Cervical carcinoma is one of the most prevalent gynecological cancers throughout the world. Cisplatin is used as first line chemotherapy for treatment of cervical cancer, but it comes with plethora of side effects. The aim of this study was to develop hyaluronic acid coated, thiolated chitosan nanocarriers using green synthesis approach, for CD44 targeted delivery and sustained release of Cisplatin in cervical cancer cells. After synthesis through ionic gelation method, Zeta analysis showed that the nanoparticle size was 265.9 nm with a zeta potential of +22.3 mV and .226 PDI. SEM and TEM analysis confirmed the spherical shape and smooth surface of nanoparticles. FTIR and XRD showed the presence of characteristic functional groups, successful encapsulation of drug, and crystalline nature of nanoparticles respectively. Drug loading and entrapment efficiency were calculated to be 70.1% ± 1.2% and 45% ± .28% respectively. Analysis of in vitro drug release kinetics showed that drug release followed the Higuchi model at pH 6.8 and 7.4 and Cisplatin release for up to 72 h confirmed sustained release. In vitro analysis on cervical cancer cells HeLa and normal cervical epithelial cells HCK1T was done through cell morphology analysis, trypan blue assay (concentration range of 10–80 μg/ml), and MTT cytotoxic assay (concentration range of 10–90 μg/ml). The results showed a higher cytotoxic potential of HA coated, thiolated chitosan encapsulated Cisplatin (HA-ThCs-Cis NP) nanoformulation as compared to pure Cisplatin in HeLa while in HCK1T, pure Cisplatin showed much higher toxicity as compared to HA-ThCs-Cis nanoformulation. These findings suggest that CD44 targeted delivery system can be a useful approach to minimize offtarget toxicities, give sustained release and better cellular uptake in cancer cells.

MiRNAs are 20–22 long nucleotide non-coding ribonucleic acid molecules critical to the modulation of molecular pathways. Immune evasion and the establishment of a suitable tumor microenvironment are two major contributors that support tumor invasion and metastasis. Tumorigenic miRNAs support these two hallmarks by desensitizing important tumor-sensitive regulatory cells such as dendritic cells, M1 macrophages, and T helper cells towards tumors while supporting infiltration and proliferation of immune cells like Treg cells, tumor-associated M2 macrophages that promote self-tolerance and chronic inflammation. miRNAs have a significant role in enhancing the efficacies of immunotherapy treatments like checkpoint blockade therapy, adoptive T cell therapy, and oncolytic virotherapy in cancer. A clear understanding of the role of miRNA can help scientists to formulate better-targeted treatment modalities. miRNA therapeutics have emerged as diverse class of nucleic acid-based molecules that can suppress oncogenic miRNAs and promote the expression of tumor suppressor miRNAs.

Carcinoma of the cervix is one of the most common cancers that claims women’s lives every year. Despite preventive HPV vaccines and conventional cancer treatments, approximately 273,000 women succumb to cervical carcinoma every year. Immune system perturbations help malignant cells in immune evasion, tumor establishment, invasion, and metastasis. An insight into immune system players that promote or suppress cervical cancer is important for the development of more targeted therapies with the fewest side effects. Immunotherapy has emerged as the most compliant approach to target cancer because it utilizes a natural course of action to stimulate the immune system against cancer cells. The major immunotherapy approaches for cervical carcinoma include monoclonal antibodies, immune checkpoint blockade therapy, adoptive cell transfer therapies, and oncolytic viruses. In October 2021 the FDA approved pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy or bevacizumab as a first-line treatment for cervical cancer. A recent breakthrough has been made in the cancer immunotherapy regimen in which a monoclonal antibody dostarlimab was able to completely cure all colorectal cancer patients, with disease-free progression after 6 months and counting. This creates hope that immunotherapy may prove to be the final nail in the coffin of this centuries-long prevalent disease of “cancer”.

Human mpox is an emerging epidemic in the world. The monkey pox virus (MPXV) belongs to the same family of zoonotic Orthopoxviridae as that of the smallpox virus and exhibits similar clinical symptomology. Information regarding its diagnostics, disease epidemiology, surveillance, preventive methods, and treatment strategies are being collated with time. The purpose of this review is to trace the recent events in the scientific platform that have defined new preventive and treatment strategies against mpox. A methodological approach has been used to gather data from the latest literature to comprehensively overview the emerging treatment options. The results portion will cover details regarding the prevention of mpox. It will also shed light on a brief description of contemporary vaccines and antiviral agents that have been evaluated for their treatment potential since the emergence of the mpox threat. These treatment options are setting the pace for controlling the widespread monkeypox infection. However, the limitations attached to these treatment strategies need to be tackled quickly to increase their efficacy so that they can be deployed on a large scale for the prevention of this epidemic becoming another pandemic in this decade.