Biology subjects

Decuzzi, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Decuzzi, P..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

ENHANCING TUMOR PERFUSION AND NANOMEDICINE DELIVERY VIA ENDOGENOUS NITRIC OXIDE RELEASE BY METHYL PALMITATE NANOPARTICLES

Despite a few clinical successes, the efficacy of cancer nanomedicines remains limited by rapid clearance by the mononuclear phagocytic system and poor permeation across the abnormal tumor vasculature. We previously showed that methyl palmitate nanoparticles (MPN) can safely and reversibly inhibit the phagocytic activity of immune cells for several hours, thereby improving tumor accumulation and the efficacy of systemically administered nanomedicines. Here, we demonstrate that, on a shorter time scale, MPN can induce vasodilation, introducing an additional mechanism to enhance the accumulation of therapeutic agents within the malignant tissue. Upon internalization by macrophages and endothelial cells, MPN trigger the release of endogenous nitric oxide (NO), a key mediator of vasodilation, in a concentration-, and time-dependent manner. Following MPN administration, raster-scanning optoacoustic mesoscopy (RSOM) revealed vasodilation across multiple tissues, with the strongest effect observed in tumors. To assess enhanced tumor accumulation, we injected 70 kDa fluorescent dextran and demonstrated via histology a markedly increased fluorescence signal exclusively in MPN-treated tumors compared to controls 24 hours later. In addition, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of 89Zr-labeled clinical iron oxide nanoparticles (Feraheme) showed significantly greater tumor accumulation after a 15-minute MPN pretreatment. Finally, general serum biochemistry panels and histological analyses of major organs in healthy mice revealed no toxicity following either single or repeated MPN dosing. Overall, this study demonstrates that MPN-induced vasodilation occurring within minutes enhances intra-tumoral deposition of macromolecules and small nanoparticles. Together with their longer-term effects on phagocytosis inhibition, these findings indicate that MPN can improve therapeutic delivery through complementary, time-dependent mechanisms that increase tumor perfusion and vascular permeability.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Synergic microRNAs suppress human glioblastoma progression by modulating clinically relevant targets

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor characterized by therapy-resistant glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) and extensive infiltration into surrounding brain tissue. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional regulators of oncogenic pathways, but their tumor-suppressive function is frequently lost in GBM. This study explores a multimodal therapeutic approach by restoring a combination of miRNAs to exploit their synergistic effects against GBM. Using patient-derived GBM cells cultured under stem cell-permissive conditions, we demonstrate that miRNA restoration reduces tumor growth, limits invasiveness, stemness and enhances sensitivity to temozolomide. In vivo studies in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of GBM confirm the therapeutic efficacy and low toxicity of the nanoformulated miRNAs, following local injection. Multi-omics and computational analyses on different GBM subtypes reveal that these miRNAs synergistically suppress tumor-promoting extracellular matrix interactions, particularly through the collagen pathway, and downregulate genes associated with GBM progression. The identified miRNA targets correlate with glioma grade and poor patient prognosis, further underscoring their therapeutic potential. These findings highlight the promise of combinatorial miRNA therapy as a novel strategy for GBM treatment and suggest new molecular targets for theragnostic development.

cancer biology↗

bioRxiv2025

On the biodegradation of micropatterned polymeric film

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWPolymeric implants for local drug delivery offer significant advantages for treating various medical conditions by enabling the temporal and spatial control of drug release, improving efficacy, and reducing systemic side effects. In this context, {micro}MESH, a 20 m thin, dual-compartmentalized film comprising a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) micronetwork intercalated with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microlayer, represents an interesting opportunity as its geometry can be systematically and accurately micropatterned during the fabrication process, enabling the systematic analysis of the effect of geometry on biodegradation rates mechanisms. In this study, four different {micro}MESH films were realized with different surface area-to-volume ratios (Sa/V), ranging from 0.67 to 1.7 {micro}m-1. After characterizing the {micro}MESH geometry via fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy, biodegradations studies were performed up to 60 days in different media to assess the mass loss of PLGA, the reduction in PLGA molecular weight, and the formation of macroscopic defects - pores, holes and crack - within the PLGA micronetwork. By comparing the four {micro}MESH films among themselves and to a flat, continuous PLGA slab (FLAT), it was confirmed the importance of the surface-to-volume ratio and demonstrated that {micro}MESH with higher Sa/V ratios exhibited slower degradation rates compared to FLAT. Scanning electron microscopy images of the PLGA micronetworks revealed morphological changes indicative of bulk erosion, including surface roughening and pore formation, in FLAT and {micro}MESH configurations with low Sa/V ratios. These findings confirm that film micropatterning significantly influences degradation kinetics.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2024

Optimizing The Fabrication Of Shape-Defined Microparticles For Sustained Drug Delivery: The 'Less Is More' Paradigm

Polymeric microparticles find extensive use in several pharmaceutical applications. Our group has developed poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microPLates (PL) featuring a square base of 20x20 m and a height of 10 m, for the controlled and sustained delivery of a range of therapeutic payloads, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, small molecules for neurodevelopmental disorders, and siRNA for osteoarthritis. In this study, the morphological and pharmacological properties of PLGA-PL were optimized by introducing new steps in the original fabrication protocol and systematically varying the polymer content. Vacuum suction was used to control solvent removal, and two different cleaning steps were tested, resulting in six different PL configurations with a PLGA content ranging from 2 to 10 mg. Electron and optical microscopy analyses confirmed the well-defined square shape of PL, with a central concavity depending on the PLGA content. Fabrication yielding ranged between 10% and 70%, while encapsulation efficiencies reached approximately 15% using curcumin (CURC) as a model drug. The kinetics of CURC release was analyzed using the semi-empirical model of Korsmeyer-Peppas, suggesting either a Fickian diffusion or anomalous transport mechanisms based on the PLGA amounts. Complementary techniques were used to assess morphological alterations and mass loss, evaluating the degradation PL over time in water and physiological solutions. Unexpectedly, PL configurations with lower PLGA contents exhibited higher fabrication yielding, drug encapsulation, and slower drug release. The optimized fabrication approach offers greater flexibility to tailor the degradation and pharmacological properties of PL for various therapeutic applications.

pharmacology and toxicology↗