Faria SS, et al. J Breast Cancer. 2019 Nov;23:e35. https://doi.org/10.4048/jbc.2020.23.e35

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated by photosensitizers loaded in nanostructures as solid lipid nanoparticles has been pinpointed as an effective and safe treatment against different skin cancers. Amazon butters have an interesting lipid composition when it comes to forming solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN). In the present report, a new third-generation photosensitizing system consisting of aluminum-phthalocyanine associated with Amazon butter-based solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN-AlPc) is described. The SLN was developed using murumuru butter, and a monodisperse population of nanodroplets with a hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 40 nm was obtained. The study of the permeation of these AlPc did not permeate the analyzed skin, but when incorporated into the system, SLN-AlPc allowed permeation of almost 100% with 8 h of contact. It must be emphasized that SLN-AlPc was efficient for carrying aluminum-phthalocyanine photosensitizers and exhibited no toxicity in the dark. Photoactivated SLN-AlPc exhibited a 50% cytotoxicity concentration (IC₅₀) of 19.62 nM when applied to B16-F10 monolayers, and the type of death caused by the treatment was apoptosis. The exposed phospholipid phosphatidylserine was identified, and the treatment triggered a high expression of Caspase 3. A stable Amazon butter-based SLN-AlPc formulation was developed, which exhibits strong in vitro photodynamic activity on melanoma cells.

Zika virus (ZIKV) has been reported by several groups as an important virus causing pathological damage in the male reproductive tract. ZIKV can infect and persist in testicular somatic and germ cells, as well as spermatozoa, leading to cell death and testicular atrophy. ZIKV has also been detected in semen samples from ZIKV-infected patients. This has huge implications for human reproduction. Global scientific efforts are being applied to understand the mechanisms related to arboviruses persistency, pathogenesis, and host cellular response to suggest a potential target to develop robust antiviral therapeutics and vaccines. Here, we discuss the cellular modulation of the immunologic and physiologic properties of the male reproductive tract environment caused by arboviruses infection, focusing on ZIKV. We also present an overview of the current vaccine effects and therapeutic targets against ZIKV infection that may impact the testis and male fertility.

Zika virus is an arbovirus that has rapidly spread within the Americas since 2014, presenting a variety of clinical manifestations and neurological complications resulting in congenital malformation, microcephaly, and possibly, in male infertility. These significant clinical manifestations have led investigators to develop several candidate vaccines specific to Zika virus. In this review we describe relevant targets for the development of vaccines specific for Zika virus, the development status of various vaccine candidates and their different platforms, as well as their clinical progression.

Breast cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women. Despite substantial advancements in scientific research, cancer continues to pose a major challenge due to its high global incidence. While numerous nontargeted therapies have been developed, nanotechnology-based platforms are emerging as a promising future for cancer treatment. In this context, we investigated the in vitro antitumor activity of citrate-coated copper oxide nanorods (CuO-nr, aspect ratio ∼3) against breast cancer cells. The CuO-nr colloids demonstrated stability for over 120 days under ambient conditions, with an average hydrodynamic diameter of 107.1 ± 0.67 nm and a zeta potential of -23.8 ± 1.87 mV. Cell viability assays showed that CuO-nr were minimally harmful to nontumor fibroblast cells but highly cytotoxic to MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that early apoptosis may be the primary mechanism of cell death induced by these nanoparticles. Furthermore, significant alterations in cell morphology were observed through scanning electron microscopy. These findings indicate that citrate-coated CuO-nr possess effective antitumor activity and hold promise as potential agents for targeted cancer therapy.