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Kim H, Taslakjian B, Kim S, Tirrell MV, Guler MO. Therapeutic Peptides, Proteins and their Nanostructures for Drug Delivery and Precision Medicine. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300831. [PMID: 38408302 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Peptide and protein nanostructures with tunable structural features, multifunctionality, biocompatibility and biomolecular recognition capacity enable development of efficient targeted drug delivery tools for precision medicine applications. In this review article, we present various techniques employed for the synthesis and self-assembly of peptides and proteins into nanostructures. We discuss design strategies utilized to enhance their stability, drug-loading capacity, and controlled release properties, in addition to the mechanisms by which peptide nanostructures interact with target cells, including receptor-mediated endocytosis and cell-penetrating capabilities. We also explore the potential of peptide and protein nanostructures for precision medicine, focusing on applications in personalized therapies and disease-specific targeting for diagnostics and therapeutics in diseases such as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- HaRam Kim
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, 60637, IL, USA
| | - Boghos Taslakjian
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, 60637, IL, USA
| | - Sarah Kim
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, 60637, IL, USA
| | - Matthew V Tirrell
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, 60637, IL, USA
| | - Mustafa O Guler
- The Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, 5640 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, 60637, IL, USA
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2
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Ashrafizadeh M, Luo K, Zhang W, Reza Aref A, Zhang X. Acquired and intrinsic gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer therapy: Environmental factors, molecular profile and drug/nanotherapeutic approaches. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 240:117443. [PMID: 37863168 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
A high number of cancer patients around the world rely on gemcitabine (GEM) for chemotherapy. During local metastasis of cancers, surgery is beneficial for therapy, but dissemination in distant organs leads to using chemotherapy alone or in combination with surgery to prevent cancer recurrence. Therapy failure can be observed as a result of GEM resistance, threatening life of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients. The mortality and morbidity of PC in contrast to other tumors are increasing. GEM chemotherapy is widely utilized for PC suppression, but resistance has encountered its therapeutic impacts. The purpose of current review is to bring a broad concept about role of biological mechanisms and pathways in the development of GEM resistance in PC and then, therapeutic strategies based on using drugs or nanostructures for overcoming chemoresistance. Dysregulation of the epigenetic factors especially non-coding RNA transcripts can cause development of GEM resistance in PC and miRNA transfection or using genetic tools such as siRNA for modulating expression level of these factors for changing GEM resistance are suggested. The overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins and survival genes can contribute to GEM resistance in PC. Moreover, supportive autophagy inhibits apoptosis and stimulates GEM resistance in PC cells. Increase in metabolism, glycolysis induction and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) stimulation are considered as other factors participating in GEM resistance in PC. Drugs can suppress tumorigenesis in PC and inhibit survival factors and pathways in increasing GEM sensitivity in PC. More importantly, nanoparticles can increase pharmacokinetic profile of GEM and promote its blood circulation and accumulation in cancer site. Nanoparticles mediate delivery of GEM with genes and drugs to suppress tumorigenesis in PC and increase drug sensitivity. The basic research displays significant connection among dysregulated pathways and GEM resistance, but the lack of clinical application is a drawback that can be responded in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ashrafizadeh
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China; International Association for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China; Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Kuo Luo
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing Hyheia Hospital, Chongqing, 4001331, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Amir Reza Aref
- Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xianbin Zhang
- Department of General Surgery and Institute of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Digestive System Tumors, Carson International Cancer Center, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.
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Modi A, Pandey P, Uniyal A, Chouhan D, Agrawal S, Allani M, Singh AK, Kumar S, Tiwari V. Disentangling the enigmatic role of ephrin signaling in chronic pain: Moving towards future anti-pain therapeutics. Life Sci 2023:121796. [PMID: 37230378 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a common and debilitating condition with a huge social and economic burden worldwide. Currently, available drugs in clinics are not adequately effective and possess a variety of severe side effects leading to treatment withdrawal and poor quality of life. The ongoing search for new therapeutics with minimal side effects for chronic pain management remains a high research priority. Erythropoietin-producing human hepatocellular carcinoma cell receptor (Eph) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that is involved in neurodegenerative disorders, including pain. The Eph receptor interacts with several molecular switches, such as N methyl d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), calpain 1, caspase 3, protein kinase a (PKA), and protein kinase Cy (PKCy), which in turn regulates pathophysiology of chronic pain. Here we highlight the emerging evidence of the Ephs/ephrin system as a possible near-future therapeutic target for the treatment of chronic pain and discuss the various mechanism of its involvement. We critically analyse the present status of Eph receptor system and conclude that extrapolating the pharmacological and genetic approaches using a strong therapeutic development framework could serve as next-generation analgesics for the management of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Modi
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Priyanka Pandey
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ankit Uniyal
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Deepak Chouhan
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Somesh Agrawal
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Meghana Allani
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anurag Kumar Singh
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sonu Kumar
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vinod Tiwari
- Neuroscience and Pain Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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Pan Y, Tang H, Li Q, Chen G, Li D. Exosomes and their roles in the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer. Cancer Med 2022; 11:4979-4988. [PMID: 35587712 PMCID: PMC9761084 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most lethal human malignancies worldwide. Due to the insidious onset and the rapid progression, most patients with PC are diagnosed at an advanced stage rendering them inoperable. Despite the development of multiple promising chemotherapeutic agents as recommended first-line treatment for PC, the therapeutic efficacy is largely limited by unwanted drug resistance. Recent studies have identified exosomes as essential mediators of intercellular communications during the occurrence of drug resistance. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms and complex signaling pathways of exosome-mediated drug resistance will contribute to the improvement of the design of new oncologic therapy regimens. This review focuses on the intrinsic connections between the chemoresistance of PC cells and exosomes in the tumor microenvironment (TME).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubin Pan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Honglin Tang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Qijun Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Guangpeng Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Da Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw HospitalZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
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5
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Baggio C, Udompholkul P, Gambini L, Pellecchia M. Targefrin: A Potent Agent Targeting the Ligand Binding Domain of EphA2. J Med Chem 2022; 65:15443-15456. [PMID: 36331527 PMCID: PMC9706575 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA2 is invariably associated with poor prognosis and development of aggressive metastatic cancers. Guided by our recently solved X-ray structure of the complex between an agonistic peptide and EphA2-LBD, we report on a novel agent, targefrin, that binds to EphA2-LBD with a 21 nM dissociation constant by isothermal titration calorimetry and presents an IC50 value of 10.8 nM in a biochemical assay. In cell-based assays, a dimeric version of the agent is as effective as the natural dimeric ligands (ephrinA1-Fc) in inducing cellular receptor internalization and degradation in several pancreatic cancer cell lines. When conjugated with chemotherapy, the agents can effectively deliver paclitaxel to pancreatic cancers in a mouse xenograft study. Given the pivotal role of EphA2 in tumor progression, we are confident that the agents reported could be further developed into innovative EphA2-targeting therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences,
School of Medicine, University of California
Riverside, 900 University
Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences,
School of Medicine, University of California
Riverside, 900 University
Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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Delaney LJ, Eisenbrey JR, Brown D, Brody JR, Jimbo M, Oeffinger BE, Stanczak M, Forsberg F, Liu JB, Wheatley MA. Gemcitabine-loaded microbubble system for ultrasound imaging and therapy. Acta Biomater 2021; 130:385-394. [PMID: 34082100 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging presents many positive attributes, including safety, real-time imaging, universal accessibility, and cost. However, inherent difficulties in discrimination between soft tissues and tumors prompted development of stabilized microbubble contrast agents. This presents the opportunity to develop agents in which drug is entrapped in the microbubble shell. We describe preparation and characterization of theranostic poly(lactide) (PLA) and pegylated PLA (PEG-PLA) shelled microbubbles that entrap gemcitabine, a commonly used drug for pancreatic cancer (PDAC). Entrapping 6 wt% gemcitabine did not significantly affect drug activity, microbubble morphology, or ultrasound contrast activity compared with unmodified microbubbles. In vitro microbubble concentrations yielding ≥ 500nM entrapped gemcitabine were needed for complete cell death in MIA PaCa-2 PDAC drug sensitivity assays, compared with 62.5 nM free gemcitabine. In vivo administration of gemcitabine-loaded microbubbles to xenograft MIA PaCa-2 PDAC tumors in athymic mice was well tolerated and provided substantial tumoral image enhancement before and after destructive ultrasound pulses. However, no significant differences in tumor growth were observed among treatment groups, in keeping with the in vitro observation that much higher doses of gemcitabine are required to mirror free gemcitabine activity. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The preliminary results shown here are encouraging and support further investigation into increased gemcitabine loading. Encapsulation of gemcitabine within polylactic acid (PLA) microbubbles does not damage its activity towards pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, PDAC) cells. Excellent imaging and evidence of penetration into the highly desmoplastic PDAC tumors is demonstrated. Microbubble destruction was confirmed in vivo, showing that elevated mechanical index shatters the microbubbles for enhanced delivery. The potential to slow PDAC growth in vivo is shown, but higher gemcitabine concentrations are required. Current efforts are directed at increasing drug loading by inclusion of drug-carrying nanoparticles for effective in vivo treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Delaney
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - John R Eisenbrey
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - David Brown
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jonathan R Brody
- Department of Surgery Jefferson Pancreas, Biliary, and Related Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Masaya Jimbo
- Department of Surgery Jefferson Pancreas, Biliary, and Related Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA; Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Brian E Oeffinger
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maria Stanczak
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Flemming Forsberg
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Margaret A Wheatley
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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7
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Udompholkul P, Baggio C, Gambini L, Sun Y, Zhao M, Hoffman RM, Pellecchia M. Effective Tumor Targeting by EphA2-Agonist-Biotin-Streptavidin Conjugates. Molecules 2021; 26:3687. [PMID: 34204178 PMCID: PMC8235110 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently reported on a potent synthetic agent, 135H11, that selectively targets the receptor tyrosine kinase, EphA2. While 135H11 possesses a relatively high binding affinity for the ligand-binding domain of EphA2 (Kd~130 nM), receptor activation in the cell required the synthesis of dimeric versions of such agent (namely 135H12). This was expected given that the natural ephrin ligands also need to be dimerized or clustered to elicit agonistic activity in cell. In the present report we investigated whether the agonistic activity of 135H11 could be enhanced by biotin conjugation followed by complex formation with streptavidin. Therefore, we measured the agonistic EphA2 activity of 135H11-biotin (147B5) at various agent/streptavidin ratios, side by side with 135H12, and a scrambled version of 147B5 in pancreatic- and breast-cancer cell lines. The (147B5)n-streptavidin complexes (when n = 2, 3, 4, but not when n = 1) induced a strong receptor degradation effect in both cell lines compared to 135H12 or the (scrambled-147B5)4-streptavidin complex as a control, indicating that multimerization of the targeting agent resulted in an increased ability to cause receptor clustering and internalization. Subsequently, we prepared an Alexa-Fluor-streptavidin conjugate to demonstrate that (147B5)4-AF-streptavidin, but not the scrambled equivalent complex, concentrates in pancreatic and breast cancers in orthotopic nude-mouse models. Hence, we conclude that these novel targeting agents, with proper derivatization with imaging reagents or chemotherapy, can be used as diagnostics, and/or to deliver chemotherapy selectively to EphA2-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parima Udompholkul
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (P.U.); (C.B.); (L.G.)
| | - Carlo Baggio
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (P.U.); (C.B.); (L.G.)
| | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (P.U.); (C.B.); (L.G.)
| | - Yu Sun
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 9300 Campus Point Dr #7220, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ming Zhao
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
| | - Robert M. Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
- Department of Surgery, University of California, 9300 Campus Point Dr #7220, La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (P.U.); (C.B.); (L.G.)
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Saghaeidehkordi A, Chen S, Yang S, Kaur K. Evaluation of a Keratin 1 Targeting Peptide-Doxorubicin Conjugate in a Mouse Model of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:661. [PMID: 34063098 PMCID: PMC8148172 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13050661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy is the main treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer that is aggressive with a poor prognosis. While chemotherapeutics are potent, these agents lack specificity and are equally toxic to cancer and nonmalignant cells and tissues. Targeted therapies for TNBC treatment could lead to more safe and efficacious drugs. We previously engineered a breast cancer cell targeting peptide 18-4 that specifically binds cell surface receptor keratin 1 (K1) on breast cancer cells. A conjugate of peptide 18-4 and doxorubicin (Dox) containing an acid-sensitive hydrazone linker showed specific toxicity toward TNBC cells. Here, we report the in vivo evaluation of the K1 targeting peptide-Dox conjugate (PDC) in a TNBC cell-derived xenograft mouse model. Mice treated with the conjugate show significantly improved antitumor efficacy and reduced off-target toxicity compared to mice treated with Dox or saline. After six weekly treatments, on day 35, the mice treated with PDC (2.5 mg Dox equivalent/kg) showed significant reduction (1.5 times) in tumor volume compared to mice treated with Dox (2.5 mg/kg). The mice treated with the conjugate showed significantly higher (1.4 times) levels of Dox in tumors and lower (1.3-2.2 times) levels of Dox in other organs compared to mice treated with Dox. Blood collected at 15 min showed 3.6 times higher concentration of the drug (PDC and Dox) in mice injected with PDC compared to the drug (Dox) in mice injected with Dox. The study shows that the K1 targeting PDC is a promising novel modality for treatment of TNBC, with a favorable safety profile, and warrants further investigation of K1 targeting conjugates as TNBC therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Saghaeidehkordi
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA 92618-1908, USA; (A.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shiuan Chen
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA;
| | - Sun Yang
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA 92618-1908, USA; (A.S.); (S.Y.)
| | - Kamaljit Kaur
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA 92618-1908, USA; (A.S.); (S.Y.)
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Alas M, Saghaeidehkordi A, Kaur K. Peptide-Drug Conjugates with Different Linkers for Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2020; 64:216-232. [PMID: 33382619 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug conjugates are chemotherapeutic or cytotoxic agents covalently linked to targeting ligands such as an antibody or a peptide via a linker. While antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are now clinically established for cancer therapy, peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are gaining recognition as a new modality for targeted drug delivery with improved efficacy and reduced side effects for cancer treatment. The linker in a drug conjugate plays a key role in the circulation time of the conjugate and release of the drug for full activity at the target site. Herein, we highlight the main linker chemistries utilized in the design of PDCs and discuss representative examples of PDCs with different linker chemistries with the related outcome in cell and animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Alas
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
| | - Azam Saghaeidehkordi
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
| | - Kamaljit Kaur
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, California 92618-1908, United States
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10
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Creeden JF, Alganem K, Imami AS, Brunicardi FC, Liu SH, Shukla R, Tomar T, Naji F, McCullumsmith RE. Kinome Array Profiling of Patient-Derived Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Identifies Differentially Active Protein Tyrosine Kinases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228679. [PMID: 33213062 PMCID: PMC7698519 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult malignancies to treat. Minimal improvements in patient outcomes and persistently abysmal patient survival rates underscore the great need for new treatment strategies. Currently, there is intense interest in therapeutic strategies that target tyrosine protein kinases. Here, we employed kinome arrays and bioinformatic pipelines capable of identifying differentially active protein tyrosine kinases in different patient-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines and wild-type pancreatic tissue to investigate the unique kinomic networks of PDAC samples and posit novel target kinases for pancreatic cancer therapy. Consistent with previously described reports, the resultant peptide-based kinome array profiles identified increased protein tyrosine kinase activity in pancreatic cancer for the following kinases: epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), fms related receptor tyrosine kinase 4/vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (FLT4/VEGFR-3), insulin receptor (INSR), ephrin receptor A2 (EPHA2), platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), SRC proto-oncogene kinase (SRC), and tyrosine kinase non receptor 2 (TNK2). Furthermore, this study identified increased activity for protein tyrosine kinases with limited prior evidence of differential activity in pancreatic cancer. These protein tyrosine kinases include B lymphoid kinase (BLK), Fyn-related kinase (FRK), Lck/Yes-related novel kinase (LYN), FYN proto-oncogene kinase (FYN), lymphocyte cell-specific kinase (LCK), tec protein kinase (TEC), hemopoietic cell kinase (HCK), ABL proto-oncogene 2 kinase (ABL2), discoidin domain receptor 1 kinase (DDR1), and ephrin receptor A8 kinase (EPHA8). Together, these results support the utility of peptide array kinomic analyses in the generation of potential candidate kinases for future pancreatic cancer therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin F. Creeden
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (K.A.); (A.S.I.); (R.S.); (R.E.M.)
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (F.C.B.); (S.-H.L.)
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-419-383-6474
| | - Khaled Alganem
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (K.A.); (A.S.I.); (R.S.); (R.E.M.)
| | - Ali S. Imami
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (K.A.); (A.S.I.); (R.S.); (R.E.M.)
| | - F. Charles Brunicardi
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (F.C.B.); (S.-H.L.)
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Shi-He Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (F.C.B.); (S.-H.L.)
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Rammohan Shukla
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (K.A.); (A.S.I.); (R.S.); (R.E.M.)
| | - Tushar Tomar
- PamGene International BV, 5200 BJ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; (T.T.); (F.N.)
| | - Faris Naji
- PamGene International BV, 5200 BJ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands; (T.T.); (F.N.)
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- Department of Neurosciences, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA; (K.A.); (A.S.I.); (R.S.); (R.E.M.)
- Neurosciences Institute, ProMedica, Toledo, OH 43606, USA
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11
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Salem AF, Gambini L, Billet S, Sun Y, Oshiro H, Zhao M, Hoffman RM, Bhowmick NA, Pellecchia M. Prostate Cancer Metastases Are Strongly Inhibited by Agonistic Epha2 Ligands in an Orthotopic Mouse Model. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102854. [PMID: 33023262 PMCID: PMC7600344 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary We demonstrate that pro-oncogenic EphA2 (ephrin type-A receptor 2) expression is activated in aggressive prostate cancers, and in mouse models of prostate cancers that are treated with enzalutamide. We also demonstrate in mouse models, that agonistic EphA2 targeting agents are very effective in suppressing cell migration and tumor metastases, hence anticipating the possible use of such agents in innovative anti-metastatic therapeutic modalities. Abstract The EphA2 tyrosine kinase receptor is highly expressed in several types of solid tumors. In our recent studies, we targeted EphA2 in pancreatic cancer with agonistic agents and demonstrated that suppression of EphA2 significantly reduced cancer-cell migration in cell-based assays. In the present study, we focused on targeting EphA2 in prostate cancer. While not all prostate cancers express EphA2, we showed that enzalutamide induced EphA2 expression in prostate cancer cells and in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) animal model, which provides further impetus to target EphA2 in prostate cancer. Western blot studies showed that agonistic dimeric synthetic (135H12) and natural (ephrinA1-Fc) ligands effectively degraded EphA2 receptor in the prostate cancer cell line PC-3. The agents also delayed cell migration of prostate cancer (PC-3) cells, while an in vivo PC-3 orthotopic metastatic nude-mouse model also revealed that administration of ephrinA1-Fc or 135H12 strongly reduced metastases. The present study further validates EphA2 as an important target in metastatic prostate cancer treatment. Our results should incentivize further efforts aimed at developing potent and effective EphA2 synthetic agonistic agents for the treatment of EphA2-driven aggressive metastatic tumors including prostate, pancreatic, and breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed F. Salem
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (A.F.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (A.F.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Sandrine Billet
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (S.B.); (N.A.B.)
| | - Yu Sun
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (H.O.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Hiromichi Oshiro
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (H.O.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
| | - Ming Zhao
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (H.O.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
| | - Robert M. Hoffman
- AntiCancer Inc., 7917 Ostrow St., San Diego, CA 92111, USA; (Y.S.); (H.O.); (M.Z.); (R.M.H.)
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Neil A. Bhowmick
- Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA; (S.B.); (N.A.B.)
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; (A.F.S.); (L.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-951-8277829
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12
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Harnessing the Power of Eph/ephrin Biosemiotics for Theranostic Applications. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13060112. [PMID: 32492868 PMCID: PMC7345574 DOI: 10.3390/ph13060112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive basic biological knowledge of the Eph/ephrin system in the physiologic setting is needed to facilitate an understanding of its role and the effects of pathological processes on its activity, thereby paving the way for development of prospective therapeutic targets. To this end, this review briefly addresses what is currently known and being investigated in order to highlight the gaps and possible avenues for further investigation to capitalize on their diverse potential.
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13
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Conibear AC, Schmid A, Kamalov M, Becker CFW, Bello C. Recent Advances in Peptide-Based Approaches for Cancer Treatment. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:1174-1205. [PMID: 29173146 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666171123204851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peptide-based pharmaceuticals have recently experienced a renaissance due to their ability to fill the gap between the two main classes of available drugs, small molecules and biologics. Peptides combine the high potency and selectivity typical of large proteins with some of the characteristic advantages of small molecules such as synthetic accessibility, stability and the potential of oral bioavailability. METHODS In the present manuscript we review the recent literature on selected peptide-based approaches for cancer treatment, emphasizing recent advances, advantages and challenges of each strategy. RESULTS One of the applications in which peptide-based approaches have grown rapidly is cancer therapy, with a focus on new and established targets. We describe, with selected examples, some of the novel peptide-based methods for cancer treatment that have been developed in the last few years, ranging from naturally-occurring and modified peptides to peptidedrug conjugates, peptide nanomaterials and peptide-based vaccines. CONCLUSION This review brings out the emerging role of peptide-based strategies in oncology research, critically analyzing the advantages and limitations of these approaches and the potential for their development as effective anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Conibear
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alanca Schmid
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Meder Kamalov
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian F W Becker
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Bello
- Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Vienna, Wahringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria.,Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Laboratory of Peptide and Protein Chemistry and Biolology-PeptLab, Via della Lastruccia 13, 50019 Sesto, Fiorentino, Italy
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14
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Salem AF, Gambini L, Udompholkul P, Baggio C, Pellecchia M. Therapeutic Targeting of Pancreatic Cancer via EphA2 Dimeric Agonistic Agents. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:ph13050090. [PMID: 32397624 PMCID: PMC7281375 DOI: 10.3390/ph13050090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we reported on potent EphA2 targeting compounds and demonstrated that dimeric versions of such agents can exhibit remarkably increased agonistic activity in cellular assays compared to the monomers. Here we further characterize the activity of dimeric compounds at the structural, biochemical, and cellular level. In particular, we propose a structural model for the mechanism of receptor activation by dimeric agents and characterize the effect of most potent compounds in inducing EphA2 activation and degradation in a pancreatic cancer cell line. These cellular studies indicate that the pro-migratory effects induced by the receptor can be reversed in EphA2 knockout cells, by treatment with either a dimeric natural ligand (ephrinA1-Fc), or by our synthetic agonistic dimers. Based on these data we conclude that the proposed agents hold great potential as possible therapeutics in combination with standard of care, where these could help suppressing a major driver for cell migration and tumor metastases. Finally, we also found that, similar to ephrinA1-Fc, dimeric agents cause a sustained internalization of the EphA2 receptor, hence, with proper derivatizations, these could also be used to deliver chemotherapy selectively to pancreatic tumors.
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15
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Baghban R, Roshangar L, Jahanban-Esfahlan R, Seidi K, Ebrahimi-Kalan A, Jaymand M, Kolahian S, Javaheri T, Zare P. Tumor microenvironment complexity and therapeutic implications at a glance. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:59. [PMID: 32264958 PMCID: PMC7140346 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-0530-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 809] [Impact Index Per Article: 202.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The dynamic interactions of cancer cells with their microenvironment consisting of stromal cells (cellular part) and extracellular matrix (ECM) components (non-cellular) is essential to stimulate the heterogeneity of cancer cell, clonal evolution and to increase the multidrug resistance ending in cancer cell progression and metastasis. The reciprocal cell-cell/ECM interaction and tumor cell hijacking of non-malignant cells force stromal cells to lose their function and acquire new phenotypes that promote development and invasion of tumor cells. Understanding the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms governing these interactions can be used as a novel strategy to indirectly disrupt cancer cell interplay and contribute to the development of efficient and safe therapeutic strategies to fight cancer. Furthermore, the tumor-derived circulating materials can also be used as cancer diagnostic tools to precisely predict and monitor the outcome of therapy. This review evaluates such potentials in various advanced cancer models, with a focus on 3D systems as well as lab-on-chip devices. Video abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roghayyeh Baghban
- Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leila Roshangar
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Rana Jahanban-Esfahlan
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Khaled Seidi
- Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Student Research Committees, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Abbas Ebrahimi-Kalan
- Department of Neurosciences and Cognitive, School of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Jaymand
- Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Health Technology Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Saeed Kolahian
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Tahereh Javaheri
- Health Informatics Lab, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, USA
| | - Peyman Zare
- Dioscuri Center of Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Medicine, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
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16
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Mudd GE, Brown A, Chen L, van Rietschoten K, Watcham S, Teufel DP, Pavan S, Lani R, Huxley P, Bennett GS. Identification and Optimization of EphA2-Selective Bicycles for the Delivery of Cytotoxic Payloads. J Med Chem 2020; 63:4107-4116. [PMID: 32202781 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b02129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Bicycles are constrained bicyclic peptides that represent a promising binding modality for use in targeted drug conjugates. A phage display screen against EphA2, a receptor tyrosine kinase highly expressed in a number of solid tumors, identified a number of Bicycle families with low nanomolar affinity. A Bicycle toxin conjugate (BTC) was generated by derivatization of one of these Bicycles with the potent cytotoxin DM1 via a cleavable linker. This BTC demonstrated potent antitumor activity in vivo but was poorly tolerated, which was hypothesized to be the result of undesired liver uptake caused by poor physicochemical properties. Chemical optimization of a second Bicycle, guided by structural biology, provided a high affinity, metabolically stable Bicycle with improved physicochemical properties. A BTC incorporating this Bicycle also demonstrated potent antitumor activity and was very well tolerated when compared to the initial BTC. Phage display selection followed by chemical optimization of Bicycles can deliver potent drug conjugates with favorable pharmaceutical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma E Mudd
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Amy Brown
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Liuhong Chen
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sophie Watcham
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel P Teufel
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Pavan
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Rachid Lani
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Philip Huxley
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin S Bennett
- BicycleTx Limited, Building 900, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
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17
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Jiang Z, Pflug K, Usama SM, Kuai D, Yan X, Sitcheran R, Burgess K. Cyanine-Gemcitabine Conjugates as Targeted Theranostic Agents for Glioblastoma Tumor Cells. J Med Chem 2019; 62:9236-9245. [PMID: 31469566 PMCID: PMC7050787 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
A small subset of heptamethine dyes (cyanine-7 or Cy7) share an intriguing characteristic: preferential tumor accumulation and retention. These dyes absorb in the near-infrared (NIR) region (above 750 nm) and perform active targeting to deliver therapeutic and toxic cargoes to various tumor models in vivo. In this work, four heptamethines 1 were synthesized, which have a gemcitabine fragment attached to the meso-position of the Cy7 core. Theranostic agent 1a was discovered that localized in glioblastoma tumor cells, has absorption maxima in NIR region, and showed similar therapeutic effect to gemcitabine but at one-third the molar dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842, United States
| | - Kathryn Pflug
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Syed Muhammad Usama
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842, United States
| | - Dacheng Kuai
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842, United States
| | - Xin Yan
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842, United States
| | - Raquel Sitcheran
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Medicine, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Kevin Burgess
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, Texas 77842, United States
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18
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Gambini L, Salem AF, Udompholkul P, Tan XF, Baggio C, Shah N, Aronson A, Song J, Pellecchia M. Structure-Based Design of Novel EphA2 Agonistic Agents with Nanomolar Affinity in Vitro and in Cell. ACS Chem Biol 2018; 13:2633-2644. [PMID: 30110533 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
EphA2 overexpression is invariably associated with poor prognosis and development of aggressive metastatic cancers in pancreatic, prostate, lung, ovarian, and breast cancers and melanoma. Recent efforts from our laboratories identified a number of agonistic peptides targeting the ligand-binding domain of the EphA2 receptor. The individual agents, however, were still relatively weak in affinities (micromolar range) that precluded detailed structural studies on the mode of action. Using a systematic optimization of the 12-mer peptide mimetic 123B9, we were able to first derive an agent that displayed a submicromolar affinity for the receptor. This agent enabled cocrystallization with the EphA2 ligand-binding domain providing for the first time the structural basis for their agonistic mechanism of action. In addition, the atomic coordinates of the complex enabled rapid iterations of structure-based optimizations that resulted in a novel agonistic agent, named 135H11, with a nanomolar affinity for the receptor, as demonstrated by in vitro binding assays (isothermal titration calorimetry measurements), and a biochemical displacement assay. As we have recently demonstrated, the cellular activity of these agents is further increased by synthesizing dimeric versions of the compounds. Hence, we report that a dimeric version of 135H11 is extremely effective at low nanomolar concentrations to induce cellular receptor activation, internalization, and inhibition of cell migration in a pancreatic cancer cell line. Given the pivotal role of EphA2 in tumor growth, angiogenesis, drug resistance, and metastasis, these agents, and the associated structural studies, provide significant advancements in the field for the development of novel EphA2-targeting therapeutics or diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Ahmed F. Salem
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Parima Udompholkul
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Xiao-Feng Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Carlo Baggio
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Neh Shah
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Alexander Aronson
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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Abstract
There is a growing interest for the discovery of new cancer-targeted delivery systems for drug delivery and diagnosis. A synopsis of the bibliographic data will be presented on bombesin, neurotensin, octreotide, Arg-Gly-Asp, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and other peptides. Many of them have reached the clinics for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes, and have been utilized as carriers of known cytotoxic agents such as doxorubicin, paclitaxel, cisplatin, methotrexate or dyes and radioisotopes. In our article, recent advances in the development of peptides as carriers of cytotoxic drugs or radiometals will be analyzed.
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20
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and induces apoptosis via the EGFR pathway and caspase signaling. Oncotarget 2018; 7:77916-77925. [PMID: 27788491 PMCID: PMC5363631 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA) has demonstrated efficacy against several solid tumors. In this study, we found that PA-MSHA inhibited the proliferation of PANC-1 and SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells, but had no obvious effects on HPDE6-C7 normal human pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of apoptotic bodies and intracellular vacuole formation in PA-MSHA-treated pancreatic cancer cells. Flow cytometric analysis indicated the rate of apoptosis correlated with the PA-MSHA concentration. We observed a decrease in cell fractions in G0/G1 and G2/M phases, and an increase in the fraction in S phase (p < 0.01). PA-MSHA thus caused cell cycle arrest. Increasing concentrations of PA-MSHA did not alter total levels of EGFR, AKT or ERK, but levels of the corresponding phosphoproteins decreased. PA-MSHA also reduced tumor volume in a xenograft mouse model of pancreatic cancer (p < 0.01). Furthermore, caspase-3 levels decreased while the levels of cleaved caspase-3 increased (p < 0.01). These data suggest that by blocking cell cycle progression, PA-MSHA induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth. PA-MSHA-mediated inhibition of EGFR signaling and activation of the caspase pathway may play an important role in the induction of apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.
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Salem AF, Wang S, Billet S, Chen JF, Udompholkul P, Gambini L, Baggio C, Tseng HR, Posadas EM, Bhowmick NA, Pellecchia M. Reduction of Circulating Cancer Cells and Metastases in Breast-Cancer Models by a Potent EphA2-Agonistic Peptide-Drug Conjugate. J Med Chem 2018; 61:2052-2061. [PMID: 29470068 PMCID: PMC5907794 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
![]()
EphA2
overexpression has been associated with metastasis in multiple
cancer types, including melanomas and ovarian, prostate, lung, and
breast cancers. We have recently proposed the development of peptide–drug
conjugates (PDCs) using agonistic EphA2-targeting agents, such as
the YSA peptide or its optimized version, 123B9. Although our studies
indicated that YSA– and 123B9–drug conjugates can selectively
deliver cytotoxic drugs to cancer cells in vivo, the relatively low
cellular agonistic activities (i.e., the high micromolar concentrations
required) of the agents toward the EphA2 receptor remained a limiting
factor to the further development of these PDCs in the clinic. Here,
we report that a dimeric version of 123B9 can induce receptor activation
at nanomolar concentrations. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the
conjugation of dimeric 123B9 with paclitaxel is very effective at
targeting circulating tumor cells and inhibiting lung metastasis in
breast-cancer models. These studies represent an important step toward
the development of effective EphA2-targeting PDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed F Salem
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine , University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Si Wang
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute , 10901 North Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Sandrine Billet
- Department of Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , 8700 Beverly Boulevard , Los Angeles , California 90048 , United States
| | - Jie-Fu Chen
- Department of Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , 8700 Beverly Boulevard , Los Angeles , California 90048 , United States
| | - Parima Udompholkul
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine , University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine , University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Carlo Baggio
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine , University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Hsian-Rong Tseng
- Department of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology , University of California, Los Angeles , 570 Westwood Plaza , Los Angeles , California 90095 , United States
| | - Edwin M Posadas
- Department of Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , 8700 Beverly Boulevard , Los Angeles , California 90048 , United States
| | - Neil A Bhowmick
- Department of Medicine , Cedars-Sinai Medical Center , 8700 Beverly Boulevard , Los Angeles , California 90048 , United States.,Department of Research , Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration , Los Angeles , California 90073 , United States
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine , University of California, Riverside , 900 University Avenue , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
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22
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Mercurio FA, Di Natale C, Pirone L, Iannitti R, Marasco D, Pedone EM, Palumbo R, Leone M. The Sam-Sam interaction between Ship2 and the EphA2 receptor: design and analysis of peptide inhibitors. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17474. [PMID: 29234063 PMCID: PMC5727260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17684-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The lipid phosphatase Ship2 represents a drug discovery target for the treatment of different diseases, including cancer. Its C-terminal sterile alpha motif domain (Ship2-Sam) associates with the Sam domain from the EphA2 receptor (EphA2-Sam). This interaction is expected to mainly induce pro-oncogenic effects in cells therefore, inhibition of the Ship2-Sam/EphA2-Sam complex may represent an innovative route to discover anti-cancer therapeutics. In the present work, we designed and analyzed several peptide sequences encompassing the interaction interface of EphA2-Sam for Ship2-Sam. Peptide conformational analyses and interaction assays with Ship2-Sam conducted through diverse techniques (CD, NMR, SPR and MST), identified a positively charged penta-amino acid native motif in EphA2-Sam, that once repeated three times in tandem, binds Ship2-Sam. NMR experiments show that the peptide targets the negatively charged binding site of Ship2-Sam for EphA2-Sam. Preliminary in vitro cell-based assays indicate that -at 50 µM concentration- it induces necrosis of PC-3 prostate cancer cells with more cytotoxic effect on cancer cells than on normal dermal fibroblasts. This work represents a pioneering study that opens further opportunities for the development of inhibitors of the Ship2-Sam/EphA2-Sam complex for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Anna Mercurio
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Di Natale
- Department of Pharmacy, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Luciano Pirone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Iannitti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.,Department of Pharmacy, Research Centre on Bioactive Peptides (CIRPeB), University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Emilia Maria Pedone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosanna Palumbo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy
| | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, 80134, Naples, Italy.
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Borowa-Mazgaj B, Mróz A, Augustin E, Paluszkiewicz E, Mazerska Z. The overexpression of CPR and P450 3A4 in pancreatic cancer cells changes the metabolic profile and increases the cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic activity of acridine antitumor agent, C-1748. Biochem Pharmacol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2017.06.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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