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Yoo SY, Kim HY, Kim DH, Shim WS, Lee SM, Lee DH, Koo JM, Yoo JH, Koh S, Park JC, Yu J, Jeon JS, Baek MJ, Kim DD, Lee JY, Oh SJ, Kim SK, Lee JY, Kang KW. Laser-responsive erastin-loaded chondroitin sulfate nanomedicine targeting CD44 and system x c- in liver cancer: A non-ferroptotic approach. J Control Release 2024; 375:574-588. [PMID: 39293529 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Erastin, a ferroptosis-inducing system xc- inhibitor, faces clinical challenges due to suboptimal physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties, as well as relatively low potency and off-target toxicity. Addressing these, we developed ECINs, a novel laser-responsive erastin-loaded nanomedicine utilizing indocyanine green (ICG)-grafted chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) derivatives. Our aim was to improve erastin's tumor targeting via CSA-CD44 interactions and enhance its antitumor efficacy through ICG's photothermal and photodynamic effects in the laser-on state while minimizing off-target effects in the laser-off state. ECINs, with their nanoscale size of 186.7 ± 1.1 nm and high erastin encapsulation efficiency of 93.0 ± 0.8%, showed excellent colloidal stability and sustained drug release up to 120 h. In vitro, ECINs demonstrated a mechanism of cancer cell inhibition via G1-phase cell cycle arrest, indicating a non-ferroptotic action. In vivo biodistribution studies in SK-HEP-1 xenograft mice revealed that ECINs significantly enhanced tumor distribution of erastin (1.9-fold greater than free erastin) while substantially reducing off-target accumulation in the lungs and spleen by 203-fold and 19.1-fold, respectively. Combined with laser irradiation, ECINs significantly decreased tumor size (2.6-fold, compared to free erastin; 2.4-fold, compared to ECINs without laser irradiation) with minimal systemic toxicity. This study highlights ECINs as a dual-modality approach for liver cancer treatment, demonstrating significant efficacy against tumors overexpressing CD44 and system xc-.
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Affiliation(s)
- So-Yeol Yoo
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea; College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Young Kim
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hyun Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Wan Seob Shim
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Min Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hwan Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Mo Koo
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hoon Yoo
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Seokjin Koh
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Chan Park
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jieun Yu
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang Su Jeon
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jun Baek
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Dae-Duk Kim
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Yoon Lee
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jin Oh
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, Seoul, 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kyum Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jae-Young Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; Natural Products Research Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
| | - Keon Wook Kang
- College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea.
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Wang L, Chen J, Ma C, Zhang C. Targeted nanotherapy platform mediated tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cell immune function effects for collaborative anti-tumor photothermal immunotherapy for cervical cancer. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2024; 6:3052-3063. [PMID: 38868823 PMCID: PMC11166113 DOI: 10.1039/d3na01132a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Photothermal immunotherapy is an innovative approach to cancer treatment. It combines immunomodulators and photothermal agents, both targeted to the tumor site. This therapy harnesses the heat generated by photothermal conversion to damage tumor cells while simultaneously releasing tumor-associated antigens. This process enhances the anti-tumor immune response of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Photothermal immunotherapy is gaining prominence as a new method for cancer treatment. It is a current focal point in research due to its targeted efficacy, minimal systemic side effects, and reduced risk of treatment resistance. This study employed a thin-film dispersion method to fabricate liposomes (LIPO) as composite drug carriers. Indocyanine green (ICG) for clinical use was utilized as a photothermal agent (PTA), and folate (FA) was employed as a targeting agent for the nano-composite material. We encapsulated the immunoadjuvant CpG ODN within the FA@LIPO@ICG nano-system, resulting in the formation of targeted nanoparticles (NPs) for photothermal immunotherapy (FA@LIPO@ICG@CpG), and assessed the drug encapsulation rate. FA@LIPO@ICG@CpG NPs demonstrated excellent water solubility with an average size ranging from 100 to 200 nm. Furthermore, we investigated the photothermal properties of FA@LIPO@ICG@CpG NPs. Under 808 nm laser irradiation, the photothermal conversion efficiency of FA@LIPO@ICG@CpG NPs reached 39.05%. Subsequently, under 808 nm laser excitation, we conducted an analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations and their functional changes in U14 tumor-bearing mice by using flow cytometry. This treatment approach demonstrated remarkable anti-tumor efficacy. Consequently, FA@LIPO@ICG@CpG NPs hold substantial promise as a novel and promising strategy in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia Urumqi 830054 Xinjiang China
| | - Jianhuan Chen
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia Urumqi 830054 Xinjiang China
| | - Cailing Ma
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia Urumqi 830054 Xinjiang China
| | - Chuanshan Zhang
- Clinical Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention and Treatment of High Incidence Diseases in Central Asia Urumqi 830054 Xinjiang China
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Liu J, Zhang G, Li X, Zheng C, Kan X. Enhancing the therapeutic impact of sublethal radiofrequency hyperthermia in malignant solid tumor treatment. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29866. [PMID: 38681568 PMCID: PMC11053292 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective alternative to surgery for managing some malignant solid tumors. However, for medium-to-large tumors (>3 cm), tumors adjacent to large blood vessels, and certain irregular tumors, sublethal radiofrequency hyperthermia (RFH) often produces a margin of ablated tumor owing to the "heat-sink" effect. This effect typically leaves behind viable residual tumors at the margin. Several studies have reported that a sublethal RFH can significantly enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy for malignant solid tumors. The possible mechanisms by which RFH enhances these therapies include heat-induced tissue fracturing, increased permeability of the cytoplasmic membrane, exaggerated cellular metabolism, blockade of the repair pathways of radiation-damaged tumor cells, and activation of the heat shock protein pathways. Therefore, RFA in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or gene therapy may help reduce the rates of residual and recurrent tumors after RFA of malignant solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayun Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Guilin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Chuansheng Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
| | - Xuefeng Kan
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan 430022, China
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Sun B, Zhang Q, Sun T, Liu J, Cao Y, Liang B, Zheng C, Kan X. Radiofrequency hyperthermia enhances the effect of OK-432 for Hepatocellular carcinoma by activating of TLR4-cGAS-STING pathway. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 130:111769. [PMID: 38442584 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been used as an alternative to surgical management of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, when large and irregular HCCs are subjected to RFA, a safety margin is usually difficult to obtain, thus causing a sublethal radiofrequency hyperthermia (RFH) at the ablated tumor margin. This study investigated the feasibility of using RFH to enhance the effect of OK-432 on HCC, with the aim to generate a tumor-free margin during RFA of HCC. Our results showed OK-432 could activate the cGAS-STING pathway, and RFH could further enhance the activation. Meanwhile, RFH could induce a high expression of TLR4, and TLR4 might be an upstream molecular of the cGAS-STING pathway. The combined therapy of RFH with OK-432 resulted in a better tumor response, and a prolonged survival compared to the other three treatments. In conclusion, RFH in combination with OK-432 might reduce the residual and recurrent tumor after RFA of large and irregular HCCs, and serve as a new option for other solid malignancies treated by RFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Sun
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Qingqing Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Nanomedicine, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiayun Liu
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Yanyan Cao
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Bin Liang
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuansheng Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China.
| | - Xuefeng Kan
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, China.
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Xie S, Wang M, Zeng C, Ou Y, Zhao L, Wang D, Chen L, Kong F, Yi D. Research progress of targeted therapy combined with immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1197698. [PMID: 37305582 PMCID: PMC10248438 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1197698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common gastrointestinal malignancy with a high mortality rate and limited treatment options. Molecularly targeted drugs combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown unique advantages over single-agent applications, significantly prolonging patient survival. This paper reviews the research progress of molecular-targeted drugs combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and discusses the effectiveness and safety of the combination of the two drugs to provide a reference for the further application of molecular-targeted drugs combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Liwei Chen
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of patients with cancer. However, promoting antitumour immunity in patients with tumours that are resistant to these therapies remains a challenge. Thermal therapies provide a promising immune-adjuvant strategy for use with immunotherapy, mostly owing to the capacity to reprogramme the tumour microenvironment through induction of immunogenic cell death, which also promotes the recruitment of endogenous immune cells. Thus, thermal immunotherapeutic strategies for various cancers are an area of considerable research interest. In this Review, we describe the role of the various thermal therapies and provide an update on attempts to combine these with immunotherapies in clinical trials. We also provide an overview of the preclinical development of various thermal immuno-nanomedicines, which are capable of combining thermal therapies with various immunotherapy strategies in a single therapeutic platform. Finally, we discuss the challenges associated with the clinical translation of thermal immuno-nanomedicines and emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary and inter-professional collaboration to facilitate the optimal translation of this technology from bench to bedside.
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Interventional Oncolytic Immunotherapy with LTX-315 for Residual Tumor after Incomplete Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246093. [PMID: 36551579 PMCID: PMC9777024 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the feasibility of interventional oncolytic immunotherapy with LTX-315 for residual tumors after incomplete radiofrequency ablation (iRFA) of VX2 liver tumors in a rabbit model. Methods: For in vitro experiments, VX2 tumor cells were treated with: (1) phosphate buffered saline, (2) radiofrequency hyperthermia (RFH), (3) LTX-315, and (4) RFH plus LTX-315. The residual tumors after iRFA of VX2 liver tumors were treated with: (1) phosphate buffered saline served as control, (2) 2 mg LTX-315, and (3) 4 mg LTX-315. MTS assay, fluorescence microscopy, and flow cytometry were used to compare cell viabilities and apoptosis among different groups. Ultrasound imaging was used to follow up the tumor growth, which were correlated with the optical imaging and subsequent histology. Results: For in vitro experiments, compared with the other three groups, MTS assay demonstrated the lowest cell viability, fluorescence microscopy showed the least survival cells, and apoptosis analysis revealed the highest percentage of apoptosis cells in the combination treatment groups (p < 0.001). For in vivo experiments, ultrasound imaging showed the smallest tumor volume in the group with 4 mg LTX-315 therapy compared with the other two groups (p < 0.001). The optical imaging and histopathological analysis showed complete necrosis of the tumors in the group with 4 mg LTX-315 therapy. A significant increase of CD8+ T cells and HSP70 and a significant decrease of Tregs were observed in residual tumors in the group with 2 mg LTX-315 therapy compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Interventional oncolytic immunotherapy with LTX-315 for residual tumors after iRFA of liver cancer is feasible, which may open up new avenues to prevent residual tumors after RFA of intermediate-to-large liver cancers.
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Kan X, Zhou G, Zhang F, Ji H, Shin DS, Monsky W, Zheng C, Yang X. Enhanced efficacy of direct immunochemotherapy for hepatic cancer with image-guided intratumoral radiofrequency hyperthermia. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:e005619. [PMID: 36450380 PMCID: PMC9717415 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is still a challenge to prevent tumor recurrence post radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of medium-to-large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Immunochemotherapy, a combination of immunotherapy with chemotherapy, has demonstrated a great potential in augmenting the treatment efficacy for some malignancies. In this study, we validated the feasibility of using radiofrequency hyperthermia (RFH)-enhanced intratumoral immunochemotherapy of LTX-315 with liposomal doxorubicin for rat orthotopic HCC. METHODS Different groups of luciferase-labeled rat HCC cells and rat orthotopic HCC models were treated by: (1) phosphate buffered saline; (2) RFH; (3) LTX-315; (4) RFH+LTX-315; (5) liposomal doxorubicin; (6) RFH+liposomal doxorubicin; (7) LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin; and (8) RFH+LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin. Cell viabilities and apoptosis of different treatment groups were compared. Changes in tumor sizes were quantified by optical and ultrasound imaging, which were confirmed by subsequent histopathology. The potential underlying biological mechanisms of the triple combination treatment (RFH+LTX-315+liposomal doxorubicin) were explored. RESULTS Flow cytometry and MTS assay showed the highest percentage of apoptotic cells and lowest cell viability in the triple combination treatment group compared with other seven groups (p<0.001). Tumors in this group also presented the most profound decrease in bioluminescence signal intensities and the smallest tumor volumes compared with other seven groups (p<0.001). A significant increase of CD8+ T cells, CD8+/interferon (IFN)-γ+ T cells, CD8+/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α+ T cells, and natural killer cells, and a significant decrease of regulatory T cells were observed in the tumors (p<0.001). Meanwhile, a significantly higher level of Th1-type cytokines in both plasma (interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, IL-18, IFN-γ) and tumors (IL-2, IL-18, IFN-γ, TNF-α), as well as a significantly lower Th2-type cytokines of IL-4 and IL-10 in plasma and tumor were detected. CONCLUSIONS Intratumoral RFA-associated RFH could enhance the efficacy of immunochemotherapy of LTX-315 with liposomal doxorubicin for HCC, which may provide a new strategy to increase the curative efficacy of thermal ablation for medium-to-large HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Kan
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guanhui Zhou
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Interventional Treatment Center, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang University School of Medicine First Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Hongxiu Ji
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pathology, Overlake Medical Center and Incyte Diagnostics, Bellevue, WA, USA
| | - David S Shin
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Wayne Monsky
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Chuansheng Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoming Yang
- Image-Guided Bio-Molecular Intervention Research and Section of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Mulens-Arias V, Nicolás-Boluda A, Carn F, Gazeau F. Cationic Polyethyleneimine (PEI)–Gold Nanocomposites Modulate Macrophage Activation and Reprogram Mouse Breast Triple-Negative MET-1 Tumor Immunological Microenvironment. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102234. [PMID: 36297669 PMCID: PMC9607133 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomedicines based on inorganic nanoparticles have grown in the last decades due to the nanosystems’ versatility in the coating, tuneability, and physical and chemical properties. Nonetheless, concerns have been raised regarding the immunotropic profile of nanoparticles and how metallic nanoparticles affect the immune system. Cationic polymer nanoparticles are widely used for cell transfection and proved to exert an adjuvant immunomodulatory effect that improves the efficiency of conventional vaccines against infection or cancer. Likewise, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) also exhibit diverse effects on immune response depending on size or coatings. Photothermal or photodynamic therapy, radiosensitization, and drug or gene delivery systems take advantage of the unique properties of AuNPs to deeply modify the tumoral ecosystem. However, the collective effects that AuNPs combined with cationic polymers might exert on their own in the tumor immunological microenvironment remain elusive. The purpose of this study was to analyze the triple-negative breast tumor immunological microenvironment upon intratumoral injection of polyethyleneimine (PEI)–AuNP nanocomposites (named AuPEI) and elucidate how it might affect future immunotherapeutic approaches based on this nanosystem. AuPEI nanocomposites were synthesized through a one-pot synthesis method with PEI as both a reducing and capping agent, resulting in fractal assemblies of about 10 nm AuNPs. AuPEI induced an inflammatory profile in vitro in the mouse macrophage-like cells RAW264.7 as determined by the secretion of TNF-α and CCL5 while the immunosuppressor IL-10 was not increased. However, in vivo in the mouse breast MET-1 tumor model, AuPEI nanocomposites shifted the immunological tumor microenvironment toward an M2 phenotype with an immunosuppressive profile as determined by the infiltration of PD-1-positive lymphocytes. This dichotomy in AuPEI nanocomposites in vitro and in vivo might be attributed to the highly complex tumor microenvironment and highlights the importance of testing the immunogenicity of nanomaterials in vitro and more importantly in vivo in relevant immunocompetent mouse tumor models to better elucidate any adverse or unexpected effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Mulens-Arias
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), Université Paris Cité, CNRS, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France
- Integrative Biomedical Materials and Nanomedicine Lab, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Pompeu Fabra University, PRBB, Carrer Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Nicolás-Boluda
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), Université Paris Cité, CNRS, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Florent Carn
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), Université Paris Cité, CNRS, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Florence Gazeau
- Matière et Systèmes Complexes (MSC), Université Paris Cité, CNRS, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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