Biochemical reprogramming of tumors for active modulation of receptor-mediated nanomaterial delivery

Tailored Phototherapy Agent by Infection Site In Situ Activated Against Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

Phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), is a promising treatment approach for multidrug resistant infections. PDT/PTT combination therapy can more efficiently eliminate pathogens without drug resistance. The key to improve the efficacy of photochemotherapy is the utilization efficiency of non-radiation energy of phototherapy agents. Herein, a facile phototherapy molecule (SCy-Le) with the enhancement of non-radiative energy transfer is designed by an acid stimulation under a single laser. Introduction of the protonated receptor into SCy-Le results in a distorted intramolecular charge in the infected acidic microenvironment, pH ≈ 5.5, which in turn, enhances light capture, reduces the singlet-triplet transition energies (ΔES1-T1), promotes electron system crossing, enhances capacity of reactive oxygen species generation, and causes a significant increase in temperature by improving vibrational relaxation. SCy-Le shows more than 99% bacterial killing rate against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and its biofilms in vitro and causes bacteria-induced wound healing in mice. This work will provide a new perspective for the design of phototherapy agents, and the emerging photochemotherapy will be a promising approach to combat the problem of antibiotic resistance.

Tolerogenic Nanovaccine for Prevention and Treatment of Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Herein, a tolerogenic nanovaccine is developed and tested on an animal model of multiple sclerosis. The nanovaccine is constructed to deliver the self-antigen, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) peptide, and dexamethasone on an abatacept-modified polydopamine core nanoparticle (AbaLDPN-MOG). AbaLDPN-MOG can target dendritic cells and undergo endocytosis followed by trafficking to lysosomes. AbaLDPN-MOG blocks the interaction between CD80/CD86 and CD28 in antigen-presenting cells and T cells, leading to decreased interferon gamma secretion. The subcutaneous administration of AbaLDPN-MOG to mice yields significant biodistribution to lymph nodes and, in experimental-autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model mice, increases the integrity of the myelin basic sheath and minimizes the infiltration of immune cells. EAE mice are treated with AbaLDPN-MOG before or after injection of the autoantigen, MOG. Preimmunization of AbaLDPN-MOG before the injection of MOG completely blocks the development of clinical symptoms. Early treatment with AbaLDPN-MOG at three days after injection of MOG also completely blocks the development of symptoms. Notably, treatment of EAE symptom-developed mice with AbaLDPN-MOG significantly alleviates the symptoms, indicating that the nanovaccine has therapeutic effects. Although AbaLDPN is used for MOG peptide delivery in the EAE model, the concept of AbaLDPN can be widely applied for the prevention and alleviation of other autoimmune diseases.

Self-deliverable and self-immolative prodrug nanoassemblies as tumor targeted nanomedicine with triple cooperative anticancer actions

Stimulus-responsive self-assembling prodrug-based nanomedicine has emerged as a novel paradigm in controlled drug delivery. All-trans retinoic acid (RA), one of vitamin A metabolites, induces apoptotic cancer cell death, but its clinical applications are limited by weak anticancer efficacy. To fully maximize the therapeutic potential of RA, we exploited the unique chemistry of arylboronic acid which undergoes hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-triggered degradation to release quinone methide (QM) that alkylates glutathione (GSH) to disrupt redox homeostasis and is also converted into hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA) to suppress the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Here, we report that boronated retinoic acid prodrug (RABA) can be formulated into self-deliverable nanoassemblies which release both RA and QM in a H2O2-triggered self-immolative manner to exert cooperative anticancer activities. RABA nanoassemblies exert anticancer effects by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis, eliciting immunogenic cell death (ICD) and suppressing angiogenic VEGF expression. The excellent anticancer efficacy of RABA nanoassemblies can be explained by benefits of self-assembling prodrug-based drug self-delivery and cooperative anticancer actions. The design strategy of RABA would provide a new insight into the rational design of self-deliverable and self-immolative boronated prodrug nanoassemblies for targeted cancer therapy.

Nanoparticle-Mediated Lipid Metabolic Reprogramming of T Cells in Tumor Microenvironments for Immunometabolic Therapy

aCD3/F/AN, anti-CD3e f(ab')2 fragment-modified and fenofibrate-encapsulated amphiphilic nanoparticle, reprogrammed mitochondrial lipid metabolism of T cells. aCD3/F/AN specifically activated T cells in glucose-deficient conditions mimicking tumor microenvironment, and exerted an effector killing effect against tumor cells. In vivo treatment with aCD3/F/AN increased T cell infiltration, cytokine production, and prevented tumor growth. We report the activation of anticancer effector functions of T cells through nanoparticle-induced lipid metabolic reprogramming. Fenofibrate was encapsulated in amphiphilic polygamma glutamic acid-based nanoparticles (F/ANs), and the surfaces of F/ANs were modified with an anti-CD3e f(ab')2 fragment, yielding aCD3/F/ANs. An in vitro study reveals enhanced delivery of aCD3/F/ANs to T cells compared with plain F/ANs. aCD3/F/AN-treated T cells exhibited clear mitochondrial cristae, a higher membrane potential, and a greater mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate under glucose-deficient conditions compared with T cells treated with other nanoparticle preparations. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and downstream fatty acid metabolism-related genes are expressed to a greater extent in aCD3/F/AN-treated T cells. Activation of fatty acid metabolism by aCD3/F/ANs supports the proliferation of T cells in a glucose-deficient environment mimicking the tumor microenvironment. Real-time video recordings show that aCD3/F/AN-treated T cells exerted an effector killing effect against B16F10 melanoma cells. In vivo administration of aCD3/F/ANs can increase infiltration of T cells into tumor tissues. The treatment of tumor-bearing mice with aCD3/F/ANs enhances production of various cytokines in tumor tissues and prevented tumor growth. Our findings suggest the potential of nanotechnology-enabled reprogramming of lipid metabolism in T cells as a new modality of immunometabolic therapy.