Breast cancer incidence and mortality rates have increased exponentially during the last decade, particularly among female patients. Current therapies, including surgery and chemotherapy, have significant negative physical and mental impacts on patients. As a safer alternative, gene therapy utilising a therapeutic gene with the potential to treat various ailments is being considered. Delivery of the gene generally utilises viral vectors. However, immunological reactions and even mortality have been recorded as side effects. As a result, non-viral vectors, such as liposomes, a system composed of lipid bilayers formed into nanoparticles, are being studied. Liposomes have demonstrated tremendous potential due to their limitless ability to combine many functions into a system with desirable characteristics and functionality. This article discusses cationic, anionic, and neutral liposomes with their stability, cytotoxicity, transfection ability, cellular uptake, and limitation as a gene carrier suitable for gene therapy specifically for cancer. Due to the more practical approach of employing electrostatic contact with the negatively charged nucleic acid and the cell membrane for absorption purposes, cationic liposomes appear to be more suited for formulation for gene delivery and therapy for breast cancer treatment. As the other alternatives have numerous complicated additional modifications, attachments need to be made to achieve a functional gene therapy system for breast cancer treatment, which were also discussed in this review. This review aimed to increase understanding and build a viable breast cancer gene therapy treatment strategy.

The spike glycoprotein (S protein), 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CL-Pro), and papain-like protease (PL-Pro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus are widely targeted for the discovery of therapeutic compounds against this virus. Dietary flavonoid compounds were proposed as a candidate for safe therapy for COVID-19 patients. Nevertheless, wet lab experiments for high-throughput screening of the compounds are undoubtedly time and cost consuming. This study aims to screen dietary flavonoid compounds that bind to S protein, 3CL-Pro, and PL-Pro of SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, protein structures of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S protein (6M0J), 3CL-Pro (6LU7), and PL-Pro (6W9C) were retrieved from the RCSB Protein Data Bank (PDB). Twelve dietary flavonoid compounds were selected for the studies on their binding affinity to the targeted proteins by global and local docking. The docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed using YASARA software. Out of 12 compounds, the highest binding score was observed between hesperidin against RBD S protein (−9.98 kcal/mol), 3CL-Pro (−9.43 kcal/mol), and PL-Pro (−8.89 kcal/mol) in global docking. Interestingly, MD simulation revealed that the complex between 3CL-Pro and RBD S protein has better stability than PL-Pro. This study suggests that hesperidin might have versatile inhibitory properties against several essential proteins of SARS-CoV-2. This study, nevertheless, remains to be confirmed through in vitro and in vivo assays.

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in a part of Borneo, which is Sabah, Malaysia, and worldwide. The anticancer activity of white mulberry (Morus alba Linnaeus) has been widely reported. However, cultivation locations, maturity levels, and extraction solvents could influence their phytochemical and pharmacological activities. The lack of anticancer investigation has hampered the development and potential use of Borneo-grown mulberry as an anticancer agent or source. This study investigated the cell cytotoxicity activity of Malaysia-grown mulberry at two maturity stages (fruits: brackish black fully ripe and red mature; leaves: young and mature) extracted using 70% (v/v) methanol, 60% (v/v) ethanol, and 65% (v/v) acetone, against a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). As a result, fruits demonstrated maturity-dependent cytotoxicity decrement as the red mature fruits in 70% (v/v) methanol exerted the strongest cytotoxicity (IC50 = 26.83 mg/mL). Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of leaves revealed maturity-dependent increment as mature leaves in 60% (v/v) ethanol exhibited the strongest cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (IC50 = 2.45 mg/mL). Their cytotoxicity is possibly correlated to the anticancer-possessing phenolic acids and flavonoids in fruits; and the anticancerpossessing alkaloids and terpenes in leaves. Overall, Sabah-grown mulberry possesses substantial cytotoxicity against MCF-7, suggesting its anticancer potential as a complementary treatment for breast cancer.