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Wang X, Zhang X, Zheng G, Dong M, Huang Z, Lin L, Yan K, Zheng J, Wang J. Mitochondria-targeted pentacyclic triterpene NIR-AIE derivatives for enhanced chemotherapeutic and chemo-photodynamic combined therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115975. [PMID: 38039788 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115975] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Complexes formed by combining pentacyclic triterpenes (PTs) with Aggregation-Induced Emission luminogens (AIEgens), termed pentacyclic triterpene-aggregation induced emission (PT-AIEgen) complexes, merge the chemotherapeutic properties of PTs with the photocytotoxicity of AIEgens. In this study, we synthesized derivatives by connecting three types of triphenylamine (TPA) pyridinium derivatives with three common pentacyclic triterpenes. Altering the connecting group between the electron donor TPA and the electron acceptor pyridinium resulted in increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PT-AIEgens and a red-shift in their fluorescence emission spectra. Importantly, the fluorescence emission spectra of BA-3, OA-3, and UA-3 extended into the near-infrared (NIR) range, enabling NIR-AIE imaging of the sites where the derivatives aggregated. The incorporation of the pyridinium structure improved the mitochondrial targeting of PT-AIEgens, enhancing mitochondrial pathway-mediated cell apoptosis and improving the efficiency of chemotherapy (CT) and chemo-photodynamic combined therapy (CPCT) both in vivo and in vitro. Cellular fluorescence imaging demonstrated rapid cellular uptake and mitochondrial accumulation of BA-1 (-2, -3). Cell viability experiments revealed that BA-1 (-2), OA-1 (-2), and UA-1 (-2) exhibited superior CT cytotoxicity compared to their parent drugs, with BA-1 showing the most potent inhibitory effect on HeLa cells (IC50 = 1.19 μM). Furthermore, HeLa cells treated with BA-1 (1 μM), BA-2 (1.25 μM), and BA-3 (1 μM) exhibited survival rates of 2.99 % ± 0.05 % μM, 5.92 % ± 2.04 % μM, and 2.53 % ± 0.73 % μM, respectively, under white light irradiation. Mechanistic experiments revealed that derivatives induced cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway during both CT and CPCT. Remarkably, BA-1 and BA-3 in CPCT inhibited cancer cell proliferation in an in vivo melanoma mouse xenograft model. These results collectively encourage further research of PT-AIEgens as potential anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Xuewei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Guoxing Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Mingming Dong
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Zhaopeng Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Liyin Lin
- Central Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Kang Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Jinhong Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China
| | - Jinzhi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou, 515041, PR China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, PR China.
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2
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Mi X, Lou Y, Wang Y, Dong M, Xue H, Li S, Lu J, Chen X. Glycyrrhetinic Acid Receptor-Mediated Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Loaded Doxorubicin as a Nanotherapeutic System for Liver Cancer Treatment. Molecules 2023; 28:8131. [PMID: 38138618 PMCID: PMC10745904 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28248131] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we designed and developed a DOX nanodrug delivery system (PEG-GA@ZIF-8@DOX) using ZIF-8 as the carrier and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) as the targeting ligand. We confirmed that DOX was loaded and PEG-GA was successfully modified on the surface of the nanoparticles. The in vitro release profile of the system was investigated at pH 5.0 and 7.4. The cellular uptake, in vitro cytotoxicity, and lysosomal escape characteristics were examined using HepG2 cells. We established an H22 tumor-bearing mouse model and evaluated the in vivo antitumor activity. The results showed that the system had a uniform nanomorphology. The drug loading capacity was 11.22 ± 0.87%. In acidic conditions (pH 5.0), the final release rate of DOX was 57.73%, while at pH 7.4, it was 25.12%. GA-mediated targeting facilitated the uptake of DOX by the HepG2 cells. PEG-GA@ZIF-8@DOX could escape from the lysosomes and release the drug in the cytoplasm, thus exerting its antitumor effect. When the in vivo efficacy was analyzed, we found that the tumor inhibition rate of PEG-GA@ZIF-8@DOX was 67.64%; it also alleviated the loss of the body weight of the treated mice. This drug delivery system significantly enhanced the antitumor effect of doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo, while mitigating its toxic side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Juan Lu
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (X.M.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (M.D.); (H.X.); (S.L.)
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (X.M.); (Y.L.); (Y.W.); (M.D.); (H.X.); (S.L.)
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Song Y, Xing X, Shen J, Chen G, Zhao L, Tian L, Ying J, Yu Y. Anti-inflammatory effect of glycyrrhetinic acid in IL-1β-induced SW982 cells and adjuvant-induced arthritis. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15588. [PMID: 37180904 PMCID: PMC10172753 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15588] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Influences of Glycyrrhetinic acid on expression of inflammatory factors in interleukin (IL)-1β-induced SW982 cells and its anti-inflammatory effects were discussed in this study. MTT results showed that Glycyrrhetinic acid (≤80 μmol·L-1) almost has no toxicity on SW982 cells. The results of ELISA and real-time PCR showed that Glycyrrhetinic acid (10, 20 and 40 μmol · L-1) can significantly inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-8 and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1). Western blot analysis showed that Glycyrrhetinic acid remarkably blocked the NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro. Molecule docking showed that Glycyrrhetinic acid could bind to the active site (NLS Polypeptide) of NF-κB p65. Furthermore, observation of rat foot swelling proved that Glycyrrhetinic acid had a significant therapeutic effect on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats in vivo. Collectively, all these findings suggested that Glycyrrhetinic acid might be a promising lead compound worthy of further pursuit as anti-inflammation agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Song
- Department of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Xinyu Xing
- Department of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Jing Shen
- Department of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Guo Chen
- Department of Gynecology, Maternity and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province Maternity and Child Health Hospital, No. 15 Yimin Street, Hefei 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Li Zhao
- Department of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Lu Tian
- Department of Gynecology, Maternity and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province Maternity and Child Health Hospital, No. 15 Yimin Street, Hefei 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Jie Ying
- Department of Gynecology, Maternity and Child Health Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Anhui Province Maternity and Child Health Hospital, No. 15 Yimin Street, Hefei 230001, Anhui, China
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 218 Jixi Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
- Corresponding author.
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Zhu G, Wang B, Feng G, Zhou Z, Li W, Liu W, Su H, Wang W, Wang T, Yu XA. A nano-preparation approach to enable the delivery of daphnoretin to potentiate the therapeutical efficacy in hepatocellular cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:965131. [PMID: 36249790 PMCID: PMC9554561 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.965131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Daphnoretin (DAP), isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine Wikstroemia indica (Linn. C. A. Meyer), could induce apoptosis of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) and inhibit tumor growth. However, the application of DAP in cancer therapies was hampered because to its poor solubility. Herein, this study aimed to design an approach of double-targeted nano-preparation to enable the delivery of DAP to potentiate the therapeutical efficacy in liver cancer via glycyrrhetinic acid-polyethylene glycol-block-poly (D,L-lactic acid)/polyethylene glycol-block-poly (D,L-lactic acid)-DAP (GPP/PP-DAP). In particular, the purity of separated DAP was up to 98.12% for preparation research. GPP/PP-DAP was successfully prepared by the thin-film hydration method. Subsequently, the GPP/PP-DAP was optimized by univariate analysis and the response surface methodology, producing a stable and systemically injectable nano-preparation. Impressively, on the one hand, cytotoxicity studies showed that the IC50 of the GPP/PP-DAP was lower than that of free DAP. On the other hand, the GPP/PP-DAP was more likely to be endocytosed by HepG2 cells and targeted to the liver with orthotopic tumors, potentiating the therapeutical efficacy in HCC. Collectively, both in vitro and in vivo results indicated the excellent tumor inhibition and liver targeting of GPP/PP-DAP, suggesting the nano-preparation could serve as a potential drug delivery system for natural ingredients with anti-hepatoma activity to lay the theoretical foundation for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanglin Zhu
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Bing Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Bioequivalence Research of Generic Drug Evaluation, Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guo Feng
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
- *Correspondence: Guo Feng, ; Xie-an Yu,
| | - Zhirong Zhou
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Wen Liu
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Hongmei Su
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Tiejie Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Bioequivalence Research of Generic Drug Evaluation, Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xie-an Yu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Bioequivalence Research of Generic Drug Evaluation, Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Guo Feng, ; Xie-an Yu,
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5
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Yang W, Zhang Y, Wang J, Li H, Yang H. Glycyrrhetinic acid-cyclodextrin grafted pullulan nanoparticles loaded doxorubicin as a liver targeted delivery carrier. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 216:789-798. [PMID: 35914549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this work, glycyrrhetinic acid (GA)-β-cyclodextrin grafted pullulan (GCDPu) was synthesized and used to form nanoparticles for liver-specific drug delivery. GCDPu was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The self-aggregated nanoparticles (GCDPu NPs) with a spherical dimension of about 200 nm were prepared and analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Doxorubicin (DOX) was selected as an anti-cancer model drug, and the drug-loaded GCDPu NPs were prepared by the emulsion solvent evaporation method. Moreover, the drug encapsulation efficiency (LE%) and loading content (LC%) were determined. Slow DOX release from DOX/GCDPu NPs was confirmed. GCDPu NPs were cytocompatible with Bel-7404 cells and showed high cellular uptake according to the MTT assay, confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and flow cytometry (FCM) results. Compared with free DOX, DOX/GCDPu NPs have exhibited a longer half-life time (t1/2) and a larger area-under-the-curve (AUC). GCDPu NPs significantly increased DOX contents in the liver and decreased in heart and kidney. Furthermore, DOX/GCDPu NPs exhibited a better anticancer therapeutic effect on tumor-bearing mice. These findings suggest that GCDPu can serve a liver-specific drug delivery system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China
| | - Haiying Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Quality Control of Hebei Province, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China.
| | - Hu Yang
- Linda and Bipin Doshi Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, United States.
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6
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Pham DT, Nguyen LP, Pham QTH, Pham CK, Pham DTN, Viet NT, Nguyen HVT, Tran TQ, Nguyen DT. A low-cost, flexible extruder for liposomes synthesis and application for Murrayafoline A delivery for cancer treatment. J Biomater Appl 2022; 37:872-880. [PMID: 35786069 DOI: 10.1177/08853282221112491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Liposomal encapsulation is a drug delivery strategy with many advantages, such as improved bioavailability, ability to carry large drug loads, as well as controllability and specificity towards various targeted diseased tissues. Currently, most preparation techniques require an additional extrusion or filtering step to obtain monodisperse liposomes with the size of less than 100 nm. In this study, a compact liposome extruder was designed at a cost of $4.00 and used to synthesize liposome suspensions with defined particle size and high homogeneity for Murrayafoline A (Mu-A) loading and release. The synthesized MuA-loaded liposomes displayed a biphasic drug release and remained stable under the storage condition of 4°C. They also significantly reduced the viability of HepG2 cells in the cancer spheroids by 25%. The low-cost, flexible liposome extruder would allow the researchers to study liposomes and their applications in a cost-effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan The Pham
- 61797Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | | | | | - Chi Khanh Pham
- 61797Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Dung Thuy Nguyen Pham
- Institute of Applied Technology and Sustainable Development, 384731Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Thanh Viet
- Institute of Applied Technology and Sustainable Development, 384731Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | | | - Toan Quoc Tran
- 61797Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
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7
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Li L, Chen A, Liu B, Pan H, Yu Y, Liu Y. Preparation and pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhetinic acid and cell transmembrane peptides modified with liposomes for liver targeted-delivery. Biomed Mater 2022; 17. [PMID: 35483344 DOI: 10.1088/1748-605x/ac6b73] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The article presents a hepatocellular carcinoma cell surface-specific ligand glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and cell-penetrating peptide (TAT) with good cell membrane penetration to modify the anti-tumor drug pingyangmycin (PYM) liver delivery system, which achieve targeted delivery of drugs and improve anti-tumor efficiency. In this study, we synthesized the pingyangmycin liposome modified by glycyrrhetinic acid and cell penetrating peptide(GA-TAT-PYM-L) and evaluated the anti-tumor effect of GA-TAT-PYM-Lin vitro. Using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenylte-trazolium bromidecell proliferation method, GA-TAT-PYM-L had a stronger inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells than the free drug PYM at the same concentration. Acridine orange-ethidium bromide staining assays showed that GA-TAT-PYM-L had stronger apoptosis promotion effects on HepG2 cells in comparison to PYM. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated that, compared with PYM, GA-TAT-PYM-L enhanced mean residence time (MRT0-∞) and area under curve (AUC0-∞) by about 2.79-fold and 2.45-fold. TheT1/2was prolonged to 140.23 ± 14.13 min. Tissue distribution results showed that the PYM concentrations in livers from the GA-TAT-PYM-L group were always higher than other tissues at each monitoring period after 5 min, indicating that GA-TAT-PYM-L can achieve liver targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of New Drug Research & Development, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Anqi Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingmi Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China.,Liaoning Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Center for Natural Medicine, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Pan
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of New Drug Research & Development, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanjie Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China.,Liaoning University, Judicial Expertise Center, Shenyang 110036, People's Republic of China
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Qi C, Wang D, Gong X, Zhou Q, Yue X, Li C, Li Z, Tian G, Zhang B, Wang Q, Wei X, Wu J. Co-Delivery of Curcumin and Capsaicin by Dual-Targeting Liposomes for Inhibition of aHSC-Induced Drug Resistance and Metastasis. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:16019-16035. [PMID: 33819006 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c23137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent research studies have shown that the low survival rate of liver cancer is due to drug resistance and metastasis. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) have been proven to favor the development of liver cancer. Hence, the combination therapy dual-targeting aHSCs and tumor cells might be an effective strategy for treatment of liver cancer. In this study, the novel multifunctional liposomes (CAPS-CUR/GA&Gal-Lip) were prepared for co-delivery of curcumin (CUR) and capsaicin (CAPS), in which glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) and galactose (Gal) were chosen as targeting ligands to modify the liposomes (Lip) for dual-targeting liver cancer. To mimic TME, a novel HSCs+HepG2 (human hepatoma cell line) cocultured model was established for the antitumor effect in vitro. The results showed that, compared to HepG2 cells alone, the cocultured model promoted drug resistance and migration by upregulating the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and Vimentin, which were effectively inhibited by CAPS-CUR/GA&Gal-Lip. The efficacy of the in vivo antitumor was evaluated by three mice models: subcutaneous H22 (mouse hepatoma cell line) tumor-bearing mice, H22+m-HSC (mouse hepatic stellate cell) tumor-bearing mice, and orthotopic H22 cells-bearing mice. The results showed that CAPS-CUR/GA&Gal-Lip exhibited lesser extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, lesser tumor angiogenesis, and superior antitumor effect compared with the no- and/or Gal-modified Lip, which was attributed to the simultaneous blocking of the activation of HSCs and inhibition of the metastasis of tumor cells. The dual-targeting method using Lip is thus a potential strategy for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiping Qi
- School of Nursing, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Di Wang
- School of Nursing, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Xue Gong
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Qiyang Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Xinxin Yue
- School of Nursing, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Chenglei Li
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Zhipeng Li
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Guixiang Tian
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Qing Wang
- School of Basic Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Xiuhong Wei
- School of Nursing, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
| | - Jingliang Wu
- School of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, P. R. China
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Wu SY, Wang WJ, Dou JH, Gong LK. Research progress on the protective effects of licorice-derived 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid against liver injury. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2021; 42:18-26. [PMID: 32144337 PMCID: PMC7921636 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-020-0383-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The first description of the medical use of licorice appeared in "Shennong Bencao Jing", one of the well-known Chinese herbal medicine classic books dated back to 220-280 AD. As one of the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal medicine, licorice is known as "Guo Lao", meaning "a national treasure" in China. Modern pharmacological investigations have confirmed that licorice possesses a number of biological activities, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immune regulation, and liver protection. 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid is one of the most extensively studied active integrants of licorice. Here, we provide an overview of the protective effects of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid against various acute and chronic liver diseases observed in experimental models, and summarize its pharmacological effects and potential toxic/side effects at higher doses. We also make additional comments on the important areas that may warrant further research to support appropriate clinical applications of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid and avoid potential risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shou-Yan Wu
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wen-Jie Wang
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jin-Hui Dou
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA
| | - Li-Kun Gong
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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10
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Kim J, Lee S, Na K. Glycyrrhetinic Acid-Modified Silicon Phthalocyanine for Liver Cancer-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy. Biomacromolecules 2020; 22:811-822. [PMID: 33356155 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
To supplement shortcomings of existing treatments and enhance the therapeutic effect for liver cancer, a novel photosensitizer is designed using silicon phthalocyanine (SiPC) and a unique targeting moiety, glycyrrhetinic acid (GA). The SiPC is modified with a hydrophilic polymer and finally bound with GA. The solubility, fluorescence, singlet oxygen generation, and UV-vis absorbance are analyzed, and receptor-dependent intracellular influx is estimated in various cell lines. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, intracellular fluorescence was detected in liver cancer because of GA receptor overexpression. To prove in vitro photodynamic therapeutic effects, the sample treated cells are irradiated and viability of liver cancer cells decreases in proportion to laser power. Then, it is confirmed that GA-modified SiPC effectively accumulated in liver cancer of HepG2 tumor-bearing mouse. Additionally, the PDT-combined therapeutic effect of GA-modified SiPC is observed in the tumor model and shown to have a tumor growth inhibition effect (60.36 times higher than the control group) and supported by histological analyses. These results demonstrate that the newly modified SiPC can be applied to liver cancer-specific treatment with high therapeutic efficacy. Consequently, novel SiPC has the potential to alter conventional liver cancer-targeted therapy and chemotherapy in clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyoung Kim
- Department of Biomedical-Chemical Engineering, The Catholic University of Korea, 43 Jibong-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do 14662, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Lee
- Department of Biomedical-Chemical Engineering, The Catholic University of Korea, 43 Jibong-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do 14662, Republic of Korea
| | - Kun Na
- Department of Biomedical-Chemical Engineering, The Catholic University of Korea, 43 Jibong-ro, Wonmi-gu, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do 14662, Republic of Korea
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11
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Jiang X, Lin M, Huang J, Mo M, Liu H, Jiang Y, Cai X, Leung W, Xu C. Smart Responsive Nanoformulation for Targeted Delivery of Active Compounds From Traditional Chinese Medicine. Front Chem 2020; 8:559159. [PMID: 33363102 PMCID: PMC7758496 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.559159] [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: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used to treat disorders in China for ~1,000 years. Growing evidence has shown that the active ingredients from TCM have antibacterial, antiproliferative, antioxidant, and apoptosis-inducing features. However, poor solubility and low bioavailability limit clinical application of active compounds from TCM. “Nanoformulations” (NFs) are novel and advanced drug-delivery systems. They show promise for improving the solubility and bioavailability of drugs. In particular, “smart responsive NFs” can respond to the special external and internal stimuli in targeted sites to release loaded drugs, which enables them to control the release of drug within target tissues. Recent studies have demonstrated that smart responsive NFs can achieve targeted release of active compounds from TCM at disease sites to increase their concentrations in diseased tissues and reduce the number of adverse effects. Here, we review “internal stimulus–responsive NFs” (based on pH and redox status) and “external stimulus–responsive NFs” (based on light and magnetic fields) and focus on their application for active compounds from TCM against tumors and infectious diseases, to further boost the development of TCM in modern medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mei Lin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mulan Mo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Houhe Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaowen Cai
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wingnang Leung
- Asia-Pacific Institute of Aging Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chuanshan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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12
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Zhou M, Li S, Shi S, He S, Ma Y, Wang W. Hepatic targeting of glycyrrhetinic acid via nanomicelles based on stearic acid-modified fenugreek gum. ARTIFICIAL CELLS NANOMEDICINE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 48:1105-1113. [PMID: 32880189 DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2020.1813740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to increase the solubility of glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) in water and enhance its liver-targeting ability using self-assembling nanomicelles (NMs) based on stearic acid-modified fenugreek gum (FG-C18). The GA/FG-C18 NMs were prepared by an ultrasonication dispersion method. The nanomicelles were spherical particles with a particle size of 198.61 ± 1.58 nm and a zeta potential of -30.12 ± 0.28 mV. The drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were 13.34 ± 0.24% and 80.07 ± 1.44%, respectively. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) indicated that GA was successfully encapsulated into the nanomicelles in a molecularly dispersed state. An in vitro release test showed that GA/FG-C18 NMs possessed a slow drug release profile in PBS (pH 7.4) over 200 h. The cytotoxicity assay indicated that GA/FG-C18 NMs showed much higher inhibitory efficacy in HepG2 cells than in MCF-7 cells. Tissue section studies indicated that the accumulation of DiR-loaded FG-C18 nanomicelles in the liver of mice was higher than that of the DiR solution, and the fluorescence intensity decreased over time. GA/FG-C18 NMs showed a larger area under the curve (AUC) and mean residence time (MRT) compared with free GA after intravenous administration in mice. The in vivo studies showed that GA mainly accumulated in the liver after encapsulation by FG-C18 NMs, and the drug concentration was higher than that of free GA. These results suggested that FG-C18 NMs could serve as a potential drug delivery system for targeting GA to liver tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Sheng Shi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Shaolong He
- Department of Pharmacy, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yanni Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Wenping Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.,College of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, China
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13
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Wang B, Zhang W, Zhou X, Liu M, Hou X, Cheng Z, Chen D. Development of dual-targeted nano-dandelion based on an oligomeric hyaluronic acid polymer targeting tumor-associated macrophages for combination therapy of non-small cell lung cancer. Drug Deliv 2020; 26:1265-1279. [PMID: 31777307 PMCID: PMC6896416 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2019.1693707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the novel carrier materials were screened to structure targeting nano-micelles (named ‘nano-dandelion’) for synchronous delivery of curcumin (Cur) and baicalin (Bai), which could effectively overcome the tumor resistance. Mannose (Man) was found to bind better to CD206 receptors on the surface of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), thereby increasing the number of nano-dandelion engulfed by TAMs. Furthermore, oligomeric hyaluronic acid (oHA) was able to target CD44 receptors, resulting in recruitment of a higher number of nano-dandelion to locate and engulf tumor cells. The disulfide bond (S–S) in 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid (DA) could be broken by the high concentration of glutathione (GSH) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Based on this, we selected DA to connect hydrophobic fragments (quercetin, Que) and oHA. A reduction-sensitive amphiphilic carrier material, quercetin–dithiodipropionic acid–oligomeric hyaluronic acid–mannose–ferulic acid (Que–S–S–oHA–Man–FA; QHMF) was fabricated and synthesized by 1H NMR. Next, QHMF self-assembled into nano-dandelion, i.e. encapsulated Cur and Bai in water. Critical experimental conditions in the preparation process of nano-dandelion that could affect its final properties were explored. Nano-dandelion with a small particle size (121.0 ± 15 nm) and good normal distribution (PI = 0.129) could easily enter tumor tissue through vascular barrier. In addition, nano-dandelion with a suitable surface potential (–20.33 ± 4.02 mV) could remain stable for a long duration. Furthermore, good cellular penetration and tumor cytotoxicity of nano-dandelion were demonstrated through in vitro cellular studies. Finally, effective antitumor activity and reduced side effects were confirmed through in vivo antitumor experiments in A549 tumor-bearing nude mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingjie Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Radiotherapy, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Xiudi Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China.,Department of Pharmacy, Binzhou People's Hospital, Binzhou, PR China
| | - Mengna Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Xiaoya Hou
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Ziting Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China
| | - Daquan Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs, Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, PR China
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Sun Y, Ma W, Yang Y, He M, Li A, Bai L, Yu B, Yu Z. Cancer nanotechnology: Enhancing tumor cell response to chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy. Asian J Pharm Sci 2019; 14:581-594. [PMID: 32104485 PMCID: PMC7032247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers due to its complexities, reoccurrence after surgical resection, metastasis and heterogeneity. In addition to sorafenib and lenvatinib for the treatment of HCC approved by FDA, various strategies including transarterial chemoembolization, radiotherapy, locoregional therapy and chemotherapy have been investigated in clinics. Recently, cancer nanotechnology has got great attention for the treatment of various cancers including HCC. Both passive and active targetings are progressing at a steady rate. Herein, we describe the lessons learned from pathogenesis of HCC and the understanding of targeted and non-targeted nanoparticles used for the delivery of small molecules, monoclonal antibodies, miRNAs and peptides. Exploring current efficacy is to enhance tumor cell response of chemotherapy. It highlights the opportunities and challenges faced by nanotechnologies in contemporary hepatocellular carcinoma therapy, where personalized medicine is increasingly becoming the mainstay. Overall objective of this review is to enhance our understanding in the design and development of nanotechnology for treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbing Sun
- National Engineering Research Center for solid preparation technology of Chinese Medicines, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Wen Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yuanyuan Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Mengxue He
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Aimin Li
- Integrated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510315, China
| | - Lei Bai
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown 26506, USA
| | - Bin Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhiqiang Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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15
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Hodon J, Borkova L, Pokorny J, Kazakova A, Urban M. Design and synthesis of pentacyclic triterpene conjugates and their use in medicinal research. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 182:111653. [PMID: 31499360 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Triterpenoids are natural products from plants and many other organisms that have various biological activities, such as antitumor, antiviral, antimicrobial, and protective activities. This review covers the synthesis and biological evaluation of pentacyclic triterpene (PT) conjugates with other molecules that have been found to increase the IC50 or improve the pharmacological profile of the parent PT. Some of these molecules are designed to target specific proteins or cellular organelles, which has resulted in highly selective lead structures for drug development. Other PT conjugates are useful for investigating their mechanism of action. This concept has been very successful: 1) Many compounds, especially mitochondria-targeting PT conjugates, have reached a selective cytotoxicity at low nanomolar concentrations in cancer cells. 2) A number of PT conjugates have had high activity against HIV or the influenza virus. 3) Fluorescent PT conjugates have been able to visualize the PT in living cells, which has allowed quantification of the uptake and distribution of the PT within the cell. 4) Biotinylated PT conjugates have been used to identify target proteins, which may help to show their mechanism of action. 5) A large number of PT conjugates with polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyamines, etc. form nanometer-sized micelles that have a much better pharmacological profile than the PT alone. In summary, the connection of a PT to an appropriate modifying molecule has resulted in extremely useful semisynthetic compounds with a high potential to treat cancer or viral infections or compounds that are useful for the study of the mechanism of action of PTs at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Hodon
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Borkova
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Pokorny
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Kazakova
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, 771 46, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Urban
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University, Hnevotinská 5, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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16
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Li N, Zhou T, Wu F, Wang R, Zhao Q, Zhang JQ, Yang BC, Ma BL. Pharmacokinetic mechanisms underlying the detoxification effect of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Gancao): drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and beyond. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2019; 15:167-177. [DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2019.1563595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Na Li
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Wu
- Engineering Research Center of Modern Preparation Technology of TCM of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Modern Preparation Technology of TCM of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Zhao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Quan Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Modern Preparation Technology of TCM of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bai-Can Yang
- Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing-Liang Ma
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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17
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Li J, Cha R, Zhang Y, Guo H, Long K, Gao P, Wang X, Zhou F, Jiang X. Iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted imaging of liver tumors with ultralow hepatotoxicity. J Mater Chem B 2018; 6:6413-6423. [PMID: 32254649 DOI: 10.1039/c8tb01657g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Even though iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles are promising materials for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, their biocompatibility and targeting efficacy still need to be improved. Herein, we modified glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) groups on Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@cGlu-GA) for liver tumor-targeted imaging. To evaluate the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles, we studied their cytotoxicity, hemolysis, and hepatotoxicity. We measured the uptake of Fe3O4@cGlu-GA nanoparticles in normal and liver tumor cells, then we investigated the specificity of Fe3O4@cGlu-GA nanoparticles in mouse models bearing subcutaneous and orthotopic liver tumors. With good biocompatibility and targeting efficacy both in vitro and in vivo, the Fe3O4@cGlu-GA nanoparticles are promising MRI contrast agents with ultralow hepatotoxicity and show great improvement on existing Fe3O4-based nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjuan Li
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for BioNanotechnology and CAS Key Lab for Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for NanoScience and Technology, Beijing 100190, China.
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18
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Sun Y, Dai C, Yin M, Lu J, Hu H, Chen D. Hepatocellular carcinoma-targeted effect of configurations and groups of glycyrrhetinic acid by evaluation of its derivative-modified liposomes. Int J Nanomedicine 2018; 13:1621-1632. [PMID: 29588589 PMCID: PMC5862014 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s153944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There are abundant glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) receptors on the cellular membrane of hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. The receptor binding effect might be related to the structure of the guiding molecule. GA exists in two stereoisomers with C3-hydroxyl and C11-carbonyl active groups. Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the HCC-targeted effect and the configurations and groups of GA. Methods and results Different GA derivatives (18β-GA, 18α-GA, 3-acetyl-18β-GA [3-Ace-GA] and 11-deoxy-18β-GA [11-Deo-GA]) were used to investigate the targeting effect of GA’s configurations and groups on HCC cells. The EC50 values of competition to binding sites and the ratio of specific binding in HepG2 cells showed that 18β-GA and 3-Ace-GA demonstrated significant competitive effect with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled GA. Then, the GA derivatives were distearoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)-PEGylated. 18β-GA-, 18α-GA-, 3-Ace-GA-and 11-Deo-GA-modified liposomes were prepared and characterized by size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, leakage and membrane stability. Evaluation on the cellular location in vitro and tumor targeting in vivo was carried out. Compared to common long-circulation liposome (PEG-Lip), more 18β-GA- and 3-Ace-GA-modified liposomes aggregated around HepG2 cells in vitro in short time and transferred into HCC tumors in vivo for a longer time. Conclusion The β-configuration hydrogen atom on C18 position of GA played the most important role on the targeting effect. C11-carbonyl and C3-hydroxy groups of GA have certain and little influence on targeting action to HCC, respectively. In general, GA might be a promising targeting molecule for the research on liver diseases and hepatoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China.,School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Chunmei Dai
- School of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Meilin Yin
- School of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Jinghua Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China
| | - Haiyang Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dawei Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
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