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Kaynak A, Davis HW, Kogan AB, Lee JH, Narmoneva DA, Qi X. Phosphatidylserine: The Unique Dual-Role Biomarker for Cancer Imaging and Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:2536. [PMID: 35626139 PMCID: PMC9139557 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In recent years, many cancer-associated biomarkers have been identified that are used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, screening, and early detection, as well as for predicting and monitoring carcinogenesis and therapeutic effectiveness. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a negatively charged phospholipid which is predominantly located in the inner leaflet of the cell membrane. In many cancer cells, PS externalizes to the outer cell membrane, a process regulated by calcium-dependent flippases and scramblases. Saposin C coupled with dioleoylphosphatidylserine (SapC-DOPS) nanovesicle (BXQ-350) and bavituximab, (Tarvacin, human-mouse chimeric monoclonal antibodies) are cell surface PS-targeting drugs being tested in clinical trial for treating a variety of cancers. Additionally, a number of other PS-selective agents have been used to trigger cytotoxicity in tumor-associated endothelial cells or cancer cells in pre-clinical studies. Recent studies have demonstrated that upregulation of surface PS exposure by chemodrugs, radiation, and external electric fields can be used as a novel approach to sensitize cancer cells to PS-targeting anticancer drugs. The objectives of this review are to provide an overview of a unique dual-role of PS as a biomarker/target for cancer imaging and therapy, and to discuss PS-based anticancer strategies that are currently under active development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Kaynak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (A.K.); (J.-H.L.); (D.A.N.)
| | - Harold W. Davis
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
| | - Andrei B. Kogan
- Physics Department, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA;
| | - Jing-Huei Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (A.K.); (J.-H.L.); (D.A.N.)
| | - Daria A. Narmoneva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (A.K.); (J.-H.L.); (D.A.N.)
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA; (A.K.); (J.-H.L.); (D.A.N.)
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA;
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Kaynak A, Davis HW, Vallabhapurapu SD, Pak KY, Gray BD, Qi X. SapC-DOPS as a Novel Therapeutic and Diagnostic Agent for Glioblastoma Therapy and Detection: Alternative to Old Drugs and Agents. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:1193. [PMID: 34832975 PMCID: PMC8619974 DOI: 10.3390/ph14111193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common type of brain cancer, is extremely aggressive and has a dreadful prognosis. GBM comprises 60% of adult brain tumors and the 5 year survival rate of GBM patients is only 4.3%. Standard-of-care treatment includes maximal surgical removal of the tumor in combination with radiation and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. TMZ is the "gold-standard" chemotherapy for patients suffering from GBM. However, the median survival is only about 12 to 18 months with this protocol. Consequently, there is a critical need to develop new therapeutic options for treatment of GBM. Nanomaterials have unique properties as multifunctional platforms for brain tumor therapy and diagnosis. As one of the nanomaterials, lipid-based nanocarriers are capable of delivering chemotherapeutics and imaging agents to tumor sites by enhancing the permeability of the compound through the blood-brain barrier, which makes them ideal for GBM therapy and imaging. Nanocarriers also can be used for delivery of radiosensitizers to the tumor to enhance the efficacy of the radiation therapy. Previously, high-atomic-number element-containing particles such as gold nanoparticles and liposomes have been used as radiosensitizers. SapC-DOPS, a protein-based liposomal drug comprising the lipid, dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS), and the protein, saposin C (SapC), has been shown to be effective for treatment of a variety of cancers in small animals, including GBM. SapC-DOPS also has the unique ability to be used as a carrier for delivery of radiotheranostic agents for nuclear imaging and radiotherapeutic purposes. These unique properties make tumor-targeting proteo-liposome nanocarriers novel therapeutic and diagnostic alternatives to traditional chemotherapeutics and imaging agents. This article reviews various treatment modalities including nanolipid-based delivery and therapeutic systems used in preclinical and clinical trial settings for GBM treatment and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Kaynak
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; (A.K.); (H.W.D.); (S.D.V.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
| | - Harold W. Davis
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; (A.K.); (H.W.D.); (S.D.V.)
| | - Subrahmanya D. Vallabhapurapu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; (A.K.); (H.W.D.); (S.D.V.)
| | - Koon Y. Pak
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., West Chester, PA 19380, USA; (K.Y.P.); (B.D.G.)
| | - Brian D. Gray
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., West Chester, PA 19380, USA; (K.Y.P.); (B.D.G.)
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA; (A.K.); (H.W.D.); (S.D.V.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
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Biotherapy of Brain Tumors with Phosphatidylserine-Targeted Radioiodinated SapC-DOPS Nanovesicles. Cells 2020; 9:cells9091960. [PMID: 32854321 PMCID: PMC7565346 DOI: 10.3390/cells9091960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common type of brain cancer, has a very poor prognosis. In general, viable GBM cells exhibit elevated phosphatidylserine (PS) on their membrane surface compared to healthy cells. We have developed a drug, saposin C-dioleoylphosphatidylserine (SapC-DOPS), that selectively targets cancer cells by honing in on this surface PS. To examine whether SapC-DOPS, a stable, blood–brain barrier-penetrable nanovesicle, could be an effective delivery system for precise targeted therapy of radiation, we iodinated several carbocyanine-based fluorescent reporters with either stable iodine (127I) or radioactive isotopes (125I and 131I). While all of the compounds, when incorporated into the SapC-DOPS delivery system, were taken up by human GBM cell lines, we chose the two that best accumulated in the cells (DiI (22,3) and DiD (16,16)). Pharmacokinetics were conducted with 125I-labeled compounds and indicated that DiI (22,3)-SapC-DOPS had a time to peak in the blood of 0.66 h and an elimination half-life of 8.4 h. These values were 4 h and 11.5 h, respectively, for DiD (16,16)-SapC-DOPS. Adult nude mice with GBM cells implanted in their brains were treated with 131I-DID (16,16)-SapC-DOPS. Mice receiving the radionuclide survived nearly 50% longer than the control groups. These data suggest a potential novel, personalized treatment for a devastating brain disease.
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N'Guessan KF, Patel PH, Qi X. SapC-DOPS - a Phosphatidylserine-targeted Nanovesicle for selective Cancer therapy. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:6. [PMID: 31918715 PMCID: PMC6950924 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-019-0476-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kombo F N'Guessan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Priyankaben H Patel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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5
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Sharma B, Kanwar SS. Phosphatidylserine: A cancer cell targeting biomarker. Semin Cancer Biol 2018; 52:17-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2017.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Blanco VM, Chu Z, LaSance K, Gray BD, Pak KY, Rider T, Greis KD, Qi X. Optical and nuclear imaging of glioblastoma with phosphatidylserine-targeted nanovesicles. Oncotarget 2017; 7:32866-75. [PMID: 27096954 PMCID: PMC5078058 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Multimodal tumor imaging with targeted nanoparticles potentially offers both enhanced specificity and sensitivity, leading to more precise cancer diagnosis and monitoring. We describe the synthesis and characterization of phenol-substituted, lipophilic orange and far-red fluorescent dyes and a simple radioiodination procedure to generate a dual (optical and nuclear) imaging probe. MALDI-ToF analyses revealed high iodination efficiency of the lipophilic reporters, achieved by electrophilic aromatic substitution using the chloramide 1,3,4,6-tetrachloro-3α,6α-diphenyl glycoluril (Iodogen) as the oxidizing agent in an organic/aqueous co-solvent mixture. Upon conjugation of iodine-127 or iodine-124-labeled reporters to tumor-targeting SapC-DOPS nanovesicles, optical (fluorescent) and PET imaging was performed in mice bearing intracranial glioblastomas. In addition, tumor vs non-tumor (normal brain) uptake was compared using iodine-125. These data provide proof-of-principle for the potential value of SapC-DOPS for multimodal imaging of glioblastoma, the most aggressive primary brain tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M Blanco
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA.,Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
| | - Kathleen LaSance
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
| | - Brian D Gray
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, USA
| | - Koon Yan Pak
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, USA
| | - Therese Rider
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
| | - Kenneth D Greis
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA.,Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
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7
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Ayesa U, Gray BD, Pak KY, Chong PLG. Liposomes Containing Lipid-Soluble Zn(II)-Bis-dipicolylamine Derivatives Show Potential To Be Targeted to Phosphatidylserine on the Surface of Cancer Cells. Mol Pharm 2016; 14:147-156. [PMID: 28043132 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b00760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Here we used a lipid-soluble Zn(II)-bis-dipicolylamine derivative as a membrane component to develop liposomal carriers that have potential to be targeted to phosphatidylserine (PS) rich surfaces on cancer cells and to preferentially kill cancer cells without using anticancer drugs. This DPA derivative (abbreviated as DPA-Cy3[22,22]) contains the fluorophore cyanine 3 (Cy3) and two 22-carbon chains that can be anchored into liposomal membrane bilayers. DPA-Cy3[22,22]/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) unilamellar vesicles (∼150 nm) showed selective binding to PS-containing liposomes as demonstrated by anion exchange chromatography. This binding does not result in vesicle fusion or aggregation. Flow cytometry showed that DPA-Cy3[22,22]/POPC liposomes have preferential binding to MCF-7 breast cancer cells over MCF-12A noncancer cells due to 3-7 times more PS exposures on MCF-7. The extent of liposome binding with MCF-7 cells was increased by two times after cells were pretreated with the apoptotic inducer camptothecin, which increased PS exposure to the cell surface. Moreover, our flow cytometry data also suggest that local cell membrane perturbations may occur upon liposome binding and internalization. This implies that DPA-Cy3[22,22]/POPC liposomes alone may have a PS-dependent cytotoxic effect. This assertion was supported by the cell proliferation assay, which showed that 9.1 mol % DPA-Cy3[22,22]/POPC liposomes exert cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells 3.5 times higher than that on MCF-12A cells. These results indicate that DPA-Cy3[22,22]-containing liposomes hold great promise as efficient nano drug carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umme Ayesa
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - Brian D Gray
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc. , West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, United States
| | - Koon Y Pak
- Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc. , West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380, United States
| | - Parkson Lee-Gau Chong
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry, The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
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Vallabhapurapu SD, Blanco VM, Sulaiman MK, Vallabhapurapu SL, Chu Z, Franco RS, Qi X. Variation in human cancer cell external phosphatidylserine is regulated by flippase activity and intracellular calcium. Oncotarget 2016; 6:34375-88. [PMID: 26462157 PMCID: PMC4741459 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Viable cancer cells expose elevated levels of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the exoplasmic face of the plasma membrane. However, the mechanisms leading to elevated PS exposure in viable cancer cells have not been defined. We previously showed that externalized PS may be used to monitor, target and kill tumor cells. In addition, PS on tumor cells is recognized by macrophages and has implications in antitumor immunity. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular details of PS exposure on cancer cells in order to improve therapeutic targeting. Here we explored the mechanisms regulating the surface PS exposure in human cancer cells and found that differential flippase activity and intracellular calcium are the major regulators of surface PS exposure in viable human cancer cells. In general, cancer cell lines with high surface PS exhibited low flippase activity and high intracellular calcium, whereas cancer cells with low surface PS exhibited high flippase activity and low intracellular calcium. High surface PS cancer cells also had higher total cellular PS than low surface PS cells. Together, our results indicate that the amount of external PS in cancer cells is regulated by calcium dependent flippase activity and may also be influenced by total cellular PS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subrahmanya D Vallabhapurapu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Víctor M Blanco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Mahaboob K Sulaiman
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Swarajya Lakshmi Vallabhapurapu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Divison of Human Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Robert S Franco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Divison of Human Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Davis HW, Hussain N, Qi X. Detection of cancer cells using SapC-DOPS nanovesicles. Mol Cancer 2016; 15:33. [PMID: 27160923 PMCID: PMC4862232 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-016-0519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike normal cells, cancer cells express high levels of phosphatidylserine on the extracellular leaflet of their cell membrane. Exploiting this characteristic, our lab developed a therapeutic agent that consists of the fusogenic protein, saposin C (SapC) which is embedded in dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) vesicles. These nanovesicles selectively target cancer cells and induce apoptosis. Here we review the data supporting use of SapC-DOPS to locate tumors for surgical resection or for treatment. In addition, there is important evidence suggesting that SapC-DOPS may also prove to be an effective novel cancer therapeutic reagent. Given that SapC-DOPS is easily labeled with lipophilic dyes, it has been combined with the far-red fluorescent dye, CellVue Maroon (CVM), for tumor targeting studies. We also have used contrast agents incorporated in the SapC-DOPS nanovesicles for computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and review that data here. Administered intravenously, the fluorescently labeled SapC-DOPS traversed the blood–brain tumor barrier enabling identification of brain tumors. SapC-DOPS-CVM also detected a variety of other mouse tumors in vivo, rendering them observable by optical imaging using IVIS and multi-angle rotational optical imaging. Dye is detected within 30 min and remains within tumor for at least 7 days, whereas non-tumor tissues were unstained (some dye observed in the liver was transient, likely representing degradation products). Additionally, labeled SapC-DOPS ex vivo delineated tumors in human histological specimens. SapC-DOPS can also be labeled with contrast reagents for computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. In conclusion, labeled SapC-DOPS provides a convenient, specific, and nontoxic method for detecting tumors while concurrently offering a therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold W Davis
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Translational Medicine Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0508, USA
| | - Nida Hussain
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Translational Medicine Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0508, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Translational Medicine Laboratory, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Brain Tumor Center at UC Neuroscience Institute, 3512 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0508, USA. .,Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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10
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Zhao S, Chu Z, Blanco VM, Nie Y, Hou Y, Qi X. SapC-DOPS nanovesicles as targeted therapy for lung cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2015; 14:491-8. [PMID: 25670331 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-14-0661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the deadliest type of cancer for both men and women. In this study, we evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a biotherapeutic agent composed of a lysosomal protein (Saposin C, SapC) and a phospholipid (dioleoylphosphatidylserine, DOPS), which can be assembled into nanovesicles (SapC-DOPS) with selective antitumor activity. SapC-DOPS targets phosphatidylserine, an anionic phospholipid preferentially exposed in the surface of cancer cells and tumor-associated vasculature. Because binding of SapC to phosphatidylserine is favored at acidic pHs, and the latter characterizes the milieu of many solid tumors, we tested the effect of pH on the binding capacity of SapC-DOPS to lung tumor cells. Results showed that SapC-DOPS binding to cancer cells was more pronounced at low pH. Viability assays on a panel of human lung tumor cells showed that SapC-DOPS cytotoxicity was positively correlated with cell surface phosphatidylserine levels, whereas mitochondrial membrane potential measurements were consistent with apoptosis-related cell death. Using a fluorescence tracking method in live mice, we show that SapC-DOPS specifically targets human lung cancer xenografts, and that systemic therapy with SapC-DOPS induces tumor apoptosis and significantly inhibits tumor growth. These results suggest that SapC-DOPS nanovesicles are a promising treatment option for lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Central Laboratory of Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio. Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Victor M Blanco
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Yunzhong Nie
- Immunology and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Medical School and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yayi Hou
- Immunology and Reproductive Biology Laboratory, Medical School and State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio. Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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11
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Imaging and Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer with Phosphatidylserine-Targeted Nanovesicles. Transl Oncol 2015; 8:196-203. [PMID: 26055177 PMCID: PMC4486738 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2015.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most intractable cancers, with a dismal prognosis reflected by a 5-year survival of ~6%. Since early disease symptoms are undefined and specific biomarkers are lacking, about 80% of patients present with advanced, inoperable tumors that represent a daunting challenge. Despite many clinical trials, no single chemotherapy agent has been reliably associated with objective response rates above 10% or median survival longer than 5 to 7 months. Although combination chemotherapy regimens have in recent years provided some improvement, overall survival (8-11 months) remains very poor. There is therefore a critical need for novel therapies that can improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients. Here, we present a summary of the current therapies used in the management of advanced pancreatic cancer and review novel therapeutic strategies that target tumor biomarkers. We also describe our recent research using phosphatidylserine-targeted saposin C-coupled dioleoylphosphatidylserine nanovesicles for imaging and therapy of pancreatic cancer.
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12
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Blanco VM, Chu Z, Vallabhapurapu SD, Sulaiman MK, Kendler A, Rixe O, Warnick RE, Franco RS, Qi X. Phosphatidylserine-selective targeting and anticancer effects of SapC-DOPS nanovesicles on brain tumors. Oncotarget 2015; 5:7105-18. [PMID: 25051370 PMCID: PMC4196187 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors, either primary (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme) or secondary (metastatic), remain among the most intractable and fatal of all cancers. We have shown that nanovesicles consisting of Saposin C (SapC) and dioleylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) are able to effectively target and kill cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. These actions are a consequence of the affinity of SapC-DOPS for phosphatidylserine, an acidic phospholipid abundantly present in the outer membrane of a variety of tumor cells and tumor-associated vasculature. In this study, we first characterize SapC-DOPS bioavailability and antitumor effects on human glioblastoma xenografts, and confirm SapC-DOPS specificity towards phosphatidylserine by showing that glioblastoma targeting is abrogated after in vivo exposure to lactadherin, which binds phosphatidylserine with high affinity. Second, we demonstrate that SapC-DOPS selectively targets brain metastases-forming cancer cells both in vitro, in co-cultures with human astrocytes, and in vivo, in mouse models of brain metastases derived from human breast or lung cancer cells. Third, we demonstrate that SapC-DOPS nanovesicles have cytotoxic activity against metastatic breast cancer cells in vitro, and prolong the survival of mice harboring brain metastases. Taken together, these results support the potential of SapC-DOPS for the diagnosis and therapy of primary and metastatic brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M Blanco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Subrahmanya D Vallabhapurapu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Mahaboob K Sulaiman
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ady Kendler
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Olivier Rixe
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Georgia Regents University, GRU Cancer Center, Augusta, Georgia
| | - Ronald E Warnick
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati Brain Tumor Center, and Mayfield Clinic, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Robert S Franco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Sulaiman MK, Chu Z, Blanco VM, Vallabhapurapu SD, Franco RS, Qi X. SapC-DOPS nanovesicles induce Smac- and Bax-dependent apoptosis through mitochondrial activation in neuroblastomas. Mol Cancer 2015; 14:78. [PMID: 25889084 PMCID: PMC4397704 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-015-0336-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High toxicity, morbidity and secondary malignancy render chemotherapy of neuroblastoma inefficient, prompting the search for novel compounds. Nanovesicles offer great promise in imaging and treatment of cancer. SapC-DOPS, a stable nanovesicle formed from the lysosomal protein saposin C and dioleoylphosphatidylserine possess strong affinity for abundantly exposed surface phosphatidylserine on cancer cells. Here, we show that SapC-DOPS effectively targets and suppresses neuroblastoma growth and elucidate the molecular mechanism of SapC-DOPS action in neuroblastoma in vitro. METHODS In vivo targeting of neuroblastoma was assessed in xenograft mice injected intravenously with fluorescently-labeled SapC-DOPS. Xenografted tumors were also used to demonstrate its therapeutic efficacy. Apoptosis induction in vivo was evaluated in tumor sections using the TUNEL assay. The mechanisms underlying the induction of apoptosis by SapC-DOPS were addressed through measurements of cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM), flow cytometric DNA fragmentation assays and by immunoblot analysis of second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac), Bax, Cytochrome c (Cyto c) and Caspase-3 in the cytosol or in mitochondrial fractions of cultured neuroblastoma cells. RESULTS SapC-DOPS showed specific targeting and prevented the growth of human neuroblastoma xenografts in mice. In neuroblastoma cells in vitro, apoptosis occurred via a series of steps that included: (1) loss of ΔΨM and increased mitochondrial superoxide formation; (2) cytosolic release of Smac, Cyto c, AIF; and (3) mitochondrial translocation and polymerization of Bax. ShRNA-mediated Smac knockdown and V5 peptide-mediated Bax inhibition decreased cytosolic Smac and Cyto c release along with caspase activation and abrogated apoptosis, indicating that Smac and Bax are critical mediators of SapC-DOPS action. Similarly, pretreatment with the mitochondria-stabilizing agent bongkrekic acid decreased apoptosis indicating that loss of ΔΨM is critical for SapC-DOPS activity. Apoptosis induction was not critically dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and Cyclophilin D, since pretreatment with N-acetyl cysteine and cyclosporine A, respectively, did not prevent Smac or Cyto c release. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results indicate that SapC-DOPS acts through a mitochondria-mediated pathway accompanied by an early release of Smac and Bax. Specific tumor-targeting capacity and anticancer efficacy of SapC-DOPS supports its potential as a dual imaging and therapeutic agent in neuroblastoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahaboob K Sulaiman
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- Divison of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
| | - Victor M Blanco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
| | - Subrahmanya D Vallabhapurapu
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
| | - Robert S Franco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- Divison of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
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Blanco VM, Curry R, Qi X. SapC-DOPS nanovesicles: a novel targeted agent for the imaging and treatment of glioblastoma. Oncoscience 2015; 2:102-110. [PMID: 25859553 PMCID: PMC4381703 DOI: 10.18632/oncoscience.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. Classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as grade IV astrocytoma, GBMs are extremely aggressive, almost always recur, and despite our best efforts, remain incurable. This review describes the traditional treatment approaches that led to moderate successes in GBM patients, discusses standard imaging modalities, and presents data supporting the use of SapC-DOPS, a novel proteoliposomal formulation with tumoricidal activity, as a promising diagnostic imaging tool and an innovative anti-cancer agent against GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M. Blanco
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Richard Curry
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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15
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Winter P. Molecular Imaging at Nanoscale with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2014. [DOI: 10.1201/b17246-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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16
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Winter PM, Pearce J, Chu Z, McPherson CM, Takigiku R, Lee JH, Qi X. Imaging of brain tumors with paramagnetic vesicles targeted to phosphatidylserine. J Magn Reson Imaging 2014; 41:1079-87. [PMID: 24797437 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.24654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Revised: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate paramagnetic saposin C and dioleylphosphatidylserine (SapC-DOPS) vesicles as a targeted contrast agent for imaging phosphatidylserine (PS) expressed by glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS Gd-DTPA-BSA/SapC-DOPS vesicles were formulated, and the vesicle diameter and relaxivity were measured. Targeting of Gd-DTPA-BSA/SapC-DOPS vesicles to tumor cells in vitro and in vivo was compared with nontargeted paramagnetic vesicles (lacking SapC). Mice with GBM brain tumors were imaged at 3, 10, 20, and 24 h postinjection to measure the relaxation rate (R1) in the tumor and the normal brain. RESULTS The mean diameter of vesicles was 175 nm, and the relaxivity at 7 Tesla was 3.32 (s*mM)(-1) relative to the gadolinium concentration. Gd-DTPA-BSA/SapC-DOPS vesicles targeted cultured cancer cells, leading to an increased R1 and gadolinium level in the cells. In vivo, Gd-DTPA-BSA/SapC-DOPS vesicles produced a 9% increase in the R1 of GBM brain tumors in mice 10 h postinjection, but only minimal changes (1.2% increase) in the normal brain. Nontargeted paramagnetic vesicles yielded minimal change in the tumor R1 at 10 h postinjection (1.3%). CONCLUSION These experiments demonstrate that Gd-DTPA-BSA/SapC-DOPS vesicles can selectively target implanted brain tumors in vivo, providing noninvasive mapping of the cancer biomarker PS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Winter
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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17
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Chu Z, LaSance K, Blanco V, Kwon CH, Kaur B, Frederick M, Thornton S, Lemen L, Qi X. In vivo optical imaging of brain tumors and arthritis using fluorescent SapC-DOPS nanovesicles. J Vis Exp 2014. [PMID: 24837630 PMCID: PMC4120271 DOI: 10.3791/51187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a multi-angle rotational optical imaging (MAROI) system for in vivo monitoring of physiopathological processes labeled with a fluorescent marker. Mouse models (brain tumor and arthritis) were used to evaluate the usefulness of this method. Saposin C (SapC)-dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) nanovesicles tagged with CellVue Maroon (CVM) fluorophore were administered intravenously. Animals were then placed in the rotational holder (MARS) of the in vivo imaging system. Images were acquired in 10° steps over 380°. A rectangular region of interest (ROI) was placed across the full image width at the model disease site. Within the ROI, and for every image, mean fluorescence intensity was computed after background subtraction. In the mouse models studied, the labeled nanovesicles were taken up in both the orthotopic and transgenic brain tumors, and in the arthritic sites (toes and ankles). Curve analysis of the multi angle image ROIs determined the angle with the highest signal. Thus, the optimal angle for imaging each disease site was characterized. The MAROI method applied to imaging of fluorescent compounds is a noninvasive, economical, and precise tool for in vivo quantitative analysis of the disease states in the described mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Division of Human Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Kathleen LaSance
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Victor Blanco
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Chang-Hyuk Kwon
- Solid Tumor Biology Program, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center; Department of Neurological Surgery, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center
| | - Balveen Kaur
- Solid Tumor Biology Program, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center; Department of Neurological Surgery, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Medical Center
| | - Malinda Frederick
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Sherry Thornton
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Lisa Lemen
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Division of Human Genetics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine;
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Olowokure O, Qi X. Pancreatic cancer: current standards, working towards a new therapeutic approach. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2014; 14:495-7. [PMID: 24621210 DOI: 10.1586/14737140.2014.895937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths with a 5-year survival of 4-6%. Clinical challenges remain to be addressed, since few promising approaches to treat pancreatic cancer have been reported. Here we discuss the potential of a new biotherapeutic agent composed of a lysosomal protein (Saposin C, SapC) and an acidic phospholipid (dioleoylphosphatidylserine, DOPS) which can be assembled into stable nanovesicles (SapC-DOPS) for tackling pancreatic cancer. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a lipid biomarker on membrane surface of pancreatic cancer cells and can be effectively targeted by SapC-DOPS nanovesicles for cancer-selective therapy. SapC-DOPS nanovesicles have shown excellent pre-clinical therapeutic and safety profiles. Safety profiles which suggests that this new approach is potentially a viable option for pancreatic cancer therapy that is worthy of further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olugbenga Olowokure
- University of Cincinnati - Hematology-Oncology, Internal Medicine, The Vontz Center for Molecular Studies 3125 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0508, USA
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Chu Z, Abu-Baker S, Palascak MB, Ahmad SA, Franco RS, Qi X. Targeting and cytotoxicity of SapC-DOPS nanovesicles in pancreatic cancer. PLoS One 2013; 8:e75507. [PMID: 24124494 PMCID: PMC3790873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Only a small number of promising drugs target pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths with a 5-year survival of less than 5%. Our goal is to develop a new biotherapeutic agent in which a lysosomal protein (saposin C, SapC) and a phospholipid (dioleoylphosphatidylserine, DOPS) are assembled into nanovesicles (SapC-DOPS) for treating pancreatic cancer. A distinguishing feature of SapC-DOPS nanovesicles is their high affinity for phosphatidylserine (PS) rich microdomains, which are abnormally exposed on the membrane surface of human pancreatic tumor cells. To evaluate the role of external cell PS, in vitro assays were used to correlate PS exposure and the cytotoxic effect of SapC-DOPS in human tumor and nontumorigenic pancreatic cells. Next, pancreatic tumor xenografts (orthotopic and subcutaneous models) were used for tumor targeting and therapeutic efficacy studies with systemic SapC-DOPS treatment. We observed that the nanovesicles selectively killed human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro by inducing apoptotic death, whereas untransformed cells remained unaffected. This in vitro cytotoxic effect correlated to the surface exposure level of PS on the tumor cells. Using xenografts, animals treated with SapC-DOPS showed clear survival benefits and their tumors shrank or disappeared. Furthermore, using a double-tracking method in live mice, we showed that the nanovesicles were specifically targeted to orthotopically-implanted, bioluminescent pancreatic tumors. These data suggest that the acidic phospholipid PS is a biomarker for pancreatic cancer that can be effectively targeted for therapy utilizing cancer-selective SapC-DOPS nanovesicles. This study provides convincing evidence in support of developing a new therapeutic approach to pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Shadi Abu-Baker
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Mary B. Palascak
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Syed A. Ahmad
- Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Robert S. Franco
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug therapy is frequently limited by the widespread biodistribution of the active agents and the little specificity for non-healthy cells. Therefore, inadequate drug concentrations result into the site of action, and severe toxicity may also arise. To address the problem, liposome-based medicines have tried to improve pharmacotherapy. AREAS COVERED The review provides an updated revision of the lately published patents covering recent advances in liposome-based drug delivery. They are principally related to the control of drug biodistribution by using stealth, stimuli-sensitive and/or liposomal structures surface modified for ligand-mediated delivery. The contribution further highlights liposome-based theranosis. EXPERT OPINION Liposomes have received great attention given their biocompatibility, biodegradability and targetability. From 2007 to present date, patent publications related to their use in drug delivery have shown the move towards more stable structures with optimized drug delivery capabilities, further combining passive and active targeting concepts to gain control of the in vivo fate. However, the introduction of all these liposomal structures in the disease arena is still a challenge. Two key aspects are the difficulty of identifying easy and economic synthesis conditions which can be scaled up in the pharmaceutical industry, and the need for complementary investigations illustrating risks of toxicity/immunogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Arias
- University of Granada, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology , Campus Universitario de Cartuja s/n, 18071 Granada , Spain +34 958 24 39 02 ; +34 958 24 89 58 ;
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21
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Wojton J, Chu Z, Mathsyaraja H, Meisen WH, Denton N, Kwon CH, Chow LM, Palascak M, Franco R, Bourdeau T, Thornton S, Ostrowski MC, Kaur B, Qi X. Systemic delivery of SapC-DOPS has antiangiogenic and antitumor effects against glioblastoma. Mol Ther 2013; 21:1517-25. [PMID: 23732993 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2013.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Saposin C-dioleoylphosphatidylserine (SapC-DOPS) nanovesicles are a nanotherapeutic which effectively target and destroy cancer cells. Here, we explore the systemic use of SapC-DOPS in several models of brain cancer, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and the molecular mechanism behind its tumor-selective targeting specificity. Using two validated spontaneous brain tumor models, we demonstrate the ability of SapC-DOPS to selectively and effectively cross the blood-brain tumor barrier (BBTB) to target brain tumors in vivo and reveal the targeting to be contingent on the exposure of the anionic phospholipid phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). Increased cell surface expression of PtdSer levels was found to correlate with SapC-DOPS-induced killing efficacy, and tumor targeting in vivo was inhibited by blocking PtdSer exposed on cells. Apart from cancer cell killing, SapC-DOPS also exerted a strong antiangiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, unlike traditional chemotherapy, hypoxic cells were sensitized to SapC-DOPS-mediated killing. This study emphasizes the importance of PtdSer exposure for SapC-DOPS targeting and supports the further development of SapC-DOPS as a novel antitumor and antiangiogenic agent for brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Wojton
- Dardinger Laboratory for Neuro-oncology and Neurosciences, Department of Neurological Surgery, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Qi X, Flick MJ, Frederick M, Chu Z, Mason R, DeLay M, Thornton S. Saposin C coupled lipid nanovesicles specifically target arthritic mouse joints for optical imaging of disease severity. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33966. [PMID: 22470501 PMCID: PMC3314692 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 1% of the population and is characterized by cartilage and bone destruction ultimately leading to loss of joint function. Early detection and intervention of disease provides the best hope for successful treatment and preservation of joint mobility and function. Reliable and non-invasive techniques that accurately measure arthritic disease onset and progression are lacking. We recently developed a novel agent, SapC-DOPS, which is composed of the membrane-associated lysosomal protein saposin C (SapC) incorporated into 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (DOPS) lipid nanovesicles. SapC-DOPS has a high fusogenic affinity for phosphatidylserine-enriched microdomains on surfaces of target cell membranes. Incorporation of a far-red fluorophore, CellVue Maroon (CVM), into the nanovesicles allows for in vivo non-invasive visualization of the agent in targeted tissue. Given that phosphatidylserine is present only on the inner leaflet of healthy plasma membranes but is “flipped” to the outer leaflet upon cell damage, we hypothesized that SapC-DOPS would target tissue damage associated with inflammatory arthritis due to local surface-exposure of phosphatidylserine. Optical imaging with SapC-DOPS-CVM in two distinct models of arthritis, serum-transfer arthritis (e.g., K/BxN) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) revealed robust SapC-DOPS-CVM specific localization to arthritic paws and joints in live animals. Importantly, intensity of localized fluorescent signal correlated with macroscopic arthritic disease severity and increased with disease progression. Flow cytometry of cells extracted from arthritic joints demonstrated that SapC-DOPS-CVM localized to an average of 7–8% of total joint cells and primarily to CD11b+Gr-1+ cells. Results from the current studies strongly support the application of SapC-DOPS-CVM for advanced clinical and research applications including: detecting early arthritis onset, assessing disease progression real-time in live subjects, and providing novel information regarding cell types that may mediate arthritis progression within joints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Human Genetics, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Flick
- Division of Experimental Hematology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Malinda Frederick
- Division of Rheumatology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Division of Human Genetics, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rachel Mason
- Division of Rheumatology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Monica DeLay
- Division of Rheumatology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Sherry Thornton
- Division of Rheumatology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abu-Baker S, Chu Z, Stevens AM, Li J, Qi X. Cytotoxicity and Selectivity in Skin Cancer by SapC-DOPS Nanovesicles. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 3:321-326. [PMID: 25485166 DOI: 10.4236/jct.2012.34041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma are malignant human cancers of the skin with an annual mortality that exceed 10,000 cases every year in the USA alone. In this study, the lysosomal protein saposin C (SapC) and the phospholipid dioloylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) were assembled into cancer-selective nanovesicles (SapC-DOPS) and successfully tested using several in vitro and in vivo skin cancer models. Using MTT assay that measures the percentage of cell death, SapC-DOPS cytotoxic effect on three skin tumor cell lines (squamous cell carcinoma, SK-MEL-28, and MeWo) was compared to two normal nontumorigenic skin cells lines, normal immortalized keratinocyte (NIK) and human fibroblast cell (HFC). We observed that the nanovesicles selectively killed the skin cancer cells by inducing apoptotic cell death whereas untransformed skin cancer cells remained unaffected. Using subcutaneous skin tumor xenografts, animals treated with SapC-DOPS by subcutaneous injection showed a 79.4 % tumor reduced compared to the control after 4 days of treatment. We observed that the nanovesicles killed skin cancer cells by inducing apoptotic cell death compared to the control as revealed by TUNEL staining of xenograft tumor sections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi Abu-Baker
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Zhengtao Chu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH ; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Ashley M Stevens
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH ; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Dermatology, University of Miami, Miami, FL
| | - Xiaoyang Qi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH ; Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH
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Arias JL. Advanced methodologies to formulate nanotheragnostic agents for combined drug delivery and imaging. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2011; 8:1589-608. [DOI: 10.1517/17425247.2012.634794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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