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Kovář M, Šubr V, Běhalová K, Studenovský M, Starenko D, Kovářová J, Procházková P, Etrych T, Kostka L. Chemosensitization of tumors via simultaneous delivery of STAT3 inhibitor and doxorubicin through HPMA copolymer-based nanotherapeutics with pH-sensitive activation. NANOMEDICINE : NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICINE 2024; 56:102730. [PMID: 38158146 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2023.102730] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We synthesized three novel STAT3 inhibitors (S3iD1-S3iD3) possessing oxoheptanoic residue enabling linkage to HPMA copolymer carrier via a pH-sensitive hydrazone bond. HPMA copolymer conjugates bearing doxorubicin (Dox) and our STAT3 inhibitors were synthesized to evaluate the anticancer effect of Dox and STAT3 inhibitor co-delivery into tumors. S3iD1-3 and their copolymer-bound counterparts (P-S3iD1-P-S3iD3) showed considerable in vitro cytostatic activities in five mouse and human cancer cell lines with IC50 ~0.6-7.9 μM and 0.7-10.9 μM, respectively. S3iD2 and S3iD3 were confirmed to inhibit the STAT3 signaling pathway. The combination of HPMA copolymer-bound Dox (P-Dox) and P-S3iD3 at the dosage showing negligible toxicity demonstrated significant antitumor activity in B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice and completely cured 2 out of 15 mice. P-Dox alone had a significantly lower therapeutic activity with no completely cured mice. Thus, polymer conjugates bearing STAT3 inhibitors may be used for the chemosensitization of chemorefractory tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kovář
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - V Šubr
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - K Běhalová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - M Studenovský
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - D Starenko
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - J Kovářová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - P Procházková
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - T Etrych
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - L Kostka
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic.
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Zarezadeh SM, Sharafi AM, Erabi G, Tabashiri A, Teymouri N, Mehrabi H, Golzan SA, Faridzadeh A, Abdollahifar Z, Sami N, Arabpour J, Rahimi Z, Ansari A, Abbasi MR, Azizi N, Tamimi A, Poudineh M, Deravi N. Natural STAT3 Inhibitors for Cancer Treatment: A Comprehensive Literature Review. Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov 2024; 19:403-502. [PMID: 37534488 DOI: 10.2174/1574892818666230803100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, affecting millions of people physically and financially every year. Over time, many anticancer treatments have been proposed and studied, including synthetic compound consumption, surgical procedures, or grueling chemotherapy. Although these treatments have improved the daily life quality of patients and increased their survival rate and life expectancy, they have also shown significant drawbacks, including staggering costs, multiple side effects, and difficulty in compliance and adherence to treatment. Therefore, natural compounds have been considered a possible key to overcoming these problems in recent years, and thorough research has been done to assess their effectiveness. In these studies, scientists have discovered a meaningful interaction between several natural materials and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 molecules. STAT3 is a transcriptional protein that is vital for cell growth and survival. Mechanistic studies have established that activated STAT3 can increase cancer cell proliferation and invasion while reducing anticancer immunity. Thus, inhibiting STAT3 signaling by natural compounds has become one of the favorite research topics and an attractive target for developing novel cancer treatments. In the present article, we intend to comprehensively review the latest knowledge about the effects of various organic compounds on inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway to cure different cancer diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mahdi Zarezadeh
- Students' Scientific Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Mohammad Sharafi
- Students' Scientific Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gisou Erabi
- Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Arefeh Tabashiri
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Navid Teymouri
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Tabriz, Iran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hoda Mehrabi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Seyyed Amirhossein Golzan
- Student Research Committee, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition Science and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arezoo Faridzadeh
- Department of Immunology and Allergy, Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Zahra Abdollahifar
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
| | - Nafiseh Sami
- Student Research Committee, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University Medical Branch of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Arabpour
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of New Sciences, Islamic Azad University Medical Branch of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Rahimi
- School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences Zanjan, Iran
| | - Arina Ansari
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | | | - Nima Azizi
- Students' Scientific Research Center, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Niloofar Deravi
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Tavares MR, Islam R, Šubr V, Hackbarth S, Gao S, Yang K, Lobaz V, Fang J, Etrych T. Polymer theranostics with multiple stimuli-based activation of photodynamic therapy and tumor imaging. Theranostics 2023; 13:4952-4973. [PMID: 37771769 PMCID: PMC10526675 DOI: 10.7150/thno.86211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Efficient theranostic strategies concurrently bring and use both the therapeutic and diagnostic features, serving as a cutting-edge tool to combat advanced cancers. Goals of the Investigation: Here, we develop stimuli-sensitive theranostics consisting of tailored copolymers forming micellar conjugates carrying pyropheophorbide-a (PyF) attached by pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds, thus enabling the tumor microenvironment-sensitive activation of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect, fluorescence or phosphorescence. Results: The nanomedicines show superior anti-tumor PDT efficacy and huge tumor-imaging potential, while reducing their accumulation, and potentially side effects, in the liver and spleen. The developed theranostics exhibit clear selective tumor accumulation at high levels in the mouse sarcoma S180 tumor model with almost no PyF found in the healthy tissues after 48 h. Once in the tumor, illumination at λexc = 420 nm reaches the therapeutic effect due to the 1O2 generation. Indeed, an almost complete inhibition of tumor growth is observed up to 18 days after the treatment. Conclusion: The clear benefit of the specific PyF release and activation in the acidic tumor environment for the targeted delivery and tissue distribution dynamics was proved. Conjugates carrying pyropheophorbide-a (PyF) attached by pH-sensitive hydrazone bonds showed their excellent antitumor PDT effect and its applicability as advanced theranostics at very low dose of PyF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Rodrigues Tavares
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rayhanul Islam
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Oncology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Vladimír Šubr
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Steffen Hackbarth
- Institute of Physics, Photobiophysics, Humboldt University of Berlin, Newtonstr. 15, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Shanghui Gao
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Oncology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Kai Yang
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Oncology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Volodymyr Lobaz
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jun Fang
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Oncology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sojo University, Kumamoto 860-0082, Japan
| | - Tomáš Etrych
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16200 Prague, Czech Republic
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HPMA Copolymer Mebendazole Conjugate Allows Systemic Administration and Possesses Antitumour Activity In Vivo. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14061201. [PMID: 35745774 PMCID: PMC9229042 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mebendazole and other benzimidazole antihelmintics, such as albendazole, fenbendazole, or flubendazole, have been shown to possess antitumour activity, primarily due to their microtubule-disrupting activity. However, the extremely poor water-solubility of mebendazole and other benzimidazoles, resulting in very low bioavailability, is a serious drawback of this class of drugs. Thus, the investigation of their antitumour potential has been limited so far to administering repeated high doses given peroral (p.o.) or to using formulations, such as liposomes. Herein, we report a fully biocompatible, water-soluble, HPMA copolymer-based conjugate bearing mebendazole (P-MBZ; Mw 28–33 kDa) covalently attached through a biodegradable bond, enabling systemic administration. Such an approach not only dramatically improves mebendazole solubility but also significantly prolongs the half-life and ensures tumour accumulation via an enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect in vivo. This P-MBZ has remarkable cytostatic and cytotoxic activities in EL-4 T-cell lymphoma, LL2 lung carcinoma, and CT-26 colon carcinoma mouse cell lines in vitro, with corresponding IC50 values of 1.07, 1.51, and 0.814 µM, respectively. P-MBZ also demonstrated considerable antitumour activity in EL-4 tumour-bearing mice when administered intraperitoneal (i.p.), either as a single dose or using 3 intermittent doses. The combination of P-MBZ with immunotherapy based on complexes of IL-2 and anti-IL-2 mAb S4B6, potently stimulating activated and memory CD8+ T cells, as well as NK cells, further improved the therapeutic effect.
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Wang H, Man Q, Huo F, Gao X, Lin H, Li S, Wang J, Su F, Cai, L, Shi Y, Liu, B, Bu L. STAT3 pathway in cancers: Past, present, and future. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e124. [PMID: 35356799 PMCID: PMC8942302 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a member of the STAT family, discovered in the cytoplasm of almost all types of mammalian cells, plays a significant role in biological functions. The duration of STAT3 activation in normal tissues is a transient event and is strictly regulated. However, in cancer tissues, STAT3 is activated in an aberrant manner and is induced by certain cytokines. The continuous activation of STAT3 regulates the expression of downstream proteins associated with the formation, progression, and metastasis of cancers. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms of STAT3 regulation and designing inhibitors targeting the STAT3 pathway are considered promising strategies for cancer treatment. This review aims to introduce the history, research advances, and prospects concerning the STAT3 pathway in cancer. We review the mechanisms of STAT3 pathway regulation and the consequent cancer hallmarks associated with tumor biology that are induced by the STAT3 pathway. Moreover, we summarize the emerging development of inhibitors that target the STAT3 pathway and novel drug delivery systems for delivering these inhibitors. The barriers against targeting the STAT3 pathway, the focus of future research on promising targets in the STAT3 pathway, and our perspective on the overall utility of STAT3 pathway inhibitors in cancer treatment are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han‐Qi Wang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Qi‐Wen Man
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Head Neck OncologySchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Fang‐Yi Huo
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Xin Gao
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Hao Lin
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Su‐Ran Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Jing Wang
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Fu‐Chuan Su
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Lulu Cai,
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceDepartment of PharmacySchool of MedicineSichuan Provincial People's HospitalUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Yi Shi
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study and Department of Laboratory MedicineSichuan Provincial People's HospitalUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | - Bing Liu,
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Head Neck OncologySchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
| | - Lin‐Lin Bu
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei‐MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of EducationSchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Head Neck OncologySchool & Hospital of StomatologyWuhan UniversityWuhanChina
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Kostka L, Sivák L, Šubr V, Kovářová J, Šírová M, Říhová B, Sedlacek R, Etrych T, Kovář M. Simultaneous Delivery of Doxorubicin and Protease Inhibitor Derivative to Solid Tumors via Star-Shaped Polymer Nanomedicines Overcomes P-gp- and STAT3-Mediated Chemoresistance. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2522-2535. [PMID: 35584053 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The derivative of protease inhibitor ritonavir (5-methyl-4-oxohexanoic acid ritonavir ester; RD) was recently recognized as a potent P-gp inhibitor and cancerostatic drug inhibiting the proteasome and STAT3 signaling. Therefore, we designed high-molecular-weight HPMA copolymer conjugates with a PAMAM dendrimer core bearing both doxorubicin (Dox) and RD (Star-RD + Dox) to increase the circulation half-life to maximize simultaneous delivery of Dox and RD into the tumor. Star-RD inhibited P-gp activity, potently sensitizing both low- and high-P-gp-expressing cancer cells to the cytostatic and proapoptotic activity of Dox in vitro. Star-RD + Dox possessed higher cytostatic and proapoptotic activities compared to Star-Dox and the equivalent mixture of Star-Dox and Star-RD in vitro. Star-RD + Dox efficiently inhibited STAT3 signaling and induced caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation in cancer cells in vivo. Importantly, Star-RD + Dox was found to have superior antitumor activity in terms of tumor growth inhibition and increased survival of mice bearing P-gp-expressing tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libor Kostka
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Sivák
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Šubr
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Kovářová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milada Šírová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Blanka Říhová
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedlacek
- Czech Center of Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průmyslová 595, 25250 Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Etrych
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 16206 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Kovář
- Institute of Microbiology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220 Prague, Czech Republic
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