Design and Production of Multifunctional Implantable Patches Combined with Drug-Loaded Nanoparticles for Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer type worldwide [1]. Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 positive (HER2+), Hormone Receptor positive (HR+) and triple-negative being three different subtypes of breast cancer, research has been dedicated to exploit their molecular mechanism, treatments, and recurrence [2]. Herein, we propose a novel implantable multifunctional patch design that will provide the tumor treatment for different subtypes of breast cancer, and will trigger immune response to prevent the recurrence in the long run. The multifunctional patch carries a nanoparticle system that enables combined photothermal and photodynamic therapy for cancer treatment, and also biomolecules that will activate the immune system against the possible recurrence. The nanoparticle system is comprised of three functional subunits one of which enables site-specific delivery as it includes specific proteins to the different breast cancer subtypes, and the others provide treatment by photothermal, and photodynamic therapies. These functional nanoparticles will be excited by two different Near Infrared (NIR) lasers which are of 808 nm and 1060 nm to trigger the treatment at the intended site. The activation of the immune system will be achieved by the biomolecules as they are released from the blow-spun patches. The chemical compositions and the morphologies of both the nanoparticles and the blow-spun patches will be investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The sizes and the zeta potential of the fabricated nanoparticles will be characterized by the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method. The degradation performances of the blow-spun patches will be examined in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and lysosome-mimicking solution (LMS), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) will be used to study the release of biomolecules from the patches. While the cellular uptake of the nanoparticles and their success in the phototherapy will be investigated by microscopic technique, the success of the patches in the stimulation of the immune system will be studied in vitro on T helper cells and B cells with dendritic cell morphology (BDCM). This novel multifunctional patch design will offer both the specific treatment for breast cancer subtypes and the long-term preventative effect against the possible recurrence.<br/><br/>References<br/>[1] Zubair, M., Wang, S., & Ali, N. (2021). Advanced Approaches to Breast Cancer Classification and Diagnosis. In Frontiers in Pharmacology (Vol. 11). Frontiers Media S.A. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.632079<br/>[2] Moo, T. A., Sanford, R., Dang, C., & Morrow, M. (2018). Overview of Breast Cancer Therapy. In PET Clinics (Vol. 13, Issue 3, pp. 339–354). W.B. Saunders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpet.2018.02.006