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Xie F, Qiu J, Sun C, Feng L, Jun Y, Luo C, Guo X, Zhang B, Zhou Y, Wang Y, Zhang L, Wang Q. Development of a Specific Aptamer-Modified Nano-System to Treat Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2309084. [PMID: 38704694 PMCID: PMC11267304 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a prevalent gastrointestinal cancer characterized by high mortality and an unfavorable prognosis. While combination therapies involving surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are advancing, targeted therapy for ESCC remains underdeveloped. As a result, the overall five-year survival rate for ESCC is still below 20%. Herein, ESCC-specific DNA aptamers and an innovative aptamer-modified nano-system is introduced for targeted drug and gene delivery to effectively inhibit ESCC. The EA1 ssDNA aptamer, which binds robustly to ESCC cells with high specificity and affinity, is identified using cell-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (cell-SELEX). An EA1-modified nano-system is developed using a natural egg yolk lipid nanovector (EA1-EYLNs-PTX/siEFNA1) that concurrently loads paclitaxel (PTX) and a small interfering RNA of Ephrin A1 (EFNA1). This combination counters ESCC's proliferation, migration, invasion, and lung metastasis. Notably, EFNA1 is overexpressed in ESCC tumors with lung metastasis and has an inverse correlation with ESCC patient prognosis. The EA1-EYLNs-PTX/siEFNA1 nano-system offers effective drug delivery and tumor targeting, resulting in significantly improved therapeutic efficacy against ESCC tumors. These insights suggest that aptamer-modified nano-systems can deliver drugs and genes with superior tumor-targeting, potentially revolutionizing targeted therapy in ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Xie
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Jinrong Qiu
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Congyong Sun
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Lulu Feng
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Yali Jun
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Chao Luo
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Xiamei Guo
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Bowei Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Yu Zhou
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Clinical Oncology, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Yuting Wang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Li Zhang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
| | - Qilong Wang
- The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Huaian No.1 People's HospitalNanjing Medical UniversityHuai'anJiangsu223300China
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Uinarni H, Oghenemaro EF, Menon SV, Hjazi A, Ibrahim FM, Kaur M, Zafarjonovna AZ, Deorari M, Jabir MS, Zwamel AH. Breaking Barriers: Nucleic Acid Aptamers in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Therapy. Cell Biochem Biophys 2024:10.1007/s12013-024-01367-w. [PMID: 38916791 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-024-01367-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies can have significant adverse effects as they are not targeted to cancer cells and may damage healthy cells. Single-stranded oligonucleotides assembled in a particular architecture, known as aptamers, enable them to attach selectively to target areas. Usually, they are created by Systematic Evolution of Ligand by Exponential enrichment (SELEX), and they go through a rigorous pharmacological revision process to change their therapeutic half-life, affinity, and specificity. They could thus offer a viable substitute for antibodies in the targeted cancer treatment market. Although aptamers can be a better choice in some situations, antibodies are still appropriate for many other uses. The technique of delivering aptamers is simple and reasonable, and the time needed to manufacture them is relatively brief. Aptamers do not require animals or an immune response to be produced, in contrast to antibodies. When used as a medication, aptamers can directly suppress tumor cells. As an alternative, they can be included in systems for targeted drug delivery that administer medications specifically to tumor cells while reducing toxicity to healthy cells. The most recent and cutting-edge methods for treating gastrointestinal (GI) tract cancer with aptamers will be covered in this review, with a focus on targeted therapy as a means of conquering resistance to traditional medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herlina Uinarni
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine and Health Sciences Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Radiology department of Pantai Indah Kapuk Hospital Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia.
| | - Enwa Felix Oghenemaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
| | - Soumya V Menon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Sciences, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatma Magdi Ibrahim
- Assisstant professor, Community Health Nursing, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
- Lecturer, geriatric nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- Department of Sciences, Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303012, India
| | | | - Mahamedha Deorari
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Majid S Jabir
- Department of applied sciences, University of technology, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Hussein Zwamel
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- Medical laboratory technique college, the Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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Li X, Zhong H, Zheng S, Mu J, Yu N, Guo S. Tumor-penetrating iRGD facilitates penetration of poly(floxuridine-ketal)-based nanomedicine for enhanced pancreatic cancer therapy. J Control Release 2024; 369:444-457. [PMID: 38575076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.04.004] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Efficient intratumoral penetration is essential for nanomedicine to eradicate pancreatic tumors. Although nanomedicine can enter the perivascular space of pancreatic tumors, their access to distal tumor cells, aloof from the vessels, remains a formidable challenge. Here, we synthesized an acid-activatable macromolecular prodrug of floxuridine (FUDR)-poly(FUDR-ketal), engineered a micellar nanomedicine of FUDR, and intravenously co-administered the nanomedicine with the tumor-penetrating peptide iRGD for enhanced treatment of pancreatic tumor. A FUDR-derived mono-isopropenyl ether was synthesized and underwent self-addition polymerization to afford the hydrophobic poly(FUDR-ketal), which was subsequently co-assembled with amphiphilic DSPE-mPEG into the micellar nanomedicine with size of 12 nm and drug content of 56.8 wt% using nanoprecipitation technique. The acetone-based ketal-linked poly(FUDR-ketal) was triggered by acid to release FUDR to inhibit cell proliferation. In an orthotopic pancreatic tumor model derived from KPC (KrasLSL-G12D/+; Trp53LSL-R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre) cells that overexpress neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) receptor, iRGD improved penetration of FUDR nanomedicine into tumor parenchyma and potentiated the therapeutic efficacy. Our nanoplatform, along with iRGD, thus appears to be promising for efficient penetration and activation of acid-responsive nanomedicines for enhanced pancreatic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingwei Li
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Haiping Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Shujing Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jingqing Mu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Tianjin Aier Eye Hospital, Tianjin 300190, China
| | - Na Yu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation, Beijing 100094, China.
| | - Shutao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Frontiers Science Center for New Organic Matter, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
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Chintamaneni PK, Pindiprolu SKSS, Swain SS, Karri VVSR, Nesamony J, Chelliah S, Bhaskaran M. Conquering chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer: Exploring novel drug therapies and delivery approaches amidst desmoplasia and hypoxia. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216782. [PMID: 38453046 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216782] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer poses a significant challenge within the field of oncology due to its aggressive behaviour, limited treatment choices, and unfavourable outlook. With a mere 10% survival rate at the 5-year mark, finding effective interventions becomes even more pressing. The intricate relationship between desmoplasia and hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment further complicates matters by promoting resistance to chemotherapy and impeding treatment efficacy. The dense extracellular matrix and cancer-associated fibroblasts characteristic of desmoplasia create a physical and biochemical barrier that impedes drug penetration and fosters an immunosuppressive milieu. Concurrently, hypoxia nurtures aggressive tumor behaviour and resistance to conventional therapies. a comprehensive exploration of emerging medications and innovative drug delivery approaches. Notably, advancements in nanoparticle-based delivery systems, local drug delivery implants, and oxygen-carrying strategies are highlighted for their potential to enhance drug accessibility and therapeutic outcomes. The integration of these strategies with traditional chemotherapies and targeted agents reveals the potential for synergistic effects that amplify treatment responses. These emerging interventions can mitigate desmoplasia and hypoxia-induced barriers, leading to improved drug delivery, treatment efficacy, and patient outcomes in pancreatic cancer. This review article delves into the dynamic landscape of emerging anticancer medications and innovative drug delivery strategies poised to overcome the challenges imposed by desmoplasia and hypoxia in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Kumar Chintamaneni
- Department of Pharmaceutics, GITAM School of Pharmacy, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Rudraram, 502329 Telangana, India.
| | | | - Swati Swagatika Swain
- Department of Pharmaceutics, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Ooty, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Jerry Nesamony
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Toledo HSC, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Selvam Chelliah
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX-77004, USA
| | - Mahendran Bhaskaran
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Toledo HSC, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA.
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Mahmoudian F, Ahmari A, Shabani S, Sadeghi B, Fahimirad S, Fattahi F. Aptamers as an approach to targeted cancer therapy. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:108. [PMID: 38493153 PMCID: PMC10943855 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03295-4] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Conventional cancer treatments can cause serious side effects because they are not specific to cancer cells and can damage healthy cells. Aptamers often are single-stranded oligonucleotides arranged in a unique architecture, allowing them to bind specifically to target sites. This feature makes them an ideal choice for targeted therapeutics. They are typically produced through the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and undergo extensive pharmacological revision to modify their affinity, specificity, and therapeutic half-life. Aptamers can act as drugs themselves, directly inhibiting tumor cells. Alternatively, they can be used in targeted drug delivery systems to transport drugs directly to tumor cells, minimizing toxicity to healthy cells. In this review, we will discuss the latest and most advanced approaches to using aptamers for cancer treatment, particularly targeted therapy overcoming resistance to conventional therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Mahmoudian
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah-Khansari Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Azin Ahmari
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah-Khansari Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Shiva Shabani
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah-Khansari Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Bahman Sadeghi
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah-Khansari Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Shohreh Fahimirad
- Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
| | - Fahimeh Fattahi
- Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah-Khansari Hospital, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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6
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Singh S, Kaushik AC, Gupta H, Jhinjharia D, Sahi S. Identification of Prognostic Markers and Potential Therapeutic Targets using Gene Expression Profiling and Simulation Studies in Pancreatic Cancer. Curr Comput Aided Drug Des 2024; 20:955-973. [PMID: 37711100 DOI: 10.2174/1573409920666230914100826] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year relative survival rate of less than 10% making it one of the most fatal cancers. A lack of early measures of prognosis, challenges in molecular targeted therapy, ineffective adjuvant chemotherapy, and strong resistance to chemotherapy cumulatively make pancreatic cancer challenging to manage. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to enhance understanding of the disease mechanism and its progression by identifying prognostic biomarkers, potential drug targets, and candidate drugs that can be used for therapy in pancreatic cancer. METHODS Gene expression profiles from the GEO database were analyzed to identify reliable prognostic markers and potential drug targets. The disease's molecular mechanism and biological pathways were studied by investigating gene ontologies, KEGG pathways, and survival analysis to understand the strong prognostic power of key DEGs. FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs were screened through cell line databases, and docking studies were performed to identify drugs with high affinity for ARNTL2 and PIK3C2A. Molecular dynamic simulations of drug targets ARNTL2 and PIK3C2A in their native state and complex with nilotinib were carried out for 100 ns to validate their therapeutic potential in PDAC. RESULTS Differentially expressed genes that are crucial regulators, including SUN1, PSMG3, PIK3C2A, SCRN1, and TRIAP1, were identified. Nilotinib as a candidate drug was screened using sensitivity analysis on CCLE and GDSC pancreatic cancer cell lines. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the underlying mechanism of the binding of nilotinib with ARNTL2 and PIK3C2A and the dynamic perturbations. It validated nilotinib as a promising drug for pancreatic cancer. CONCLUSION This study accounts for prognostic markers, drug targets, and repurposed anti-cancer drugs to highlight their usefulness for translational research on developing novel therapies. Our results revealed potential and prospective clinical applications in drug targets ARNTL2, EGFR, and PI3KC2A for pancreatic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samvedna Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
| | | | - Himanshi Gupta
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Divya Jhinjharia
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Shakti Sahi
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, India
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Dana PM, Hallajzadeh J, Asemi Z, Mansournia MA, Yousefi B. Advances in Chitosan-based Drug Delivery Systems in Melanoma: A Narrative Review. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:3488-3501. [PMID: 37202890 DOI: 10.2174/0929867330666230518143654] [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: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma accounts for the minority of skin cancer cases. However, it has the highest mortality rate among the subtypes of skin cancer. At the early stages of the disease, patients show a good prognosis after the surgery, but developing metastases leads to a remarkable drop in patients' 5-year survival rate. Despite the advances made in the therapeutic approaches to this disease, melanoma treatment is still facing several obstacles. Systemic toxicity, water insolubility, instability, lack of proper biodistribution, inadequate cellular penetration, and rapid clearance are some of the challenges that should be addressed in the field of melanoma treatment. While various delivery systems have been developed to circumvent these challenges, chitosan-based delivery platforms have indicated significant success. Chitosan that is produced by the deacetylation of chitin can be formulated into different materials (e.g., nanoparticle, film, and hydrogel) due to its characteristics. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that chitosan-based materials can be used in drug delivery systems while offering a solution for the common problems in this area, such as enhancing biodistribution and skin penetration as well as the sustained release of the drugs. Herein, we reviewed the studies concerning the role of chitosan as a drug delivery system in melanoma and discussed how these drug systems are used for delivering chemotherapeutic drugs (e.g., doxorubicin and paclitaxel), genes (e.g., TRAIL), and RNAs (e.g., miRNA199a and STAT3 siRNA) successfully. Furthermore, we take a look into the role of chitosan-based nanoparticles in neutron capture therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Maleki Dana
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran
| | - Jamal Hallajzadeh
- Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Research Center for Evidence-based Health Management, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Maragheh, Iran
| | - Zatollah Asemi
- Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I.R. Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Mansournia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahman Yousefi
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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Lin B, Xiao F, Jiang J, Zhao Z, Zhou X. Engineered aptamers for molecular imaging. Chem Sci 2023; 14:14039-14061. [PMID: 38098720 PMCID: PMC10718180 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc03989g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular imaging, including quantification and molecular interaction studies, plays a crucial role in visualizing and analysing molecular events occurring within cells or organisms, thus facilitating the understanding of biological processes. Moreover, molecular imaging offers promising applications for early disease diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can recognize targets with a high affinity and specificity by folding themselves into various three-dimensional structures, thus serving as ideal molecular recognition elements in molecular imaging. This review summarizes the commonly employed aptamers in molecular imaging and outlines the prevalent design approaches for their applications. Furthermore, it highlights the successful application of aptamers to a wide range of targets and imaging modalities. Finally, the review concludes with a forward-looking perspective on future advancements in aptamer-based molecular imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqian Lin
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, Department of Hematology of Zhongnan Hospital, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 China
| | - Feng Xiao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, Department of Hematology of Zhongnan Hospital, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 China
| | - Jinting Jiang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, Department of Hematology of Zhongnan Hospital, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 China
| | - Zhengjia Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, Department of Hematology of Zhongnan Hospital, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 China
| | - Xiang Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Biomedical Polymers-Ministry of Education, Department of Hematology of Zhongnan Hospital, Taikang Center for Life and Medical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan 430072 China
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Thomas BJ, Guldenpfennig C, Guan Y, Winkler C, Beecher M, Beedy M, Berendzen AF, Ma L, Daniels MA, Burke DH, Porciani D. Targeting lung cancer with clinically relevant EGFR mutations using anti-EGFR RNA aptamer. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 34:102046. [PMID: 37869258 PMCID: PMC10589377 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
A significant fraction of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases are due to oncogenic mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Anti-EGFR antibodies have shown limited clinical benefit for NSCLC, whereas tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are effective, but resistance ultimately occurs. The current landscape suggests that alternative ligands that target wild-type and mutant EGFRs are desirable for targeted therapy or drug delivery development. Here we evaluate NSCLC targeting using an anti-EGFR aptamer (MinE07). We demonstrate that interaction sites of MinE07 overlap with clinically relevant antibodies targeting extracellular domain III and that MinE07 retains binding to EGFR harboring the most common oncogenic and resistance mutations. When MinE07 was linked to an anti-c-Met aptamer, the EGFR/c-Met bispecific aptamer (bsApt) showed superior labeling of NSCLC cells in vitro relative to monospecific aptamers. However, dual targeting in vivo did not improve the recognition of NSCLC xenografts compared to MinE07. Interestingly, biodistribution of Cy7-labeled bsApt differed significantly from Alexa Fluor 750-labeled bsApt. Overall, our findings demonstrate that aptamer formulations containing MinE07 can target ectopic lung cancer without additional stabilization or PEGylation and highlights the potential of MinE07 as a targeting reagent for the recognition of NSCLC harboring clinically relevant EGFRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian J. Thomas
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Caitlyn Guldenpfennig
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Yue Guan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Calvin Winkler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Margaret Beecher
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Michaela Beedy
- Department of Biochemistry, Westminster College, Fulton, MO 65251, USA
| | - Ashley F. Berendzen
- Research Division/Biomolecular Imaging Center, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
| | - Lixin Ma
- Research Division/Biomolecular Imaging Center, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Mark A. Daniels
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Donald H. Burke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - David Porciani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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Hersh J, Yang YP, Roberts E, Bilbao D, Tao W, Pollack A, Daunert S, Deo SK. Targeted Bioluminescent Imaging of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Using Nanocarrier-Complexed EGFR-Binding Affibody-Gaussia Luciferase Fusion Protein. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1976. [PMID: 37514162 PMCID: PMC10384630 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In vivo imaging has enabled impressive advances in biological research, both preclinical and clinical, and researchers have an arsenal of imaging methods available. Bioluminescence imaging is an advantageous method for in vivo studies that allows for the simple acquisition of images with low background signals. Researchers have increasingly been looking for ways to improve bioluminescent imaging for in vivo applications, which we sought to achieve by developing a bioluminescent probe that could specifically target cells of interest. We chose pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as the disease model because it is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and has an extremely low survival rate. We targeted the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells, using an EGFR-specific affibody to selectively identify PDAC cells and delivered a Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) bioluminescent protein for imaging by engineering a fusion protein with both the affibody and the bioluminescent protein. This fusion protein was then complexed with a G5-PAMAM dendrimer nanocarrier. The dendrimer was used to improve the protein stability in vivo and increase signal strength. Our targeted bioluminescent complex had an enhanced uptake into PDAC cells in vitro and localized to PDAC tumors in vivo in pancreatic cancer xenograft mice. The bioluminescent complexes could delineate the tumor shape, identify multiple masses, and locate metastases. Through this work, an EGFR-targeted bioluminescent-dendrimer complex enabled the straightforward identification and imaging of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo in preclinical models. This argues for the targeted nanocarrier-mediated delivery of bioluminescent proteins as a way to improve in vivo bioluminescent imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Hersh
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (J.H.); (Y.-P.Y.); (S.D.)
- The Dr. John T. McDonald Foundation Bionanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
| | - Yu-Ping Yang
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (J.H.); (Y.-P.Y.); (S.D.)
- The Dr. John T. McDonald Foundation Bionanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
| | - Evan Roberts
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
| | - Daniel Bilbao
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Wensi Tao
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Alan Pollack
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Sylvia Daunert
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (J.H.); (Y.-P.Y.); (S.D.)
- The Dr. John T. McDonald Foundation Bionanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
| | - Sapna K. Deo
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (J.H.); (Y.-P.Y.); (S.D.)
- The Dr. John T. McDonald Foundation Bionanotechnology Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA; (E.R.); (D.B.); (W.T.); (A.P.)
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11
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Mi Z, Kuo MC, Kuo PC. RNA Aptamer Targeting of Adam8 in Cancer Growth and Metastasis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3254. [PMID: 37370863 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123254] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer progression depends on an accumulation of metastasis-supporting physiological changes, which are regulated by cell-signaling molecules. In this regard, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8 (Adam8) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is selectively expressed and induced by a variety of inflammatory stimuli. In this study, we identified Adam8 as a sox2-dependent protein expressed in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells when cocultured with mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived myofibroblast-like cancer-associated fibroblasts (myCAF). We have previously found that myCAF-induced cancer stemness is required for the maintenance of the myCAF phenotype, suggesting that the initiation and maintenance of the myCAF phenotype require distinct cell-signaling crosstalk pathways between cancer cells and myCAF. Adam8 was identified as a candidate secreted protein induced by myCAF-mediated cancer stemness. Adam8 has a known sheddase function against which we developed an RNA aptamer, namely, Adam8-Apt1-26nt. The Adam8-Apt1-26nt-mediated blockade of the extracellular soluble Adam8 metalloproteinase domain abolishes the previously initiated myCAF phenotype, or, termed differently, blocks the maintenance of the myCAF phenotype. Consequently, cancer stemness is significantly decreased. Xenograft models show that Adam8-Apt-1-26nt administration is associated with decreased tumor growth and metastasis, while flow cytometric analyses demonstrate a significantly decreased fraction of myCAF after Adam8-Apt-1-26nt treatment. The role of soluble Adam8 in the maintenance of the myCAF phenotype has not been previously characterized. Our study suggests that the signal pathways for the induction or initiation of the myCAF phenotype may be distinct from those involved with the maintenance of the myCAF phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Mi
- Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
| | - Marissa C Kuo
- Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Paul C Kuo
- Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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12
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Sanati M, Afshari AR, Ahmadi SS, Kesharwani P, Sahebkar A. Aptamers against cancer drug resistance: Small fighters switching tactics in the face of defeat. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2023; 1869:166720. [PMID: 37062453 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Discovering novel cancer therapies has attracted extreme interest in the last decade. In this regard, multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapies is the primary challenge in cancer treatment. Cancerous cells are growingly become resistant to existing chemotherapeutics by employing diverse mechanisms, highlighting the significance of discovering approaches to overcome MDR. One promising strategy is utilizing aptamers as unique tools to target elements or signalings incorporated in resistance mechanisms or develop active targeted drug delivery systems or chimeras enabling the precise delivery of novel agents to inhibit the conventionally undruggable resistance elements. Further, due to their advantages over their proteinaceous counterparts, particularly antibodies, including improved targeting action, enhanced thermal stability, easier production, and superior tumor penetration, aptamers are emerging and have frequently been considered for developing cancer therapeutics. Here, we highlighted significant chemoresistance pathways and thoroughly discussed using aptamers as prospective tools to surmount cancer MDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Sanati
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran; Experimental and Animal Study Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Amir R Afshari
- Natural Products and Medicinal Plants Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Seyed Sajad Ahmadi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Khatam-Ol-Anbia Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Prashant Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India; Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Chennai, India.
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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Kumar S, Singh SK, Srivastava P, Suresh S, Rana B, Rana A. Interplay between MAP kinases and tumor microenvironment: Opportunity for immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Adv Cancer Res 2023. [PMID: 37268394 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), commonly called pancreatic cancer, is aggressive cancer usually detected at a late stage, limiting treatment options with modest clinical responses. It is projected that by 2030, PDAC will be the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. Drug resistance in PDAC is common and significantly affects patients' overall survival (OS). Oncogenic KRAS mutations are nearly uniform in PDAC, affecting over 90% of patients. However, effective drugs directed to target prevalent KRAS mutants in pancreatic cancer are not in clinical practice. Accordingly, efforts are continued on identifying alternative druggable target(s) or approaches to improve patient outcomes with PDAC. In most PDAC cases, the KRAS mutations turn-on the RAF-MEK-MAPK pathways, leading to pancreatic tumorigenesis. The MAPK signaling cascade (MAP4K→MAP3K→MAP2K→MAPK) plays a central role in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment (TME) and chemotherapy resistance. The immunosuppressive pancreatic cancer TME is another unfavorable factor affecting the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs), including CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2, are critical players in T cell dysfunction and pancreatic tumor cell growth. Here, we review the activation of MAPKs, a molecular trait of KRAS mutations and their impact on pancreatic cancer TME, chemoresistance, and expression of ICPs that could influence the clinical outcomes in PDAC patients. Therefore, understanding the interplay between MAPK pathways and TME could help to design rational therapy combining immunotherapy and MAPK inhibitors for pancreatic cancer treatment.
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Ndemazie NB, Inkoom A, Ebesoh D, Bulusu R, Frimpong E, Trevino J, Han B, Zhu X, Agyare E. Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer evaluation of 1,3-bistetrahydrofuran-2yl-5-FU as a potential agent for pancreatic cancer. BMC Cancer 2022; 22:1345. [PMID: 36550419 PMCID: PMC9773620 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10449-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The failure of current chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer (PCa) makes it the most aggressive soft tissue tumor with a 5-year survival of slightly above 10% and is estimated to be the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030. OBJECTIVE The main aim was to synthesize, characterize and evaluate the anticancer activity of 1,3-bistetrahydrofuran-2yl-5FU (MFU). METHODS MFU was synthesized by using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and tetrahydrofuran acetate, and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), micro-elemental analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and liquid chromatography with mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS). MFU and Gemcitabine hydrochloride (GemHCl) were tested for antiproliferative activity against MiaPaca-2 and Panc-1 cell lines. RESULTS The half-minimum inhibitory concentration (IC50) of MFU was twice lower than that of GemHCl when used in both cell lines. MiaPaca-2 cells (MFU-IC50 = 4.5 ± 1.2 μM vs. GemHCl-IC50 = 10.3 ± 1.1 μM); meanwhile similar trend was observed in Panc-1 cells (MFU-IC50 = 3.0 ± 1 μM vs. GemHCl-IC50 = 6.1 ± 1.03 μM). The MFU and GemHCl effects on 3D spheroids showed a similar trend (IC50-GemHCl = 14.3 ± 1.1 μM vs. IC50-MFU = 7.2 ± 1.1 μM) for MiaPaca-2 cells, and (IC50-GemHCl = 16.3 ± 1.1 μM vs. IC50-MFU = 9.2 ± 1.1 μM) for Panc-1 cells. MFU significantly inhibited clonogenic cell growth, and induced cell death via apoptosis. Cell cycle data showed mean PI for GemHCl (48.5-55.7) twice higher than MFU (24.7 to 27.9) for MiaPaca-2 cells, and similarly to Panc-1 cells. The in-vivo model showed intensely stained EGFR (stained brown) in all control, GemHCl and MFU-treated mice bearing subcutaneous PDX tumors, however, HER2 expression was less stained in MFU-treated tumors compared to GemHCl-treated tumors and controls. Mean tumor volume of MFU-treated mice (361 ± 33.5 mm3) was three-fold lower than GemHCl-treated mice (1074 ± 181.2 mm3) bearing pancreatic PDX tumors. CONCLUSION MFU was synthesized with high purity and may have potential anticancer activity against PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nkafu Bechem Ndemazie
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA
| | - Andriana Inkoom
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA
| | - Dexter Ebesoh
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Raviteja Bulusu
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA
| | - Esther Frimpong
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA
| | - Jose Trevino
- Department of Surgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Bo Han
- Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine University of South California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Xue Zhu
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA.
| | - Edward Agyare
- College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health, Florida A&M University, 1415 South Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA.
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Harada K, Sakamoto N. Cancer organoid applications to investigate chemotherapy resistance. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1067207. [PMID: 36582205 PMCID: PMC9792487 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1067207] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In clinical practice, a large proportion of cancer patients receive chemotherapy, yet tumors persist or acquire resistance; removing this obstacle could help to lower the number of cancer-related fatalities. All areas of cancer research are increasingly using organoid technology, a culture technique that simulates the in vivo environment in vitro, especially in the quickly developing fields of anticancer drug resistance, drug-tolerant persisters, and drug screening. This review provides an overview of organoid technology, the use of organoids in the field of anticancer drug resistance research, their relevance to clinical information and clinical trials, and approaches to automation and high throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Harada
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan,Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Naoya Sakamoto
- Division of Pathology, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Kashiwa, Japan,*Correspondence: Naoya Sakamoto,
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Li Y, Zhao J, Xue Z, Tsang C, Qiao X, Dong L, Li H, Yang Y, Yu B, Gao Y. Aptamer nucleotide analog drug conjugates in the targeting therapy of cancers. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1053984. [PMID: 36544906 PMCID: PMC9760908 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1053984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are short single-strand oligonucleotides that can form secondary and tertiary structures, fitting targets with high affinity and specificity. They are so-called "chemical antibodies" and can target specific biomarkers in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is usually used for the enrichment and selection of aptamers, and the targets could be metal ions, small molecules, nucleotides, proteins, cells, or even tissues or organs. Due to the high specificity and distinctive binding affinity of aptamers, aptamer-drug conjugates (ApDCs) have demonstrated their potential role in drug delivery for cancer-targeting therapies. Compared with antibodies which are produced by a cell-based bioreactor, aptamers are chemically synthesized molecules that can be easily conjugated to drugs and modified; however, the conventional ApDCs conjugate the aptamer with an active drug using a linker which may add more concerns to the stability of the ApDC, the drug-releasing efficiency, and the drug-loading capacity. The function of aptamer in conventional ApDC is just as a targeting moiety which could not fully perform the advantages of aptamers. To address these drawbacks, scientists have started using active nucleotide analogs as the cargoes of ApDCs, such as clofarabine, ara-guanosine, gemcitabine, and floxuridine, to replace all or part of the natural nucleotides in aptamer sequences. In turn, these new types of ApDCs, aptamer nucleotide analog drug conjugates, show the strength for targeting efficacy but avoid the complex drug linker designation and improve the synthetic efficiency. More importantly, these classic nucleotide analog drugs have been used for many years, and aptamer nucleotide analog drug conjugates would not increase any unknown druggability risk but improve the target tumor accumulation. In this review, we mainly summarized aptamer-conjugated nucleotide analog drugs in cancer-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongshu Li
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China,Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China,Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Yongshu Li, ; Yunhua Gao,
| | - Jing Zhao
- Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhichao Xue
- Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China
| | - Chiman Tsang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoting Qiao
- Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lianhua Dong
- Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China,Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China
| | - Huijie Li
- Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bin Yu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yunhua Gao
- Shenzhen Institute for Technology Innovation, National Institute of Metrology, Shenzhen, China,Center for Advanced Measurement Science, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Yongshu Li, ; Yunhua Gao,
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17
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Recent advances in oral delivery of bioactive molecules: Focus on prebiotic carbohydrates as vehicle matrices. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 298:120074. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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18
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Recent developments of nanomedicine delivery systems for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.104042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cao C, Zhao W, Chen X, Shen B, Wang T, Wu C, Rong X. Deciphering the action mechanism of paeoniflorin in suppressing pancreatic cancer: A network pharmacology study and experimental validation. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1032282. [PMID: 36339551 PMCID: PMC9630940 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1032282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Paeoniflorin (PF) is the main active component of Chinese herbaceous peony that has been shown to have an anti-tumor effect. However, there are few studies on the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer with PF. Methods: We gathered Microarray data pertaining to paeoniflorin intervention in pancreatic cancer by utilizing the GEO database (GSE97124). Then, the DEGs were filtered by the 33R program. RNA-seq data of pancreatic cancer and normal tissue samples were taken from the TCGA and GTEx databases, respectively, and the WGCNA technique was utilized to examine the pancreatic cancer-specific genes. Paeoniflorin target genes for the treatment of pancreatic cancer were determined based on the overlap between DEGs and WGCNA. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were then performed on paeoniflorin target genes to discover which biological processes were impacted. Using the 3 hierarchical methods included in the Cytohubba plugin, we re-screened the hub genes in the target genes to find the genes most relevant to paeoniflorin treatment. The overall survival effects of hub genes were confirmed using the TCGA database. Finally, the paeoniflorin targets identified by the network pharmacology analysis were validated using PANC-1 and Capan-2 cells. Results: We identified 148 main potential PF targets, and gene enrichment analysis suggested that the aforementioned targets play a crucial role in the regulation of MAPK, PI3K-AKT, and other pathways. The further screening of the prospective targets resulted in the identification of 39 hub genes. Using the TCGA database, it was determined that around 33.33% of the hub gene’s high expression was linked with a bad prognosis. Finally, we demonstrated that PF inhibits IL-6 and IL-10 expression and p38 phosphorylation in pancreatic cancer cells, thereby reducing inflammation. Conclusion: PF may regulate inflammatory factors mainly through the p38 MAPK signal pathway. These findings provide theoretical and experimental evidence suggesting the PF as a promising natural source of anti-tumor compounds for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhao Cao
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliate Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wenting Zhao
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Bin Shen
- Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Teng Wang
- Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chaoxu Wu
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliate Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaofeng Rong, ; Chaoxu Wu,
| | - Xiaofeng Rong
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The First Affiliate Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaofeng Rong, ; Chaoxu Wu,
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20
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Fan N, Bian X, Li M, Chen J, Wu H, Peng Q, Bai H, Cheng W, Kong L, Ding S, Li S, Cheng W. Hierarchical self-uncloaking CRISPR-Cas13a-customized RNA nanococoons for spatial-controlled genome editing and precise cancer therapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn7382. [PMID: 35584220 PMCID: PMC9116607 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn7382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas13a holds enormous potential for developing precise RNA editing. However, spatial manipulation of CRISPR-Cas13a activity remains a daunting challenge for elaborately regulating localized RNase function. Here, we designed hierarchical self-uncloaking CRISPR-Cas13a-customized RNA nanococoons (RNCOs-D), featuring tumor-specific recognition and spatial-controlled activation of Cas13a, for precise cancer synergistic therapy. RNCOs-D consists of programmable RNA nanosponges (RNSs) capable of targeted delivery and caging chemotherapeutic drug, and nanocapsules (NCs) anchored on RNSs for cloaking Cas13a/crRNA ribonucleoprotein (Cas13a RNP) activity. The acidic endo/lysosomal microenvironment stimulates the outer decomposition of NCs with concomitant Cas13a RNP activity revitalization, while the inner disassembly through trans-cleavage of RNSs initiated by cis-recognition and cleavage of EGFR variant III (EGFRvIII) mRNA. RNCOs-D demonstrates the effective EGFRvIII mRNA silencing for synergistic therapy of glioblastoma cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The engineering of RNSs, together with efficient Cas13a activity regulation, holds immense prospect for multimodal and synergistic cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningke Fan
- The Center for Clinical Molecular Medical Detection, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Xintong Bian
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
| | - Junman Chen
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Haiping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Qiling Peng
- Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Huijie Bai
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Wenqian Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Liangsheng Kong
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Shijia Ding
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
| | - Siqiao Li
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (Wei Cheng)
| | - Wei Cheng
- The Center for Clinical Molecular Medical Detection, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China
- Corresponding author. (S.L.); (Wei Cheng)
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Sunami Y, Häußler J, Zourelidis A, Kleeff J. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Tumor Cells in Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment and Metastasis: Paracrine Regulators, Reciprocation and Exosomes. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030744. [PMID: 35159011 PMCID: PMC8833704 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer-associated fibroblasts in the stromal tumor microenvironment play a key role in cancer progression, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Cancer-associated fibroblasts communicate with tumor cells through diverse factors, such as growth factors, hedgehog proteins, cytokines, and chemokines, regulating signaling activity in paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal ways. Furthermore, cancer-associated fibroblasts, not only tumor cells, secrete exosomes that drive pre-metastatic niche formation and metastasis. Abstract Pancreatic cancer is currently the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and the overall 5 year survival rate is still only around 10%. Pancreatic cancer exhibits a remarkable resistance to established therapeutic options such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, in part due to the dense stromal tumor microenvironment, where cancer-associated fibroblasts are the major stromal cell type. Cancer-associated fibroblasts further play a key role in cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis. Cancer-associated fibroblasts communicate with tumor cells, not only through paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal signaling regulators but also by way of exosomes. In the current manuscript, we discuss intercellular mediators between cancer-associated fibroblasts and pancreatic cancer cells in a paracrine as well as paracrine-reciprocal manner. Further recent findings on exosomes in pancreatic cancer and metastasis are summarized.
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Wang J, Feng X, Li Z, Chen Y, Huang W. Patient-derived organoids as a model for tumor research. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2022; 189:259-326. [PMID: 35595351 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Cancer represents a leading cause of death, despite the rapid progress of cancer research, leading to urgent need for accurate preclinical model to further study of tumor mechanism and accelerate translational applications. Cancer cell lines cannot fully recapitulate tumors of different patients due to the lack of tumor complexity and specification, while the high technical difficulty, long time, and substantial cost of patient-derived xenograft model makes it unable to be used extensively for all types of tumors and large-scale drug screening. Patient-derived organoids can be established rapidly with a high success rate from many tumors, and precisely replicate the key histopathological, genetic, and phenotypic features, as well as therapeutic response of patient tumor. Therefore, they are extensively used in cancer basic research, biobanking, disease modeling and precision medicine. The combinations of cancer organoids with other advanced technologies, such as 3D bio-printing, organ-on-a-chip, and CRISPR-Cas9, contributes to the more complete replication of complex tumor microenvironment and tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss the various methods of the establishment and the application of patient-derived organoids in diverse tumors as well as the limitations and future prospects of these models. Further advances of tumor organoids are expected to bridge the huge gap between bench and bedside and provide the unprecedented opportunities to advance cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Xiaoying Feng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen, China; International Cancer Center of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongsong Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
| | - Weiren Huang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Department of Urology, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen, China; International Cancer Center of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
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23
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Lavania S, Gupta VK, Saluja A. The Rise of Aptamers: Promising Avenues in the Treatment of Solid Tumors. Gastroenterology 2021; 161:804-806. [PMID: 34174244 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2021.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Lavania
- Department of Surgery and, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.
| | - Vineet K Gupta
- Department of Surgery and, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Ashok Saluja
- Department of Surgery and, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
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