The proposal of gene therapy to tackle cancer development has been instrumental for the development of novel approaches and strategies to fight this disease, but the efficacy of the proposed strategies has still fallen short of delivering the full potential of gene therapy in the clinic. Despite the plethora of gene modulation approaches, e.g., gene silencing, antisense therapy, RNA interference, gene and genome editing, finding a way to efficiently deliver these effectors to the desired cell and tissue has been a challenge. Nanomedicine has put forward several innovative platforms to overcome this obstacle. Most of these platforms rely on the application of nanoscale structures, with particular focus on nanoparticles. Herein, we review the current trends on the use of nanoparticles designed for cancer gene therapy, including inorganic, organic, or biological (e.g., exosomes) variants, in clinical development and their progress towards clinical applications.

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COVID-19 constitutes the largest pandemic in the last 100 years. In view of the rapid spread of the virus, it is necessary to study the sociodemographic characteristics, hygiene habits, activity and mobility, and comorbidities of SARS-CoV-2 infection to be able to implement prevention strategies. For this purpose, a survey including the variables of interest was designed to try to understand the exponential spread of the virus despite the implemented severe restrictive mobility measures during the period of maximum confinement in Spain. This study conducted throughout the Spanish territory aims to clarify other routes of transmission of the COVID-19 during confinement, risk factors, and the effectiveness of the recommended hygiene measures to detect critical points of exposure to the virus and thus reduce its spread in this and possible future pandemics that could compromise public health. Our results show that living with a COVID-19 patient increased the risk of contagion by 60 times. Among all the sociodemographic variables analyzed, walking the dog have shown to have the strongest effect by increasing the risk by 78%. The most effective hygiene measure reducing the prevalence of the disease was the disinfection of products purchased from the market upon arrival home (which reduced the risk by 94%), above other hygiene measures, such as wearing masks, gloves, ethanol disinfection, bleaching and others. The mobility variable studied that showed the largest increase in the prevalence of the disease was working on site at the workplace (increased the risk by 76%). A significant higher prevalence of the disease was also detected among respondents who used the modality of acquiring basic commodities using home delivery service compared to those who chose in-store shopping.

The repositioning of therapeutic agents already approved by the regulatory agencies for the use of drugs is very interesting due to the immediacy of their use; similarly, the possibility of using molecules derived from foods, whether nutrients or not, is of great importance, also because of their immediate therapeutic applicability. Candidates for these natural therapies against COVID-19 should show certain effects, such as restoring mitochondrial function and cellular redox balance. This would allow reducing the susceptibility of risk groups and the cascade of events after SARS-CoV-2 infection, responsible for the clinical picture, triggered by the imbalance towards oxidation, inflammation, and cytokine storm. Possible strategies to follow through the use of substances of food origin would include: a) the promotion of mitophagy to remove dysfunctional mitochondria originating from free radicals, proton imbalance and virus evasion of the immune system; b) the administration of transition metals whose redox activity would lead to their own oxidation and the consequent generation of a reduced environment, which would normalize the oxidative state and the intracellular pH; c) the administration of molecules with demonstrated antioxidant capacity; d) the administration of compounds with anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory activity; e) the administration of immunomodulatory compounds.