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Zhang HF, Yu H, Pan SX, Zhang C, Ma YH, Zhang YF, Zuo LL, Hao CY, Lin XY, Geng H, Wu D, Mu SQ, Yu WL, Shi NQ. Multibarrier-penetrating drug delivery systems for deep tumor therapy based on synergistic penetration strategy. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:2321-2330. [PMID: 38488841 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01959d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Nanotherapies, valued for their high efficacy and low toxicity, frequently serve as antitumor treatments, but do not readily penetrate deep into tumor tissues and cells. Here we developed an improved tumor-penetrating peptide (TPP)-based drug delivery system. Briefly, the established TPP iNGR was modified to generate a linear NGR peptide capable of transporting nanotherapeutic drugs into tumors through a CendR pathway-dependent, neuropilin-1 receptor-mediated process. Although TPPs have been reported to reach intended tumor targets, they often fail to penetrate cell membranes to deliver tumoricidal drugs to intracellular targets. We addressed this issue by harnessing cell penetrating peptide technology to develop a liposome-based multibarrier-penetrating delivery system (mbPDS) with improved synergistic drug penetration into deep tumor tissues and cells. The system incorporated doxorubicin-loaded liposomes coated with nona-arginine (R9) CPP and cyclic iNGR (CRNGRGPDC) molecules, yielding Lip-mbPDS. Lip-mbPDS tumor-targeting, tumor cell/tissue-penetrating and antitumor capabilities were assessed using CD13-positive human fibrosarcoma-derived cell (HT1080)-based in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Lip-mbPDS evaluation included three-dimensional layer-by-layer confocal laser scanning microscopy, cell internalization/toxicity assays, three-dimensional tumor spheroid-based penetration assays and antitumor efficacy assays conducted in an animal model. Lip-mbPDS provided enhanced synergistic drug penetration of multiple biointerfaces for potentially deep tumor therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Huan Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | | | - Chuang Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Ying-Hui Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Yan-Fei Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Li-Li Zuo
- School of public health, Jilin Medical University, China
| | - Cheng-Yi Hao
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Xiao-Ying Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Hao Geng
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | - Di Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
| | | | - Wei-Lun Yu
- School of Bioengineering, Jilin Medical University, China
| | - Nian-Qiu Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, China.
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yanbian University, China
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2
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Anderluzzi G, Ghitti M, Gasparri AM, Taiè G, Sacchi A, Gori A, Andolfo A, Pozzi F, Musco G, Curnis F, Corti A. A novel aminopeptidase N/CD13 inhibitor selectively targets an endothelial form of CD13 after coupling to proteins. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:68. [PMID: 38289472 PMCID: PMC10827914 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05102-1] [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: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Aminopeptidase N/CD13, a membrane-bound enzyme upregulated in tumor vasculature and involved in angiogenesis, can be used as a receptor for the targeted delivery of drugs to tumors through ligand-directed targeting approaches. We describe a novel peptide ligand (VGCARRYCS, called "G4") that recognizes CD13 with high affinity and selectivity. Enzymological and computational studies showed that G4 is a competitive inhibitor that binds to the catalytic pocket of CD13 through its N-terminal region. Fusing the peptide C-terminus to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) or coupling it to a biotin/avidin complex causes loss of binding and inhibitory activity against different forms of CD13, including natural or recombinant ectoenzyme and a membrane form expressed by HL60 promyelocytic leukemia cells (likely due to steric hindrance), but not binding to a membrane form of CD13 expressed by endothelial cells (ECs). Furthermore, G4-TNF systemically administered to tumor-bearing mice exerted anticancer effects through a CD13-targeting mechanism, indicating the presence of a CD13 form in tumor vessels with an accessible binding site. Biochemical studies showed that most CD13 molecules expressed on the surface of ECs are catalytically inactive. Other functional assays showed that these molecules can promote endothelial cell adhesion to plates coated with G4-avidin complexes, suggesting that the endothelial form of CD13 can exert catalytically independent biological functions. In conclusion, ECs express a catalytically inactive form of CD13 characterized by an accessible conformation that can be selectively targeted by G4-protein conjugates. This form of CD13 may represent a specific target receptor for ligand-directed targeted delivery of therapeutics to tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Anderluzzi
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Ghitti
- Biomolecular NMR Group, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Gasparri
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Taiè
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelina Sacchi
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gori
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, C.N.R., Milan, Italy
| | - Annapaola Andolfo
- ProMeFa, Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Center for Omics Sciences, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Pozzi
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanna Musco
- Biomolecular NMR Group, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Flavio Curnis
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.
| | - Angelo Corti
- Tumor Biology and Vascular Targeting Unit, Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 58, 20132, Milan, Italy.
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
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3
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Yang YJ, Dai M, Ahn KH. Cell-Membrane-Localizing Fluorescence Probes for Aminopeptidase N. ACS Sens 2023; 8:2791-2798. [PMID: 37405930 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c00730] [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: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Aminopeptidase N (APN), a transmembrane ectoenzyme, plays multifunctional roles in cell survival and migration, angiogenesis, blood pressure regulation, and viral uptake. Abnormally high levels of the enzyme can be found in some tumors and injured liver and kidney. Therefore, noninvasive detection methods for APN are in demand for diagnosing and studying the associated diseases, leading to two dozen activatable small-molecule probes reported up to date. All of the known probes, however, analyze the enzyme activity by monitoring fluorescent molecules inside cells, despite the enzymatic reaction taking place on the outer cell membrane. In this case, different cell permeability and enzyme kinetics can cause false signal data. To address this critical issue, we have developed two cell-membrane-localizing APN probes whose enzymatic products also localize the outer cell membrane. The probes selectively respond to APN with ratiometric fluorescence signal changes. A selected probe, which has two-photon imaging capability, allowed us to determine the relative APN levels in various organ tissues for the first time: 4.3 (intestine), 2.1 (kidney), 2.7 (liver), 3.2 (lung), and 1.0 (stomach). Also, a higher APN level was observed from a HepG2-xenograft mouse tissue in comparison with the normal tissue. Furthermore, we observed a significant APN level increase in the mouse liver of a drug (acetaminophen)-induced liver injury model. The probe thus offers a reliable means for studying APN-associated biology including drug-induced hepatotoxicity simply by ratiometric imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Jae Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
| | - Mingchong Dai
- CEDAR, Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
| | - Kyo Han Ahn
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, South Korea
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4
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Chakraborty K, Mondal J, An JM, Park J, Lee YK. Advances in Radionuclides and Radiolabelled Peptides for Cancer Therapeutics. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030971. [PMID: 36986832 PMCID: PMC10054444 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Radiopharmaceutical therapy, which can detect and treat tumours simultaneously, was introduced more than 80 years ago, and it has changed medical strategies with respect to cancer. Many radioactive radionuclides have been developed, and functional, molecularly modified radiolabelled peptides have been used to produce biomolecules and therapeutics that are vastly utilised in the field of radio medicine. Since the 1990s, they have smoothly transitioned into clinical application, and as of today, a wide variety of radiolabelled radionuclide derivatives have been examined and evaluated in various studies. Advanced technologies, such as conjugation of functional peptides or incorporation of radionuclides into chelating ligands, have been developed for advanced radiopharmaceutical cancer therapy. New radiolabelled conjugates for targeted radiotherapy have been designed to deliver radiation directly to cancer cells with improved specificity and minimal damage to the surrounding normal tissue. The development of new theragnostic radionuclides, which can be used for both imaging and therapy purposes, allows for more precise targeting and monitoring of the treatment response. The increased use of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is also important in the targeting of specific receptors which are overexpressed in cancer cells. In this review, we provide insights into the development of radionuclides and functional radiolabelled peptides, give a brief background, and describe their transition into clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kushal Chakraborty
- Department of IT and Energy Convergence (BK21 FOUR), Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
| | - Jagannath Mondal
- Department of Green Bio Engineering, Graduate School, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
- 4D Convergence Technology Institute, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong 27909, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Man An
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jooho Park
- Department of Applied Life Science, Graduate School, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (Y.-K.L.); Tel.: +82-43-841-5224 (Y.-K.L.)
| | - Yong-Kyu Lee
- Department of Green Bio Engineering, Graduate School, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
- 4D Convergence Technology Institute, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong 27909, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (Y.-K.L.); Tel.: +82-43-841-5224 (Y.-K.L.)
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5
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Li W, Chen L, Gu Z, Chen Z, Li H, Cheng Z, Li H, Zou L. Co-delivery of microRNA-150 and quercetin by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the targeted treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). J Control Release 2023; 355:358-370. [PMID: 36738972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which leads to severe vision loss in middle-aged and elderly patients. Current treatments for CNV show weak, transient efficacy, and they can cause several adverse effects. A potential new treatment is to use microRNA-150 (mR150), which regulates physiological and pathological angiogenesis by modulating the expression of CXCR4 at the post-transcriptional level. Here, we developed solid lipid nanoparticles that we modified with an Asp-Gly-Arg peptide to target endothelial cells during abnormal angiogenesis, then we co-loaded them with mR150 and the anti-angiogenic drug quercetin. The resulting nanoparticles had an average size around 200 nm and showed strong ability to target the fundus and inhibit CNV for up to two weeks in a mouse model without causing retinal toxicity. They significantly enhanced the uptake of mR150 in vitro compared to free mR150 or nanoparticles without peptide. Our study suggests that co-administration of mR150 and quercetin has potential for treating age-related macular degeneration and that nanoparticles modified with Asp-Gly-Arg peptide are an effective platform for the co-delivery of small-molecule and nucleic acid drugs via intravitreal injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Chen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People's Republic of China; State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611130, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongwei Gu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhoujiang Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Li
- Affiliated Hospital & Clnical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu 610081, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhongxia Cheng
- Affiliated Hospital & Clnical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu 610081, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanmei Li
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People's Republic of China.
| | - Liang Zou
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Abesekara MS, Chau Y. Recent advances in surface modification of micro- and nano-scale biomaterials with biological membranes and biomolecules. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:972790. [PMID: 36312538 PMCID: PMC9597319 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.972790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface modification of biomaterial can improve its biocompatibility and add new biofunctions, such as targeting specific tissues, communication with cells, and modulation of intracellular trafficking. Here, we summarize the use of various natural materials, namely, cell membrane, exosomes, proteins, peptides, lipids, fatty acids, and polysaccharides as coating materials on micron- and nano-sized particles and droplets with the functions imparted by coating with different materials. We discuss the applicability, operational parameters, and limitation of different coating techniques, from the more conventional approaches such as extrusion and sonication to the latest innovation seen on the microfluidics platform. Methods commonly used in the field to examine the coating, including its composition, physical dimension, stability, fluidity, permeability, and biological functions, are reviewed.
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7
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Tu Y, Yao Z, Yang W, Tao S, Li B, Wang Y, Su Z, Li S. Application of Nanoparticles in Tumour Targeted Drug Delivery and Vaccine. FRONTIERS IN NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fnano.2022.948705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, and nearly 1 in 6 deaths each year is caused by cancer. Traditional cancer treatment strategies cannot completely solve cancer recurrence and metastasis. With the development of nanotechnology, the study of nanoparticles (NPs) has gradually become a hotspot of medical research. NPs have various advantages. NPs exploit the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) of tumour cells to achieve targeted drug delivery and can be retained in tumours long-term. NPs can be used as a powerful design platform for vaccines as well as immunization enhancers. Liposomes, as organic nanomaterials, are widely used in the preparation of nanodrugs and vaccines. Currently, most of the anticancer drugs that have been approved and entered clinical practice are prepared from lipid materials. However, the current clinical conversion rate of NPs is still extremely low, and the transition of NPs from the laboratory to clinical practice is still a substantial challenge. In this paper, we review the in vivo targeted delivery methods, material characteristics of NPs and the application of NPs in vaccine preparation. The application of nanoliposomes is also emphasized. Furthermore, the challenges and limitations of NPs are briefly discussed.
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8
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González-Cruz AO, Hernández-Juárez J, Ramírez-Cabrera MA, Balderas-Rentería I, Arredondo-Espinoza E. Peptide-based drug-delivery systems: A new hope for improving cancer therapy. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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9
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Al-Mansoori L, Elsinga P, Goda SK. Bio-vehicles of cytotoxic drugs for delivery to tumor specific targets for cancer precision therapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112260. [PMID: 34607105 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal structural and molecular changes in malignant tissues were thoroughly investigated and utilized to target tumor cells, hence rescuing normal healthy tissues and lowering the unwanted side effects as non-specific cytotoxicity. Various ligands for cancer cell specific markers have been uncovered and inspected for directional delivery of the anti-cancer drug to the tumor site, in addition to diagnostic applications. Over the past few decades research related to the ligand targeted therapy (LTT) increased tremendously aiming to treat various pathologies, mainly cancers with well exclusive markers. Malignant tumors are known to induce elevated levels of a variety of proteins and peptides known as cancer "markers" as certain antigens (e.g., Prostate specific membrane antigen "PSMA", carcinoembryonic antigen "CEA"), receptors (folate receptor, somatostatin receptor), integrins (Integrin αvβ3) and cluster of differentiation molecules (CD13). The choice of an appropriate marker to be targeted and the design of effective ligand-drug conjugate all has to be carefully selected to generate the required therapeutic effect. Moreover, since some tumors express aberrantly high levels of more than one marker, some approaches investigated targeting cancer cells with more than one ligand (dual or multi targeting). We aim in this review to report an update on the cancer-specific receptors and the vehicles to deliver cytotoxic drugs, including recent advancements on nano delivery systems and their implementation in targeted cancer therapy. We will discuss the advantages and limitations facing this approach and possible solutions to mitigate these obstacles. To achieve the said aim a literature search in electronic data bases (PubMed and others) using keywords "Cancer specific receptors, cancer specific antibody, tumor specific peptide carriers, cancer overexpressed proteins, gold nanotechnology and gold nanoparticles in cancer treatment" was carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Al-Mansoori
- Qatar University, Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar.
| | - Philip Elsinga
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Sayed K Goda
- Cairo University, Faculty of Science, Giza, Egypt; University of Derby, College of Science and Engineering, Derby, UK.
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10
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Spears RJ, McMahon C, Chudasama V. Cysteine protecting groups: applications in peptide and protein science. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:11098-11155. [PMID: 34605832 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00271f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protecting group chemistry for the cysteine thiol group has enabled a vast array of peptide and protein chemistry over the last several decades. Increasingly sophisticated strategies for the protection, and subsequent deprotection, of cysteine have been developed, facilitating synthesis of complex disulfide-rich peptides, semisynthesis of proteins, and peptide/protein labelling in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we analyse and discuss the 60+ individual protecting groups reported for cysteine, highlighting their applications in peptide synthesis and protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Clíona McMahon
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, UK.
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11
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Israel I, Elflein K, Schirbel A, Chen K, Samnick S. A comparison of the monomeric [ 68Ga]NODAGA-NGR and dimeric [ 68Ga]NOTA-(NGR) 2 as aminopeptidase N ligand for positron emission tomography imaging in tumor-bearing mice. Eur J Pharm Sci 2021; 166:105964. [PMID: 34375678 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.105964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) is a key protein specifically expressed on activated endothelial cells and by various tumors, representing a promising target for molecular imaging and therapy of malignant diseases. It is known that the tripeptide NGR is a specific ligand for CD13, therefore radiolabeled NGR peptides are auspicious radiotracers for non-invasive imaging of CD13-positive tumors. From previous studies, it is known that the target affinity could be improved by molecules with multiple ligand sequences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare two NGR radioligands [68Ga]NODAGA-NGR (NGR monomer) and [68Ga]NOTA-(NGR)2 (NGR dimer), the latter with two NGR ligand motifs, in vitro and in vivo. CD13 expression was determined by FACS in the human tumor cells A549, SKHep-1, and MDA-MB-231, followed by the investigation of the cell uptake of [68Ga]NODAGA-NGR and [68Ga]NOTA-(NGR)2. For in vivo evaluation of [68Ga]NODAGA-NGR and [68Ga]NOTA-(NGR)2, microPET and biodistribution were carried out in A549- and SKHep-1-bearing mice. After the final examination, tumors were cryo-conserved, cut, and stained against CD13 and CD31. A549 and SKHep-1 cells were identified as CD13 positive, whereas no CD13 expression was detected in MDA-MB-231 cells. The cell uptake study showed relatively low accumulation of both the NGR monomer and dimer in all tumor cell lines examined, with consistently higher cell uptake observed for the dimer than for the monomer. In vivo, [68Ga]NODAGA-NGR and [68Ga]NOTA-(NGR)2 accumulated in the tumors, with slightly higher tumor-to-muscle ratio for the NGR dimer in A549 and SKHep-1. The tumor-to-liver ratio of the NGR dimer was diminished in comparison to the NGR monomer. This finding was confirmed by biodistribution, which revealed higher accumulation in liver and spleen for the NGR dimer. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the CD13 expression in the tumors and tumor-associated vessels. In conclusion, both the [68Ga]NODAGA-NGR and the [68Ga]NOTA-(NGR)2 were found to be suitable for PET imaging of CD13-positive tumors. Despite slight differences in tumor-to-background ratio and organ accumulation, both radiotracers can be considered comparable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ina Israel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Konstantin Elflein
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schirbel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Radiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Samuel Samnick
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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12
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Goyal R, Jerath G, Chandrasekharan A, Kumar TRS, Ramakrishnan V. Peptide-based delivery vectors with pre-defined geometrical locks. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:1303-1313. [PMID: 34095842 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00229a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Design of peptide-based targeted delivery vectors with attributes of specificity and selective cellular targeting by fixing their topology and resulting electrostatic fingerprint is the objective of this study. We formulated our peptide design platform by utilizing the possibilities of side-chain induced geometric restrictions in a typical peptide molecule. Conceptually, we locked the conformation of the RGD/NGR motif of tumor homing peptides (THPs) by mutating glycine in these motifs with d-proline and tailed the peptides with a syndiotactic amphipathic segment for cellular penetration. The designed peptides were synthesized, characterized, and tested in vitro on various cell lines, including breast cancer (MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer (HeLa), osteosarcoma (U2-OS) and non-cancer mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A), by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The results showed differential cellular uptake in different cell types, as a result of the distinct electrostatic fingerprint encoded in their design. The uptake of serum pre-treated peptides by cells reveals the retention of peptide activity even after the incubation with serum. In addition, peptide-methotrexate (MTX) conjugates compared to the methotrexate drug showed enhanced apoptotic cell death in MTX-resistant MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating the increase in MTX bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchika Goyal
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Gaurav Jerath
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
| | - Aneesh Chandrasekharan
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - T R Santhosh Kumar
- Cancer Research Program-1, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology Thiruvananthapuram-695014 Kerala India
| | - Vibin Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Guwahati-781039 Assam India
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13
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In Vivo Imaging of Hypoxia and Neoangiogenesis in Experimental Syngeneic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tumor Model Using Positron Emission Tomography. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:4952372. [PMID: 32832549 PMCID: PMC7428931 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4952372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Hypoxia-induced ανβ3 integrin and aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) receptor expression play an important role in tumor neoangiogenesis. APN/CD13-specific 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR), ανβ3 integrin-specific 68Ga-NODAGA-[c(RGD)]2, and hypoxia-specific 68Ga-DOTA-nitroimidazole enable the in vivo detection of the neoangiogenic process and the hypoxic regions in the tumor mass using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) and 68Ga-DOTA-nitroimidazole allow the in vivo noninvasive detection of the temporal changes of APN/CD13 expression and hypoxia in experimental He/De tumors using positron emission tomography. Materials and Methods 5 × 106 hepatocellular carcinoma (He/De) cells were used for the induction of a subcutaneous tumor model in Fischer-344 rats. He/De tumor-bearing animals were anaesthetized, and 90 min after intravenous injection of 10.2 ± 1.1 MBq 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) or 68Ga-NODAGA-[c(RGD)]2 (as angiogenesis tracers) or 68Ga-DOTA-nitroimidazole (for hypoxia imaging), whole-body PET/MRI scans were performed. Results Hypoxic regions and angiogenic markers (αvβ3 integrin and APN/CD13) were determined using 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR), 68Ga-DOTA-nitroimidazole, and 68Ga-NODAGA-[c(RGD)]2 in subcutaneously growing He/De tumors in rats. 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) showed the strong APN/CD13 positivity of He/De tumors in vivo, by which observation was confirmed by western blot analysis. By the qualitative analysis of PET images, heterogenous accumulation was found inside He/De tumors using all radiotracers. Significantly (p ≤ 0.01) higher SUVmean and SUVmax values were found in the radiotracer avid regions of the tumors than those of the nonavid areas using hypoxia and angiogenesis-specific radiopharmaceuticals. Furthermore, a strong correlation was found between the presence of angiogenic markers, the appearance of hypoxic regions, and the tumor volume using noninvasive in vivo PET imaging. Conclusion 68Ga-DOTA-nitroimidazole and 68Ga-NOTA-c(NGR) are suitable diagnostic radiotracers for the detection of the temporal changes of hypoxic areas and neoangiogenic molecule (CD13) expression, which vary during tumor growth in a hepatocellular carcinoma model.
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Rajavenkatesh K, Padmaja M, Janani I, Aishwarya S, Purna Sai K, Thennarasu S. Design and synthesis of a novel peptide for selective detection of cancer cells. Chem Biol Drug Des 2020; 95:610-623. [PMID: 32147880 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Using a minimalist approach, an 11-residue peptide (Peptide 1) tagged with rhodamine fluorophore was designed and synthesized for selective detection of cancer cells. Peptide 1 contains RGD and NGR motifs to bind, respectively, integrins and aminopeptidase CD13, which are over expressed in cancer cells. Surface tension measurements revealed that peptide 1 possess surface-active property owing to the overall hydrophobicity and cationic nature of the peptide. Peptide 1 displays cancer cell-selective binding at ≤5.0 µM concentrations, while peptide 2 (randomized sequence of 1) shows non-selective binding to normal and cancer cells. Fluorescence microscopy and FACS analysis demonstrated the intracellular localization of peptide 1 in three different cancer cell lines, confirming the role of RGD and NGR motifs. Cytotoxicity assay exhibited the viability of normal and cancer cells up to 100 µM concentrations of peptide 1. Steady-state fluorescence measurements disclosed the preferential interactions of the peptide 1 with anionic POPC/POPG bilayers rather than with zwitterionic POPC lipid bilayers. Circular dichroism studies showed minimal changes in the secondary structure of peptide 1 upon binding with the anionic lipid bilayers. Peptide 1 is largely unordered, non-toxic, and useful for identification of cancer cells. Peptide 1 provides a template for designing drug-loaded peptides for targeted delivery into cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Murali Padmaja
- Biological Materials Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Indrakumar Janani
- Biological Materials Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Satish Aishwarya
- Biological Materials Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Korrapati Purna Sai
- Biological Materials Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Sathiah Thennarasu
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
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15
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Al-Mansoori L, Bashraheel SS, Qahtani ADA, O'Connor CD, Elsinga P, Goda SK. In vitro studies on CNGRC-CPG2 fusion proteins for ligand-directed enzyme prodrug therapy for targeted cancer therapy. Oncotarget 2020; 11:619-633. [PMID: 32110281 PMCID: PMC7021235 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The sequence asparagine-glycine arginine (NGR), flanked by Cysteine (Cys) residues so as to form a disulfide-bridge (CNGRC), has previously been found to target and bind specifically to aminopeptidase N (APN), which is highly expressed on the surface of tumor cells. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the potential of fusion proteins carrying the CNGRC sequence linked to the enzyme carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2) for targeted cancer therapy. We refer to this strategy as ligand-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (LDEPT). We constructed two forms of the CNGRC-CPG2 fusions, containing one or two copies of the cyclic NGR motif and designated CNGRC-CPG2 (X-CPG2) and CNGRC-CPG2-CNGRC (X-CPG2-X), respectively. In vitro binding assays of the purified constructs showed that both X-CPG2 and X-CPG2-X bound with high affinity to cancer cells expressing high levels of APN, compared to their binding to cells expressing low levels of APN. Further in vitro studies of the constructs to assess the therapeutic potential of LDEPT were carried out using cells expressing high and low levels of APN. Using methotrexate, it was demonstrated that cancer cell survival was significantly higher in the presence of the fusion proteins, due to the hydrolysis of this cytotoxic drug by CPG2. Conversely, when the prodrug ZD2767P was used, cancer cell killing was higher in the presence of the fused CPG2 constructs than in their absence, which is consistent with CPG2-mediated release of the cytotoxic drug from the prodrug. Furthermore, the doubly-fused CPG2 construct (X-CPG2-X) was significantly more effective than the singly-fused construct (X-CPG2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Al-Mansoori
- Qatar University, Biomedical Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Protein Engineering Unit, Life and Science Research Department, Anti-Doping Lab-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Sara S Bashraheel
- Protein Engineering Unit, Life and Science Research Department, Anti-Doping Lab-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Alanod D Al Qahtani
- Protein Engineering Unit, Life and Science Research Department, Anti-Doping Lab-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - C David O'Connor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Science and Education Innovation District, Suzhou, China
| | - Philip Elsinga
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sayed K Goda
- Cairo University, Faculty of Science, Chemistry Department, Giza, Egypt
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16
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Vats K, Sharma R, Kameswaran M, Sarma HD, Satpati D, Dash A. Design, synthesis, and comparative evaluation of 99m Tc(CO) 3 -labeled N-terminal and C-terminal modified asparagine-glycine-arginine peptide constructs. J Pept Sci 2019; 25:e3192. [PMID: 31309677 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The present study describes modification of asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) peptide at N-terminally and C-terminally by introduction of a tridentate chelating scaffold via click chemistry reaction. The N-terminal and C-terminal modified peptides were radiometalated with [99m Tc(CO)3 ]+ precursor. The influence of these moieties at the two termini on the targeting properties of NGR peptide was determined by in vitro cell uptake studies and in vivo biodistribution studies. The two radiolabeled constructs did not exhibit any significant variation in uptake in murine melanoma B16F10 cells during in vitro studies. In vivo studies revealed nearly similar tumor uptake of N-terminally modified peptide construct 5 and C-terminally construct 6 at 2 h p.i. (1.9 ± 0.1 vs 2.4 ± 0.2% ID/g, respectively). The tumor-to-blood (T/B) and tumor-to-liver (T/L) ratios of the two radiometalated peptides were also quite similar. The two constructs cleared from all the major organs (heart, lungs, spleen, stomach, and blood) at 4 h p.i. (<1% ID/g). Blocking studies carried out by coinjection of cCNGRC peptide led to approximately 50% reduction in the tumor uptake at 2 h p.i. This work thus illustrates the possibility of convenient modification/radiometalation of NGR peptide at either N- or C-terminus without hampering tumor targeting and pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusum Vats
- Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Chemical Sciences, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, India
| | - Mythili Kameswaran
- Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Haladhar Dev Sarma
- Radiation Biology and Health Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India
| | - Drishty Satpati
- Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Chemical Sciences, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, India
| | - Ashutosh Dash
- Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.,Homi Bhabha National Institute, Chemical Sciences, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, India
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THPep: A machine learning-based approach for predicting tumor homing peptides. Comput Biol Chem 2019; 80:441-451. [PMID: 31151025 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2019.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In the present era, a major drawback of current anti-cancer drugs is the lack of satisfactory specificity towards tumor cells. Despite the presence of several therapies against cancer, tumor homing peptides are gaining importance as therapeutic agents. In this regard, the huge number of therapeutic peptides generated in recent years, demands the need to develop an effective and interpretable computational model for rapidly, effectively and automatically predicting tumor homing peptides. Therefore, a sequence-based approach referred herein as THPep has been developed to predict and analyze tumor homing peptides by using an interpretable random forest classifier in concomitant with amino acid composition, dipeptide composition and pseudo amino acid composition. An overall accuracy and Matthews correlation coefficient of 90.13% and 0.76, respectively, were achieved from the independent test set on an objective benchmark dataset. Upon comparison, it was found that THPep was superior to the existing method and holds high potential as a useful tool for predicting tumor homing peptides. For the convenience of experimental scientists, a web server for this proposed method is provided publicly at http://codes.bio/thpep/.
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18
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Bamburowicz-Klimkowska M, Poplawska M, Grudzinski IP. Nanocomposites as biomolecules delivery agents in nanomedicine. J Nanobiotechnology 2019; 17:48. [PMID: 30943985 PMCID: PMC6448271 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-019-0479-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) are atomic clusters of crystalline or amorphous structure that possess unique physical and chemical properties associated with a size range of between 1 and 100 nm. Their nano-sized dimensions, which are in the same range as those of vital biomolecules, such as antibodies, membrane receptors, nucleic acids, and proteins, allow them to interact with different structures within living organisms. Because of these features, numerous nanoparticles are used in medicine as delivery agents for biomolecules. However, off-target drug delivery can cause serious side effects to normal tissues and organs. Considering this issue, it is essential to develop bioengineering strategies to significantly reduce systemic toxicity and improve therapeutic effect. In contrast to passive delivery, nanosystems enable to obtain enhanced therapeutic efficacy, decrease the possibility of drug resistance, and reduce side effects of "conventional" therapy in cancers. The present review provides an overview of the most recent (mostly last 3 years) achievements related to different biomolecules used to enable targeting capabilities of highly diverse nanoparticles. These include monoclonal antibodies, receptor-specific peptides or proteins, deoxyribonucleic acids, ribonucleic acids, [DNA/RNA] aptamers, and small molecules such as folates, and even vitamins or carbohydrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Magdalena Poplawska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Noakowskiego 3 Str, 00-664, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ireneusz P Grudzinski
- Department of Applied Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 Str, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
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19
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Roesner S, Saunders GJ, Wilkening I, Jayawant E, Geden JV, Kerby P, Dixon AM, Notman R, Shipman M. Macrocyclisation of small peptides enabled by oxetane incorporation. Chem Sci 2019; 10:2465-2472. [PMID: 30881675 PMCID: PMC6385813 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc05474f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclic peptides are an important source of new drugs but are challenging to produce synthetically. We show that head-to-tail peptide macrocyclisations are greatly improved, as measured by isolated yields, reaction rates and product distribution, by substitution of one of the backbone amide C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bonds with an oxetane ring. The cyclisation precursors are easily made by standard solution- or solid-phase peptide synthesis techniques. Macrocyclisations across a range of challenging ring sizes (tetra-, penta- and hexapeptides) are enabled by incorporation of this turn-inducing element. Oxetane incorporation is shown to be superior to other established amino acid modifications such as N-methylation. The positional dependence of the modification on cyclisation efficiency is mapped using a cyclic peptide of sequence LAGAY. We provide the first direct experimental evidence that oxetane modification induces a turn in linear peptide backbones, through the observation of d NN (i, i + 2) and d αN (i, i + 2) NOEs, which offers an explanation for these improvements. For cyclic peptide, cLAGAY, a combination of NMR derived distance restraints and molecular dynamics simulations are used to show that this modification alters the backbone conformation in proximity to the oxetane, with the flexibility of the ring reduced and a new intramolecular H-bond established. Finally, we incorporated an oxetane into a cyclic pentapeptide inhibitor of Aminopeptidase N, a transmembrane metalloprotease overexpressed on the surface of cancer cells. The inhibitor, cCNGRC, displayed similar IC50 values in the presence or absence of an oxetane at the glycine residue, indicating that bioactivity is fully retained upon amide C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Roesner
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - George J Saunders
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Ina Wilkening
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Eleanor Jayawant
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Joanna V Geden
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Paul Kerby
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Ann M Dixon
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Rebecca Notman
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
| | - Michael Shipman
- Department of Chemistry , University of Warwick , Gibbet Hill Road , Coventry , CV4 7AL , UK .
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20
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Peptide-based targeted therapeutics: Focus on cancer treatment. J Control Release 2018; 292:141-162. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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21
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Qin SY, Zhang AQ, Zhang XZ. Recent Advances in Targeted Tumor Chemotherapy Based on Smart Nanomedicines. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2018; 14:e1802417. [PMID: 30247806 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201802417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Efficacy and safety of chemotherapeutic drugs constitute two major criteria in tumor chemotherapy. Nanomedicines with tumor-targeted properties hold great promise for improving the efficacy and safety. To design targeted nanomedicines, the pathological characteristics of tumors are extensively and deeply excavated. Here, the rationale, principles, and advantages of exploiting these pathological characteristics to develop targeted nanoplatforms for tumor chemotherapy are discussed. Homotypic targeting with the ability of self-recognition to source tumors is reviewed individually. In the meanwhile, the limitations and perspective of these targeted nanomedicines are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yong Qin
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education and Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ai-Qing Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Xian-Zheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers of Ministry of Education and Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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22
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Shi NQ, Li Y, Zhang Y, Li ZQ, Qi XR. Deepened cellular/subcellular interface penetration and enhanced antitumor efficacy of cyclic peptidic ligand-decorated accelerating active targeted nanomedicines. Int J Nanomedicine 2018; 13:5537-5559. [PMID: 30271146 PMCID: PMC6154709 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s172556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Acceleration and improvement of penetration across cell-membrane interfaces of active targeted nanotherapeutics into tumor cells would improve tumor-therapy efficacy by overcoming the issue of poor drug penetration. Cell-penetrating peptides, especially synthetic polyarginine, have shown promise in facilitating cargo delivery. However, it is unknown whether polyarginine can work to overcome the membrane interface in an inserted pattern for cyclic peptide ligand-mediated active targeting drug delivery. Here, we conducted a study to test the hypothesis that tandem-insert nona-arginine (tiR9) can act as an accelerating component for intracellular internalization, enhance cellular penetration, and promote antitumor efficacy of active targeted cyclic asparagine–glycine–arginine (cNGR)-decorated nanoliposomes. Methods Polyarginine was coupled with the polyethylene glycol (PEG) chain and the cNGR moiety, yielding a cNGR–tiR9–PEG2,000–distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine conjugate. Results The accelerating active targeted liposome (Lip) nanocarrier (cNGR-tiR9-Lip–doxorubicin [Dox]) constructed in this study held suitable physiochemical features, such as appropriate particle size of ~150 nm and sustained-release profiles. Subsequently, tiR9 was shown to enhance cellular drug delivery of Dox-loaded active targeted systems (cNGR-Lip-Dox) significantly. Layer-by-layer confocal microscopy indicated that the tandem-insert polyarginine accelerated active targeted system entry into deeper intracellular regions based on observations at marginal and center locations. tiR9 enhanced the penetration depth of cNGR-Lip–coumarin 6 through subcellular membrane barriers and caused its specific accumulation in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus. It was also obvious that cNGR-tiR9-Lip-Dox induced enhanced apoptosis and activated caspase 3/7. Moreover, compared with cNGR-Lip-Dox, cNGR-tiR9-Lip-Dox induced a significantly higher antiproliferative effect and markedly suppressed tumor growth in HT1080-bearing nude mice. Conclusion This active tumor-targeting nanocarrier incorporating a tandem-insert polyarginine (tiR9) as an accelerating motif shows promise as an effective drug-delivery system to accelerate translocation of drugs across tumor-cell/subcellular membrane barriers to achieve improved specific tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nian-Qiu Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, 132013, China,
| | - Yan Li
- Immunology Department, Laboratory Medical College, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, Jilin, 132013, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130012, China
| | - Zheng-Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130012, China,
| | - Xian-Rong Qi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
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Molecular Imaging of Aminopeptidase N in Cancer and Angiogenesis. CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING 2018; 2018:5315172. [PMID: 30046296 PMCID: PMC6036854 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5315172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This review focuses on recent advances in the molecular imaging of aminopeptidase N (APN, also known as CD13), a zinc metalloenzyme that cleaves N-terminal neutral amino acids. It is overexpressed in multiple cancer types and also on the surface of vasculature undergoing angiogenesis, making it a promising target for molecular imaging and targeted therapy. Molecular imaging probes for APN are divided into two large subgroups: reactive and nonreactive. The structures of the reactive probes (substrates) contain a reporter group that is cleaved and released by the APN enzyme. The nonreactive probes are not cleaved by the enzyme and contain an antibody, peptide, or nonpeptide for targeting the enzyme exterior or active site. Multivalent homotopic probes utilize multiple copies of the same targeting unit, whereas multivalent heterotopic molecular probes are equipped with different targeting units for different receptors. Several recent preclinical cancer imaging studies have shown that multivalent APN probes exhibit enhanced tumor specificity and accumulation compared to monovalent analogues. The few studies that have evaluated APN-specific probes for imaging angiogenesis have focused on cardiac regeneration. These promising results suggest that APN imaging can be expanded to detect and monitor other diseases that are associated with angiogenesis.
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Pang L, Xia Y, Wang D, Meng X. Antitumor activity of iNGR-GRIM-19 in colorectal cancer. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2017; 47:795-808. [PMID: 28903530 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyx090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Li Pang
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University
| | - Yan Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin130021, China
| | - Dawei Wang
- Department of Emergency, The First Hospital of Jilin University
| | - Xiangwei Meng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin130021, China
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Enyedi KN, Tóth S, Szakács G, Mező G. NGR-peptide-drug conjugates with dual targeting properties. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0178632. [PMID: 28575020 PMCID: PMC5456102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptides containing the asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) motif are recognized by CD13/aminopeptidase N (APN) receptor isoforms that are selectively overexpressed in tumor neovasculature. Spontaneous decomposition of NGR peptides can result in isoAsp derivatives, which are recognized by RGD-binding integrins that are essential for tumor metastasis. Peptides binding to CD13 and RGD-binding integrins provide tumor-homing, which can be exploited for dual targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. We synthesized small cyclic NGR peptide-daunomycin conjugates using NGR peptides of varying stability (c[KNGRE]-NH2, Ac-c[CNGRC]-NH2 and the thioether bond containing c[CH2-CO-NGRC]-NH2, c[CH2-CO-KNGRC]-NH2). The cytotoxic effect of the novel cyclic NGR peptide-Dau conjugates were examined in vitro on CD13 positive HT-1080 (human fibrosarcoma) and CD13 negative HT-29 (human colon adenocarcinoma) cell lines. Our results confirm the influence of structure on the antitumor activity and dual acting properties of the conjugates. Attachment of the drug through an enzyme-labile spacer to the C-terminus of cyclic NGR peptide resulted in higher antitumor activity on both CD13 positive and negative cells as compared to the branching versions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kata Nóra Enyedi
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Pázmány P. sétány 1/A, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilárd Tóth
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Center for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Szakács
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Center for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Magyar tudósok körútja 2, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gábor Mező
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Science, Institute of Chemistry, Pázmány P. sétány 1/A, Budapest, Hungary
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