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Santos JHPM, Feitosa VA, Meneguetti GP, Carretero G, Coutinho JAP, Ventura SPM, Rangel-Yagui CO. Lysine-PEGylated Cytochrome C with Enhanced Shelf-Life Stability. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:94. [PMID: 35200354 PMCID: PMC8869816 DOI: 10.3390/bios12020094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cytochrome c (Cyt-c), a small mitochondrial electron transport heme protein, has been employed in bioelectrochemical and therapeutic applications. However, its potential as both a biosensor and anticancer drug is significantly impaired due to poor long-term and thermal stability. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a site-specific PEGylation protocol for Cyt-c. The PEG derivative used was a 5 kDa mPEG-NHS, and a site-directed PEGylation at the lysine amino-acids was performed. The effects of the pH of the reaction media, molar ratio (Cyt-c:mPEG-NHS) and reaction time were evaluated. The best conditions were defined as pH 7, 1:25 Cyt-c:mPEG-NHS and 15 min reaction time, resulting in PEGylation yield of 45% for Cyt-c-PEG-4 and 34% for Cyt-c-PEG-8 (PEGylated cytochrome c with 4 and 8 PEG molecules, respectively). Circular dichroism spectra demonstrated that PEGylation did not cause significant changes to the secondary and tertiary structures of the Cyt-c. The long-term stability of native and PEGylated Cyt-c forms was also investigated in terms of peroxidative activity. The results demonstrated that both Cyt-c-PEG-4 and Cyt-c-PEG-8 were more stable, presenting higher half-life than unPEGylated protein. In particular, Cyt-c-PEG-8 presented great potential for biomedical applications, since it retained 30-40% more residual activity than Cyt-c over 60-days of storage, at both studied temperatures of 4 °C and 25 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- João H. P. M. Santos
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (V.A.F.); (G.P.M.)
- Bionanomanufacturing Center, Institute for Technological Research, São Paulo 05508-901, Brazil
| | - Valker A. Feitosa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (V.A.F.); (G.P.M.)
- Bionanomanufacturing Center, Institute for Technological Research, São Paulo 05508-901, Brazil
| | - Giovanna P. Meneguetti
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (V.A.F.); (G.P.M.)
- Bionanomanufacturing Center, Institute for Technological Research, São Paulo 05508-901, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Carretero
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - João A. P. Coutinho
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (J.A.P.C.); (S.P.M.V.)
| | - Sónia P. M. Ventura
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (J.A.P.C.); (S.P.M.V.)
| | - Carlota O. Rangel-Yagui
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (V.A.F.); (G.P.M.)
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Mostafa N, Salem A, Mansour SZ, El-Sonbaty SM, Moawed FSM, Kandil EI. Rationale for Tailoring an Alternative Oncology Trial Using a Novel Gallium-Based Nanocomplex: Mechanistic Insights and Preclinical Challenges. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2022; 21:15330338221085376. [PMID: 35382635 PMCID: PMC8990695 DOI: 10.1177/15330338221085376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In the fight against cancer, cisplatin is most widely used as a clinical mainstay for the chemotherapy of various human cancers. Meanwhile, its cytotoxic profile, as well as drug resistance, limits its widespread application. The goal of precision medicine is to tailor an optimized therapeutic program based on the biology of the disease. Recently, nanotechnology has been demonstrated to be promising in this scenario. Objective: The current work provides a rationale for the design of an alternative oncology trial for the treatment of hepatocarcinogenesis using a novel eco-friendly nanocomplex, namely gallic acid-coated gallium nanoparticles. Moreover, the study tests whether the antineoplastic efficacy of gallic acid-coated gallium nanoparticles could be enhanced or not when it is administrated together with cisplatin. Methods: The work comprised a series of both in vitro and in vivo investigations. The in vivo therapeutic efficacy of such treatments, against diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis, was strictly evaluated by tracking target genes expressions, iron homeostasis, diverse biomarkers alterations, and lastly, routine paraclinical investigations were also assessed. Results: The in vitro biological evaluation of gallic acid-coated gallium nanoparticles in a HepG-2 cancer cell line established its superior cytotoxicity. Else more, the results of the in vivo experiment highlighted that gallic acid-coated gallium nanoparticles could diminish key hallmarks of cancer by ameliorating most of the investigated parameters. This was well-appreciated with the histopathological findings of the liver architectures of the treated groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that novel biogenic Ga-based nanocomplexes may potentially present new hope for the development of alternative liver cancer therapeutics, which should attract further scientific interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nihal Mostafa
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, 247928Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Salem
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, 247928Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Somaya Z Mansour
- Radiation Biology, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), 68892Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sawsan M El-Sonbaty
- Radiation Microbiology, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), 68892Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Fatma S M Moawed
- Health Radiation Research, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), 68892Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman I Kandil
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, 247928Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
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VDAC1 Conversely Correlates with Cytc Expression and Predicts Poor Prognosis in Human Breast Cancer Patients. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:7647139. [PMID: 33680287 PMCID: PMC7904344 DOI: 10.1155/2021/7647139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aim The main objective of this article was to evaluate the association of voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) with Cytochrome C (Cytc) expression, various clinicopathological features, and prognosis in breast cancer (BC) patients. Meanwhile, the correlation of Cytc expression with various clinical features and 5-year disease-free survival (5-DFS) of BC was also investigated. Methods In vivo, expression of VDAC1 and Cytc was examined in 219 BC tissues and 100 benign breast lesions by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. In vitro, MTT and wound healing migration assay were performed to detect the effect of VDAC1 on BC cells. Results Expression of VDAC1 is conversely associated with Cytc in BC (P = 0.011), especially in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (P = 0.004). Knockdown of VDAC1 inhibited proliferation (P < 0.001) and migration (P < 0.05) of MCF-7 cells. High expression of VDAC1 and low expression of Cytc had a significant association with multiple clinicopathological parameters (P < 0.05) and poor 5-DFS (P < 0.001) in BC. Conclusion VDAC1 was elevated in BC tissues and conversely associated with Cytc. Detection of VDAC1 may provide guidance for the poor prognosis of BC, especially TNBC.
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Barcelo-Bovea V, Dominguez-Martinez I, Joaquin-Ovalle F, Amador LA, Castro-Rivera E, Medina-Álvarez K, McGoron A, Griebenow K, Ferrer-Acosta Y. Optimization and Characterization of Protein Nanoparticles for the Targeted and Smart Delivery of Cytochrome c to Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12051215. [PMID: 32413975 PMCID: PMC7281605 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The delivery of Cytochrome c (Cyt c) to the cytosol stimulates apoptosis in cells where its release from mitochondria and apoptotic induction is inhibited. We developed a drug delivery system consisting of Cyt c nanoparticles decorated with folate-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-thiol (FA-PEG-PLGA-SH) to deliver Cyt c into cancer cells and tested their targeting in the Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) mouse model. Cyt c-PLGA-PEG-FA nanoparticles (NPs) of 253 ± 55 and 354 ± 11 nm were obtained by Cyt c nanoprecipitation, followed by surface decoration with the co-polymer SH-PLGA-PEG-FA. The internalization of Cyt c-PLGA-PEG-FA nanoparticles (NPs) in LLC cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy. NP caspase activation was more efficient than the NP-free formulation. Caspase activity assays showed NPs retained 88-96% Cyt c activity. The NP formulations were more effective in decreasing LLC cell viability than NP-free formulation, with IC50 49.2 to 70.1 μg/mL versus 129.5 μg/mL, respectively. Our NP system proved to be thrice as selective towards cancerous than normal cells. In vivo studies using near infrared-tagged nanoparticles show accumulation in mouse LLC tumor 5 min post-injection. In conclusion, our NP delivery system for Cyt c shows superiority over the NP-free formulation and reaches a folic acid-overexpressing tumor in an immune-competent animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Barcelo-Bovea
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (V.B.-B.); (I.D.-M.); (F.J.-O.); (L.A.A.); (K.G.)
- Molecular Sciences Research Center, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Irivette Dominguez-Martinez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (V.B.-B.); (I.D.-M.); (F.J.-O.); (L.A.A.); (K.G.)
- Molecular Sciences Research Center, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Freisa Joaquin-Ovalle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (V.B.-B.); (I.D.-M.); (F.J.-O.); (L.A.A.); (K.G.)
- Molecular Sciences Research Center, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Luis A. Amador
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (V.B.-B.); (I.D.-M.); (F.J.-O.); (L.A.A.); (K.G.)
- Molecular Sciences Research Center, San Juan 00926, Puerto Rico
| | - Elizabeth Castro-Rivera
- Department of Neuroscience, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon 00956, Puerto Rico; (E.C.-R.); (K.M.-Á.)
| | - Kristofer Medina-Álvarez
- Department of Neuroscience, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon 00956, Puerto Rico; (E.C.-R.); (K.M.-Á.)
| | - Anthony McGoron
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33174, USA;
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico; (V.B.-B.); (I.D.-M.); (F.J.-O.); (L.A.A.); (K.G.)
| | - Yancy Ferrer-Acosta
- Department of Neuroscience, Universidad Central del Caribe, Bayamon 00956, Puerto Rico; (E.C.-R.); (K.M.-Á.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-787-798-3001 (ext. 2164)
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Morales-Cruz M, Delgado Y, Castillo B, Figueroa CM, Molina AM, Torres A, Milián M, Griebenow K. Smart Targeting To Improve Cancer Therapeutics. Drug Des Devel Ther 2019; 13:3753-3772. [PMID: 31802849 PMCID: PMC6826196 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s219489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second largest cause of death worldwide with the number of new cancer cases predicted to grow significantly in the next decades. Biotechnology and medicine can and should work hand-in-hand to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment efficacy. However, success has been frequently limited, in particular when treating late-stage solid tumors. There still is the need to develop smart and synergistic therapeutic approaches to achieve the synthesis of strong and effective drugs and delivery systems. Much interest has been paid to the development of smart drug delivery systems (drug-loaded particles) that utilize passive targeting, active targeting, and/or stimulus responsiveness strategies. This review will summarize some main ideas about the effect of each strategy and how the combination of some or all of them has shown to be effective. After a brief introduction of current cancer therapies and their limitations, we describe the biological barriers that nanoparticles need to overcome, followed by presenting different types of drug delivery systems to improve drug accumulation in tumors. Then, we describe cancer cell membrane targets that increase cellular drug uptake through active targeting mechanisms. Stimulus-responsive targeting is also discussed by looking at the intra- and extracellular conditions for specific drug release. We include a significant amount of information summarized in tables and figures on nanoparticle-based therapeutics, PEGylated drugs, different ligands for the design of active-targeted systems, and targeting of different organs. We also discuss some still prevailing fundamental limitations of these approaches, eg, by occlusion of targeting ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moraima Morales-Cruz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Yamixa Delgado
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR, USA
| | - Betzaida Castillo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Humacao Campus, Humacao, PR, USA
| | - Cindy M Figueroa
- Department of Math and Sciences, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Anna M Molina
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Anamaris Torres
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR, USA
| | - Melissa Milián
- Department of Biochemistry & Pharmacology, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR, USA
| | - Kai Griebenow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
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Macone A, Masciarelli S, Palombarini F, Quaglio D, Boffi A, Trabuco MC, Baiocco P, Fazi F, Bonamore A. Ferritin nanovehicle for targeted delivery of cytochrome C to cancer cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11749. [PMID: 31409839 PMCID: PMC6692331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48037-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, we have exploited the unique properties of a chimeric archaeal-human ferritin to encapsulate, deliver and release cytochrome c and induce apoptosis in a myeloid leukemia cell line. The chimeric protein combines the versatility in 24-meric assembly and cargo incorporation capability of Archaeglobus fulgidus ferritin with specific binding of human H ferritin to CD71, the "heavy duty" carrier responsible for transferrin-iron uptake. Delivery of ferritin-encapsulated cytochrome C to the Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) NB4 cell line, highly resistant to transfection by conventional methods, was successfully achieved in vitro. The effective liberation of cytochrome C within the cytosolic environment, demonstrated by double fluorescent labelling, induced apoptosis in the cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Macone
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Pizzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvia Masciarelli
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Via A. Scarpa, 14-16, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Palombarini
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Pizzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Deborah Quaglio
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, Sapienza University of Rome, Pizzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Boffi
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Pizzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Matilde Cardoso Trabuco
- Center for Life Nano Science @ Sapienza, Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Regina Elena 291, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Paola Baiocco
- Center for Life Nano Science @ Sapienza, Italian Institute of Technology, Viale Regina Elena 291, Rome, 00161, Italy
| | - Francesco Fazi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Via A. Scarpa, 14-16, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bonamore
- Department of Biochemical Sciences "Alessandro Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome, Pizzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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Al-Shakarchi W, Alsuraifi A, Abed M, Abdullah M, Richardson A, Curtis A, Hoskins C. Combined Effect of Anticancer Agents and Cytochrome C Decorated Hybrid Nanoparticles for Liver Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2018; 10:E48. [PMID: 29649145 PMCID: PMC6027273 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics10020048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma is an aggressive form of liver cancer that displays minimal symptoms until its late stages. Unfortunately, patient prognosis still remains poor with only 10% of patients surviving more than five years after diagnosis. Current chemotherapies alone are not offering efficient treatment, hence alternative therapeutic approaches are urgently required. In this work, we highlight the potential of combination of treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with existing chemotherapies in combination with pro-apoptotic factor cytochrome C. In order to allow cytochrome C to cross the cellular membrane and become internalized, it has been immobilised onto the surface of hybrid iron oxide-gold nanoparticles. This novel approach has been tested in vitro on HepG2, Huh-7D and SK-hep-1 cell lines in order to elucidate potential as a possible alternative therapy with greater efficacy. The data from our studies show consistently that combining treatment of clinically used anticancer agents (doxorubicin, paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, vinblastine and vincristine) significantly increases the levels of apoptosis within the cell lines, which leads to cellular death. Hence, this combined approach may hold promise for future treatment regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wejdan Al-Shakarchi
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
- College of Pharmacy, Mosul University, Mosul 41002, Iraq.
| | - Ali Alsuraifi
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
- College of Dentistry, University of Basrah, Basrah 61004, Iraq.
| | - Mohammed Abed
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
- College of Pharmacy, Mosul University, Mosul 41002, Iraq.
| | - Marwan Abdullah
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
- College of Pharmacy, Mosul University, Mosul 41002, Iraq.
| | - Alan Richardson
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
| | - Anthony Curtis
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
| | - Clare Hoskins
- Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK.
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