Baicalein and IR780\nColoaded Liposomes for Antifungal\nand Anticancer Therapy

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is known for its\naggressive\nnature, typically presenting as high-grade tumors that grow and spread\nquickly in all breast cancer types. Several studies have reported\na strong correlation between cancer and microbial infections due to\na compromised immune system. The most frequent infection associated\nwith surface malignancies, including breast cancer, is Candidiasis,\nwhich is majorly caused by Candida albicans. This study reports the development and characterization of the\ndrug Baicalein (B) and NIR dye IR780 (IR) coloaded liposomes (BIRLs)\nas a multifunctional nanoplatform for treating fungal infections and\nTNBC. BIRLs were prepared by using hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine\nas the lipid matrix, enhancing both the drug and dye solubility and\ntherapeutic efficacy. The synthesized BIRLs-mediated photothermal\ntherapy (PTT) exhibited significant synergistic antifungal efficacy\nwhen tested against C. albicans. The\nbiocompatibility of BIRLs was studied in fibroblast cell lines and\nzebrafish embryos. BIRLs demonstrated promising photothermal and photodynamic\neffects, synergistically enhancing tumor ablation and reactive oxygen\nspecies (ROS) generation upon near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation.\nIn vitro studies revealed that BIRLs exhibit potent anticancer activity\nin two-dimensional (2D) cell cultures and three-dimensional (3D) tumor\nspheroids, significantly inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and\nmigration. The dual therapeutic effect of BIRLs was additionally demonstrated\nby their ability to inhibit fungal growth, addressing common complications\nin cancer patients with compromised immune systems. Overall, the results\nhighlighted the promising application of BIRLs as a versatile nanoplatform\nfor synergistic cancer therapy and as an antifungal agent, with the\npotential to significantly improve outcomes for TNBC patients.