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Kang X, Mita N, Zhou L, Wu S, Yue Z, Babu RJ, Chen P. Nanotechnology in Advancing Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy for Cancer Treatment. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:1228. [PMID: 39339264 PMCID: PMC11435308 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16091228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has emerged as a groundbreaking treatment for hematological cancers, yet it faces significant hurdles, particularly regarding its efficacy in solid tumors and concerning associated adverse effects. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the advancements and ongoing challenges in CAR-T therapy. We highlight the transformative potential of nanotechnology in enhancing CAR-T therapy by improving targeting precision, modulating the immune-suppressive tumor microenvironment, and overcoming physical barriers. Nanotechnology facilitates efficient CAR gene delivery into T cells, boosting transfection efficiency and potentially reducing therapy costs. Moreover, nanotechnology offers innovative solutions to mitigate cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Cutting-edge nanotechnology platforms for real-time monitoring of CAR-T cell activity and cytokine release are also discussed. By integrating these advancements, we aim to provide valuable insights and pave the way for the next generation of CAR-T cell therapies to overcome current limitations and enhance therapeutic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejia Kang
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (L.Z.); (S.W.)
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (N.M.); (Z.Y.); (R.J.B.)
| | - Nur Mita
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (N.M.); (Z.Y.); (R.J.B.)
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Mulawarman University, Samarinda 75119, Kalimantan Timur, Indonesia
| | - Lang Zhou
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (L.Z.); (S.W.)
| | - Siqi Wu
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (L.Z.); (S.W.)
| | - Zongliang Yue
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (N.M.); (Z.Y.); (R.J.B.)
| | - R. Jayachandra Babu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (N.M.); (Z.Y.); (R.J.B.)
| | - Pengyu Chen
- Materials Research and Education Center, Materials Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA; (L.Z.); (S.W.)
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Zhou H, Yu CY, Wei H. Liposome-based nanomedicine for immune checkpoint blocking therapy and combinatory cancer therapy. Int J Pharm 2024; 652:123818. [PMID: 38253269 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123818] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The discovery of immune checkpoint (IC) has led to a wave of leap forward in cancer immunotherapy that represents probably the most promising strategy for cancer therapy. However, the clinical use of immune checkpoint block (ICB) therapy is limited by response rates and side effects. A strategy that addresses the limitations of ICB therapies through combination therapies, using nanocarriers as mediators, has been mentioned in numerous research papers. Liposomes have been probably one of the most extensively used nanocarriers for clinical applications, with broad drug delivery and high safety. A timely review on this hot subject of research, i.e., the application of liposomes for ICB, is thus highly desirable for both fundamental and clinical translatable studies, but remains, to our knowledge, unexplored so far. For this purpose, this review is composed to address the dilemma of ICB therapy and the reasons for this dilemma. We later describe how other cancer treatments have broken this dilemma. Finally, we focus on the role of liposomes in various combinatory cancer therapy. This review is believed to serve as a guidance for the rational design and development of liposome for immunotherapy with enhanced therapeutic efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyuan Zhou
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical of Science, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Cui-Yun Yu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical of Science, Hengyang 421001, China.
| | - Hua Wei
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical of Science, Hengyang 421001, China.
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Bondarev NA, Bagaeva DF, Bazhenov SV, Buben MM, Bulushova NV, Ryzhykau YL, Okhrimenko IS, Zagryadskaya YA, Maslov IV, Anisimova NY, Sokolova DV, Kuklin AI, Pokrovsky VS, Manukhov IV. Methionine gamma lyase fused with S3 domain VGF forms octamers and adheres to tumor cells via binding to EGFR. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 691:149319. [PMID: 38042033 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.149319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Methods for targeting enzymes exhibiting anticancer properties, such as methionine γ-lyase (MGL), have not yet been sufficiently developed. Here, we present the data describing the physico-chemical properties and cytotoxic effect of fusion protein MGL-S3 - MGL from Clostridium sporogenes translationally fused to S3 domain of the viral growth factor of smallpox. MGL-S3 has methioninase activity comparable to native MGL. In solution, MGL-S3 protein primarily forms octamers, whereas native MGL, on the contrary, usually forms tetramers. MGL-S3 binds to the surface of the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells and, unlike native MGL, remains there and retains its cytotoxic effect after media removal. In HEK293T cells lacking EGFRs, no adhesion was recorded. Confocal fluorescence microscopy confirms the preferential adhesion of MGL-S3 to tumor cells, while it avoids getting into lysosomes. Both MGL and MGL-S3 arrest cell cycle of SH-SY5Y cells mainly in the G1 phase, while only MGL-S3 retains this ability after washing the cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Bondarev
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - D F Bagaeva
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - S V Bazhenov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - M M Buben
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - N V Bulushova
- National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Kurchatov Genomic Center, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Yu L Ryzhykau
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia; Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Russia
| | - I S Okhrimenko
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - Yu A Zagryadskaya
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - I V Maslov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia
| | - N Yu Anisimova
- Department of Biochemistry, Patrice Lumumba People's Friendship University (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198, Russia; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (N.N. Blokhin NMRCO), Moscow, 115478, Russia
| | - D V Sokolova
- Department of Biochemistry, Patrice Lumumba People's Friendship University (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198, Russia; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (N.N. Blokhin NMRCO), Moscow, 115478, Russia; Center of Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354340, Russia
| | - A I Kuklin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia; Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, Russia
| | - V S Pokrovsky
- Department of Biochemistry, Patrice Lumumba People's Friendship University (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198, Russia; N.N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (N.N. Blokhin NMRCO), Moscow, 115478, Russia; Center of Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354340, Russia
| | - I V Manukhov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700, Russia.
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Abd GM, Laird MC, Ku JC, Li Y. Hypoxia-induced cancer cell reprogramming: a review on how cancer stem cells arise. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1227884. [PMID: 37614497 PMCID: PMC10442830 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1227884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells are a subset of cells within the tumor that possess the ability to self-renew as well as differentiate into different cancer cell lineages. The exact mechanisms by which cancer stem cells arise is still not completely understood. However, current research suggests that cancer stem cells may originate from normal stem cells that have undergone genetic mutations or epigenetic changes. A more recent discovery is the dedifferentiation of cancer cells to stem-like cells. These stem-like cells have been found to express and even upregulate induced pluripotent stem cell markers known as Yamanaka factors. Here we discuss developments in how cancer stem cells arise and consider how environmental factors, such as hypoxia, plays a key role in promoting the progression of cancer stem cells and metastasis. Understanding the mechanisms that give rise to these cells could have important implications for the development of new strategies in cancer treatments and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve M. Abd
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Biomedical. Engineering, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Madison C. Laird
- Medical Students, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Jennifer C. Ku
- Medical Students, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Biomedical. Engineering, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, MI, United States
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Hashemkhani M, Celikbas E, Khan M, Sennaroglu A, Yagci Acar H. ALA/Ag 2S/MnO 2 Hybrid Nanoparticles for Near-Infrared Image-Guided Long-Wavelength Phototherapy of Breast Cancer. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023. [PMID: 37294926 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on temperature increase and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), respectively, is an exciting avenue to provide local and improved therapy of tumors with minimal off-site toxicity. 5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is one of the most popular PDT pro-drugs, and its efficiency improves significantly when delivered to tumors with nanoparticles (NPs). But the tumor site's hypoxic environment is a handicap for the oxygen-consuming PDT process. In this work, highly stable, small, theranostic NPs composed of Ag2S quantum dots and MnO2, electrostatically loaded with ALA, were developed for enhanced PDT/PTT combination of tumors. MnO2 catalyzes endogenous H2O2 to O2 conversion and glutathione depletion, enhancing ROS generation and ALA-PDT efficiency. Ag2S quantum dots (AS QDs) conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) support MnO2 formation and stabilization around Ag2S. AS-BSA-MnO2 provided a strong intracellular near-infrared (NIR) signal and increased the solution temperature by 15 °C upon laser irradiation at 808 nm (215 mW, 10 mg/mL), proving the hybrid NP as an optically trackable, long-wavelength PTT agent. In the in vitro studies, no significant cytotoxicity was observed in the absence of laser irradiation in healthy (C2C12) or breast cancer cell lines (SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231). The most effective phototoxicity was observed when AS-BSA-MnO2-ALA-treated cells were co-irradiated for 5 min with 640 nm (300 mW) and 808 nm (700 mW) due to enhanced ALA-PDT combined with PTT. The viability of cancer cells decreased to approximately 5-10% at 50 μg/mL [Ag], corresponding to 1.6 mM [ALA], whereas at the same concentration, individual PTT and PDT treatments decreased the viability to 55-35%, respectively. The late apoptotic death of the treated cells was mostly correlated with high ROS levels and lactate dehydrogenase. Overall, these hybrid NPs overcome tumor hypoxia, deliver ALA to tumor cells, and provide both NIR tracking and enhanced PDT + PTT combination therapy upon short, low-dose co-irradiation at long wavelengths. These agents that may be utilized for treating other cancer types are also highly suitable for in vivo investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahshid Hashemkhani
- Graduate School of Materials Science and Engineering, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Eda Celikbas
- Graduate School of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Minahil Khan
- Departments of Physics and Electrical and Electronical Engineering, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alphan Sennaroglu
- Graduate School of Materials Science and Engineering, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
- Departments of Physics and Electrical and Electronical Engineering, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
- KUYTAM, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Havva Yagci Acar
- Graduate School of Materials Science and Engineering, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
- Graduate School of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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Li J, Gong C, Chen X, Guo H, Tai Z, Ding N, Gao S, Gao Y. Biomimetic liposomal nanozymes improve breast cancer chemotherapy with enhanced penetration and alleviated hypoxia. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:123. [PMID: 37038165 PMCID: PMC10084658 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01874-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Doxorubicin (Dox) has been recommended in clinical guidelines for the standard-of-care treatment of breast cancer. However, Dox therapy faces challenges such as hypoxia, acidosis, H2O2-rich conditions and condensed extracellular matrix in TME as well as low targeted ability. METHODS We developed a nanosystem H-MnO2-Dox-Col NPs based on mesoporous manganese dioxide (H-MnO2) in which Dox was loaded in the core and collagenase (Col) was wrapped in the surface. Further the H-MnO2-Dox-Col NPs were covered by a fusion membrane (MP) of inflammation-targeted RAW264.7 cell membrane and pH-sensitive liposomes to form biomimetic MP@H-MnO2-Dox-Col for in vitro and in vivo study. RESULTS Our results shows that MP@H-MnO2-Dox-Col can increase the Dox effect with low cardiotoxicity based on multi-functions of effective penetration in tumor tissue, alleviating hypoxia in TME, pH sensitive drug release as well as targeted delivery of Dox. CONCLUSIONS This multifunctional biomimetic nanodelivery system exhibited antitumor efficacy in vivo and in vitro, thus having potential for the treatment of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanjuan Li
- School of Pharmacy & Zhong Shan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201206, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chunai Gong
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, P. R. China
| | - Xinlu Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Huanhuan Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Zongguang Tai
- Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200443, China
| | - Nan Ding
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Shen Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Yuan Gao
- School of Pharmacy & Zhong Shan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201206, China.
- Department of Pharmacy, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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Xie YJ, Huang M, Li D, Hou JC, Liang HH, Nasim AA, Huang JM, Xie C, Leung ELH, Fan XX. Bacteria-based nanodrug for anticancer therapy. Pharmacol Res 2022; 182:106282. [PMID: 35662630 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Bacteria-based immunotherapy has become a promising strategy to induce innate and adaptive responses for fighting cancer. The advantages of bacteriolytic tumor therapy mainly lie in stimulation of innate immunity and colonization of some bacteria targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). These bacteria have cytotoxic proteins and immune modulating factors that can effectively restrain tumor growth. However, cancer is a multifactorial disease and single therapy is typically unable to eradicate tumors. Rapid progress has been made in combining bacteria with nanotechnology. Using the nanomolecular properties of bacterial products for tumor treatment preserves many features from the original bacteria while providing some unique advantages. Nano-bacterial therapy can enhance permeability and retention of drugs, increase the tolerability of the targeted drugs, promote the release of immune cell mediators, and induce immunogenic cell death pathways. In addition, combining nano-bacterial mediated antitumor therapeutic systems with modern therapy is an effective strategy for overcoming existing barriers in antitumor treatment and can achieve satisfactory therapeutic efficacy. Overall, exploring the immune antitumor characteristics of adjuvant clinical treatment with bacteria can provide potential efficacious treatment strategies for combatting cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jia Xie
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Min Huang
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Dan Li
- Beijing Wante'er Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., No. 32 Yard, East 2nd Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou District, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Cai Hou
- Beijing Wante'er Biological Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., No. 32 Yard, East 2nd Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou District, Beijing, China
| | - Hai-Hai Liang
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Ali Adnan Nasim
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Ju-Min Huang
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Chun Xie
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Elaine Lai-Han Leung
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Xing-Xing Fan
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
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Reduction of tumor hypoxia by anti-PD-1 therapy assessed using pimonidazole and [18F]FMISO. Nucl Med Biol 2022; 108-109:85-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Zhao J, Peng YY, Diaz-Dussan D, White J, Duan W, Kong L, Narain R, Hao X. Zwitterionic Block Copolymer Prodrug Micelles for pH Responsive Drug Delivery and Hypoxia-Specific Chemotherapy. Mol Pharm 2021; 19:1766-1777. [PMID: 34473523 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Tirapazamine (TPZ) and its derivatives (TPZD) have shown their great potential for efficiently killing hypoxic cancer cells. However, unsatisfactory clinical outcomes resulting from the low bioavailability of the low-molecular TPZ and TPZD limited their further applications. Precise delivery and release of these prodrugs via functional nanocarriers can significantly improve the therapeutic effects due to the targeted drug delivery and enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Herein, zwitterionic block copolymer (BCP) micelles with aldehyde functional groups are prepared from the self-assembly of poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine-b-poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-4-formylphenyl methacrylate) [PMPC-b-P(DEGMA-co-FPMA)]. TPZD is then grafted onto PMPC-b-P(DEGMA-co-FPMA) to obtain a polymer-drug conjugate, PMPC-b-P(DEGMA-co-FPMA-g-TPZD) (BCP-TPZ), through the formation of a pH-responsive imine bond, exhibiting a pH-dependent drug release profile owing to the cleavage of the imine bond under acidic conditions. Outstandingly, BCP-TPZ shows around 13.7-fold higher cytotoxicity to hypoxic cancer cells in comparison to normoxic cancer cells evaluated through an in vitro cytotoxicity assay. The pH-responsiveness and hypoxia-specific cytotoxicity confer BCP-TPZ micelles a great potential to achieve precise delivery of TPZD and thus enhance the therapeutic effect toward tumor-hypoxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyang Zhao
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia.,Manufacturing, CSIRO, Research Way, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Yi-Yang Peng
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 116 Street and 85th Avenue, Edmonton T6G 2G6, Alberta, Canada
| | - Diana Diaz-Dussan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 116 Street and 85th Avenue, Edmonton T6G 2G6, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jacinta White
- Manufacturing, CSIRO, Research Way, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Wei Duan
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Lingxue Kong
- Institute for Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Ravin Narain
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, 116 Street and 85th Avenue, Edmonton T6G 2G6, Alberta, Canada
| | - Xiaojuan Hao
- Manufacturing, CSIRO, Research Way, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
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