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Wang S, Cen D, Zhang C. A Cathepsin B-Sensitive Gemcitabine Prodrug for Enhanced Pancreatic Cancer Therapy. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:1927-1933. [PMID: 38555998 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.03.018] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Although gemcitabine (GEM) is a first-line chemotherapeutic drug in treating pancreatic cancer, the therapeutic efficacy of GEM is relatively poor. One main reason is that GEM can be easily deaminated to inactive 2',2'-difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU) by cytidine deaminase (CDA). In order to improve the antitumor activity of GEM, a polypeptide modified GEM prodrug RGDGFLG-GEM (GEM-RGD) is designed. Because the amino group of GEM is protected by RGDGFLG peptide sequence, the in vivo stability of GEM-RGD can be significantly improved since the deamination of GEM can be avoided. GEM-RGD shows enhanced uptake by pancreatic cancer cells due to the active targeting RGD group. The cathepsin B-sensitive GFLG sequence endows GEM-RGD with specific release of GEM in pancreatic cancer cells. Compared to free GEM and non-targeted GEM prodrug RDGGFLG-GEM (GEM-RDG), GEM-RGD exhibits enhanced antitumor activity and reduced systemic toxicity. These results implies that GEM-RGD is a promising candidate in treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical University, Ningbo 315100, China.
| | - Danwei Cen
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical University, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Congcong Zhang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical University, Ningbo 315100, China
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2
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Pereira-Silva M, Miranda-Pastoriza D, Diaz-Gomez L, Sotelo E, Paiva-Santos AC, Veiga F, Concheiro A, Alvarez-Lorenzo C. Gemcitabine-Vitamin E Prodrug-Loaded Micelles for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:95. [PMID: 38258105 PMCID: PMC10819901 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive cancer subtype presenting unmet clinical challenges. Conventional chemotherapy, which includes antimetabolite gemcitabine (GEM), is seriously undermined by a short half-life, its lack of targeting ability, and systemic toxicity. GEM incorporation in self-assembled nanosystems is still underexplored due to GEM's hydrophilicity which hinders efficient encapsulation. We hypothesized that vitamin E succinate-GEM prodrug (VES-GEM conjugate) combines hydrophobicity and multifunctionalities that can facilitate the development of Pluronic® F68 and Pluronic® F127 micelle-based nanocarriers, improving the therapeutic potential of GEM. Pluronic® F68/VES-GEM and Pluronic® F127/VES-GEM micelles covering a wide range of molar ratios were prepared by solvent evaporation applying different purification methods, and characterized regarding size, charge, polydispersity index, morphology, and encapsulation. Moreover, the effect of sonication and ultrasonication and the influence of a co-surfactant were explored together with drug release, stability, blood compatibility, efficacy against tumour cells, and cell uptake. The VES-GEM conjugate-loaded micelles showed acceptable size and high encapsulation efficiency (>95%) following an excipient reduction rationale. Pluronic® F127/VES-GEM micelles evidenced a superior VES-GEM release profile (cumulative release > 50%, pH = 7.4), stability, cell growth inhibition (<50% cell viability for 100 µM VES-GEM), blood compatibility, and extensive cell internalization, and therefore represent a promising approach to leveraging the efficacy and safety of GEM for PC-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Pereira-Silva
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.P.-S.); (A.C.P.-S.); (F.V.)
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Darío Miranda-Pastoriza
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Farmacy, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (D.M.-P.); (E.S.)
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Luis Diaz-Gomez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Eddy Sotelo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Farmacy, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (D.M.-P.); (E.S.)
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Cláudia Paiva-Santos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.P.-S.); (A.C.P.-S.); (F.V.)
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Veiga
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal; (M.P.-S.); (A.C.P.-S.); (F.V.)
- REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Angel Concheiro
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
| | - Carmen Alvarez-Lorenzo
- Departamento de Farmacología, Farmacia y Tecnología Farmacéutica, I+D Farma (GI-1645), Facultad de Farmacia, Instituto de Materiales (iMATUS) and Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
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Jiang TY, Cui XW, Zeng TM, Pan YF, Lin YK, Feng XF, Tan YX, Yuan ZG, Dong LW, Wang HY. PTEN deficiency facilitates gemcitabine efficacy in cancer by modulating the phosphorylation of PP2Ac and DCK. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadd7464. [PMID: 37437018 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.add7464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Gemcitabine is a nucleoside analog that has been successfully used in the treatment of multiple cancers. However, intrinsic or acquired resistance reduces the chemotherapeutic potential of gemcitabine. Here, we revealed a previously unappreciated mechanism by which phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancers, dominates the decision-making process that is central to the regulation of gemcitabine efficacy in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). By investigating a gemcitabine-treated CCA cohort, we found that PTEN deficiency was correlated with the improved efficacy of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Using cell-based drug sensitivity assays, cell line-derived xenograft, and patient-derived xenograft models, we further confirmed that PTEN deficiency or genetic-engineering down-regulation of PTEN facilitated gemcitabine efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PTEN directly binds to and dephosphorylates the C terminus of the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2Ac) to increase its enzymatic activity, which further dephosphorylates deoxycytidine kinase (DCK) at Ser74 to diminish gemcitabine efficacy. Therefore, PTEN deficiency and high phosphorylation of DCK predict a better response to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in CCA. We speculate that the combination of PP2A inhibitor and gemcitabine in PTEN-positive tumors could avoid the resistance of gemcitabine, which would benefit a large population of patients with cancer receiving gemcitabine or other nucleoside analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Yi Jiang
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Cui
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
- Department of Oncology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Tian-Mei Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Yu-Fei Pan
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Yun-Kai Lin
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Feng
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Ye-Xiong Tan
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Zhen-Gang Yuan
- Department of Oncology, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Li-Wei Dong
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
| | - Hong-Yang Wang
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Institute, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200438, China
- National Center for Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University, Shanghai 201805, China
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary Tumor Biology, Shanghai, 200438, China
- Laboratory of Signaling Regulation and Targeting Therapy of Liver Cancer, the Naval Medical University and Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200438, China
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Bak A, Kozik V, Swietlicka A, Baran W, Smolinski A, Zięba A. Towards Symmetric Thioamides: Microwave-Aided Synthesis of Terephthalic Acid Derivatives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:984. [PMID: 37513896 PMCID: PMC10385826 DOI: 10.3390/ph16070984] [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: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The multistep synthesis of novel bis-terephthalthioamides based on methyl esters of amino acids (AAs) was proposed using conventional heating and microwave-assisted approaches. In fact, the comparative case study on the thionation of new symmetrical diamides with Lawesson's reagent (LR) was performed. The microwave-accelerated small-scale methodology was successfully employed on the whole pathway from substrates (Gly, Ala, Val, Tyr, Ser) to products (symmetrical dithioamides of terephthalic acid), resulting in significantly reduced reaction time, energy requirements, and slightly increased reaction yields when compared to conventional heating. Moreover, the intermolecular similarity of novel terephthalic acid derivatives was estimated in the multidimensional space (mDS) of the structure/property-related in silico descriptors using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). The distance-oriented structure/property distribution was also correlated with the experimental lipophilic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Bak
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice, Poland
| | - Violetta Kozik
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Silesia, Szkolna 9, 40-006 Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Wojciech Baran
- Department of General and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 4, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Adam Smolinski
- Central Mining Institute, Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland
| | - Andrzej Zięba
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jagiellońska 4, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
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5
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Saifi MA, Sathish G, Bazaz MR, Godugu C. Exploration of tumor penetrating peptide iRGD as a potential strategy to enhance tumor penetration of cancer nanotherapeutics. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188895. [PMID: 37037389 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancer therapy continues to be a huge challenge as most chemotherapeutic agents exert serious adverse effects on healthy organs. Chemotherapeutic agents lack selective targeting and even the existing target specific therapies are failing due to poor distribution into the tumor microenvironment. Nanotechnology offers multiple advantages to address the limitations encountered by conventional therapy. However, the delivery of nanotherapeutics to tumor tissue has not improved over the years partly due to the poor and inadequate distribution of nanotherapeutics into deeper tumor regions resulting in resistance and relapse. To curb the penetration concerns, iRGD was explored and found to be highly effective in improving the delivery of cancer nanomedicine. The preclinical observations are highly encouraging; however, the clinical translation is at a nascent stage. Based on this, we have made an elaborative effort to give a detailed account of various promising applications of iRGD to increase anticancer and tumor imaging potential. Importantly, we have comprehensively discussed the shortcomings and uncertainties associated with the clinical translation of iRGD-based therapeutic approaches and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Aslam Saifi
- Department of Biological Sciences (Regulatory Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Gauri Sathish
- Department of Biological Sciences (Regulatory Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Mohd Rabi Bazaz
- Department of Biological Sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Chandraiah Godugu
- Department of Biological Sciences (Regulatory Toxicology), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
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6
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Fu C, Yu L, Miao Y, Liu X, Yu Z, Wei M. Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs): a novel trend of research and development on targeted therapy, hype or hope? Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:498-516. [PMID: 36873165 PMCID: PMC9978859 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are the next generation of targeted therapeutics drug after antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), with the core benefits of enhanced cellular permeability and improved drug selectivity. Two drugs are now approved for market by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in the last two years, the pharmaceutical companies have been developing PDCs as targeted therapeutic candidates for cancer, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), metabolic diseases, and so on. The therapeutic benefits of PDCs are significant, but poor stability, low bioactivity, long research and development time, and slow clinical development process as therapeutic agents of PDC, how can we design PDCs more effectively and what is the future direction of PDCs? This review summarises the components and functions of PDCs for therapeutic, from drug target screening and PDC design improvement strategies to clinical applications to improve the permeability, targeting, and stability of the various components of PDCs. This holds great promise for the future of PDCs, such as bicyclic peptide‒toxin coupling or supramolecular nanostructures for peptide-conjugated drugs. The mode of drug delivery is determined according to the PDC design and current clinical trials are summarised. The way is shown for future PDC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Lifeng Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Yuxi Miao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shenyang 110000, China
| | - Xinli Liu
- Department of Digestive Oncology, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, China
| | - Zhaojin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China
| | - Minjie Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Targeted Anti-Tumor Drug Development and Evaluation, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, China.,Liaoning Medical Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shenyang 110000, China
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7
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Choudhury H, Pandey M, Mohgan R, Jong JSJ, David RN, Ngan WY, Chin TL, Ting S, Kesharwani P, Gorain B. Dendrimer-based delivery of macromolecules for the treatment of brain tumor. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2022; 141:213118. [PMID: 36182834 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain tumor represents the most lethal form of cancer with the highest mortality and morbidity rates irrespective of age and sex. Advancements in macromolecule-based therapy (such as nucleic acids and peptides) have shown promising roles in the treatment of brain tumor where the phenomenon of severe toxicities due to the conventional chemotherapeutic agents can be circumvented. Despite its preclinical progress, successful targeting of these macromolecules across the blood-brain barrier without altering their physical and chemical characteristics is of great challenge. With the advent of nanotechnology, nowadays targeted delivery of therapeutics is being explored extensively and these macromolecules, including peptides and nucleic acids, have shown initial success in the treatment, where dendrimer has shown its potential for optimal delivery. Dendrimers are being favored as a mode of drug delivery due to their nano-spherical size and structure, high solubilization potential, multivalent surface, and high loading capacity, where biomolecule resembling characteristics of dendritic 3D structures has shown effective delivery of various therapeutic agents to the brain. Armed with targeting ligands to these dendrimers further expedite the transportation of these multifunctional shuttles specifically to the glioblastoma cells. Thus, a focus has been made in this review on therapeutic applications of dendrimer platforms in brain tumor treatment. The future development of dendrimers as a potential platform for nucleic acid and peptide delivery and its promising clinical application could provide effective and target-specific treatment against brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hira Choudhury
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Manisha Pandey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Haryana, SSH 17, Jant, Haryana 123031, India.
| | - Raxshanaa Mohgan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jim Sii Jack Jong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Roshini Nicole David
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Yi Ngan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tze Liang Chin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shereen Ting
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Prashant Kesharwani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Bapi Gorain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi 835215, Jharkhand, India
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Beteta-Göbel R, Miralles M, Fernández-Díaz J, Rodríguez-Lorca R, Torres M, Fernández-García P, Escribá PV, Lladó V. HCA (2-Hydroxy-Docosahexaenoic Acid) Induces Apoptosis and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Pancreatic Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9902. [PMID: 36077299 PMCID: PMC9456069 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate due to its aggressive nature and high metastatic rate. When coupled to the difficulties in detecting this type of tumor early and the lack of effective treatments, this cancer is currently one of the most important clinical challenges in the field of oncology. Melitherapy is an innovative therapeutic approach that is based on modifying the composition and structure of cell membranes to treat different diseases, including cancers. In this context, 2-hydroxycervonic acid (HCA) is a melitherapeutic agent developed to combat pancreatic cancer cells, provoking the programmed cell death by apoptosis of these cells by inducing ER stress and triggering the production of ROS species. The efficacy of HCA was demonstrated in vivo, alone and in combination with gemcitabine, using a MIA PaCa-2 cell xenograft model of pancreatic cancer in which no apparent toxicity was evident. HCA is metabolized by α-oxidation to C21:5n-3 (heneicosapentaenoic acid), which in turn also showed anti-proliferative effect in these cells. Given the unmet clinical needs associated with pancreatic cancer, the data presented here suggest that the use of HCA merits further study as a potential therapy for this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Beteta-Göbel
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Marc Miralles
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Javier Fernández-Díaz
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Raquel Rodríguez-Lorca
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Manuel Torres
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Paula Fernández-García
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Pablo V. Escribá
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Victoria Lladó
- Laboratory of Molecular Cell Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- R&D Department, Laminar Pharmaceuticals, C/Isaac Newton, 07121 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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9
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New Advances in Short Peptides: Looking Forward. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27113635. [PMID: 35684571 PMCID: PMC9182370 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27113635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
It is beyond doubt that short peptides hold significant promise in bio-medicine, as the most versatile molecules, both structurally and functionally [...]
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10
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Bojarska J. Advances in Research of Short Peptides. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27082446. [PMID: 35458644 PMCID: PMC9028298 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27082446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Bojarska
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
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11
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Al-Rabia MW, Alhakamy NA, Rizg WY, Alghaith AF, Ahmed OAA, Fahmy UA. Boosting curcumin activity against human prostatic cancer PC3 cells by utilizing scorpion venom conjugated phytosomes as promising functionalized nanovesicles. Drug Deliv 2022; 29:807-820. [PMID: 35266425 PMCID: PMC8920388 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2022.2048133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PC) is emerging as one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Curcumin (CUR) is a well-known phytochemical, and scorpion venom (SV) is a natural peptide with proven anticancer properties. However, these natural bioactive agents are limited by low solubility, low bioavailability, poor thermal stability, and short half-lives. Therefore, the aim of this study was to fabricate SV-conjugated CUR phytosomes as promising functionalized nanovesicles and assess their anticancer efficacy in human prostatic cancer PC3 cells. CUR-Phytosome-SV was fabricated using experimental design software in which the zeta potential and particle sizes were used as dependent variables. The anticancer effect of the fabricated formulation was determined by performing a tetrazolium (MTT) assay, cell cycle analysis, annexin V staining, and examining the expression levels of Bcl-associated X-protein (Bax), p53, caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-kB), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The particle size of the nanoconjugates was found to be in the range of 137.5 ± 7.9 to 298.4 ± 11.9 nm, and the zeta potential was 2.9 ± 0.1 to 26.9 ± 1.2 mV. The outcome of the MTT assay showed that curcumin–Phospholipon®–scorpion venom (CUR–PL–SV) exhibited a satisfactory level of cytotoxicity, and the IC50 was found to be lower than CUR and PL-SV individually. Cell cycle analysis showed predominantly cell cycle arrest at the G2-M and pre-G1 phases. In contrast, annexin V staining showed significant early and late apoptosis events in addition to increased necrosis when PC3 cells were treated with CUR–PL–SV. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed a reduction in expression of Bax, p53, caspase-3, NF-kB, TNF-α, and an increase in Bcl-2 expression. Moreover, a MMP analysis showed a reduction in mitochondrial permeability and hence confirmed the superior anticancer potential of CUR–PL–SV. Thus, the present study showed significant anticancer potency of SV-conjugated CUR phytosomes against human prostatic cancer PC3 cells, making it a novel treatment approach for PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed W Al-Rabia
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nabil A Alhakamy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Center of Excellence for Drug Research and Pharmaceutical Industries, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Mohamed Saeed Tamer Chair for Pharmaceutical Industries, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waleed Y Rizg
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel F Alghaith
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Osama A A Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Usama A Fahmy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Multifunctional building elements for the construction of peptide drug conjugates. ENGINEERED REGENERATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.engreg.2022.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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Synthesis and Characterization of Dipeptide–Drug Conjugate: The Use of Linker Coupling Reaction. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10363-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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