Silicified curcumin microspheres Combats cardiovascular diseases via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

Tianwang Guan; Zhenxing Lu; Rundong Tai; Shuai Guo; Zhaowenbin Zhang; Shaohui Deng; Jujian Ye; Kaiyi Chi; Binghua Zhang; Huiwan Chen; Zhilin Deng; Yushen Ke; Andong Huang; Peier Chen; Chunming Wang; Caiwen Ou

doi:10.1016/j.bioactmat.2025.03.007

Silicified curcumin microspheres Combats cardiovascular diseases via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

Bioact Mater. 2025 Mar 15:49:378-398. doi: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2025.03.007. eCollection 2025 Jul.

Authors

Tianwang Guan^{1

2}, Zhenxing Lu^{2

3}, Rundong Tai^{2

3

4}, Shuai Guo³, Zhaowenbin Zhang^{5

6}, Shaohui Deng³, Jujian Ye^{2

3

4}, Kaiyi Chi⁷, Binghua Zhang⁸, Huiwan Chen^{2

3

4}, Zhilin Deng³, Yushen Ke^{2

3

4}, Andong Huang⁸, Peier Chen^{2

3}, Chunming Wang^{9

10}, Caiwen Ou^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Boron Neutron Therapy and Application in Malignant Tumors, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment for Tumors, Dongguan Engineering Research Center for Innovative Boron Drugs and Novel Radioimmune Drugs, Cancer Center, The 10th Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), Southern Medical University, Guangdong, 523059, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, 510280, China.
³ The Tenth Affiliated Hospital (Dongguan People's Hospital), Southern Medical University, Dongguan, 523059, China.
⁴ The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
⁵ College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China.
⁶ Joint Centre of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, China.
⁷ Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China.
⁸ Department of Clinical Medicine, Clinical Medical School, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510180, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau SAR, 999078, China.
¹⁰ Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.

Abstract

Diabetes and chemotherapy frequently give rise to severe cardiovascular complications, including chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity and diabetes-associated vascular remodeling. Nevertheless, the precise epidemiological features of these cardiovascular ailments remain incompletely elucidated, resulting in a dearth of effective therapeutic strategies in clinical settings. To tackle this intricate challenge, we have delved extensively into database resources, conducted comprehensive analyses of pertinent epidemiological data, and designed silicified curcumin (Si/Cur) microspheres as a novel therapeutic approach for cardiovascular diseases. By harnessing the alkaline microenvironment generated by silicon (Si), Si/Cur markedly elevates the bioavailability of curcumin (Cur). Further investigations have elucidated that Si/Cur exerts its therapeutic actions primarily via the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, effectively suppressing vascular remodeling and mitigating myocardial injury, thus disrupting the vicious cycle of persistent cardiovascular damage. In conclusion, this study integrates clinical cohort research to dissect epidemiological characteristics, directs the design and application of biomaterials, and paves the way for a novel and efficacious therapeutic avenue for the management of cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: Cardio-oncology; Cardiotoxicity; Diabetes; Doxorubicin; Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway; Silicified curcumin; Vascular remodeling.