1
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Sarkar S, Kiren S, Gmeiner WH. Review of Prodrug and Nanodelivery Strategies to Improve the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer with Fluoropyrimidine Drugs. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:734. [PMID: 38931855 PMCID: PMC11206923 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16060734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluoropyrimidine (FP) drugs are central components of combination chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). FP-based chemotherapy has improved survival outcomes over the last several decades with much of the therapeutic benefit derived from the optimization of dose and delivery. To provide further advances in therapeutic efficacy, next-generation prodrugs and nanodelivery systems for FPs are being developed. This review focuses on recent innovative nanodelivery approaches for FP drugs that display therapeutic promise. We summarize established, clinically useful FP prodrug strategies, including capecitabine, which exploit tumor-specific enzyme expression for optimal anticancer activity. We then describe the use of FP DNA-based polymers (e.g., CF10) for the delivery of activated FP nucleotides as a nanodelivery approach with proven activity in pre-clinical models and with clinical potential. Multiple nanodelivery systems for FP delivery show promise in CRC pre-clinical models and we review advances in albumin-mediated FP delivery, the development of mesoporous silica nanoparticles, emulsion-based nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, hydrogel-based delivery, and liposomes and lipid nanoparticles that display particular promise for therapeutic development. Nanodelivery of FPs is anticipated to impact CRC treatment in the coming years and to improve survival for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santu Sarkar
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA;
| | - Sezgin Kiren
- Department of Chemistry, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC 27110, USA;
| | - William H. Gmeiner
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA;
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2
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Zhao J, Li X, Ma T, Chang B, Zhang B, Fang J. Glutathione-triggered prodrugs: Design strategies, potential applications, and perspectives. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:1013-1054. [PMID: 38140851 DOI: 10.1002/med.22007] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The burgeoning prodrug strategy offers a promising avenue toward improving the efficacy and specificity of cytotoxic drugs. Elevated intracellular levels of glutathione (GSH) have been regarded as a hallmark of tumor cells and characteristic feature of the tumor microenvironment. Considering the pivotal involvement of elevated GSH in the tumorigenic process, a diverse repertoire of GSH-triggered prodrugs has been developed for cancer therapy, facilitating the attenuation of deleterious side effects associated with conventional chemotherapeutic agents and/or the attainment of more efficacious therapeutic outcomes. These prodrug formulations encompass a spectrum of architectures, spanning from small molecules to polymer-based and organic-inorganic nanomaterial constructs. Although the GSH-triggered prodrugs have been gaining increasing interests, a comprehensive review of the advancements made in the field is still lacking. To fill the existing lacuna, this review undertakes a retrospective analysis of noteworthy research endeavors, based on a categorization of these molecules by their diverse recognition units (i.e., disulfides, diselenides, Michael acceptors, and sulfonamides/sulfonates). This review also focuses on explaining the distinct benefits of employing various chemical architecture strategies in the design of these prodrug agents. Furthermore, we highlight the potential for synergistic functionality by incorporating multiple-targeting conjugates, theranostic entities, and combinational treatment modalities, all of which rely on the GSH-triggering. Overall, an extensive overview of the emerging field is presented in this review, highlighting the obstacles and opportunities that lie ahead. Our overarching goal is to furnish methodological guidance for the development of more efficacious GSH-triggered prodrugs in the future. By assessing the pros and cons of current GSH-triggered prodrugs, we expect that this review will be a handful reference for prodrug design, and would provide a guidance for improving the properties of prodrugs and discovering novel trigger scaffolds for constructing GSH-triggered prodrugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Xinming Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Bingbing Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Baoxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Jianguo Fang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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3
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Bhuniya S, Vrettos EI. Hypoxia-Activated Theragnostic Prodrugs (HATPs): Current State and Future Perspectives. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:557. [PMID: 38675218 PMCID: PMC11054426 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16040557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a significant feature of solid tumors and frequently poses a challenge to the effectiveness of tumor-targeted chemotherapeutics, thereby limiting their anticancer activity. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs represent a class of bio-reductive agents that can be selectively activated in hypoxic compartments to unleash the toxic warhead and thus, eliminate malignant tumor cells. However, their applicability can be further elevated by installing fluorescent modalities to yield hypoxia-activated theragnostic prodrugs (HATPs), which can be utilized for the simultaneous visualization and treatment of hypoxic tumor cells. The scope of this review is to summarize noteworthy advances in recent HATPs, highlight the challenges and opportunities for their further development, and discuss their potency to serve as personalized medicines in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankarprasad Bhuniya
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, JIS Institute of Advanced Studies and Research, JIS University, Kolkata 700091, India;
| | - Eirinaios I. Vrettos
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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4
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Shen J, Chen L, Liu J, Li A, Zheng L, Chen S, Li Y. EGFR degraders in non-small-cell lung cancer: Breakthrough and unresolved issue. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14517. [PMID: 38610074 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14517] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been well validated as a therapeutic target for anticancer drug discovery. Osimertinib has become the first globally accessible third-generation EGFR inhibitor, representing one of the most advanced developments in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy. However, a tertiary Cys797 to Ser797 (C797S) point mutation has hampered osimertinib treatment in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Several classes of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors were consequently discovered with the aim of overcoming the EGFRC797S mutation-mediated resistance. However, no clinical efficacy data of the fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors were reported to date, and EGFRC797S mutation-mediated resistance remains an "unmet clinical need." Proteolysis-targeting chimeric molecules (PROTACs) obtained from EGFR-TKIs have been developed to target drug resistance EGFR in NSCLC. Some PROTACs are from nature products. These degraders compared with EGFR inhibitors showed better efficiency in their cellular potency, inhibition, and toxicity profiles. In this review, we first introduce the structural properties of EGFR, the resistance, and mutations of EGFR, and then mainly focus on the recent advances of EGFR-targeting degraders along with its advantages and outstanding challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Shen
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jihu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Anzhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Lüyin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Jiangxi Chiralsyn Biological Medicine Co., Ltd, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yongdong Li
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
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5
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Kumar GD, Liao YC, Nazir R, Banasiewicz M, Chou PT, Gryko DT. Strongly emitting, centrosymmetric, ladder-type bis-coumarins with crankshaft architecture. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:28824-28828. [PMID: 37853830 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04121b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Quadrupolar bis-coumarins bearing dialkylamino groups, prepared by a double Pechmann reaction and subsequent oxidation, strongly emit yellow-orange light. Comparison with non-substituted analogs reveals that, the photophysical properties of the conjugated bis-coumarins are controlled both by the dialkylamino substituents and by the π-system. Analogous but non-conjugated bis-coumarins emit blue light both in solution and in crystalline state. Unusually fast oxidation process in the crystalline state is responsible for the presence of two bands in their solid-state emission. Two-center, charge-transfer transition from an orbital delocalized on the entire molecule to the central benzene ring is responsible for photophysical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Dinesh Kumar
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw 01-224, Poland.
| | - Yu-Chan Liao
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Road Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
| | - Rashid Nazir
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw 01-224, Poland.
- Advanced Fibers, Empa Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, St. Gallen 9014, Switzerland
| | - Marzena Banasiewicz
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, Warsaw 02-668, Poland
| | - Pi-Tai Chou
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1 Roosevelt Road Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
| | - Daniel T Gryko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw 01-224, Poland.
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6
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Zhang R, Hao L, Chen P, Zhang G, Liu N. Multifunctional small-molecule theranostic agents for tumor-specific imaging and targeted chemotherapy. Bioorg Chem 2023; 137:106576. [PMID: 37182421 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although great progress has been achieved in cancer diagnosis and treatment, novel therapies are still urgently needed to increase the efficacy and reduce the side effects of conventional therapies. Personalized medicine involves administering patients drugs that are specific to the characteristics of their tumors, and has significantly reduced side effects and increased overall survival rates. Multifunctional theranostic drugs are designed to combine diagnostic and therapeutic functions into a single molecule, which reduces the number of drugs administered to patients and increases patient compliance, and have shown great potential in propelling personalized medicine. This review focuses on multifunctional small-molecule theranostic agents for tumor-specific imaging and targeted chemotherapy, with a particular emphasis placed on highlighting design strategies and application in vitro or in vivo. The challenges and future perspectives of multifunctional small molecules are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renshuai Zhang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China
| | - Li Hao
- Department of Gerontology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 528051, China
| | - Pengwei Chen
- Hainan Key Laboratory for ReseCarch and Development of Natural Products from Li Folk Medicine, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China.
| | - Gang Zhang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
| | - Ning Liu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China.
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7
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Han HH, Wang HM, Jangili P, Li M, Wu L, Zang Y, Sedgwick AC, Li J, He XP, James TD, Kim JS. The design of small-molecule prodrugs and activatable phototherapeutics for cancer therapy. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:879-920. [PMID: 36637396 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00673a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Cancer remains as one of the most significant health problems, with approximately 19 million people diagnosed worldwide each year. Chemotherapy is a routinely used method to treat cancer patients. However, current treatment options lack the appropriate selectivity for cancer cells, are prone to resistance mechanisms, and are plagued with dose-limiting toxicities. As such, researchers have devoted their attention to developing prodrug-based strategies that have the potential to overcome these limitations. This tutorial review highlights recently developed prodrug strategies for cancer therapy. Prodrug examples that provide an integrated diagnostic (fluorescent, photoacoustic, and magnetic resonance imaging) response, which are referred to as theranostics, are also discussed. Owing to the non-invasive nature of light (and X-rays), we have discussed external excitation prodrug strategies as well as examples of activatable photosensitizers that enhance the precision of photodynamic therapy/photothermal therapy. Activatable photosensitizers/photothermal agents can be seen as analogous to prodrugs, with their phototherapeutic properties at a specific wavelength activated in the presence of disease-related biomarkers. We discuss each design strategy and illustrate the importance of targeting biomarkers specific to the tumour microenvironment and biomarkers that are known to be overexpressed within cancer cells. Moreover, we discuss the advantages of each approach and highlight their inherent limitations. We hope in doing so, the reader will appreciate the current challenges and available opportunities in the field and inspire subsequent generations to pursue this crucial area of cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Hao Han
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd., Shanghai 200237, P. R. China. .,State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Molecular Imaging Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.,Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, P. R. China
| | - Han-Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Molecular Imaging Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Paramesh Jangili
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
| | - Mingle Li
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
| | - Luling Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
| | - Yi Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Molecular Imaging Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China. .,Lingang laboratory, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Adam C Sedgwick
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, OX1 3TA, UK.
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Molecular Imaging Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.,Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Peng He
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd., Shanghai 200237, P. R. China. .,The International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Shanghai 200438, China.,National Center for Liver Cancer, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Tony D James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK. .,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Jong Seung Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Prospects for hypoxia-based drug delivery platforms for the elimination of advanced metastatic tumors: From 3D modeling to clinical concepts. J Control Release 2023; 353:1002-1022. [PMID: 36516901 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia is a unique characteristic of the solid tumor microenvironment. Hypoxia contributes to multi-drug resistance, metastasis and cancer relapse through numerous molecular pathways, but at the same time provides an opportunity for the development of novel drugs or modalities specifically targeting hypoxic tumor regions. Given the high significance of tumor hypoxia in therapeutic results, we here discuss a variety of hypoxia-adopted strategies, and their potential and utility in the treatment of deep-seated hypoxic tumor cells. We discuss the merits and demerits of these approaches, as well as their combination with other approaches such as photodynamic therapy. We also survey the currently available 3D hypoxia modeling systems, in particular organoid-based microfluidics. Finally, we discuss the potential and the current status of preclinical tumor hypoxia approaches in clinical trials for advanced cancer. We believe that multi-modal imaging and therapeutic hypoxia adopted drug delivery platforms could provide better efficacy and safety profiles, and more importantly personalized therapy. Determining the hypoxia status of tumors could offer a second chance for the clinical translation of hypoxia-based agents, such as hypoxia activated prodrugs (HAPs) from bench to bedside.
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9
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Nitroaromatic Hypoxia-Activated Prodrugs for Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15020187. [PMID: 35215299 PMCID: PMC8878295 DOI: 10.3390/ph15020187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of “hypoxic” tissue (with O2 levels of <0.1 mmHg) in solid tumours, resulting in quiescent tumour cells distant from blood vessels, but capable of being reactivated by reoxygenation following conventional therapy (radiation or drugs), have long been known as a limitation to successful cancer chemotherapy. This has resulted in a sustained effort to develop nitroaromatic “hypoxia-activated prodrugs” designed to undergo enzyme-based nitro group reduction selectively in these hypoxic regions, to generate active drugs. Such nitro-based prodrugs can be classified into two major groups; those activated either by electron redistribution or by fragmentation following nitro group reduction, relying on the extraordinary difference in electron demand between an aromatic nitro group and its reduction products. The vast majority of hypoxia-activated fall into the latter category and are discussed here classed by the nature of their nitroaromatic trigger units.
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10
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Le TN, Lin CJ, Shen YC, Lin KY, Lee CK, Huang CC, Rao NV. Hyaluronic Acid Derived Hypoxia-Sensitive Nanocarrier for Tumor Targeted Drug Delivery. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:8325-8332. [PMID: 35005953 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is conjugated with BHQ3 moiety with azo bonds to prepare hypoxia-responsive polymer conjugate. Because of the amphiphilic nature, the polymer conjugate self-assembles to HA-BHQ3 nanoparticles (NPs). The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) is loaded into the NPs. In the physiological environment, DOX is released slowly. In contrast, under hypoxic conditions, the azo bond in BHQ3 is cleaved, thus significantly enhancing the DOX release rate. For instance, after 24 h, 25% of DOX is released under normal conditions, while 74% of DOX is released under hypoxic conditions. In vitro cytotoxicity demonstrates higher toxicity in the hypoxic conditions. DOX@HA-BHQ3 NPs exhibit greater toxicity levels against 4T1 cells in hypoxic conditions. The fluorescent microscope images confirm the oxygen-dependent intracellular DOX release from the NPs. The in vivo biodistribution results suggest the tumor targetability of HA-BHQ3 NPs in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trong-Nghia Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Jung Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
| | - Yen Chen Shen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Yu Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Kang Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ching Huang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.,Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan.,School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - N Vijayakameswara Rao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan
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11
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Cheng W, Li S, Wen X, Han S, Wang S, Wei H, Song Z, Wang Y, Tian X, Zhang X. Development of hypoxia-activated PROTAC exerting a more potent effect in tumor hypoxia than in normoxia. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:12852-12855. [PMID: 34788776 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc05715d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia is a hallmark of many solid tumors, and it causes the overexpression of a variety of proteins including the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Many antitumor prodrugs have been designed to target hypoxia. Here we report the identification of a kind of hypoxia-activated proteolysis targeting chimera (ha-PROTAC) by introducing the hypoxia-activated leaving group (1-methyl-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl or 4-nitrobenzyl into the structure of an EGFRDel19-based PROTAC. Among the obtained molecules, ha-PROTAC 13 exhibits a more potent degradation activity for EGFRDel19 in hypoxia than in normoxia in HCC4006 cells. This is the first example of identifying a PROTAC to selectively act on tumors utilizing the characteristic of tumor hypoxia and provides a new approach for PROTAC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyan Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Shasha Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Xueqian Wen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Siyuan Han
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Suhua Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Han Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Zhizhen Song
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Yueqin Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Xin Tian
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Xiaojian Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China. .,Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
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12
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Tiwari R, Shinde PS, Sreedharan S, Dey AK, Vallis KA, Mhaske SB, Pramanik SK, Das A. Photoactivatable prodrug for simultaneous release of mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative as a luminescent marker in mitochondria: a proof of concept for NIR image-guided cancer therapy. Chem Sci 2020; 12:2667-2673. [PMID: 34164035 PMCID: PMC8179275 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc06270g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Controlled and efficient activation is the crucial aspect of designing an effective prodrug. Herein we demonstrate a proof of concept for a light activatable prodrug with desired organelle specificity. Mertansine, a benzoansamacrolide, is an efficient microtubule-targeting compound that binds at or near the vinblastine-binding site in the mitochondrial region to induce mitotic arrest and cell death through apoptosis. Despite its efficacy even in the nanomolar level, this has failed in stage 2 of human clinical trials owing to the lack of drug specificity and the deleterious systemic toxicity. To get around this problem, a recent trend is to develop an antibody-conjugatable maytansinoid with improved tumor/organelle-specificity and lesser systematic toxicity. Endogenous CO is recognized as a regulator of cellular function and for its obligatory role in cell apoptosis. CO blocks the proliferation of cancer cells and effector T cells, and the primary target is reported to be the mitochondria. We report herein a new mitochondria-specific prodrug conjugate (Pro-DC) that undergoes a photocleavage reaction on irradiation with a 400 nm source (1.0 mW cm−2) to induce a simultaneous release of the therapeutic components mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative (BODIPY(PPH3)2) as a luminescent marker in the mitochondrial matrix. The efficacy of the process is demonstrated using MCF-7 cells and could effectively be visualized by probing the intracellular luminescence of BODIPY(PPH3)2. This provides a proof-of-concept for designing a prodrug for image-guided combination therapy for mainstream treatment of cancer. Simultaneous release of two therapeutic reagents, mertansine and CO through photo-induced cleavage of a mitochondria-specific prodrug with improved drug efficacy.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeshwari Tiwari
- Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute Bhavnagar Gujarat India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad 201002 India
| | | | - Sreejesh Sreedharan
- Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Anik Kumar Dey
- Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute Bhavnagar Gujarat India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad 201002 India
| | - Katherine A Vallis
- Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Santosh B Mhaske
- CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory Pune 411008 India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad 201002 India
| | - Sumit Kumar Pramanik
- Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute Bhavnagar Gujarat India .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad 201002 India
| | - Amitava Das
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata Mohanpur 741246 West Bengal India
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13
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Cao Z, Li W, Liu R, Li C, Song Y, Liu G, Chen Y, Lu C, Lu A, Liu Y. pH-Responsive Fluorescence Enhanced Nanogel for Targeted Delivery of AUR and CDDP Against Breast Cancer. Int J Nanomedicine 2020; 15:8369-8382. [PMID: 33149581 PMCID: PMC7605673 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s274842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Auraptene (AUR), a natural bioactive prenyloxy coumarin, is a highly pleiotropic molecule that can bind to the MT1 receptor and can effectively reduce the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Cisplatin (CDDP), as the first synthetic platinum-based anticancer drug, is widely used in the clinic due to its definite mechanism and therapeutic effect on diverse tumors. However, both of AUR and CDDP exhibit some disadvantages when used alone, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, lack of selectivity and systemic toxicity when they are used singly. Methods Therefore, the biodegradable materials hyaluronic acid (HA) and β-cyclodextrin derivative (mono-(6-amino-mono-6-deoxy)-β-CD, CD) were employed as carriers to load AUR and CDDP to form nanogel (CDDPHA-CD@AUR) capable of dual-targeted delivery and synergistic therapy for breast cancer and cell imaging. Results With the help of the CDDP-crosslinked CD-loaded structure, the newly synthesized nanogel exhibited excellent physiological stability and fluorescence effects. The release of AUR and CDDP was affected by the pH value, which was beneficial to the selective release in the tumor microenvironment. Cell experiments in vitro demonstrated that the nanogel could be selectively internalized by MCF-7 cells and exhibited low cytotoxicity to HK-2 cells. Antitumor experiments in vivo showed that the nanogel have better antitumor effects and lower systemic toxicity. Conclusion Based on these, the nanogel loaded with AUR and CDDP have the potential for targeted delivery against breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Cao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenxi Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Yurong Song
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangzhi Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Youwen Chen
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Lu
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, People's Republic of China
| | - Aiping Lu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hongkong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyan Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
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14
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Li Y, Jeon J, Park JH. Hypoxia-responsive nanoparticles for tumor-targeted drug delivery. Cancer Lett 2020; 490:31-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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15
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Dejouy G, Renault K, Bonnin Q, Chevalier A, Michaudet C, Picquet M, Valverde IE, Romieu A. Fluorogenic Enzyme-Triggered Domino Reactions Producing Quinoxalin-2(1 H)-one-based Heterocycles. Org Lett 2020; 22:6494-6499. [PMID: 32806136 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c02287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A simple and effective biocompatible domino reaction triggered by a model protease and leading to the formation of strongly fluorescent quinoxalin-2(1H)-one N-heterocycles is described. Some positive attributes including versatility and the ability to provide outstanding fluorescence "OFF-ON" responses were revealed by this work. They open the way for practical applications of this novel type of "covalent-assembly"-based fluorescent probe in the fields of sensing and bioimaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garance Dejouy
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Kévin Renault
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Quentin Bonnin
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Arnaud Chevalier
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Université Paris-Saclay, 1, Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Cédric Michaudet
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Michel Picquet
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Ibai E Valverde
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Anthony Romieu
- Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de l'Université de Bourgogne, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France
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16
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Zhou M, Xie Y, Xu S, Xin J, Wang J, Han T, Ting R, Zhang J, An F. Hypoxia-activated nanomedicines for effective cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 195:112274. [PMID: 32259703 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia, a common characteristic in solid tumors, is found in phenotypically aggressive cancers that display resistance to typical cancer interventions. Due to its important role in tumor progression, tumor hypoxia has been considered as a primary target for cancer diagnosis and treatment. An advantage of hypoxia-activated nanomedicines is that they are inactive in normoxic cells. In hypoxic tumor tissues and cells, these nanomedicines undergo reduction by activated enzymes (usually through 1 or 2 electron oxidoreductases) to produce cytotoxic substances. In this review, we will focus on approaches to design nanomedicines that take advantage of tumor hypoxia. These approaches include: i) inhibitors of hypoxia-associated signaling pathways; ii) prodrugs activated by hypoxia; iii) nanocarriers responsive to hypoxia, and iv) bacteria mediated hypoxia targeting therapy. These strategies have guided and will continue to guide nanoparticle design in the near future. These strategies have the potential to overcome tumor heterogeneity to improve the efficiency of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjiao Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 226000, Nantong, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Yuqi Xie
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 226000, Nantong, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Shujun Xu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 226000, Nantong, Jiangsu, PR China
| | - Jingqi Xin
- Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Jin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Tao Han
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Institute of Functional Molecules, Chengdu Normal University, Chengdu, 611130, PR China
| | - Richard Ting
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413E, 69th St, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Feifei An
- Institute of Medical Engineering, Department of Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.76 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi, PR China.
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17
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Peng X, Gao J, Yuan Y, Liu H, Lei W, Li S, Zhang J, Wang S. Hypoxia-Activated and Indomethacin-Mediated Theranostic Prodrug Releasing Drug On-Demand for Tumor Imaging and Therapy. Bioconjug Chem 2019; 30:2828-2843. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.9b00564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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18
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Renault K, Debieu S, Richard JA, Romieu A. Deeper insight into protease-sensitive "covalent-assembly" fluorescent probes for practical biosensing applications. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 17:8918-8932. [PMID: 31560014 DOI: 10.1039/c9ob01773a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
We report a rational and systematic study devoted to the structural optimisation of a novel class of protease-sensitive fluorescent probes that we recently reported (S. Debieu and A. Romieu, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, 15, 2575-2584), based on the "covalent-assembly" strategy and using the targeted enzyme penicillin G acylase as a model protease to build a fluorescent pyronin dye by triggering a biocompatible domino cyclisation-aromatisation reaction. The aim is to identify ad hoc probe candidate(s) that might combine fast/reliable fluorogenic "turn-on" response, full stability in complex biological media and ability to release a second molecule of interest (drug or second fluorescent reporter), for applications in disease diagnosis and therapy. We base our strategy on screening a set of active methylene compounds (C-nucleophiles) to convert the parent probe to various pyronin caged precursors bearing Michael acceptor moieties of differing reactivities. In vitro stability and fluorescent enzymatic assays combined with HPLC-fluorescence analyses provide data useful for defining the most appropriate structural features for these fluorogenic scaffolds depending on the specifications inherent to biological application (from biosensing to theranostics) for which they will be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kévin Renault
- ICMUB, UMR 6302, CNRS, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 9, Avenue Alain Savary, 21000 Dijon, France.
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19
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Cao Z, Li W, Liu R, Li X, Li H, Liu L, Chen Y, Lv C, Liu Y. pH- and enzyme-triggered drug release as an important process in the design of anti-tumor drug delivery systems. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 118:109340. [PMID: 31545284 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
It is necessary to design a reasonable drug delivery system(DDS) for targeted release to overcome the potential toxicity and poor selectivity of anti-tumor drug. How a drug is released from a DDS is a critical issue that determines whether the DDS is designed successfully. We all know that the microenvironment of tumors is quite different from normal tissues, such as its acidic environment, different expression levels of some enzymes, etc. These features are widely used in the design of DDSs and play an important role in the drug release process in vivo. Numerous DDSs have been designed and synthesized. This article attention to how drugs are released from DDSs. We summarizes and classify the characteristic enzymes and chemical bonds used in the drug release process by browsing a large number of papers, and describes how they are applied in DDSs with specific examples. By understanding these acid-sensitive chemical bonds and over-expressed enzymes in tumors, different DDSs can be designed for different drug structures to solve specific problems of anti-tumor drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwen Cao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wen Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Rui Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Linlin Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Youwen Chen
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Cheng Lv
- Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
| | - Yuanyan Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
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20
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Zhen J, Tian S, Liu Q, Zheng C, Zhang Z, Ding Y, An Y, Liu Y, Shi L. Nanocarriers responsive to a hypoxia gradient facilitate enhanced tumor penetration and improved anti-tumor efficacy. Biomater Sci 2019; 7:2986-2995. [PMID: 31106796 DOI: 10.1039/c9bm00461k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Because of their abnormal vasculature and the dense tumor extra-cellular matrix, solid tumors prevent the deep and uniform penetration of nanocarriers. Numerous studies have shown that nanocarriers with a positively charged surface exhibit enhanced tumor penetration. Therefore, a hypoxia responsive nanocarrier [responsive micelles (RMs)] was developed, which can gradually increase the positive surface charge by responding to hypoxia gradients, and eventually achieve deep penetration in tumors. The nanocarrier was composed of a poly(caprolactone) core and a mixed shell of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and 4-nitrobenzyl chloroformate (NBCF)-modified polylysine (PLL). During the blood circulation, the NBCF-modified PLL was shielded by the PEG, which gave it the ability to inhibit its rapid removal by the immune system. After reaching the tumor, the hypoxia microenvironment triggered partial NBCF degradation that recovered the amine groups of PLL, leading to a remarkable change in the surface to a positively charged one that enabled the penetration of the nanocarrier into the tumor. As the nanocarrier penetrated into the interior of the tumor, the decrease in oxygen concentration led to the further degradation of the NBCF-modified PLL, resulting in the increase of the positive surface charge which further facilitated the deep penetration. The subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments certified that RM/doxorubicin had a better penetration ability and improved inhibition efficacy on tumor tissues, which demonstrated its potential application in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingru Zhen
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Shuang Tian
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Qi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Chunxiong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Zhanzhan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Yuxun Ding
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Yingli An
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Yang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Linqi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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