1
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Yi M, Xiong B, Li Y, Guo W, Huang Y, Lu B. Manipulate tumor hypoxia for improved photodynamic therapy using nanomaterials. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115084. [PMID: 36599230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Due to its low adverse effects, minimal invasiveness, and outstanding patient compliance, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has drawn a great deal of interest, which is achieved through incomplete reduction of O2 by a photosensitizer under light illumination that produces amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, tumor hypoxia significantly hinders the therapeutic effect of PDT so that tumor cells cannot be eliminated, which results in tumor cells proliferating, invading, and metastasizing. Additionally, O2 consumption during PDT exacerbates hypoxia in tumors, leading to several adverse events after PDT treatment. In recent years, various investigations have focused on conquering or using tumor hypoxia by nanomaterials to amplify PDT efficacy, which is summarized in this review. This comprehensive review's objective is to present novel viewpoints on the advancement of oxygenation nanomaterials in this promising field, which is motivated by hypoxia-associated anti-tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Yi
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Bei Xiong
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yuyang Li
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Wei Guo
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yunhan Huang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Bo Lu
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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2
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Li Y, Zhao L, Li XF. Targeting Hypoxia: Hypoxia-Activated Prodrugs in Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol 2021; 11:700407. [PMID: 34395270 PMCID: PMC8358929 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.700407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is an important characteristic of most solid malignancies, and is closely related to tumor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Hypoxia is one of the most important factors associated with resistance to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therapies targeting tumor hypoxia have attracted considerable attention. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs) are bioreductive drugs that are selectively activated under hypoxic conditions and that can accurately target the hypoxic regions of solid tumors. Both single-agent and combined use with other drugs have shown promising antitumor effects. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of action and the current preclinical and clinical progress of several of the most widely used HAPs, summarize their existing problems and shortcomings, and discuss future research prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, China.,The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Long Zhao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University (Shenzhen People's Hospital), Shenzhen, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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3
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Li Q, Lin B, Li Y, Lu N. Erythrocyte-Camouflaged Mesoporous Titanium Dioxide Nanoplatform for an Ultrasound-Mediated Sequential Therapies of Breast Cancer. Int J Nanomedicine 2021; 16:3875-3887. [PMID: 34135582 PMCID: PMC8197575 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s301855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypoxic microenvironment promotes tumor resistance to most treatments, especially highly oxygen-dependent sonodynamic therapy (SDT). METHOD AND RESULTS In view of the aggravation of hypoxia by oxygen consumption during SDT, a biomimetic drug delivery system was tailored to integrate SDT with hypoxia-specific chemotherapy. In this system, mesoporous titanium dioxide nanoparticles (mTNPs) were developed to deliver the hypoxia-activated prodrug AQ4N with high loading efficiency. Subsequently, a red blood cell (RBC) membrane was coated onto the surface of mTNP@AQ4N. RBC-mTNPs@AQ4N inherited the immune escape ability from RBC membranes, thus efficiently reducing the immunological clearance and improving the work concentration. Upon activation by ultrasound (US), mTNPs as sonosensitizers generate reactive oxide species (ROS), which not only induce apoptosis and necrosis but also disrupt RBC membranes to achieve the US-mediated on-demand release of AQ4N. The released AQ4N was activated by hypoxia to convert into toxic products, which effectively supplemented the inefficiency of SDT in hypoxic tissues. Importantly, SDT-aggravated hypoxia further potentiated this hypoxia-specific chemotherapy of AQ4N. CONCLUSION Based on the sequential strategy, RBC-mTNPs@AQ4N exhibited an excellent synergistic therapeutic effect, thus potentially advancing the development of SDT in cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qunying Li
- Department of Ultrasound, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin Lin
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongzhou Li
- Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nan Lu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310009, People’s Republic of China
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4
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Human Family 1-4 cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolic activation of xenobiotic and physiological chemicals: an update. Arch Toxicol 2021; 95:395-472. [PMID: 33459808 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-020-02971-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This is an overview of the metabolic activation of drugs, natural products, physiological compounds, and general chemicals by the catalytic activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes belonging to Families 1-4. The data were collected from > 5152 references. The total number of data entries of reactions catalyzed by P450s Families 1-4 was 7696 of which 1121 (~ 15%) were defined as bioactivation reactions of different degrees. The data were divided into groups of General Chemicals, Drugs, Natural Products, and Physiological Compounds, presented in tabular form. The metabolism and bioactivation of selected examples of each group are discussed. In most of the cases, the metabolites are directly toxic chemicals reacting with cell macromolecules, but in some cases the metabolites formed are not direct toxicants but participate as substrates in succeeding metabolic reactions (e.g., conjugation reactions), the products of which are final toxicants. We identified a high level of activation for three groups of compounds (General Chemicals, Drugs, and Natural Products) yielding activated metabolites and the generally low participation of Physiological Compounds in bioactivation reactions. In the group of General Chemicals, P450 enzymes 1A1, 1A2, and 1B1 dominate in the formation of activated metabolites. Drugs are mostly activated by the enzyme P450 3A4, and Natural Products by P450s 1A2, 2E1, and 3A4. Physiological Compounds showed no clearly dominant enzyme, but the highest numbers of activations are attributed to P450 1A, 1B1, and 3A enzymes. The results thus show, perhaps not surprisingly, that Physiological Compounds are infrequent substrates in bioactivation reactions catalyzed by P450 enzyme Families 1-4, with the exception of estrogens and arachidonic acid. The results thus provide information on the enzymes that activate specific groups of chemicals to toxic metabolites.
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5
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Tao J, Yang G, Zhou W, Qiu J, Chen G, Luo W, Zhao F, You L, Zheng L, Zhang T, Zhao Y. Targeting hypoxic tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:14. [PMID: 33436044 PMCID: PMC7805044 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-01030-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attributable to its late diagnosis, early metastasis, and poor prognosis, pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases worldwide. Unlike other solid tumors, pancreatic cancer harbors ample stromal cells and abundant extracellular matrix but lacks vascularization, resulting in persistent and severe hypoxia within the tumor. Hypoxic microenvironment has extensive effects on biological behaviors or malignant phenotypes of pancreatic cancer, including metabolic reprogramming, cancer stemness, invasion and metastasis, and pathological angiogenesis, which synergistically contribute to development and therapeutic resistance of pancreatic cancer. Through various mechanisms including but not confined to maintenance of redox homeostasis, activation of autophagy, epigenetic regulation, and those induced by hypoxia-inducible factors, intratumoral hypoxia drives the above biological processes in pancreatic cancer. Recognizing the pivotal roles of hypoxia in pancreatic cancer progression and therapies, hypoxia-based antitumoral strategies have been continuously developed over the recent years, some of which have been applied in clinical trials to evaluate their efficacy and safety in combinatory therapies for patients with pancreatic cancer. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxia-induced aggressive and therapeutically resistant phenotypes in both pancreatic cancerous and stromal cells. Additionally, we focus more on innovative therapies targeting the tumor hypoxic microenvironment itself, which hold great potential to overcome the resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and to enhance antitumor efficacy and reduce toxicity to normal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxin Tao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Gang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wenchuan Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jiangdong Qiu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Guangyu Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Wenhao Luo
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Fangyu Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Lei You
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Lianfang Zheng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Taiping Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China. .,Clinical Immunology Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Yupei Zhao
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, 100730, China.
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6
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Li X, Jeon YH, Kwon N, Park JG, Guo T, Kim HR, Huang JD, Lee DS, Yoon J. In Vivo-assembled phthalocyanine/albumin supramolecular complexes combined with a hypoxia-activated prodrug for enhanced photodynamic immunotherapy of cancer. Biomaterials 2020; 266:120430. [PMID: 33011679 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Immunogenic photodynamic therapy (PDT) has the potential to moderate the shortfalls of cancer immunotherapy. However, its efficacy is severely limited particularly because of the lack of optimal photosensitizers and smart delivery processes and the inherent shortcomings of PDT (e.g., hypoxia resistance). Here, we demonstrate a clinically promising approach that utilizes a water-soluble phthalocyanine derivative (PcN4) concomitantly delivered with a hypoxia-activated prodrug (AQ4N) to amplify the effect of PDT and enhance cancer immunotherapy. After intravenous injection, PcN4 selectively interacted with endogenous albumin dimers and formed supramolecular complexes, providing a facile and green approach for tumor-targeted PDT. The concomitant delivery of AQ4N overcame the limitations of hypoxia in PDT and improved the antitumor activity of PDT. Treatment with PcN4-mediated and AQ4N-amplified PDT almost completely eradicated sizable primary tumors in a triple-negative breast cancer model and significantly activated CD8+ T cells. As the majority of tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells were both PD-1- and TIM3-positive, additional combination therapy using PD-L1/PD-1 pathway blockade was warranted. After combination with immune checkpoint blockade treatment, an enhanced abscopal effect was achieved in both distant and metastatic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingshu Li
- College of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yun-Hui Jeon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Nahyun Kwon
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Gyu Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Tian Guo
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Hang-Rae Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jian-Dong Huang
- College of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Metastasis Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Dong-Sup Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Juyoung Yoon
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Huang Y, Jin C, Yu J, Wang L, Lu W. A novel multifunctional 2-nitroimidazole-based bioreductive linker and its application in hypoxia-activated prodrugs. Bioorg Chem 2020; 101:103975. [PMID: 32474180 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2020.103975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia has been widely explored over the years as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker. Herein, we designed, optimized and synthesized a new multifunctional bioreductive linker (12) containing an alkynyl group (potential click chemistry fragment); the linker is based on 2-nitroimidazole which was expected to simultaneously overcome the drawbacks of hypoxia-activated prodrugs (poor selectivity and unsatisfactory water solubility). Furthermore, a hypoxia-activated, water-soluble SN-38 prodrug was obtained, and it was stable under physiological conditions and was rapidly released as an active drug under hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Chen Jin
- Xingliu (Shanghai) Pharmaceutical Technology Co., Ltd, Room A406, 1#Building, No. 1976 Middle Gaoke Road, Shanghai 201210, PR China
| | - Jiahui Yu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Lei Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, PR China.
| | - Wei Lu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, PR China.
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8
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Su MX, Zhang LL, Huang ZJ, Shi JJ, Lu JJ. Investigational Hypoxia-Activated Prodrugs: Making Sense of Future Development. Curr Drug Targets 2019; 20:668-678. [DOI: 10.2174/1389450120666181123122406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Hypoxia, which occurs in most cancer cases, disrupts the efficacy of anticarcinogens. Fortunately,
hypoxia itself is a potential target for cancer treatment. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs)
can be selectively activated by reductase under hypoxia. Some promising HAPs have been already
achieved, and many clinical trials of HAPs in different types of cancer are ongoing. However, none of
them has been approved in clinic to date. From the studies on HAPs began, some achievements are
obtained but more challenges are put forward. In this paper, we reviewed the research progress of
HAPs to discuss the strategies for HAPs development. According to the research status and results of
these studies, administration pattern, reductase activity, and patient selection need to be taken into
consideration to further improve the efficacy of existing HAPs. As the requirement of new drug research
and development, design of optimal preclinical models and clinical trials are quite important in
HAPs development, while different drug delivery systems and anticancer drugs with different mechanisms
can be sources of novel HAPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Xia Su
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Le-Le Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Zhang-Jian Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jia-Jie Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
| | - Jin-Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, China
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9
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DiGiacomo JW, Gilkes DM. Therapeutic Strategies to Block the Hypoxic Response. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1136:141-157. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-12734-3_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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10
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El-Sawy HS, Al-Abd AM, Ahmed TA, El-Say KM, Torchilin VP. Stimuli-Responsive Nano-Architecture Drug-Delivery Systems to Solid Tumor Micromilieu: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives. ACS NANO 2018; 12:10636-10664. [PMID: 30335963 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b06104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 268] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The microenvironment characteristics of solid tumors, renowned as barriers that harshly impeded many drug-delivery approaches, were precisely studied, investigated, categorized, divided, and subdivided into a complex diverse of barriers. These categories were further studied with a particular perspective, which makes all barriers found in solid-tumor micromilieu turn into different types of stimuli, and were considered triggers that can increase and hasten drug-release targeting efficacy. This review gathers data concerning the nature of solid-tumor micromilieu. Past research focused on the treatment of such tumors, the recent efforts employed for engineering smart nanoarchitectures with the utilization of the specified stimuli categories, the possibility of combining more than one stimuli for much-greater targeting enhancement, examples of the approved nanoarchitectures that already translated clinically as well as the obstacles faced by the use of these nanostructures, and, finally, an overview of the possible future implementations of smart-chemical engineering for the design of more-efficient drug delivery and theranostic systems and for making nanosystems with a much-higher level of specificity and penetrability features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossam S El-Sawy
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Egyptian Russian University , Badr City , Cairo 63514 , Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Al-Abd
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy , Gulf Medical University , Ajman , United Arab Emirates
- Pharmacology Department, Medical Division , National Research Centre , Giza 12622 , Egypt
| | - Tarek A Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy , King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah 21589 , Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy , Al-Azhar University , Cairo 11651 , Egypt
| | - Khalid M El-Say
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy , King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah 21589 , Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy , Al-Azhar University , Cairo 11651 , Egypt
| | - Vladimir P Torchilin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine , Northeastern University , 140 The Fenway, Room 211/214, 360 Huntington Aveue , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States
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Kong F, Kong X, Du Y, Chen Y, Deng X, Zhu J, Du J, Li L, Jia Z, Xie D, Li Z, Xie K. STK33 Promotes Growth and Progression of Pancreatic Cancer as a Critical Downstream Mediator of HIF1α. Cancer Res 2017; 77:6851-6862. [PMID: 29038348 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase STK33 has been implicated in cancer cell proliferation. Here, we provide evidence of a critical role for STK33 in the pathogenesis and metastatic progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). STK33 expression in PDAC was regulated by the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF1α. In human PDAC specimens, STK33 was overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis. Enforced STK33 expression promoted PDAC proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumor growth, whereas STK33 depletion exerted opposing effects. Mechanistic investigations showed that HIF1α regulated STK33 via direct binding to a hypoxia response element in its promoter. In showing that dysregulated HIF1α/STK33 signaling promotes PDAC growth and progression, our results suggest STK33 as a candidate therapeutic target to improve PDAC treatment. Cancer Res; 77(24); 6851-62. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanyang Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xiangyu Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yiqi Du
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Department of Pathology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xuan Deng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jiawei Du
- Department of Oncology and Tumor Institute, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Zhiliang Jia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Dacheng Xie
- Department of Oncology and Tumor Institute, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoshen Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, P.R. China.
| | - Keping Xie
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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12
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Zhang W, Fan W, Zhou Z, Garrison J. Synthesis and Evaluation of Radiolabeled Phosphoramide Mustard with Selectivity for Hypoxic Cancer Cells. ACS Med Chem Lett 2017; 8:1269-1274. [PMID: 29259746 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.7b00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia has been widely explored over the years as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker. Herein, we synthesized an alkyne functionalized version of evofosfamide, a hypoxia-selective prodrug. The purpose of this effort was to investigate if this novel 2-nitroimidazole phosphoramide nitrogen mustard (2-NIPAM) retained hypoxia selectivity and could be utilized in radiopharmaceutical development to significantly increase retention of conjugated agents in hypoxic cells. 2-NIPAM demonstrated good hypoxia selectivity with a 62- and 225-fold increase in cytotoxicity toward PC-3 and DU145 human prostate cancer cell lines, respectively, under hypoxic conditions. Radiolabeling of 2-NIPAM with 125I was accomplished through a Cu(I)-mediated azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The 125I-conjugate demonstrated 13.6 and 17.8% lower efflux rates for DU145 and PC-3 cells, correspondingly, under hypoxic conditions, suggesting that the increased retention is likely due to the known intracellular trapping mechanism. In conclusion, these studies demonstrate the potential of 2-NIPAM in serving as a trapping agent for radiopharmaceutical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenting Zhang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Center
for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Wei Fan
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Center
for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Zhengyuan Zhou
- Department
of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Jered Garrison
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985870 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Center
for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985830 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
- Eppley
Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985950 Nebraska
Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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13
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Dragovich PS, Broccatelli F, Chen J, Fan P, Le H, Mao W, Pillow TH, Polson AG, Wai J, Xu Z, Yao H, Zhang D. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of pyrrolobenzodiazepine-containing hypoxia-activated prodrugs. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 27:5300-5304. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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14
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Nesbitt H, Worthington J, Errington RJ, Patterson LH, Smith PJ, McKeown SR, McKenna DJ. The unidirectional hypoxia-activated prodrug OCT1002 inhibits growth and vascular development in castrate-resistant prostate tumors. Prostate 2017; 77:1539-1547. [PMID: 28944496 DOI: 10.1002/pros.23434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND OCT1002 is a unidirectional hypoxia-activated prodrug (uHAP) OCT1002 that can target hypoxic tumor cells. Hypoxia is a common feature in prostate tumors and is known to drive disease progression and metastasis. It is, therefore, a rational therapeutic strategy to directly target hypoxic tumor cells in an attempt to improve treatment for this disease. Here we tested OCT1002 alone and in combination with standard-of-care agents in hypoxic models of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). METHODS The effect of OCT1002 on tumor growth and vasculature was measured using murine PC3 xenograft and dorsal skin fold (DSF) window chamber models. The effects of abiraterone, docetaxel, and cabazitaxel, both singly and in combination with OCT1002, were also compared. RESULTS The hypoxia-targeting ability of OCT1002 effectively controls PC3 tumor growth. The effect was evident for at least 42 days after exposure to a single dose (30 mg/kg) and was comparable to, or better than, drugs currently used in the clinic. In DSF experiments OCT1002 caused vascular collapse in the PC3 tumors and inhibited the revascularization seen in controls. In this model OCT1002 also enhanced the anti-tumor effects of abiraterone, cabazitaxel, and docetaxel; an effect which was accompanied by a more prolonged reduction in tumor vasculature density. CONCLUSIONS These studies provide the first evidence that OCT1002 can be an effective agent in treating hypoxic, castrate-resistant prostate tumors, either singly or in combination with established chemotherapeutics for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Nesbitt
- Biomedical Sciences, Research Institute, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rachel J Errington
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- BioStatus Ltd, Shepshed, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Paul J Smith
- OncoTherics Ltd, Shepshed, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie R McKeown
- Biomedical Sciences, Research Institute, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
- OncoTherics Ltd, Shepshed, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Declan J McKenna
- Biomedical Sciences, Research Institute, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
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15
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Kota J, Hancock J, Kwon J, Korc M. Pancreatic cancer: Stroma and its current and emerging targeted therapies. Cancer Lett 2017; 391:38-49. [PMID: 28093284 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal human malignancies with a 5-year survival rate of 8%. Dense, fibrotic stroma associated with pancreatic tumors is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the tumor bed and plays a crucial role in pancreatic cancer progression. Targeting stroma is considered as a potential therapeutic strategy to improve anti-cancer drug efficacy and patient survival. Although numerous stromal depletion therapies have reached the clinic, they add little to overall survival and are often associated with toxicity. Furthermore, increasing evidence suggests the anti-tumor properties of stroma. Its complete ablation enhanced tumor progression and reduced survival. Consequently, efforts are now focused on developing stromal-targeted therapies that normalize the reactive stroma and avoid the extremes: stromal abundance vs. complete depletion. In this review, we summarized the state of current and emerging anti-stromal targeted therapies, with major emphasis on the role of miRNAs in PDAC stroma and their potential use as novel therapeutic agents to modulate PDAC tumor-stromal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaiah Kota
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), Indianapolis, IN, USA; The Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, IUSM, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Indiana University and Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| | - Julie Hancock
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jason Kwon
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Murray Korc
- The Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, IUSM, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Indiana University and Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI), Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IUSM, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medicine, IUSM, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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16
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Pan Y, Ong EC. Cytochrome P450 2W1 (CYP2W1) - ready for use as the biomarker and drug target for cancer? Xenobiotica 2016; 47:923-932. [PMID: 27690753 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2016.1244370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
1. This article aims to evaluate the potentials of using cytochrome P450 2W1 (CYP2W1) as a biomarker and a drug target of cancer because of its characteristic cancer-specific expression. 2. Discrepant findings comparing the expression levels of CYP2W1 in cancer and non-cancer samples were reported. In general, the expression followed a developmental pattern. The demethylation status of CpG island and the expression levels of CYP2W1 genes was positively correlated. 3. CYP2W1 was able to activate several procarcinogens, anticancer pro-drugs and to metabolise many endogenous substances including fatty acids and lysophospholipids. 4. CYP2W1 expression level was suggested to serve as an independent prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. The correlation of genetic polymorphisms of CYP2W1 and cancer risk was uncertain. 5. Further characterisation of CYP2W1 structure is suggested to link to its functions. More studies are warranted to reveal the true status and the regulation of CYP2W1 expression across normal and cancer tissues. Catalytic activity of CYP2W1 should be tested on a wider spectrum of endogenous and exogenous substances before its use as the drug target. Larger size of clinical samples can be included to verify the potential of CYP2W1 as the prognostic or cancer risk biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Pan
- a Department of Biomedical Science , the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus , Selangor , Malaysia and
| | - Eng Chin Ong
- b Jeffery Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus Malaysia , Selangor , Malaysia
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17
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Wu G, Wilson G, George J, Liddle C, Hebbard L, Qiao L. Overcoming treatment resistance in cancer: Current understanding and tactics. Cancer Lett 2016; 387:69-76. [PMID: 27089987 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for many, if not all, metastatic cancers. While chemotherapy is often capable of inducing cell death in tumors leading to shrinkage of the tumor bulk, many patients suffer from recurrence and ultimately death due to resistance. During the last decade, treatment resistance has attracted great attention followed by some seminal discoveries, including sequential mutations, cancer stem cells, and bidirectional inter-conversion of stem and non-stem cancer cell populations. Nevertheless, the successful treatment of cancer will require a considerable refinement of our knowledge concerning treatment resistance. In doing so, we expect that a more informed and refined approach to treat cancer will be developed and this may improve prognosis of cancer patients. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge concerning the failure of cancer treatments and the potential approaches to overcome therapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Wu
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - George Wilson
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Christopher Liddle
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Lionel Hebbard
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
| | - Liang Qiao
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
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18
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Al-Abd AM, Aljehani ZK, Gazzaz RW, Fakhri SH, Jabbad AH, Alahdal AM, Torchilin VP. Pharmacokinetic strategies to improve drug penetration and entrapment within solid tumors. J Control Release 2015; 219:269-277. [PMID: 26342660 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.08.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Revised: 08/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite the discovery of a large number of anticancer agents, cancer still remains among the leading causes of death since the middle of the twentieth century. Solid tumors possess a high degree of genetic instability and emergence of treatment resistance. Tumor resistance has emerged for almost all approved anticancer drugs and will most probably emerge for newly discovered anticancer agents as well. The use of pharmacokinetic approaches to increase anticancer drug concentrations within the solid tumor compartment and prolong its entrapment might diminish the possibility of resistance emergence at the molecular pharmacodynamic level and might even reverse tumor resistance. Several novel treatment modalities such as metronomic therapy, angiogenesis inhibitors, vascular disrupting agents and tumor priming have been introduced to improve solid tumor treatment outcomes. In the current review we will discuss the pharmacokinetic aspect of these treatment modalities in addition to other older treatment modalities, such as extracellular matrix dissolving agents, extracellular matrix synthesis inhibitors, chemoembolization and cellular efflux pump inhibition. Many of these strategies showed variable degrees of success/failure; however, reallocating these modalities based on their influence on the intratumoral pharmacokinetics might improve their understanding and treatment outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Al-Abd
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt; Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine (CPBN), Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zekra K Aljehani
- Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rana W Gazzaz
- Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah H Fakhri
- Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aisha H Jabbad
- Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Vladimir P Torchilin
- Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine (CPBN), Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.
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19
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Gieling RG, Fitzmaurice RJ, Telfer BA, Babur M, Williams KJ. Dissemination via the lymphatic or angiogenic route impacts the pathology, microenvironment and hypoxia-related drug response of lung metastases. Clin Exp Metastasis 2015; 32:567-77. [PMID: 26112891 DOI: 10.1007/s10585-015-9728-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Complications associated with the development of lung metastases have a detrimental effect on the overall survival rate of many cancer patients. Preclinical models that mimic the clinical aspects of lung metastases are an important tool in developing new therapy options for these patients. The commonly used intravenous models only recapitulate dissemination of cancer cells to the lungs via the haematological route. Here we compared spontaneous and intravenous lung metastases of the highly metastatic KHT mouse fibrosarcoma cells after injecting KHT cells into the subcutaneous layer of the skin or directly into the tail vein. In contrast to the intravenous model, metastases spontaneously arising from the subcutaneous tumours disseminated most consistent with the lymph nodes/lymphatics route and were more hypoxic than the metastases observed following tail-vein administration and haematological spread. To ascertain whether this impacted on drug response, we tested the effectiveness of the hypoxia-sensitive cytotoxin AQ4N (Banoxantrone) in both models. AQ4N was more effective as an anti-metastatic drug in mice with subcutaneous KHT tumours, significantly reducing the metastatic score. Complementing the KHT studies, pathology studies in additional models of spontaneous lung metastases showed haematological (HCT116 intrasplenic implant) or mixed haematological/lymphatic (B16 intradermal implant) spread. These data suggest that preclinical models can demonstrate differing, clinically relevant dissemination patterns, and that careful selection of preclinical models is required when evaluating new strategies for targeting metastatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roben G Gieling
- Hypoxia & Therapeutics Group, Manchester Pharmacy School, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
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20
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Fowley C, McHale AP, McCaughan B, Fraix A, Sortino S, Callan JF. Carbon quantum dot–NO photoreleaser nanohybrids for two-photon phototherapy of hypoxic tumors. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 51:81-4. [DOI: 10.1039/c4cc07827f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Carbon quantum dots conjugated with a NO photodonor reduce tumor volume in mice bearing human xenograft BXPc-3 pancreatic tumors upon two-photon excitation with NIR light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Fowley
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute
- University of Ulster
- Coleraine
- UK
| | - Anthony P. McHale
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute
- University of Ulster
- Coleraine
- UK
| | | | - Aurore Fraix
- Laboratory of Photochemistry
- Department of Drug Sciences
- University of Catania
- I-95125 Catania
- Italy
| | - Salvatore Sortino
- Laboratory of Photochemistry
- Department of Drug Sciences
- University of Catania
- I-95125 Catania
- Italy
| | - John F. Callan
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute
- University of Ulster
- Coleraine
- UK
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21
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Ghattass K, El-Sitt S, Zibara K, Rayes S, Haddadin MJ, El-Sabban M, Gali-Muhtasib H. The quinoxaline di-N-oxide DCQ blocks breast cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo by targeting the hypoxia inducible factor-1 pathway. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:12. [PMID: 24461075 PMCID: PMC3932516 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although tumor hypoxia poses challenges against conventional cancer treatments, it provides a therapeutic target for hypoxia-activated drugs. Here, we studied the effect of the hypoxia-activated synthetic quinoxaline di-N-oxide DCQ against breast cancer metastasis and identified the underlying mechanisms. Methods The human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (p53 wildtype) and MDA-MB-231 (p53 mutant) were treated with DCQ under normoxia or hypoxia. Drug toxicity on non-cancerous MCF-10A breast cells was also determined. In vitro cellular responses were investigated by flow cytometry, transfection, western blotting, ELISA and migration assays. The anti-metastatic effect of DCQ was validated in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model. Results DCQ selectively induced apoptosis in both human breast cancer cells preferentially under hypoxia without affecting the viability of non-cancerous MCF-10A. Cancer cell death was associated with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) independently of p53 and was inhibited by antioxidants. DCQ-induced ROS was associated with DNA damage, the downregulation of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. In MCF-7, HIF-1α inhibition was partially via p53-activation and was accompanied by a decrease in p-mTOR protein, suggesting interference with HIF-1α translation. In MDA-MB-231, DCQ reduced HIF-1α through proteasomal-dependent degradation mechanisms. HIF-1α inhibition by DCQ blocked VEGF secretion and invasion in MCF-7 and led to the inhibition of TWIST in MDA-MB-231. Consistently, DCQ exhibited robust antitumor activity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer mouse xenografts, enhanced animal survival, and reduced metastatic dissemination to lungs and liver. Conclusion DCQ is the first hypoxia-activated drug showing anti-metastatic effects against breast cancer, suggesting its potential use for breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Marwan El-Sabban
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
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22
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Ghattass K, El-Sitt S, Zibara K, Rayes S, Haddadin MJ, El-Sabban M, Gali-Muhtasib H. The quinoxaline di-N-oxide DCQ blocks breast cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo by targeting the hypoxia inducible factor-1 pathway. Mol Cancer 2014. [PMID: 24461075 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-12.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although tumor hypoxia poses challenges against conventional cancer treatments, it provides a therapeutic target for hypoxia-activated drugs. Here, we studied the effect of the hypoxia-activated synthetic quinoxaline di-N-oxide DCQ against breast cancer metastasis and identified the underlying mechanisms. METHODS The human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 (p53 wildtype) and MDA-MB-231 (p53 mutant) were treated with DCQ under normoxia or hypoxia. Drug toxicity on non-cancerous MCF-10A breast cells was also determined. In vitro cellular responses were investigated by flow cytometry, transfection, western blotting, ELISA and migration assays. The anti-metastatic effect of DCQ was validated in the MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model. RESULTS DCQ selectively induced apoptosis in both human breast cancer cells preferentially under hypoxia without affecting the viability of non-cancerous MCF-10A. Cancer cell death was associated with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) independently of p53 and was inhibited by antioxidants. DCQ-induced ROS was associated with DNA damage, the downregulation of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion. In MCF-7, HIF-1α inhibition was partially via p53-activation and was accompanied by a decrease in p-mTOR protein, suggesting interference with HIF-1α translation. In MDA-MB-231, DCQ reduced HIF-1α through proteasomal-dependent degradation mechanisms. HIF-1α inhibition by DCQ blocked VEGF secretion and invasion in MCF-7 and led to the inhibition of TWIST in MDA-MB-231. Consistently, DCQ exhibited robust antitumor activity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer mouse xenografts, enhanced animal survival, and reduced metastatic dissemination to lungs and liver. CONCLUSION DCQ is the first hypoxia-activated drug showing anti-metastatic effects against breast cancer, suggesting its potential use for breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Marwan El-Sabban
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
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23
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Abaza M, Luqmani YA. The influence of pH and hypoxia on tumor metastasis. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2013; 13:1229-42. [PMID: 24099530 DOI: 10.1586/14737140.2013.843455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Rapid malignant proliferation, prior to effective tumor neoangiogenesis, creates a microenvironment around solid cancers, which is predominantly hypoxic and characterized by a high interstitial fluid pressure. Presumably as an adaptive response, tumor cells favor metabolic activity with apparently inefficient energy output, and production of intermediates that promote cellular replication, preferentially through anaerobic glycolysis, a phenomenon that persists even in re-established normoxic conditions (anomalously referred to as 'aerobic glycolysis'). Extrusion of the consequently excessive accumulation of lactate and protons decreases extracellular pH, leading to a microenvironment considered conducive to promotion of tumor motility, invasion and metastasis, and one that will invariably influence response to drug treatment. This review will critically assess the evidence forming the basis of current understanding of the precise pH conditions in the extracellular tumor matrix, its regulation by cancer cells and relationship with hypoxia, its relevance to malignant progression and its exploitation for therapeutic advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Abaza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait University, PO Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait
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Abstract
A prodrug is a compound that has negligible, or lower, activity against a specified pharmacological target than one of its major metabolites. Prodrugs can be used to improve drug delivery or pharmacokinetics, to decrease toxicity, or to target the drug to specific cells or tissues. Ester and phosphate hydrolysis are widely used in prodrug design because of their simplicity, but such approaches are relatively ineffective for targeting drugs to specific sites. The activation of prodrugs by the cytochrome P450 system provides a highly versatile approach to prodrug design that is particularly adaptable for targeting drug activation to the liver, to tumors or to hypoxic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Ortiz de Montellano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158-2517, USA.
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25
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Manley E, Waxman DJ. Impact of tumor blood flow modulation on tumor sensitivity to the bioreductive drug banoxantrone. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2012. [PMID: 23192656 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.112.200089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the hypoxia-dependent cytotoxicity of AQ4N (banoxantrone) using a panel of 13 cancer cell lines and studied its relationship to the expression of the quinone reductase DT-diaphorase (NQO1), which is widely found in cancer cells. We also investigated pharmacologic treatments that increase tumor hypoxia in vivo and their impact on AQ4N chemosensitivity in a solid tumor xenograft model. AQ4N showed ≥ 8-fold higher cytotoxicity under hypoxia than normoxia in cultures of 9L rat gliosarcoma and H460 human non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells but not for 11 other human cancer cell lines. DT-diaphorase protein levels and AQ4N chemosensitivity were poorly correlated across the cancer cell line panel, and AQ4N chemosensitivity was not affected by DT-diaphorase inhibitors. The vasodilator hydralazine decreased tumor perfusion and increased tumor hypoxia in 9L tumor xenografts, and to a lesser extent in H460 tumor xenografts. However, hydralazine did not increase AQ4N-dependent antitumor activity. Combination of AQ4N with the angiogenesis inhibitor axitinib, which increases 9L tumor hypoxia, transiently increased antitumor activity but with an increase in host toxicity. These findings indicate that the capacity to bioactivate AQ4N is not dependent on DT-diaphorase and is not widespread in cultured cancer cell lines. Moreover, the activation of AQ4N cytotoxicity in vivo requires tumor hypoxia that is more extensive or prolonged than can readily be achieved by vasodilation or by antiangiogenic drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Manley
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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26
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Bennewith KL, Dedhar S. Targeting hypoxic tumour cells to overcome metastasis. BMC Cancer 2011; 11:504. [PMID: 22128892 PMCID: PMC3247198 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-11-504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2011] [Accepted: 11/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The microenvironment within solid tumours can influence the metastatic dissemination of tumour cells, and recent evidence suggests that poorly oxygenated (hypoxic) cells in primary tumours can also affect the survival and proliferation of metastatic tumour cells in distant organs. Hypoxic tumour cells have been historically targeted during radiation therapy in attempts to improve loco-regional control rates of primary tumours since hypoxic cells are known to be resistant to ionizing radiation-induced DNA damage. There are, therefore, a number of therapeutic strategies to directly target hypoxic cells in primary (and metastatic) tumours, and several compounds are becoming available to functionally inhibit hypoxia-induced proteins that are known to promote metastasis. This mini-review summarizes several established and emerging experimental strategies to target hypoxic cells in primary tumours with potential clinical application to the treatment of patients with tumour metastases or patients at high risk of developing metastatic disease. Targeting hypoxic tumour cells to reduce metastatic disease represents an important advance in the way scientists and clinicians view the influence of tumour hypoxia on therapeutic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin L Bennewith
- Integrative Oncology Department, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Nishida CR, Lee M, de Montellano PRO. Efficient hypoxic activation of the anticancer agent AQ4N by CYP2S1 and CYP2W1. Mol Pharmacol 2010; 78:497-502. [PMID: 20566689 DOI: 10.1124/mol.110.065045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AQ4N [1,4-bis{[2-(dimethylamino-N-oxide)ethyl]amino}-5,8-dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-dione], a prodrug with two dimethylamino N-oxide groups, is converted to the topoisomerase II inhibitor AQ4 [1,4-bis{[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino}-5,8-dihydroxy-anthracene-9,10-dione] by reduction of the N-oxides to dimethylamino substituents. Earlier studies showed that several drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes can catalyze this reductive reaction under hypoxic conditions comparable with those in solid tumors. CYP2S1 and CYP2W1, two extrahepatic P450 enzymes identified from the human genome whose functions are unknown, are expressed in hypoxic tumor cells at much higher levels than in normal tissue. Here, we demonstrate that CYP2S1, contrary to a published report (Mol Pharmacol 76:1031-1043, 2009), is efficiently reduced by NADPH-P450 reductase. Most importantly, both CYP2S1 and CYP2W1 are better catalysts for the reductive activation of AQ4N to AQ4 than all previously examined P450 enzymes. The overexpression of CYP2S1 and CYP2W1 in tumor tissues, together with their high catalytic activities for AQ4N activation, suggests that they may be exploited for the localized activation of anticancer prodrugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton R Nishida
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158-2517, USA
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28
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Williams KJ, Albertella MR, Fitzpatrick B, Loadman PM, Shnyder SD, Chinje EC, Telfer BA, Dunk CR, Harris PA, Stratford IJ. In vivo activation of the hypoxia-targeted cytotoxin AQ4N in human tumor xenografts. Mol Cancer Ther 2010; 8:3266-75. [PMID: 19996276 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-09-0396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
AQ4N (banoxantrone) is a prodrug that, under hypoxic conditions, is enzymatically converted to a cytotoxic DNA-binding agent, AQ4. Incorporation of AQ4N into conventional chemoradiation protocols therefore targets both oxygenated and hypoxic regions of tumors, and potentially will increase the effectiveness of therapy. This current pharmacodynamic and efficacy study was designed to quantify tumor exposure to AQ4 following treatment with AQ4N, and to relate exposure to outcome of treatment. A single dose of 60 mg/kg AQ4N enhanced the response of RT112 (bladder) and Calu-6 (lung) xenografts to treatment with cisplatin and radiation therapy. AQ4N was also given to separate cohorts of tumor-bearing mice 24 hours before tumor excision for subsequent analysis of metabolite levels. AQ4 was detected by high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in all treated samples of RT112 and Calu-6 tumors at mean concentrations of 0.23 and 1.07 microg/g, respectively. These concentrations are comparable with those shown to be cytotoxic in vitro. AQ4-related nuclear fluorescence was observed in all treated tumors by confocal microscopy, which correlated with the high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry data. The presence of the hypoxic marker Glut-1 was shown by immunohistochemistry in both Calu-6 tumors and RT112 tumors, and colocalization of AQ4 fluorescence and Glut-1 staining strongly suggested that AQ4N was activated in these putatively hypoxic areas. This is the first demonstration that AQ4N will increase the efficacy of chemoradiotherapy in preclinical models; the intratumoral levels of AQ4 found in this study are comparable with tumor AQ4 levels found in a recent phase I clinical study, which suggests that these levels could be potentially therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaye J Williams
- Experimental Oncology Group, School of Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester and Manchester Cancer Research Center, Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom
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29
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Li XF, Sun X, Ma Y, Suehiro M, Zhang M, Russell J, Humm JL, Ling CC, O'Donoghue JA. Detection of hypoxia in microscopic tumors using 131I-labeled iodo-azomycin galactopyranoside (131I-IAZGP) digital autoradiography. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2009; 37:339-48. [PMID: 19921184 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-009-1310-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2009] [Accepted: 10/21/2009] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous studies have shown that tumors less than 1 mm diameter derived from HT29 colorectal cancer cells are extremely hypoxic when grown intraperitoneally or intradermally in nude mice, whereas those of greater size (approximately 1-4 mm diameter) are not significantly hypoxic. The object of this study was to determine if digital autoradiography using the radiolabeled hypoxia imaging tracer iodo-azomycin galactopyranoside ((131)I-IAZGP) could detect hypoxia in this model. METHODS Microscopic HT29 tumors were grown as disseminated peritoneal disease and intradermally in nude mice. Tumors ranged in size from a few hundred microns to several millimeters in diameter. Animals were intravenously administered (131)I-IAZGP and pimonidazole 2 h before sacrifice. Following sacrifice, the intratumoral distribution of (131)I-IAZGP was assessed by digital autoradiography and compared with immunofluorescence microscopic images of pimonidazole binding and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) expression. RESULTS The distributions of (131)I-IAZGP, pimonidazole, and CAIX expression were similar. Tumors less than 1 mm diameter displayed high (131)I-IAZGP uptake; these tumors also stained strongly for pimonidazole and CAIX. Larger tumors (approximately 1-4 mm diameter) were not significantly hypoxic and had low (131)I-IAZGP accumulation. CONCLUSION (131)I-IAZGP can detect hypoxia in microscopic tumors. Microscopic tumors are useful models for the validation of hypoxia radiotracers, and digital autoradiography is an appropriate technique for studying the distribution of hypoxia radiotracers in microscopic tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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30
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Li Z, Chang Z, Chiao LJ, Kang Y, Xia Q, Zhu C, Fleming JB, Evans DB, Chiao PJ. TrkBT1 induces liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells by sequestering Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor and promoting RhoA activation. Cancer Res 2009; 69:7851-9. [PMID: 19773448 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-4002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Many genetic and molecular alterations, such as K-ras mutation and NF-kappaB activation, have been identified in pancreatic cancer. However, the mechanisms by which pancreatic cancer metastasizes still remain to be determined. Although we previously showed that the tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) was significantly correlated with the development of liver metastasis, its function in pancreatic cancer metastasis remained unresolved. In the present study, we showed that overexpressed TrkB is an alternatively spliced transcript variant of TrkB (TrkBT1) with a unique COOH-terminal 12-amino acid sequence and is mainly localized in the cytoplasm. Our results showed that overexpression of Flag-tagged TrkBT1 but not a Flag-tagged TrkBT1 COOH-terminal deletion mutant (Flag-TrkBT1DeltaC) in nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer cells enhanced cell proliferation, promoted formation of colonies in soft agar, stimulated tumor cell invasion, and induced liver metastasis in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model of pancreatic cancer. TrkBT1 interacted with Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) in vivo, but Flag-TrkBT1DeltaC did not. Furthermore, overexpression of Flag-TrkBT1 and knockdown of RhoGDI expression by RhoGDI short hairpin RNAs promoted RhoA activation, but Flag-TrkBT1DeltaC overexpression did not. Therefore, our results showed that TrkBT1 overexpression induces liver metastasis of pancreatic cancer and uncovered a unique signaling mechanism by which TrkBT1 sequesters GDI and activates RhoA signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongkui Li
- Departments of Surgical Oncology and Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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31
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Trédan O, Garbens AB, Lalani AS, Tannock IF. The hypoxia-activated ProDrug AQ4N penetrates deeply in tumor tissues and complements the limited distribution of mitoxantrone. Cancer Res 2009; 69:940-7. [PMID: 19176397 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-08-0676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxic tumor cells are likely to be resistant to conventional chemotherapy, in large part because many anticancer drugs are unable to penetrate into poorly oxygenated tumor tissue. Here, we used quantitative immunofluorescence to study the distribution of mitoxantrone and AQ4N in tumor tissue. AQ4N is a prodrug activated under hypoxic conditions to AQ4, which is structurally similar to mitoxantrone and inhibits topoisomerase II. We characterized the penetration of mitoxantrone and AQ4N/AQ4 through multilayered cell cultures (MCC) and in relation to blood vessels and hypoxic regions in human tumor xenografts. We also studied tumor growth delay after treatment with each agent alone and with the combination. In both MCC and xenografts, mitoxantrone is taken up by proximal cells and penetrates slowly to distant regions. In contrast, AQ4N rapidly penetrates MCC and tumor tissue in vivo, and AQ4N (or its reduced form AQ4) is detected at high concentration within hypoxic regions. The targeting of mitoxantrone to oxygenated regions and AQ4N/AQ4 to hypoxic tumor regions results in effective drug exposure over the entire tumor after combined treatment and increases tumor growth delay compared with either drug alone. The combination of a clinically used anticancer drug with limited tissue penetration and a structurally related drug activated in regions of tumor hypoxia is an effective strategy to overcome chemoresistance due to the tumor microenvironment. This study supports clinical evaluation of AQ4N in combination with conventional anticancer agents, such as mitoxantrone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Trédan
- Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Papadopoulos KP, Goel S, Beeram M, Wong A, Desai K, Haigentz M, Milián ML, Mani S, Tolcher A, Lalani AS, Sarantopoulos J. A phase 1 open-label, accelerated dose-escalation study of the hypoxia-activated prodrug AQ4N in patients with advanced malignancies. Clin Cancer Res 2008; 14:7110-5. [PMID: 18981010 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-0483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE AQ4N is a novel prodrug that is selectively bioreduced to AQ4, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, in hypoxic tumor. This study assessed the maximum tolerated dose and pharmacokinetics of AQ4N when administered weekly in patients with advanced cancers. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AQ4N was administered as a 30-minute i.v. infusion on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle in eight dose cohorts ranging from 12 to 1,200 mg/m(2). Accelerated titration design was used and the maximum tolerated dose was defined as the highest dose at which fewer than two of six patients had a dose-limiting toxicity. RESULTS Sixteen patients were treated with cumulative doses of AQ4N ranging from 61.6 through 9,099.1 mg/m(2). A single patient per cohort was treated up to 384 mg/m(2) without toxicities. At 1,200 mg/m(2), two of five patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity (grade 5 respiratory failure and grade 3 fatigue). Five cohort assigned patients were treated without toxicity at 768 mg/m(2), establishing this dose as the maximum tolerated dose. Among the most common adverse events observed were fatigue (38%), diarrhea (31%), nausea (25%), vomiting (25%), and anorexia (13%). Anticipated blue coloration of body fluids or skin was observed in all patients. The pharmacokinetics of AQ4N were dose proportional over all doses studied. Three patients experienced stable disease, including a patient with collecting duct renal cancer stable for 25 months. CONCLUSION AQ4N is well tolerated when administered weekly on a 3-of-4-week schedule at 768 mg/m(2). Further combination studies investigating the safety and efficacy of AQ4N are ongoing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriakos P Papadopoulos
- Institute for Drug Development, Cancer Therapy and Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
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Targeted delivery with peptidomimetic conjugated self-assembled nanoparticles. Pharm Res 2008; 26:612-30. [PMID: 19085091 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-008-9802-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2008] [Accepted: 12/01/2008] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Peptides produce specific nanostructures, making them useful for targeting in biological systems but they have low bioavailability, potential immunogenicity and poor metabolic stability. Peptidomimetic self-assembled NPs can possess biological recognition motifs as well as providing desired engineering properties. Inorganic NPs, coated with self-assembled macromers for stability and anti-fouling, and conjugated with target-specific ligands, are advancing imaging from the anatomy-based level to the molecular level. Ligand conjugated NPs are attractive for cell-selective tumor drug delivery, since this process has high transport capacity as well as ligand dependent cell specificity. Peptidomimetic NPs can provide stronger interaction with surface receptors on tumor cells, resulting in higher uptake and reduced drug resistance. Self-assembled NPs conjugated with peptidomimetic antigens are ideal for sustained presentation of vaccine antigens to dendritic cells and subsequent activation of T cell mediated adaptive immune response. Self-assembled NPs are a viable alternative to encapsulation for sustained delivery of proteins in tissue engineering. Cell penetrating peptides conjugated to NPs are used as intracellular delivery vectors for gene expression and as transfection agents for plasmid delivery. In this work, synthesis, characterization, properties, immunogenicity, and medical applications of peptidomimetic NPs in imaging, tumor delivery, vaccination, tissue engineering, and intracellular delivery are reviewed.
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Ciciani G, Coronnello M, Guerrini G, Selleri S, Cantore M, Failli P, Mini E, Costanzo A. Synthesis of new pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4] benzotriazines, pyrazolo[5,1-c]pyrido[4,3-e][1,2,4] triazines and their open analogues as cytotoxic agents in normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Bioorg Med Chem 2008; 16:9409-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2008.09.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2008] [Revised: 09/16/2008] [Accepted: 09/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Nishida CR, Ortiz de Montellano PR. Reductive heme-dependent activation of the n-oxide prodrug AQ4N by nitric oxide synthase. J Med Chem 2008; 51:5118-20. [PMID: 18681417 DOI: 10.1021/jm800496s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic reduction of anticancer prodrugs is a promising route to achieve targeting and selectivity in anticancer drug design. Most reductive prodrug activations involve simple electron transfer from a flavoprotein and are not amenable to specific targeting. Here, we report that the N-oxide AQ4N is reduced by a nitric oxide synthase. This reduction involves interaction with the heme iron atom in the active site and is thus subject to specific protein constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton R Nishida
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, 600 16th Street, San Francisco, California 94158-2517, USA
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36
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Albertella MR, Loadman PM, Jones PH, Phillips RM, Rampling R, Burnet N, Alcock C, Anthoney A, Vjaters E, Dunk CR, Harris PA, Wong A, Lalani AS, Twelves CJ. Hypoxia-Selective Targeting by the Bioreductive Prodrug AQ4N in Patients with Solid Tumors: Results of a Phase I Study. Clin Cancer Res 2008; 14:1096-104. [PMID: 18281542 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-07-4020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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37
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Duan JX, Jiao H, Kaizerman J, Stanton T, Evans JW, Lan L, Lorente G, Banica M, Jung D, Wang J, Ma H, Li X, Yang Z, Hoffman RM, Ammons WS, Hart CP, Matteucci M. Potent and highly selective hypoxia-activated achiral phosphoramidate mustards as anticancer drugs. J Med Chem 2008; 51:2412-20. [PMID: 18257544 DOI: 10.1021/jm701028q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A series of achiral hypoxia-activated prodrugs were synthesized on the basis of the DNA cross-linking toxin of the prodrug, ifosfamide. The hypoxia-selective cytotoxicity of several of the compounds was improved over previously reported racemic mixtures of chiral bioreductive phosphoramidate prodrugs. Prodrugs activated by 2-nitroimidazole reduction demonstrated up to 400-fold enhanced cytotoxicity toward H460 cells in culture under hypoxia versus their potency under aerobic conditions. Compounds were further assessed for their stability to cytochrome P450 metabolism using a liver microsome assay. The 2-nitroimidazole containing lead compound 3b (TH-302) was selectively potent under hypoxia and stable to liver microsomes. It was active in an in vivo MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer orthotopic xenograft model as a monotherapy and demonstrated dramatic efficacy when used in combination with gemcitabine, extending survival with one of eight animals tumor free at day-44. Compound 3b has emerged as a promising antitumor agent that shows excellent in vivo efficacy and is currently being evaluated in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Xin Duan
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals, 1300 Seaport Boulevard, Suite 500, Redwood City, California 94063, USA.
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