A novel targeted delivery system for drug-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

Development of an efficient liposomal DOX delivery formulation for HCC therapy by targeting CK2α

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a digestive tract cancer with high mortality and poor prognosis, especially in China. Current chemotherapeutic drugs lead to poor prognosis, low efficacy, and high side effects due to weak targeting specificity and rapidly formed multidrug resistance (MDR). Based on the previous studies on the doxorubicin (DOX) formulation for cancer targeting therapy, we developed a novel DOX delivery formulation for the targeting chemotherapy of HCC and DOX resistant HCC. HCSP4 was previously screened and casein kinase 2α (CK2α) was predicted as its specific target on HCC cells in our lab. In the study, miR125a-5p was firstly predicted as an MDR inhibiting miRNA, and then CK2α was validated as the target of HCSP4 and miR125a-5p using CK2α-/-HepG2 cells. Based on the above, an HCC targeting and MDR inhibiting DOX delivery liposomal formulation, HCSP4/Lipo-DOX/miR125a-5p was synthesized and tested for its HCC therapeutic efficacy in vitro. The results showed that the liposomal DOX delivery formulation targeted to HCC cells specifically and sensitively, and presented the satisfied therapeutic efficacy for HCC, particularly for DOX resistant HCC. The potential therapeutic mechanism of the DOX delivery formulation was explored, and the formulation inhibited the expression of MDR-relevant genes including ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1, also known as P-glycoprotein), ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 5 (ABCC5), enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), and ATPase Na+/K+ transporting subunit beta 1 (ATP1B1). Our study presents a novel targeting chemotherapeutic drug formulation for the therapy of HCC, especially for drug resistant HCC, although it is primarily and needs further study in vivo, but provided a new strategy for the development of novel anticancer drugs.

Targeting metabolic reprogramming in hepatocellular carcinoma to overcome therapeutic resistance: A comprehensive review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a heavy burden on human health with high morbidity and mortality rates. Systematic therapy is crucial for advanced and mid-term HCC, but faces a significant challenge from therapeutic resistance, weakening drug effectiveness. Metabolic reprogramming has gained attention as a key contributor to therapeutic resistance. Cells change their metabolism to meet energy demands, adapt to growth needs, or resist environmental pressures. Understanding key enzyme expression patterns and metabolic pathway interactions is vital to comprehend HCC occurrence, development, and treatment resistance. Exploring metabolic enzyme reprogramming and pathways is essential to identify breakthrough points for HCC treatment. Targeting metabolic enzymes with inhibitors is key to addressing these points. Inhibitors, combined with systemic therapeutic drugs, can alleviate resistance, prolong overall survival for advanced HCC, and offer mid-term HCC patients a chance for radical resection. Advances in metabolic research methods, from genomics to metabolomics and cells to organoids, help build the HCC metabolic reprogramming network. Recent progress in biomaterials and nanotechnology impacts drug targeting and effectiveness, providing new solutions for systemic therapeutic drug resistance. This review focuses on metabolic enzyme changes, pathway interactions, enzyme inhibitors, research methods, and drug delivery targeting metabolic reprogramming, offering valuable references for metabolic approaches to HCC treatment.

Recent advances in nanotechnology approaches for non-viral gene therapy

Gene therapy has shown great potential in the treatment of many diseases by downregulating the expression of certain genes. The development of gene vectors as a vehicle for gene therapy has greatly facilitated the widespread clinical application of nucleic acid materials (DNA, mRNA, siRNA, and miRNA). Currently, both viral and non-viral vectors are used as delivery systems of nucleic acid materials for gene therapy. However, viral vector-based gene therapy has several limitations, including immunogenicity and carcinogenesis caused by the exogenous viral vectors. To address these issues, non-viral nanocarrier-based gene therapy has been explored for superior performance with enhanced gene stability, high treatment efficiency, improved tumor-targeting, and better biocompatibility. In this review, we discuss various non-viral vector-mediated gene therapy approaches using multifunctional biodegradable or non-biodegradable nanocarriers, including polymer-based nanoparticles, lipid-based nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), quantum dots (QDs), silica nanoparticles, metal-based nanoparticles and two-dimensional nanocarriers. Various strategies to construct non-viral nanocarriers based on their delivery efficiency of targeted genes will be introduced. Subsequently, we discuss the cellular uptake pathways of non-viral nanocarriers. In addition, multifunctional gene therapy based on non-viral nanocarriers is summarized, in which the gene therapy can be combined with other treatments, such as photothermal therapy (PTT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), immunotherapy and chemotherapy. We also provide a comprehensive discussion of the biological toxicity and safety of non-viral vector-based gene therapy. Finally, the present limitations and challenges of non-viral nanocarriers for gene therapy in future clinical research are discussed, to promote wider clinical applications of non-viral vector-based gene therapy.

Advances in novel systemic therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the most frequent type of primary liver tumor. Most HCC patients present with advanced disease at diagnosis and the recurrence rate after surgery remains high. Treatment options for advanced HCC are limited, with sorafenib representing the only systemic agent approved for treatment of advanced HCC in more than a decade. However, in recent years new molecular targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced HCC. In particular, combinations of ICIs with antiangiogenic drugs, or with other ICIs, represent one of the most promising strategies. Herein we provide a comprehensive overview of the main therapeutic advances in the systemic treatment of HCC, focusing on the most relevant ongoing clinical trials.

Selection and identification of a specific peptide binding to ovarian cancer cells from a phage-displayed peptide library

OBJECTIVES

Ovarian cancer is one of the most fatal gynecological malignancies. It is emergently needed to select a novel molecular fragment as a targeting element for the future development of molecular imaging diagnosis and targeting chemotherapy to ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

After five rounds of biopanning, a total of 44 positive phage clones were selected from final phage displayed peptide library. Nine consensus sequences were found based on the assay of sequencing results, then one clone of each consensus group was characterized and identified further by immunofluorescence assay. The result showed the phage clone R20 presents best targeting capacity. Then we synthesized peptide (OSP2) clone R20 displayed, it was characterized with high specificity and sensitivity binding to human ovarian cancer by a tissue chip assay. The target of OSP2 was predicted and docked as human carbonic anhydrase XII (CA12), an important protein usually deregulated in cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, OSP2 and its target indicate a novel investigation way in future to develop novel agent or drug delivery formulation for molecular imaging diagnosis and targeting chemotherapy of ovarian cancer.

Functionalized PAMAM-Based Nanoformulation for Targeted Delivery of 5-Fluorouracil in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Efficacy of a traditional anticancer drug is challenged by adverse effects of the drug including its nonspecific bio-distribution, short half-life and side effects. Dendrimer-based targeted drug delivery sysytem has been considered as a promising strategy to increase targeting ability and reduce adverse effects of anti-cancer drugs.

OBJECTIVE

This study analyzed the feasibility whether the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) could be delivered by functionalized fifth-poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) with the peptide WP05 and the acetic anhydride to the liver cancer cells, reducing toxicity of the PAMAM and improving the targeting property of 5-FU during delivery.

METHODS

The functionalized PAMAM-based nanoformulation (WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA) was fabricated through an amide condensation reaction to improve therapeutic efficacy of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The physicochemical structure, particle size, zeta potential, stability and in vitro release characteristics of WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA were evaluated. In addition, the targeting, biocompatibility, anti-proliferation and anti-migration of WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA were investigated. The anti-tumor effect of WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA in vivo was evaluated by constructing xenograft tumor models of hunman hepatoma cells (Bel-7402) implanted in nude mice.

RESULTS

The resultant WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA displayed spherical-like nanoparticles with the size of 174.20 ± 3.59 nm. Zeta potential and the drug loading of WP05-G5.0NHAC-FUA were 5.62 ± 0.41mV and 28.67 ± 1.25 %, respectively. Notably, the optimized 5-FU-loaded formulation showed greater cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 30.80 ±4.04 μg/mL than free 5-FU (114.93 ±1.43 μg/mL) in Bel-7402 cancer liver cells, but a significantly reduced side effect relative to free 5-FU in L02 normal liver cells. In vivo animal study further confirmed efficient tumor accumulation and enhanced therapeutic efficiency.

CONCLUSION

The developed nanoformulation is a promising platform for the targeting delivery of 5-FU and provides a promising solution for improving the efficacy of hepatocellular carcinoma chemotherapy.

Recent Progress of Novel Nanotechnology Challenging the Multidrug Resistance of Cancer

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of tumors is one of the clinical direct reasons for chemotherapy failure. MDR directly leads to tumor recurrence and metastasis, with extremely grievous mortality. Engineering a novel nano-delivery system for the treatment of MDR tumors has become an important part of nanotechnology. Herein, this review will take those different mechanisms of MDR as the classification standards and systematically summarize the advances in nanotechnology targeting different mechanisms of MDR in recent years. However, it still needs to be seriously considered that there are still some thorny problems in the application of the nano-delivery system against MDR tumors, including the excessive utilization of carrier materials, low drug-loading capacity, relatively narrow targeting mechanism, and so on. It is hoped that through the continuous development of nanotechnology, nano-delivery systems with more universal uses and a simpler preparation process can be obtained, for achieving the goal of defeating cancer MDR and accelerating clinical transformation.

Current perspectives on exosomes in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (review)

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a malignant tumor, is poor. Tumor recurrence and metastasis are the major challenges for the treatment of HCC. Various studies have demonstrated that exosomes, which are loaded with various biomolecules including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins are involved in the recurrence and metastasis of HCC. Additionally, exosomes mediate various biological processes, such as immune response, cell apoptosis, angiogenesis, thrombosis, autophagy, and intercellular signal transduction. In cancer, exosomes regulate cancer cell differentiation, development, and drug resistance. Circular RNAs, microRNAs, and proteins in the exosomes can serve as early diagnostic and prognostic markers for HCC. As exosomes are characterized by low immunogenicity and high stability in the tissues and circulation, they can be used to deliver the drugs in cancer therapies.

The APEX1/miRNA-27a-5p axis plays key roles in progression, metastasis and targeted chemotherapy of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) presents a challenge for conventional therapeutics due to low targeting specificity and subsequent elicitation of multiple drug resistance (MDR). As an essential enzyme for DNA repair, apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APEX1) exhibits multiple functions to affect cancer malignancy and is excessively expressed in GC. However, the roles APEX1 and its inhibitor miR-27a-5p play in modulating GC progression and MDR development remains unclear. Here, we verified APEX1 as a target of miR-27a-5p and subsequently established the APEX1-deleted SGC-7901 cell line by CRISPR/Cas9 editing. The roles of the APEX1/miR-27a-5p axis in GC progression, metastasis and doxorubicin (DOX) resistance were explored by the targeted chemotherapy facilitated by a GC-specific peptide (GP5) functionalized liposomal drug delivery formulation (GP5/Lipo/DOX/miR-27a-5p). The results showed that APEX1 deletion distinctly attenuated cell growth and metastatic properties in GC, and also sensitized GC cells to DOX. Notably, miR-27a-5p was validated as a suppressor of APEX1-dependent GC development and DOX resistance by a RAS/MEK/FOS and PTEN/AKT/SMAD2 pathway-dependent manner. The altered expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signatures and signal pathway proteins in the APEX1-deleted cells implied that APEX1 potentially enhances DOX resistance of GC cells by altering the regulation of MAPK and AKT pathways, leading to compromised efficacy of chemotherapy or by initiating additional DNA damage response pathways. Taken together, these findings revealed that as a novel therapeutic target, APEX1/miR-27a-5p axis plays essential roles in modulating the GC development and MDR, and the GC targeted drug delivery formulation presents a strategic reference for the future designation of chemotherapeutics study.