Todays, nano-pharmaceutics is emerging as an important field of science to develop and improve efficacy of different drugs. Although nutraceuticals are currently being utilized in the prevention and treatment of various chronic diseases such as cancers, a number of them have displayed issues associated with their solubility, bioavailability, and bio-degradability. In the present review, we focus on curcumin, an important and widely used polyphenol, with diverse pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-viral, etc. Notwithstanding, it also exhibits poor solubility and bioavailability that may compromise its clinical application to a great extent. Therefore, the manipulation and encapsulation of curcumin into a nanocarrier formulation can overcome these major drawbacks and potentially may lead to a far superior therapeutic efficacy. Among different types of nanocarriers, biological and biopolymer carriers have attracted a significant attention due to their pleiotropic features. Thus, in the present review, the potential protective and therapeutic applications of curcumin, as well as different types of bio-nanocarriers, which can be used to deliver curcumin effectively to the different target sites will be discussed.

Purpose: Genetic diseases can be the result of genetic dysfunctions that happen due to some inhibitory and/or environmental risk factors, which are mostly called mutations. One of the most promising treatments for these diseases is correcting the faulty gene. Gene delivery systems are an important issue in improving the gene therapy efficiency. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was modifying graphene oxide nanoparticles by spermine in order to optimize the gene delivery system. Methods: Graphene oxide/APTES was modified by spermine (GOAS) and characterized by FT-IR, DLS, SEM and AFM techniques. Then pEGFP-p53 was loaded on GOAS, transfected into cells and evaluated by fluorescent microscopy and gene expression techniques. Results: FT-IR data approved the GOAS sheet formation. Ninety percent of the particles were less than 56 nm based on DLS analysis. SEM analysis indicated that the sheets were dispersed with no aggregation. AFM results confirmed the dispersed structures with thickness of 1.25± 0.87 nm. STA analysis showed that GOAS started to decompose from 400°C and was very unstable during the heating process. The first weight loss up to 200°C was due to the evaporation of absorbed water, the second one observed in the range of 200– 550°C was assigned to the decomposition of labile oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, and the third one above 550°C was attributed to the removal of oxygen functionalities. In vitro release of DNA demonstrated the efficient activity of the new synthesized system. Ninety percent of the cells were transfected and showed the GFP under fluorescence microscopy, and TP53 gene was expressed 51-fold in BT-20 cells compared to β-actin as the reference gene. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed the apoptosis of the cells rather than necrosis. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the new synthesized structure could transfer a high amount of the therapeutic agent into cells with best activity.

Curcumin is known as an effective anticancer herbal medicine but unfortunately, its bioavailability is poor which necessitate efforts for developing more efficient and specific delivery systems. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2) due to its overexpression in various types of cancers, is demonstrated to be a good candidate as a target for anticancer therapy. In this study, cytotoxicity of curcumin encapsulated in ZHER2:342 Affibody-decorated liposome was investigated against SKBR3 and MCF-7 cancerous cell lines. Curcumin-containing liposomes were prepared from soybeans lecetin and cholesterol by thin-film hydration method. Affibody ZHER2:342 molecules via C-terminal cysteine residue were conjugated covalently to the prepared liposomes. Particle size analysis was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Curcumin loading was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and cytotoxic activity of curcumin formulations against cancerous cell lines was investigated by MTT assay. Induction of apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry through Annexin V staining. Particle analysis showed the formation of spherical liposomes with a mean diameter of about 150 nm. Cytotoxic activity of curcumin was improved by its encapsulation in both liposomes and affibody-decorated liposomes. The Annexin V staining indicated the induction of apoptosis by affibody-decorated liposomes in both MCF-7 and SKBR3 cells. Decoration of curcumin-loaded liposomes with affibody ZHER2:342 may improve curcumin apoptotic function independently of HER2 expression level.

Mancozeb (MZB) is a worldwide fungicide for the management of fungal diseases in agriculture and industrial contexts. Human exposure occurs by consuming contaminated plants, drinking water, and occupational exposure. There are reports on MZB’s reprotoxicity such as testicular structure damage, sperm abnormalities, and decrease in sperm parameters (number, viability, and motility), but its molecular mechanism on apoptosis in testis remains limited. To investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in male reprotoxicity induced by MZB, we used primary cultures of mouse Sertoli–germ cells. Cells were exposed to MZB (1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 μM) for 3 h to evaluate viability by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and oxidative stress parameters (lipid peroxidation). Cell death and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling were measured in these cells using flow cytometry and western blotting. In addition, some groups were exposed to N-acetylcysteine (NAC, 5 mM) in the form of co-treatment with MZB. Mancozeb reduced viability and increased the level of intracellular ROS, p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) MAPK proteins phosphorylation, and apoptotic cell death, which could be blocked by NAC as an inhibitor of oxidative stress. The present study indicated for the first time the toxic manifestations of MZB on the Sertoli–germ cell co-culture. Redox imbalance and p38 and JNK signaling pathway activation might play critical roles in MZB-induced apoptosis in the male reproductive system.

Exposure to cadmium chloride (Cd) is linked to reproductive disorders. Curcumin (CUR), a traditional medicinal compound, has been considered for its therapeutic properties. The present study evaluated the antioxidant effects of CUR and liposomal CUR on Cd‐induced testicular toxicity. Mice were exposed to Cd (2.5 mg/kg as a single intraperitoneal dose), Cd + CUR at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, and Cd + liposomal CUR (15 mg/kg) orally for 7 days. At the end of the treatment period, histological studies, sperm parameters, oxidative stress parameters, and blood–testis barrier (BTB) integrity were performed. Cd‐induced histopathological deleterious changes in the testis and epididymis tissues increased BTB permeability. It caused a significant decrease in sperm count and viability (p < 0.001), as well as an increase in sperm abnormality (p < 0.001) and a reduction in the antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.001), and increased lipid peroxidation (LPO; p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Co‐treatment of CUR with Cd dose‐dependently and significantly attenuated Cd’s destructive effects on sperm and oxidative stress parameters at 50 mg/kg (p < 0.01) and 100, 200 mg/kg (p < 0.001). Although the liposomal form of CUR showed protective effects against some Cd‐induced changes, such as sperm viability and count (p < 0.001), it did not significantly improve LPO and GSH levels. The results indicated that native CUR prevented Cd‐induced reproductive toxicity in male mice by suppressing oxidative injury, and there was no superior effect of liposomal CUR over native CUR.