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Wu Y, Kawamoto Y, Sun J, Takahashi Y, Higuchi Y, Takakura Y. Improvement of Drug Release from an Aptamer Drug Conjugate Using Reductive-sensitive Linkers for Tumor-targeted Drug Delivery. AAPS J 2025; 27:95. [PMID: 40397061 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-025-01070-5] [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: 01/18/2025] [Accepted: 04/04/2025] [Indexed: 05/22/2025] Open
Abstract
The selective delivery of small molecule compounds such as Gemcitabine to tumor cells is a promising methodology for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and attenuating the side effects of anticancer drugs. Aptamers are useful as target-directed ligands for tumor-selective drug delivery due to their ability to bind specific proteins. However, the drug must be released from the aptamer after the conjugate is taken up by the cell to exert its pharmacological effect. In this study, we designed and synthesized a conjugate in which a linker cleaved by glutathione, which is highly expressed in tumor cells, was inserted between the aptamer (AS1411) and Gemcitabine. Almost all Gemcitabine was released from the conjugate after 30 min in the presence of 6 mM glutathione. AS1411 is known to bind to nucleolin, which is highly expressed on tumor cells. The cytotoxicity of the AS1411 and Gemcitabine conjugate with a disulfide bond on A549 cells was higher than that of the conjugate without a disulfide bond. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the disulfide-linked conjugate of AS1411 and Gemcitabine was higher in A549 cells than in MCF10A cells, which were used as the model of normal cells. These results indicate that disulfide conjugation enhanced the tumor cell-selective cytotoxicity of Gemcitabine with AS1411.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Wu
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-shimoadachicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kawamoto
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-shimoadachicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jin Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, China.
| | - Yuki Takahashi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-shimoadachicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuriko Higuchi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-shimoadachicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Yoshinobu Takakura
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshida-shimoadachicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
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Zhang Y, Liu Y, Zhao M, Wang Y, Yi H, Liu D, Hou S, Zhao Q, Ma S. Iron-based theranostic nanoenzyme for combined tumor magneto-photo thermotherapy and starvation therapy. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2025; 166:214038. [PMID: 39306963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2024.214038] [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: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 09/08/2024] [Indexed: 11/13/2024]
Abstract
To address the issue of high-dose treatment agents in magnetic hyperthermia-mediated multi-model tumor therapy, a unique iron-based theranostic nanoenzyme with excellent magnetothermal and catalytic properties was constructed. By using a high-temperature arc method, the iron carbon nanoparticles (MF1-3) with a particle size between 13.7 and 27.6 nm and shell thickness between 1 and 5 nm were prepared. After screening, we selected MF3 as the magnetic core due to its high Ms. value and excellent thermal properties. Under the magneto-photo dual thermal conditions, MF3 exhibited a remarkable specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4917 W/g, which was 20 times more than that of iron oxide. Notably, MF3 also exhibited best peroxidase (POD)-like catalytic in pH 5.0 and maintained stable catalytic performance at 45 °C. Considering the "starvation" strategy of cutting off the energy supply to tumor cells and killing them, the glucose oxidase (GOX) and chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was further grafted onto MF3, forming the MF3/GOX/COS. This multifunctional therapeutic nanoenzyme not only exhibited significant peroxidase-like activity, but also had glucose decomposition and glutathione (GSH) consumption capabilities. The thermal effect significantly promoted the uptake of MF3/GOX/COS by 4T1 cells, and the IC50 value of MF3/GOX/COS reached low to 3.75 μg/mL. In vivo anti-tumor experiment, compared with single treatment methods, the combined therapy of MF3/GOX/COS mediated magneto-photo thermotherapy (M-PTT) and starvation therapy (ST) exhibited higher tumor inhibition rate of 82.1 % by increased cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. Overall, MF3/GOX/COS therapeutic nanoenzyme combined the advantages of nano-catalysis, M-PTT and ST, providing a solution for achieving sustained, stable, and effective tumor inhibition rates at lower dose levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Target Drug design and Research, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Yaqi Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Mengtong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Target Drug design and Research, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Yifei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Target Drug design and Research, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Hang Yi
- Key Laboratory of Target Drug design and Research, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Daheng Liu
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Material Science, the Institute of Metal Research (IMR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110015, PR China
| | - Siyu Hou
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Qinfu Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China.
| | - Song Ma
- Shenyang National Laboratory for Material Science, the Institute of Metal Research (IMR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wenhua Road 72, Shenyang 110015, PR China.
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Adachi M, Sugimoto H, Morita K, Maruyama T, Fujii M. Scattering/Fluorescence Dual-Mode Imaging in MnO 2-Coated Silicon Nanospheres for Cancer Cell Detection. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:33963-33970. [PMID: 38910448 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c05152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
A tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive nanoprobe composed of a fluorescent dye-decorated silicon (Si) nanosphere core and a thin MnO2 shell is proposed for simple and intelligent detection of cancer cells. The Si nanosphere core with diameters of 100-200 nm provides environment-independent Mie scattering imaging, while, simultaneously, the MnO2 shell provides the capability to switch the on/off state of the dye fluorescence reacted to the glutathione (GSH) and/or H2O2 levels in a cancer cell. Si-MnO2 core-shell nanosphere probes are fabricated in a solution-based process from crystalline Si nanosphere cores. The fluorescence switching under exposure to GSH is demonstrated, and the mechanism is discussed based on detailed optical characterizations including single-particle spectroscopy. Different types of human cells are incubated with the nanoprobes, and a proof of concept experiment is performed. From the combination of the robust scattering images and GSH- and H2O2-sensitive fluorescence images, the feasibility of cancer cell detection by the multimodal nanoprobes is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Adachi
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sugimoto
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kenta Morita
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Maruyama
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Minoru Fujii
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
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Feng S, Xiao Y, Lu J, Chen Z, Jiang Z, Xu Q, Gu W, Wang S, Zhao Q. Tumor microenvironment sensitization via dual-catalysis of carbon-based nanoenzyme for enhanced photodynamic therapy. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 663:577-590. [PMID: 38428115 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.160] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is limited in tumor therapy due to the mature antioxidant barrier of tumor microenvironment (TME) and phototoxicity/easy-degradation characteristics of photosensitizers. Therefore, we prepared Cu2+-doped hollow carbon nanoparticles (CHC) to protect the loaded photosensitizers and sensitize TME by glutathione-depletion and peroxidase (POD)-like activity for enhanced PDT. CHC significantly increased the maximum speed of POD-like reaction (Vm) of 8.4 times. By coating with hyaluronic acid (HA), the active sites on CHC were temporarily masked with low catalytic property, and restored in response to the overexpressed hyaluronidase in TME. Meanwhile, due to the excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (32.5 %) and hollow structure of CHC, the loaded photosensitizers were well protected from sunlight activation-induced unwanted phototoxicity and rapid degradation under the near-infrared light irradiation. In-vivo anti-tumor experiments demonstrated that the combination of photothermal-photodynamic effect achieved the best anti-tumor effect (tumor inhibition rate at 87.8 %) compared with any monotherapy. In addition, the combination of photothermal and photodynamic effect could efficiently suppress the cell migration, manifesting the reduced number of lung metastasized nodules by 74 %. This work provides an integrated platform for photosensitizers protection and TME sensitization for enhanced PDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaipeng Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Yan Xiao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road No. 103, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Junya Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Ziang Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Zhouyu Jiang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Qingqing Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Wei Gu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Siling Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China.
| | - Qinfu Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China.
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Zhang P, Li W, Liu C, Qin F, Lu Y, Qin M, Hou Y. Molecular imaging of tumour-associated pathological biomarkers with smart nanoprobe: From "Seeing" to "Measuring". EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2023; 3:20230070. [PMID: 38264683 PMCID: PMC10742208 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20230070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Although the extraordinary progress has been made in molecular biology, the prevention of cancer remains arduous. Most solid tumours exhibit both spatial and temporal heterogeneity, which is difficult to be mimicked in vitro. Additionally, the complex biochemical and immune features of tumour microenvironment significantly affect the tumour development. Molecular imaging aims at the exploitation of tumour-associated molecules as specific targets of customized molecular probe, thereby generating image contrast of tumour markers, and offering opportunities to non-invasively evaluate the pathological characteristics of tumours in vivo. Particularly, there are no "standard markers" as control in clinical imaging diagnosis of individuals, so the tumour pathological characteristics-responsive nanoprobe-based quantitative molecular imaging, which is able to visualize and determine the accurate content values of heterogeneous distribution of pathological molecules in solid tumours, can provide criteria for cancer diagnosis. In this context, a variety of "smart" quantitative molecular imaging nanoprobes have been designed, in order to provide feasible approaches to quantitatively visualize the tumour-associated pathological molecules in vivo. This review summarizes the recent achievements in the designs of these nanoprobes, and highlights the state-of-the-art technologies in quantitative imaging of tumour-associated pathological molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peisen Zhang
- College of Life Science and TechnologyBeijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijingChina
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Wenyue Li
- College of Life Science and TechnologyBeijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijingChina
| | - Chuang Liu
- College of Life Science and TechnologyBeijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijingChina
| | - Feng Qin
- Department of Neurosurgery and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of DrugsState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yijie Lu
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Meng Qin
- Department of Neurosurgery and National Chengdu Center for Safety Evaluation of DrugsState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy/Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyWest China Hospital, Sichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Yi Hou
- College of Life Science and TechnologyBeijing University of Chemical TechnologyBeijingChina
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Feng S, Wang J, Mu X, Gu G, Wang Y, Lu J, Wang S, Zhao Q. Mesoporous carbon nanoenzyme as nano-booster for photothermal-enhanced photodynamic therapy compared with graphene oxide. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 222:113095. [PMID: 36577340 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.113095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The over-expressed GSH in tumor microenvironment significantly weakens the lethal reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) and catalysis of nanoenzyme. Hence, it is necessary to excavate a versatile and effective vehicle with oxidative stress-enhancement and GSH-depletion capacity to break the redox homeostasis in tumor microenvironment. GO has been reported to possess GSH-depletion and peroxidase (POD)-like capacity. Based on this, PEGylated mesoporous carbon (MC-PEG) was prepared as ICG vehicle to compare with PEGylated graphene oxide (GO-PEG). Excitingly, MC-PEG was found to exhibit three times higher oxidative capacity by POD-like process than GO-PEG, and owned more effective and continuous GSH-depletion capacity to further amplify the oxidative stress. Meanwhile, MC-PEG exhibited better protective effect on the loaded ICG against unwanted light excitation than GO-PEG. Together with the higher photothermal conversion effect, under the NIR light irradiation, MC-PEG could markedly improve the temperature of tumor cells and produce more hydroxyl radical, continuously consume GSH and provide more better protection for ICG compared with GO-PEG, thus further boosting the combination of photothermal and photodynamic effects. The anti-tumor experiment in cell and in-vivo level both validated that ICG/MC-PEG showed better synergistic effect with lower IC50 value and higher tumor suppression rate than ICG/GO-PEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuaipeng Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Jiahong Wang
- Department of Physiology, College of Life Science and Biopharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Xiaoyang Mu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Guanliang Gu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, PR China
| | - Yufei Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Junya Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Siling Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China
| | - Qinfu Zhao
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, PR China.
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Yao L, Yin C, Huo F. Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probes for Detecting Several Abnormally Expressed Substances in Tumors. MICROMACHINES 2022; 13:1328. [PMID: 36014250 PMCID: PMC9412406 DOI: 10.3390/mi13081328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Malignant tumors have always been the biggest problem facing human survival, and a huge number of people die from cancer every year. Therefore, the identification and detection of malignant tumors have far-reaching significance for human survival and development. Some substances are abnormally expressed in tumors, such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nitroreductase (NTR), pH, biothiols (GSH, Cys, Hcy), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), hydrogen sulfide (H2O2), hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and NADH. Consequently, it is of great value to diagnose and treat malignant tumors due to the identification and detection of these substances. Compared with traditional tumor detection methods, fluorescence imaging technology has the advantages of an inexpensive cost, fast detection and high sensitivity. Herein, we mainly introduce the research progress of fluorescent probes for identifying and detecting abnormally expressed substances in several tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Yao
- Research Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Caixia Yin
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Fangjun Huo
- Research Institute of Applied Chemistry, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
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