Synthesis of a near infrared-actuated phthalocyanine-lipid vesicle system for augmented photodynamic therapy
- Authors: Nwahara, Namdi , Managa, Muthumuni , Stoffels, Mihlali , Britton, Jonathan , Prinsloo, Earl , Nyokong, Tebello
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/185395 , vital:44383 , xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.synthmet.2021.116811"
- Description: The efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is often limited by the poor bio-distributive properties of conventional photosensitizers and the local hypoxic microenvironment that characterises most solid tumours. Herein, a novel in situ oxygenic lipid formulation for photodynamic therapy (PDT) is reported. Such a hybrid was synthesized by adsorbing bimetallic nanozyme, MnO2@PtNPs (NPs = nanoparticles) onto graphene quantum dots (GQDs) – zinc (II) phthalocyanine conjugates, followed by liposomal encapsulation, affording it enhanced water solubility. The MnO2@PtNPs, which are is shown to possess excellent catalase-like properties surpassing that of MnO2 or PtNPs alone, serves to catalyze H2O2 to O2, while the zinc (II) phthalocyanine (1) serves to transform the formed oxygen to generate cytotoxic singlet oxygen immediately. We show that by combining each function of the respective building blocks, the as-synthesized 1-GQDs-MnO2@PtNPs-liposomes not only maintains the properties of oxygen supplementation through H2O2 catalysis but also displays cooperative properties for enhanced singlet oxygen production. Consequently, a remarkably improved PDT efficacy was observed for 1-GQDs-MnO2@PtNPs-liposomes in both normoxia and hypoxia. These results demonstrate the potential applicability of such nanozyme constituted 1-GQDs-MnO2@PtNPs-liposomes for achieving tumour treatment in hypoxic conditions by PDT.
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- Date Issued: 2021
A STAT3 of addiction: adipose tissue, adipocytokine signalling and STAT3 as mediators of metabolic remodelling in the tumour microenvironment
- Authors: Kadye, Rose , Stoffels, Mihlali , Fanucci, Sidne , Mbanxa, Siso , Prinsloo, Earl
- Date: 2020
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/149395 , vital:38846 , https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9041043
- Description: Metabolic remodelling of the tumour microenvironment is a major mechanism by which cancer cells survive and resist treatment. The pro-oncogenic inflammatory cascade released by adipose tissue promotes oncogenic transformation, proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and evasion of apoptosis. STAT3 has emerged as an important mediator of metabolic remodelling. As a downstream effector of adipocytokines and cytokines, its canonical and non-canonical activities affect mitochondrial functioning and cancer metabolism. In this review, we examine the central role played by the crosstalk between the transcriptional and mitochondrial roles of STAT3 to promote survival and further oncogenesis within the tumour microenvironment with a particular focus on adipose-breast cancer interactions.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Investigating cell culture models for improved understanding of adipose tissue and co-morbidities in vitro
- Authors: Stoffels, Mihlali
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Uncatalogued
- Language: English
- Type: thesis , text , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/164674 , vital:41154
- Description: Thesis (MSc)--Rhodes University, Faculty of Science, Biotechnology Innovation Centre, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020