrate-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles (MNs) of 6.8 ± 1.36 nm were synthesized, loaded with DOX in the core of oligolamellar vesicles of 172 ± 9.2 nm, and covalently conjugated with perfluorocarbon (PFC)-gas-loaded microbubbles to form DOX-ML-MBs of ∼4 μm. DOX-ML-MBs exhibited significant magnetism and were able to release chemotherapeutics and DOX-MLs instantly upon exposure to ultrasound (US) pulses. In vitro studies showed that DOX-ML-MBs in the presence of US pulses promoted apoptosis and were highly effective in killing both BxPc-3 and Panc02 pancreatic cancer cells even at a low dose. Significant reduction in the tumor volume was observed after intravenous administration of DOX-ML-MBs in comparison to the control group in a pancreatic cancer xenograft model of nude mice. Deeply penetrated iron oxide nanoparticles throughout the magnetically targeted tumor tissues in the presence of US stimulation were clearly observed. Our study demonstrated the potential of using DOX-ML-MBs for site-specific targeting and controlled drug release. It opens a new avenue for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and other tissue malignancies where precise delivery of therapeutics is necessary.

In this work, we prepared ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets with exposed active edge sites and high electric conductivity that can sufficiently absorb light in the visible region to enable solar energy conversion.

In our study, we have established a novel liquid-driven co-flow focusing (LDCF) process to fabricate curcumin (CUR)-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles (CPMs). LDCF-CPMs of size 20.26 ± 2.37 lm have high encapsulation efficiency (>70%) and were intended for application in ovarian cancer by intraperitoneal (IP) administration. LDCF-CPMs have smooth surface with narrow size distribution and a core-shell structured verified by confocal microscopy which can be precisely controlled by changing the flow rates of focusing, outer and inner phases. The LDCF-CPMs reveal the physiochemical stability with sustained release profile corresponding to 95% CUR release over a period of 14 days in an in vitro release medium. Moreover, LDCF-CPMs were testified for cytotoxicity against SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cell lines and peritoneal delivery advantages by animal experiments. The pharmacokinetics of LDCF-CPMs in rats following IP injection shows slow systemic absorption with mean residence time (MRT) of 13.54 h in comparison with 9.82 and 6.74 h for SE-CPMs and free CUR, respectively. In addition, IP delivery of CUR can expose the ovarian tumour to higher concentration for a longer duration by programming the thickness of the shell. The study provides compelling evidence for LDCF-CPMs having high therapeutic opportunity in the treatment of peritoneal cancers, such as ovarian, that reside in the peritoneal cavity.

No abstract

Artemether is one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of chloroquine-resistant and Plasmodium falciparum strains of malaria. However, its therapeutic potency is hindered by its poor bioavailability. To overcome this limitation, we have encapsulated artemether in poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) core-shell microparticles (MPs) using the coaxial electrospray method. With optimized process parameters including liquid flow rates and applied electric voltages, experiments are systematically carried out to generate a stable cone-jet mode to produce artemether-loaded PLGA-MPs with an average size of 2 μm, an encapsulation efficiency of 78 ± 5.6%, and a loading efficiency of 11.7%. The in vitro release study demonstrates the sustained release of artemether from the core-shell structure in comparison with that of plain artemether and that of MPs produced by single-axial electrospray without any relevant cytotoxicity. The in vivo studies are performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of the artemether-loaded PLGA-MPs. Our study implies that artemether can be effectively encapsulated in a protective shell of PLGA for controlled release kinetics and enhanced oral bioavailability.