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Xue B, Wang W, Qin JJ, Nijampatnam B, Murugesan S, Kozlovskaya V, Zhang R, Velu SE, Kharlampieva E. Highly efficient delivery of potent anticancer iminoquinone derivative by multilayer hydrogel cubes. Acta Biomater 2017; 58:386-398. [PMID: 28583901 PMCID: PMC5736006 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We report a novel delivery platform for a highly potent anticancer drug, 7-(benzylamino)-3,4-dihydro-pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one (BA-TPQ), using pH- and redox-sensitive poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) hydrogel cubes of micrometer size as the encapsulating matrix. The hydrogels are obtained upon cross-linking PMAA with cystamine in PMAA/poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) multilayers assembled within mesoporous sacrificial templates. The BA-TPQ-loaded hydrogels maintain their cubical shape and pH-sensitivity after lyophilization, which is advantageous for long-term storage. Conversely, the particles degrade in vitro in the presence of glutathione (5mM) providing 80% drug release within 24h. Encapsulating BA-TPQ into hydrogels significantly increases its transport via Caco-2 cell monolayers used as a model for oral delivery where the apparent permeability of BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes was∼2-fold higher than that of BA-TPQ. BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes exhibit better anticancer activity against HepG2 (IC50=0.52µg/mL) and Huh7 (IC50=0.29µg/mL) hepatoma cells with a 40% decrease in the IC50 compared to the non-encapsulated drug. Remarkably, non-malignant liver cells have a lower sensitivity to BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes with 2-fold increased IC50 values compared to those of cancer cells. In addition, encapsulating BA-TPQ in the hydrogels amplifies the potency of the drug via down-regulation of MDM2 oncogenic protein and upregulation of p53 (a tumor suppressor) and p21 (cell proliferation suppressor) expression in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Moreover, enhanced inhibition of MDM2 protein expression by BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes is independent of p53 status in Huh7 cells. This drug delivery platform of non-spherical shape provides a facile method for encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs and can facilitate the enhanced efficacy of BA-TPQ for liver cancer therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Many potent anticancer drugs are hydrophobic and lack tumor selectivity, which limits their application in cancer therapy. Although cubical hydrogels of poly(methacrylic acid) exhibit excellent biocompatibility and versatility, they have not been investigated for hydrophobic drug delivery due to poor mechanical stability and incompatibility between hydrophobic drugs and a hydrophilic hydrogel network. In this study, we provide a facile method to prepare a multilayer hydrogel-based platform with controlled nanostructure, cubical shape and redox-responsiveness for delivery of highly potent anticancer therapeutics, hydrophobic BA-TPQ. The BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes have exceptional structural stability upon lyophilization which is advantageous for a long-term storage. The greatly enhanced trans-epithelial permeability and amplified anti-tumor activity of BA-TPQ are achieved by encapsulation in these hydrogel cubes. Furthermore, the anticancer BA-TPQ-hydrogel platform retains the selective activity of BA-TPQ to hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Overall, the produced BA-TPQ-hydrogel cubes demonstrate a high potential for clinical liver cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Xue
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States
| | - Bhavitavya Nijampatnam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Srinivasan Murugesan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Veronika Kozlovskaya
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States; Cancer Biology Center, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States.
| | - Sadanandan E Velu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-3300, United States.
| | - Eugenia Kharlampieva
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States; Center of Nanoscale Materials and Biointegration, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
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Wang W, Nijampatnam B, Velu SE, Zhang R. Discovery and development of synthetic tricyclic pyrroloquinone (TPQ) alkaloid analogs for human cancer therapy. Front Chem Sci Eng 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11705-016-1562-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Yu JX, Voruganti S, Li DD, Qin JJ, Nag S, Xu S, Velu SE, Wang W, Zhang R. Development and validation of an HPLC-MS/MS analytical method for quantitative analysis of TCBA-TPQ, a novel anticancer makaluvamine analog, and application in a pharmacokinetic study in rats. Chin J Nat Med 2015; 13:554-60. [PMID: 26233847 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(15)30051-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We have recently designed and synthesized several novel iminoquinone anticancer agents that have entered preclinical development for the treatment of human cancers. Herein we developed and validated a quantitative HPLC-MS/MS analytical method for one of the lead novel anticancer makaluvamine analog, TCBA-TPQ, and conducted a pharmacokinetic study in laboratory rats. Our results indicated that the HPLC-MS/MS method was precise, accurate, and specific. Using this method, we carried out in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the pharmacological properties of TCBA-TPQ and plasma pharmacokinetics in rats. Our results provide a basis for future preclinical and clinical development of this promising anticancer marine analog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Xian Yu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Center for Drug Evaluation, China Food and Drug Administration, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Sukesh Voruganti
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dan-Dan Li
- Center for Drug Evaluation, China Food and Drug Administration, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Subhasree Nag
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Su Xu
- China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Sadanandan E Velu
- China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 100035, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Chen D, Wang W, Qin JJ, Wang MH, Murugesan S, Nadkarni DH, Velu SE, Wang H, Zhang R. Identification of the ZAK-MKK4-JNK-TGFβ signaling pathway as a molecular target for novel synthetic iminoquinone anticancer compound BA-TPQ. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2014; 13:651-60. [PMID: 23607596 DOI: 10.2174/15680096113139990040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2012] [Revised: 07/15/2012] [Accepted: 07/24/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Identification and validation of molecular targets are considered as key elements in new drug discovery and development. We have recently demonstrated that a novel synthetic iminoquinone analog, termed [7-(benzylamino)- 1,3,4,8-tetrahydropyrrolo [4,3, 2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one] (BA-TPQ), has significant anti-breast cancer activity both in vitro and in vivo, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Herein, we report the molecular studies for BA-TPQ's effects on JNK and its upstream and downstream signaling pathways. The compound up-regulates the JNK protein levels by increasing its phosphorylation and decreasing its polyubiquitination-mediated degradation. It activates ZAK at the MAPKKK level and MKK4 at the MAPKK level. It also up-regulates the TGFβ2 mRNA level, which can be abolished by the JNK-specific inhibitor SP600125, but not TGFβ pathway-specific inhibitor SD-208, indicating that both JNK and TGFβ signaling pathways are activated by BA-TPQ and that the JNK pathway activation precedes TGFβ activation. The pro-apoptotic and anti-growth effects of BA-TPQ are significantly blocked by both the JNK and TGFβ pathway inhibitors. In addition, BA-TPQ activates the ZAK-MKK4-JNK pathway in MCF7 cells, but not normal MCF10A cells, demonstrating its cancer-specific activities. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that BA-TPQ activates the ZAK-MKK4-JNK-TGFβ signaling cascade as a molecular target for its anticancer activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deng Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
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Kayali R, Ku JM, Khitrov G, Jung ME, Prikhodko O, Bertoni C. Read-through compound 13 restores dystrophin expression and improves muscle function in the mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21:4007-20. [PMID: 22692682 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecules that induce ribosomal read-through of nonsense mutations in mRNA and allow production of a full-length functional protein hold great therapeutic potential for the treatment of many genetic disorders. Two such read-through compounds, RTC13 and RTC14, were recently identified by a luciferase-independent high-throughput screening assay and were shown to have potential therapeutic functions in the treatment of nonsense mutations in the ATM and the dystrophin genes. We have now tested the ability of RTC13 and RTC14 to restore dystrophin expression into skeletal muscles of the mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Direct intramuscular injection of compound RTC14 did not result in significant read-through activity in vivo and demonstrated the levels of dystrophin protein similar to those detected using gentamicin. In contrast, significant higher amounts of dystrophin were detected after intramuscular injection of RTC13. When administered systemically, RTC13 was shown to partially restore dystrophin protein in different muscle groups, including diaphragm and heart, and improved muscle function. An increase in muscle strength was detected in all treated animals and was accompanied by a significant decrease in creatine kinase levels. These studies establish the therapeutic potential of RTC13 in vivo and advance this newly identified compound into preclinical application for DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Refik Kayali
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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Preclinical evaluation of anticancer efficacy and pharmacological properties of FBA-TPQ, a novel synthetic makaluvamine analog. Mar Drugs 2012; 10:1138-1155. [PMID: 22822362 PMCID: PMC3397457 DOI: 10.3390/md10051138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2012] [Revised: 05/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/16/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently designed and synthesized a novel iminoquinone anticancer agent, 7-(4-fluorobenzylamino)-1,3,4,8-tetrahydropyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one (FBA-TPQ) and initiated its preclinical development. Herein we investigated its efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics in in vitro and in vivo models of human pancreatic cancer. Our results demonstrated that FBA-TPQ inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth, induced apoptosis, and caused cell cycle arrest in vitro. It inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors with minimal host toxicity. To facilitate future preclinical and clinical development of the agent, we also developed and validated a Rapid Resolution Liquid Chromatography (RRLC) method for quantitative analysis of FBA-TPQ in plasma and tissue samples. The method was found to be precise, accurate, and specific. Using this method, we carried out in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the pharmacological properties of FBA-TPQ, including stability in plasma, plasma protein binding, metabolism by S9 enzymes, plasma pharmacokinetics, and tissue distribution. Our results indicate that FBA-TPQ is a potential therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer, providing a basis for future preclinical and clinical development.
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