1
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Zhang X, Wang P, Shi G, Tang C, Xue H. AUNP-12 Near-Infrared Fluorescence Probes across NIR-I to NIR-II Enable In Vivo Detection of PD-1/PD-L1 Axis in the Tumor Microenvironment. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 38980173 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The innovative PD-1/PD-L1 pathway strategy is gaining significant traction in cancer therapeutics. However, fluctuating response rates of 20-40% to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, coupled with the risk of hyperprogression after immunotherapy, underscore the need for accurate patient selection and the identification of more beneficiaries. Molecular imaging, specifically near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging, is a valuable alternative for real-time, noninvasive visualization of dynamic PD-L1 expression in vivo. This research introduces AUNP-12, a novel PD-L1-targeting peptide antagonist conjugated with Cy5.5 and CH1055 for first (NIR-I) and second near-infrared (NIR-II) imaging. These probes have proven to be effective in mapping PD-L1 expression across various mouse tumor models, offering insights into tumor-immune interactions. This study highlights the potential of AUNP-12-Cy5.5 and AUNP-12-CH1055 for guiding clinical immunotherapy through precise patient stratification and dynamic monitoring, supporting the shift toward molecular imaging for personalized cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Medical Center & National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Guangyuan Shi
- University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Chu Tang
- Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an 710126, China
| | - Huadan Xue
- Department of Radiology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China
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2
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Liu X, Zhao A, Xiao S, Li H, Li M, Guo W, Han Q. PD-1: A critical player and target for immune normalization. Immunology 2024; 172:181-197. [PMID: 38269617 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune system imbalances contribute to the pathogenesis of several different diseases, and immunotherapy shows great therapeutic efficacy against tumours and infectious diseases with immune-mediated derivations. In recent years, molecules targeting the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint have attracted much attention, and related signalling pathways have been studied clearly. At present, several inhibitors and antibodies targeting PD-1 have been utilized as anti-tumour therapies. However, increasing evidence indicates that PD-1 blockade also has different degrees of adverse side effects, and these new explorations into the therapeutic safety of PD-1 inhibitors contribute to the emerging concept that immune normalization, rather than immune enhancement, is the ultimate goal of disease treatment. In this review, we summarize recent advancements in PD-1 research with regard to immune normalization and targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuening Liu
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Alison Zhao
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Su Xiao
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- People's Hospital of Zhoucun, Zibo, Shandong, China
| | - Haohao Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Menghua Li
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, China
| | - Qiuju Han
- Institute of Immunopharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
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3
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Bai L, Liu H, You R, Jiang X, Zhang T, Li Y, Shan T, Qian Z, Wang Y, Liu Y, Li C. Combination Nano-Delivery Systems Remodel the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2148-2162. [PMID: 38536949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer for which effective therapies are lacking. Targeted remodeling of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and activation of the body's immune system to fight tumors with well-designed nanoparticles have emerged as pivotal breakthroughs in tumor treatment. To simultaneously remodel the immunosuppressive TME and trigger immune responses, we designed two potential therapeutic nanodelivery systems to inhibit TNBC. First, the bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibitor JQ1 and the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor celecoxib (CXB) were coloaded into chondroitin sulfate (CS) to obtain CS@JQ1/CXB nanoparticles (NPs). Then, the biomimetic nanosystem MM@P3 was prepared by coating branched polymer poly(β-amino ester) self-assembled NPs with melittin embedded macrophage membranes (MM). Both in vitro and in vivo, the CS@JQ1/CXB and MM@P3 NPs showed excellent immune activation efficiencies. Combination treatment exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity, antimigration ability, and apoptosis-inducing and immune activation effects on TNBC cells and effectively suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in TNBC tumor-bearing mice by activating the tumor immune response and inhibiting angiogenesis. In summary, this study offers a novel combinatorial immunotherapeutic strategy for the clinical TNBC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Bai
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Ran You
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Xiaoyu Jiang
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Yunan Li
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Tianhe Shan
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Zhanyin Qian
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Yinsong Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics (Theranostics), Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, International Medical School, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
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4
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Qian Y, Sun Y, Shi P, Zhou X, Zhang Q, Dong Q, Jin S, Qiu L, Niu X, Zhou X, Zhao W, Wu Y, Zhai W, Gao Y. Development of LAG-3/FGL1 blocking peptide and combination with radiotherapy for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:1150-1165. [PMID: 38486998 PMCID: PMC10935467 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Aside from antibodies, peptides show great potential as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) due to several advantages, such as better tumor penetration and lower cost. Lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) is an immune checkpoint which can induce T cell dysfunction through interaction with its soluble ligand fibrinogen like protein-1 (FGL1). Here, we found that LAG-3 expression was higher than programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) in multiple human cancers by TCGA databases, and successfully identified a LAG-3 binding peptide LFP-6 by phage display bio-panning, which specifically blocks the interaction of LAG-3/FGL1 but not LAG-3/MHC-II. Subsequently, d-amino acids were introduced to substitute the N- and C-terminus of LFP-6 to obtain the proteolysis-resistant peptide LFP-D1, which restores T cell function in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Further, a bispecific peptide LFOP targeting both PD-1/PD-L1 and LAG-3/FGL1 was designed by conjugating LFP-D1 with PD-1/PD-L1 blocking peptide OPBP-1(8-12), which activates T cell with enhanced proliferation and IFN-γ production. More importantly, LFOP combined with radiotherapy significantly improve the T cell infiltration in tumor and elevate systemic antitumor immune response. In conclusion, we developed a novel peptide blocking LAG-3/FGL1 which can restore T cell function, and the bispecific peptide synergizes with radiotherapy to further enhance the antitumor immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhen Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yixuan Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Peishang Shi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Qiongqiong Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Qingyu Dong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Shengzhe Jin
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lu Qiu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Xiaoshuang Niu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yahong Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- International Joint Laboratory for Protein and Peptide Drugs of Henan Province, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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5
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Qin Y, Meng X, Li L, Liu C, Gao F, Yuan X, Huang Y, Zhu Y. Develop a PD-1-blockade peptide to reinvigorate T-cell activity and inhibit tumor progress. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 960:176144. [PMID: 37866745 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly monoclonal antibodies blocking the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) pathway, have been successfully utilized in the clinic. However, certain drawbacks associated with antibodies, such as high immunogenicity and poor tissue penetration, need to be addressed for their broader clinical application. Peptides, as low molecular weight alternatives, have garnered increasing interest in this field. In this study, we employed bacterial surface display technology to identify a PD-1-binding peptide, PBP. The PBP peptide exhibited moderate affinity for human PD-1 (hPD-1) and displayed cross-reactivity with mouse PD-1 (mPD-1). Molecular docking analysis revealed that the interaction residues of the PBP peptide with PD-1 played crucial roles in the formation of the PD-1/PD-L1 complex. A competing binding assay demonstrated that the peptide could interfere the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that the PBP peptide could reinvigorate T cells inhibited by PD-L1. In an in vivo mouse model of CT26, the PBP peptide effectively suppressed tumor growth by enhancing T cell function. In conclusion, our results suggest that the PBP peptide exerts an anti-tumor effect by impeding the interplay between PD-1 and PD-L1, highlighting its potential as an alternative for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingzhou Qin
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xiangzhou Meng
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Lin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Cuijuan Liu
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Fan Gao
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Xin Yuan
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Ying Huang
- School of Nano Technology and Nano Bionics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Yimin Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nano-Bio Interface, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, China.
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6
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Ma P, Liu J, Pang S, Zhou W, Yu H, Wang M, Dong T, Wang Y, Wang Q, Liu A. Biopanning of specific peptide for SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based antigen assay. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1264:341300. [PMID: 37230729 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide which triggered serious public health issues. The search for rapid and accurate diagnosis, effective prevention, and treatment is urgent. The nucleocapsid protein (NP) of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the main structural proteins expressed and most abundant in the virus, and is considered a diagnostic marker for the accurate and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we report the screening of specific peptides from the pIII phage library that bind to SARS-CoV-2 NP. The phage monoclone expressing cyclic peptide N1 (peptide sequence, ACGTKPTKFC, with C&C bridged by disulfide bonding) specifically recognizes SARS-CoV-2 NP. Molecular docking studies reveal that the identified peptide is bound to the "pocket" region on the SARS-CoV-2 NP N-terminal domain mainly by forming a hydrogen bonding network and through hydrophobic interaction. Peptide N1 with the C-terminal linker was synthesized as the capture probe for SARS-CoV-2 NP in ELISA. The peptide-based ELISA was capable of assaying SARS-CoV-2 NP at concentrations as low as 61 pg/mL (∼1.2 pM). Furthermore, the as-proposed method could detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus at limits as low as 50 TCID50 (median tissue culture infective dose)/mL. This study demonstrates that selected peptides are powerful biomolecular tools for SARS-CoV-2 detection, providing a new and inexpensive method of rapidly screening infections as well as rapidly diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengxin Ma
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Junchong Liu
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Shuang Pang
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Haipeng Yu
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Mingyang Wang
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Tao Dong
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Yanbo Wang
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Qiqin Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Aihua Liu
- Institute for Chemical Biology & Biosensing, College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University, 308 Ningxia Rd, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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7
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Liu S, Wang H, Shao X, Chen H, Chao S, Zhang Y, Gao Z, Yao Q, Zhang P. Advances in PD-1 signaling inhibition-based nano-delivery systems for tumor therapy. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:207. [PMID: 37403095 PMCID: PMC10318732 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01966-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, cancer immunotherapy has emerged as an exciting cancer treatment. Immune checkpoint blockade brings new opportunities for more researchers and clinicians. Programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) is a widely studied immune checkpoint, and PD-1 blockade therapy has shown promising results in a variety of tumors, including melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma, which greatly improves patient overall survival and becomes a promising tool for the eradication of metastatic or inoperable tumors. However, low responsiveness and immune-related adverse effects currently limit its clinical application. Overcoming these difficulties is a major challenge to improve PD-1 blockade therapies. Nanomaterials have unique properties that enable targeted drug delivery, combination therapy through multidrug co-delivery strategies, and controlled drug release through sensitive bonds construction. In recent years, combining nanomaterials with PD-1 blockade therapy to construct novel single-drug-based or combination therapy-based nano-delivery systems has become an effective mean to address the limitations of PD-1 blockade therapy. In this study, the application of nanomaterial carriers in individual delivery of PD-1 inhibitors, combined delivery of PD-1 inhibitors and other immunomodulators, chemotherapeutic drugs, photothermal reagents were reviewed, which provides effective references for designing new PD-1 blockade therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songlin Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Haiyang Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
- Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinzhe Shao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Haonan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Shushu Chao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaoju Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Qingqiang Yao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China
| | - Pingping Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery System, Key Laboratory for Biotechnology Drugs of National Health Commission (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences), Key Lab for Rare & Uncommon Diseases of Shandong Province, Jinan, 250117, Shandong, China.
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8
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Zhang Y, Liu C, Wu C, Song L. Natural peptides for immunological regulation in cancer therapy: Mechanism, facts and perspectives. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 159:114257. [PMID: 36689836 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually. Treatment with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) is unsatisfactory because many patients have advanced disease at the initial diagnosis. However, the emergence of immunotherapy promises to be an effective strategy to improve the outcome of advanced tumors. Immune checkpoint antibodies, which are at the forefront of immunotherapy, have had significant success but still leave some cancer patients without benefit. For more cancer patients to benefit from immunotherapy, it is necessary to find new drugs and combination therapeutic strategies to improve the outcome of advanced cancer patients and achieve long-term tumor control or even eradication. Peptides are promising choices for tumor immunotherapy drugs because they have the advantages of low production cost, high sequence selectivity, high tissue permeability, low toxicity and low immunogenicity etc., and the adjuvant matching and technologies like nanotechnology can further optimize the effects of peptides. In this review, we present the current status and mechanisms of research on peptides targeting multiple immune cells (T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells (DCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), regulatory T cells (Tregs)) and immune checkpoints in tumor immunotherapy; and we summarize the current status of research on peptide-based tumor immunotherapy in combination with other therapies including RT, chemotherapy, surgery, targeted therapy, cytokine therapy, adoptive cell therapy (ACT) and cancer vaccines. Finally, we discuss the current status of peptide applications in mRNA vaccine delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunchao Zhang
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chenxin Liu
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Chunjie Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China
| | - Linjiang Song
- School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, PR China.
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9
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DiFrancesco M, Hofer J, Aradhya A, Rufinus J, Stoddart J, Finocchiaro S, Mani J, Tevis S, Visconti M, Walawender G, DiFlumeri J, Fattakhova E, Patil SP. Discovery of small-molecule PD-1/PD-L1 antagonists through combined virtual screening and experimental validation. Comput Biol Chem 2023; 102:107804. [PMID: 36610303 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2022.107804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of the interaction between the PD-1 protein on activated lymphocytes and the PD-L1 protein on tumors represents a novel therapeutic approach for selective activation of the innate immune response against a variety of cancers. Therefore, the present study utilized a combined virtual and experimental screening approach to screen databases of both lead-like and larger molecules for identification of novel inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. First, high-throughput virtual screening of ∼3.7 million lead-like molecules using a rigid-receptor docking approach against both human PD-1 and PD-L1 proteins revealed possible small-molecule tractability of PD-1, but not PD-L1, binding interface. The subsequent work, therefore, involved screening of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) compound database against the PD-1 pocket. Several NCI compounds were identified with potential to bind to the PD-1 pocket and in turn inhibit the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. The dynamic binding behavior of these molecules was further investigated using long 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) stimulation revealing NSC631535 to be a potentially stable binder at PD-1 interface pocket. In support of these MD data, the experimental testing of NSC631535 exhibited 50% inhibition at ∼15 μM test concentration. The observed activity of this compound is promising as despite its relatively low molecular weight (415.5 g/mol) it is still capable of inhibiting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction having a large interface area (∼1970 Å2). In summary, our integrated computational and experimental screening led to identification of a novel PD-1 antagonist that may serve as a starting point for further optimization into more potent small-molecule PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Hofer
- Department of Computer Science, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Abhay Aradhya
- Department of Computer Science, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rufinus
- Department of Computer Science, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - John Stoddart
- Department of Computer Science, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Stephen Finocchiaro
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Jabari Mani
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Sean Tevis
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Michael Visconti
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Griffin Walawender
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Juliette DiFlumeri
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Elena Fattakhova
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA
| | - Sachin P Patil
- NanoBio Laboratory, School of Engineering, Widener University, Chester, PA, USA.
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Tran TH, Phuong Tran TT. Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis for cancer treatment: a review on nanotechnology. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211991. [PMID: 35425626 PMCID: PMC9006034 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Although nanomedicines have been in the oncology field for almost three decades with the introduction of doxil, only a few nanomedicine products have reached approval. Can nanotechnology be a realistic tool to reduce the number of hospital beds? At present, several clinically approved anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies or CAR T cell-based therapies are available; however, the immunotherapy field is far from mature. Will immunotherapy be the fourth pillar of cancer treatment? In this review, we summarized the current status of immunotherapy using PD-1/PD-L1-targeting nanocarriers. The knowledge on material science, therapeutic agents and formulation designs could pave the way for high-efficacy treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Hiep Tran
- Faculty of Pharmacy, PHENIKAA University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | - Thi Thu Phuong Tran
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of Hanoi Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
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