Jolanda Spadavecchia

Retraction of “CTL–doxorubicin (DOX)–gold complex nanoparticles (DOX–AuGCs): from synthesis to enhancement of therapeutic effect on liver cancer model” by Qiqian Liu et al., Nanoscale Adv., 2020, 2, 5231–5241, https://doi.org/10.1039/D0NA00758G.

Expression of concern for ‘Flavin-adenine-dinucleotide gold complex nanoparticles: chemical modeling design, physico-chemical assessment and perspectives in nanomedicine’ by Celia Arib et al., Nanoscale Adv. 2021, 3, 6144–6156, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1NA00444A.

The key role of the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide (BIOT-NFL) is to target and destroy glioma cancer cells. Recently we have performed a novel peptide-hybrid-gold nanovector (BIOT-NFL-PEG-AuNPs) capable to destroy microtubule network of pancreatic cancer cells (PDAC) exhibiting a decrease of tumor index with a real anti-angiogenic effect. In order to improve the scientific background of our study, we conceived a chemotherapeutic hybrid nanovector based on gold-doxorubicin (DOX) functionalized with the NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide (BIOT-NFL) as a promising therapeutic in PDAC cancer. Mouse transplantation tumor model induced by PANC-1/ADR human pancreatic cancer resistant strain cells, was used to evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of DOX IN-NFL@AuNPs as chemotherapeutic nano-drug. Our results indicate that DOX IN-NFL@AuNPs have a great impact on the decrease of the tumor growth and decreased the tumor index with a relevant effect on cytokines and ROS levels, thus confirming the impact of DOX IN-NFL@AuNPs to boost the immune system.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c00376.].

Background/Objectives: Only 20–30% of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) patients achieve a complete response to neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for locally advanced tumours. Enhancing the response to radiation therapy is critical for improving outcomes in this aggressive cancer. Pyrazinib (P3) is a promising compound with radiosensitizing, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-metabolic properties. However, its limited solubility and bioavailability have hindered its therapeutic potential. Methods: To overcome these limitations, pyrazinib was conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNP-P3), creating a novel formulation designed to enhance solubility, maintain bioactivity, and enable targeted delivery to tumour sites. Results: In an isogenic model of OAC radioresistance, AuNP-P3 significantly reduced the surviving fraction following irradiation, demonstrating its radiosensitizing properties. It also reduced mitochondrial metabolism and modulated the secretion of inflammatory mediators in both in vitro models of OAC radioresistance and human ex vivo OAC tumour explants. Furthermore, AuNP-P3 exhibited potent anti-angiogenic activity, significantly inhibiting blood vessel formation in vivo using zebrafish embryo models. Conclusions: These results collectively confirm that P3, in its conjugated formulation with gold nanoparticles, retains its therapeutic properties, highlighting the potential of AuNP-P3 as a novel therapeutic radiosensitizer for oesophageal adenocarcinoma and supporting its further development for clinical applications.

In this paper, we applied an original chemical methodology in which gold salt (HAuCl₄) interacts with the chemotherapeutic drug (bortezomib; i.e., BOR) by chelation and then stacked with dicarboxylic acid‐terminated polyethylene‐glycol (PEG‐diacide) as a biocompatible surfactant. The suggested chemical protocol is rapid (“one‐pot”) and reproducible, providing the formation of a hybrid‐nanovector named BOR IN PEG‐AuNPs. In order to prove a therapeutic approach, our hybrid‐nanovector (BOR IN PEG‐AuNPs) interacts with Galectin‐1 (Gal‐1) protein biomarker under specific concentrations. The efficient concentration range of this nanovector is obviously profiled by tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity, optimizing cells access to the interaction region. Considering several influential factors related to spatial mapping and physical profile in all extracellular matrix (ECM), drive a change in neighborhood electrical potential configuration, leading the nanovector response with biomarkers transcriptions, hence, patterning TME leads to promote antitumor immunity in favor of tumor suppression. Each step of chemical synthesis and detection was monitored by spectroscopic techniques (Raman; UV‐Vis spectroscopies) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our study demonstrated that hybrid‐nanoparticle system represents a key to further synergic chemotherapeutic and diagnostic tools for the treatment of cancer.