On International Cancer Day we present the trajectory of the “Neurodeath” research group of Dr. Valentín Ceña from the Castilla-La Mancha University
Group presentation
The research group Neurodeath belongs to the University of Castilla-La Mancha and it is located at the School of Medicine in Albacete. It is directed by Prof. Valentín Ceña and, at the present moment, it is comprised by two senior scientists, two graduate students and two technicians
Group Research Interests
The main line of research is focused on the use of nanoparticles and siRNA to knock down proteins involved in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In this case, the group is interested in developing nanoparticles that can deliver siRNA to glioblastoma and prostate cancer cells to potentiate the therapeutic effect of anticancer drugs
Main Contributions
The group has identified several nanoparticles that are able to efficiently transport and knock down simultaneously up to three proteins involved in survival and proliferation signaling in glioblastoma cell. In addition it has shown that some of these nanoparticles are able to deliver labelled siRNA to the brain.
Latest published Works
1. Niza. .E; Castro-Osma ,J.A.; Posadas, I.; Alonso-Moreno,C.; Bravo, I.; Garzón, A.; Canales-Vázquez, J.; Ceña, V.; Lara-Sánchez, A.; Albaladejo ,J. and Otero, A. Assessment of doxorubicin delivery devices based on tailored bare polycaprolactone against glioblastoma. Int J Pharm. 558:110-119. 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2018.12.0
2. Mignani, S.; Rodrigues, J.; Roy, R.; Shi, X., Ceña, V.; El Kazzouli, S. and Majoral, J.P. Exploration of biomedical dendrimer space based on in-vitro physicochemical parameters: key factor analysis (Part 1). Drug Discov Today. 24:1176-1183. 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.02.014
3. Mignani, S.; Rodrigues, J.; Roy, R.; Shi, X., Ceña, V.; El Kazzouli, S. and Majoral, J.P. Exploration of biomedical dendrimer space based on in-vivo physicochemical parameters: Key factor analysis (Part 2). Drug Discov Today. 24:1184-1192. 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2019.03.001
4. MANZANARES, D. and CEÑA, V. Endocytosis: The nanoparticle and submicron nanocompounds gateway into the cell. Pharmaceutics 12: 656. 2020. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12040371
5. MIGNANI, S.; SHI, X.; CEÑA, V and MAJORAL, J.P. Dendrimer–and polymeric nanoparticle–aptamer bioconjugates as nonviral delivery systems: a new approach in medicine. Drug Discov. Today 25:1065-1073. 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.03.009.
6. MARTIN-MORENO, A.; JIMENEZ BLANCO, J.L.; MOSHER, J.; SWNSON, D.R.; GARCÍA FERNANDEZ, J.M.; SHARMA, A. CEÑA, V. and MUÑOZ-FERNANDEZ, M.A. Nanoparticle-Delivered HIV Peptides to Dendritic Cells a Promising Approach to Generate a Therapeutic Vaccine. Pharmaceutics. 12:E656. 2020. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics12070656.
7. MIGNANI, S.; SHI, ,x.; RODRIGUES, J.; ROY, R.; MUÑOZ-FERNANDEZ, M.A.; CEÑA, V. and MAJORAL, J-P. Dendrimers toward Translational Nanotherapeutics: Concise Key Step Analysis. Bioconjugate Chem. 31: 2060–2071. 2020. doi: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00395
8. GALLEGO-YERGA, L and CEÑA. V. Nanoparticle-mediated therapeutic compounds delivery to glioblastoma. Expert. Opin. Drug Deliv. 17: 1597-1613. 2020. doi.org/10.1080/17425247.2020.1810015
9. SOROLLA, A.; SOROLLA, M.A.; WANG, E. nd CEÑA, V. Peptides, proteins and nanotechnology: a promising synergy for breast cancer targeting and treatment. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2020 Sep 11:1-17. doi: 10.1080/17425247.2020.1814733.
10. CARBAJO-GORDILLO, A.I.; JIMENEZ BLANCO, J.L.; BENITO, J.M., LANA, H.; MARCELO, G.; DI GIORGIO, C.; PRZYBYLSKI, C.; HINOU, H.; CEÑA, V.; ORTIZ MELLET, C. MENDICUTI, F.; TROS DE ILARDUYA, C. and GARCIA FENANDEZ, J.M. Click Synthesis of Size- and Shape-Tunable Star Polymers with Functional Macrocyclic Cores for Synergistic DNA Complexation and Delivery. Biomacromolecules. 2020 Oct 21. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01283. Online ahead of print.
11. MANZANARES, D. and CEÑA, V. Cyclodextrin-based nanostructure efficiently delivers siRNA to glioblastoma cells preferentially via micropinocytosis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020. 21 (23), 9306. doi: 10.3390/ijms21239306
12. GALLEGO-YERGA, L.; DE LA TORRE, C.; SANSONE, F.; CASNATI, A.; ORTIZ MELLET, C.; GARCIA FERNANDEZ, J.M. and CEÑA, V. Synthesis, self-assembly and anticancer drug encapsulation and delivery properties of cyclodextrin-based giant amphiphiles.
Carbohydr Polym. 252:117135. 2021. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.117135.
13. MIGNANI, S.; SHI, X.; CEÑA, V.; RODRIGUES, J.; TOMAS, H..; and MAJORAL, J-P. Engineered non-invasive functionalized dendrimer/dendron-entrapped/complexed gold nanoparticles as a novel class of theranostic (radio)pharmaceuticals in cancer therapy. J Control Release. 2021 4;332:346-366. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.03.003.
14. MIGNANI, S.; SHI, X.; CEÑA, V.; SCHARBIN, D.; BRYSZEWSKA, M.; and MAJORAL, J-P In vivo therapeutic applications of phosphorus dendrimers: state of the art. Drug Discov Today. 2021. 26(3):677-689. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.11.034.
