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Yan W, Li H, Ning J, Huang S, Jiang L, Xu P, Huang M, Yuan C. Engineered protein cages with enhanced extracellular drug release for elevated antitumor efficacy. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131492. [PMID: 38604418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131492] [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: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Human heavy chain ferritin (HFn) protein cage has been explored as a nanocarrier for targeted anticancer drug delivery. Here, we introduced a matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-cleavable sequence into the DE loop of HFn, creating an MMP-responsive variant, MR-HFn, for localized and extracellular drug release. The crystal structure of MR-HFn revealed that the addition of the MMPs recognition sequence did not affect the self-assembly of HFn but presented a surface-exposed loop susceptible to MMPs cleavage. Biochemical analysis indicated that this engineered protein cage is responsive to MMPs, enabling the targeted release of encapsulated drugs. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of this engineered protein cage, monosubstituted β-carboxy phthalocyanine zinc (CPZ), a type of photosensitizer, was loaded inside this protein cage. The prepared CPZ@MR-HFn showed higher uptake and stronger phototoxicity in MMPs overexpressed tumor cells, as well as enhanced penetration into multicellular tumor spheroids compared with its counterpart CPZ@HFn in vitro. In vivo, CPZ@MR-HFn displayed a higher tumor inhibitory rate than CPZ@HFn under illumination. These results indicated that MR-HFn is a promising nanocarrier for anticancer drug delivery and the MMP-responsive strategy here can also be adapted for other stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Hanlin Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Jiamin Ning
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Shuhao Huang
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Longguang Jiang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China.
| | - Cai Yuan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China.
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Jiang B, Chen X, Wang S, Wang S, Ma S, Lu Y, Ma L, Liang Q, Xiao H, Zhang L, Yan X, Fan K. Structure-Guided Design of Ferritin-Platinum Prodrugs for Targeted Therapy of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. ACS NANO 2024; 18:11217-11233. [PMID: 38627234 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00212] [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: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Due to its intrinsic tumor-targeting attribute, limited immunogenicity, and cage architecture, ferritin emerges as a highly promising nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery. In the effort to develop ferritin cage-encapsulated cisplatin (CDDP) as a therapeutic agent, we found unexpectedly that the encapsulation led to inactivation of the drug. Guided by the structural information, we deciphered the interactions between ferritin cages and CDDP, and we proposed a potential mechanism responsible for attenuating the antitumor efficacy of CDDP encapsulated within the cage. Six platinum prodrugs were then designed to avoid the inactivation. The antitumor activities of these ferritin-platinum prodrug complexes were then evaluated in cells of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Compared with free CDDP, the complexes were more effective in delivering and retaining platinum in the cells, leading to increased DNA damage and enhanced cytotoxic action. They also exhibited improved pharmacokinetics and stronger antitumor activities in mice bearing ESCC cell-derived xenografts as well as patient-derived xenografts. The successful encapsulation also illustrates the critical significance of comprehending the interactions between small molecular drugs and ferritin cages for the development of precision-engineered nanocarriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Jiang
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Nanozyme Laboratory in Zhongyuan, Henan Academy of Innovations in Medical Science, Zhengzhou, Henan 451163, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xuehui Chen
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shenghui Wang
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shuyu Wang
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Saiyu Ma
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yu Lu
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Long Ma
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qian Liang
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Haihua Xiao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Polymer Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Lirong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, China
| | - Xiyun Yan
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Nanozyme Laboratory in Zhongyuan, Henan Academy of Innovations in Medical Science, Zhengzhou, Henan 451163, China
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Kelong Fan
- Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
- Nanozyme Laboratory in Zhongyuan, Henan Academy of Innovations in Medical Science, Zhengzhou, Henan 451163, China
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules (CAS), CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Chen H, Zhang Q. Polypeptides as alternatives to PEGylation of therapeutic agents. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2024; 21:1-12. [PMID: 38116624 DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2023.2297937] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Due to the concerns raised by the extensive application of PEGylation, polypeptides have stood out as excellent candidates with adequate biocompatibility and biodegradability with tunable hydrophilicity. AREAS COVERED In this review, polypeptides with the potential to replace PEGylation have been summarized and their application has been reviewed, including XTEN, PASylation, polysarcosine, zwitterion polypeptides, ELPylation, etc. Besides their strengths, the remaining challenges have also been discussed and the future perspectives have been provided. EXPERT OPINION Polypeptides have been applied in the designing of peptide/protein drugs as well as nanomedicines, and some of the pharmaceutics have made it into the clinical trials and got approved. These polypeptides showed similar hydrophilic properties to PEGylation, which increased the hydrodynamic volumes of protein drugs, reduced kidney elimination, decreased protein-polymer interaction and potentially improved the drug delivery efficiency due to the extended circulation time in the system. Moreover, they demonstrated superior biodegradability and biocompatibility, compensating for the deficiencies for polymers such as PEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huali Chen
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qianyu Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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Chen T, Wang Y, Zhu L, Wu J, Lin J, Huang W, Yan D. Hybrid Membrane Camouflaged Chemodrug-Gene Nanoparticles for Enhanced Combination Therapy of Ovarian Cancer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:58067-58078. [PMID: 38056905 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10586] [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: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Recently, cell membrane camouflaged nanoparticles (NPs) endowed with natural cellular functions have been extensively studied in various biomedical fields. However, there are few reports about such biomimetic NPs used to codeliver chemodrug and genes for synergistic cancer treatment up to now. Herein, we first prepare chemodrug-gene nanoparticles (Mito-Her2 NPs) by the electrostatic interaction coself-assembly of mitoxantrone hydrochloride (Mito) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 antisense oligonucleotide (Her2 ASO). Then, Mito-Her2 NPs are coated by a hybrid membrane (RSHM), consisting of the red blood cell membrane (RBCM) and the SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell membrane (SCM), to produce biomimetic chemodrug-gene nanoparticles (Mito-Her2@RSHM NPs) for combination therapy of ovarian cancer. Mito-Her2@RSHM NPs integrate the advantages of RBCM (e.g., good immune evasion capability and long circulation lifetime in the blood) and SCM (e.g., highly specific cognate recognition) together and improve the anticancer efficacy of Mito-Her2 NPs. The results show that Mito-Her2@RSHM NPs can be devoured by SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells and effectively degraded to release Her2 ASOs and Mito simultaneously. Her2 ASOs can inhibit the expression of endogenous Her2 genes and recover cancer cells' sensitivity to Mito, which ultimately led to a high apoptosis rate of 75.7% in vitro. Mito-Her2@RSHM NPs also show a high tumor suppression rate of 83.33 ± 4.16% in vivo without significant damage to normal tissues. In summary, Mito-Her2@RSHM NPs would be expected as a versatile and safe nanodrug delivery platform with high efficiency for chemo-gene combined cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianbao Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yuling Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lijuan Zhu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai 200217, China
| | - Jingchun Wu
- Zhejiang Haobang Chemical Co., LTD, 26 Luyin Road, Quzhou Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Zhejiang 324100, China
| | - Jintang Lin
- Zhejiang Haobang Chemical Co., LTD, 26 Luyin Road, Quzhou Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Zhejiang 324100, China
| | - Wei Huang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Deyue Yan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
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Wang A, Yang X, Li R, Shao L, Zhao W, Hu X, Fang K, Chai K, Shi S, Dong C. Immunomodulator-Mediated Suppressive Tumor Immune Microenvironment Remodeling Nanoplatform for Enhanced Immuno/Chemo/Photothermal Combination Therapy of Triple Negative Breast Cancer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:53318-53332. [PMID: 37943829 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c14137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite immunotherapy having revolutionized cancer therapy, the efficacy of immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is seriously restricted due to the insufficient infiltration of mature dendritic cells (DCs) and the highly diffusion of immunosuppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment. Herein, an immunomodulatory nanoplatform (HA/Lipo@MTO@IMQ), in which the DCs could be maximally activated, was engineered to remarkably eradicate the tumor via the combination of suppressive tumor immune microenvironment reversal immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and photothermal therapy. It was noticed that the immunotherapy efficacy could be significantly facilitated by this triple-assistance therapy: First, a robust immunogenic cell death (ICD) effect was induced by mitoxantrone hydrochloride (MTO) to boost DCs maturation and cytotoxic T lymphocytes infiltration. Second, the powerful promaturation property of the toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR7/8) agonist on DCs simultaneously strengthened the ICD effect and restricted antitumor immunity to the tumor bed and lymph nodes. On this basis, tumor-associated macrophages were also dramatically repolarized toward the antitumor M1 phenotype in response to TLR7/8 agonist to intensify the phagocytosis and reverse the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Furthermore, the recruitment of immunocompetent cells and tumor growth inhibition were further promoted by the photothermal characteristic. The nanoplatform with no conspicuous untoward effects exhibited a splendid ability to activate the systemic immune system so as to increase the immunogenicity of the tumor microenvironment, thus enhancing the tumor killing effect. Taken together, HA/Lipo@MTO@IMQ might highlight an efficient combination of therapeutic modality for TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Wang
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xinda Yang
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ruihao Li
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lujing Shao
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wenrong Zhao
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaochun Hu
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Kang Fang
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Keke Chai
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shuo Shi
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chunyan Dong
- Oncology Department, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Assessment and Sustainability, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Fracasso G, Falvo E, Tisci G, Sala G, Colotti G, Cingarlini S, Tito C, Bibbo S, Frusteri C, Tremante E, Giordani E, Giacomini P, Ceci P. Widespread in vivo efficacy of The-0504: A conditionally-activatable nanoferritin for tumor-agnostic targeting of CD71-expressing cancers. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20770. [PMID: 37860543 PMCID: PMC10582389 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer is still among the leading causes of death all over the world. Improving chemotherapy and minimizing associated toxicities are major unmet medical needs. Recently, we provided a preliminary preclinical evaluation of a human ferritin (HFt)-based drug carrier (The-0504) that selectively delivers the wide-spectrum topoisomerase I inhibitor Genz-644282 to CD71-expressing tumors. The-0504 has so far been evaluated on four different human tumor xenotransplant models (breast, colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancers). Methods Herein, we extend our studies, by: (a) testing DNA damage in vitro, (b) treating eight additional tumor xenograft models in vivo with The-0504; (c) performing pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in rats; and (d) evaluating The-0504 anti-tumor xenotransplant efficacy by optimizing its administration schedule based on PK considerations. Results Immunofluorescence demonstrated that The-0504 induces foci expressing the DNA double-strand break marker γH2AX. Expression increases up to 4-fold and is more persistent as compared to free Genz-644282. In vivo studies confirmed a remarkable anti-tumor activity of The-0504, resulting in tumor eradication in most murine xenograft models, regardless of embryological origin (e.g. epithelial, mesenchymal or neuroendocrine), and molecular subtypes. PK studies demonstrated a long persistence of The-0504 in rat serum (half-life of about 40 h as compared to 15 h of the free drug), with a 400-fold increase in peak concentrations as compared to the free drug. On this basis, we reduced The-0504 administration frequency from twice to once per week, with no appreciable loss in therapeutic efficacy in mice. Conclusion The results presented here confirm that The-0504 is highly active against several human tumor xenotransplants, even when administered less frequently than previously reported. The-0504 may be a good candidate for further clinical development in a tumor histotype-agnostic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Fracasso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Falvo
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Tisci
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sala
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
| | - Gianni Colotti
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Cingarlini
- Section of Oncology, Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudia Tito
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Bibbo
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Tremante
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, UOC Translational Oncology Research, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Giordani
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Giacomini
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Ceci
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Thena Biotech, Latina, Italy
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Mattioli R, Ilari A, Colotti B, Mosca L, Fazi F, Colotti G. Doxorubicin and other anthracyclines in cancers: Activity, chemoresistance and its overcoming. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 93:101205. [PMID: 37515939 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2023.101205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Anthracyclines have been important and effective treatments against a number of cancers since their discovery. However, their use in therapy has been complicated by severe side effects and toxicity that occur during or after treatment, including cardiotoxicity. The mode of action of anthracyclines is complex, with several mechanisms proposed. It is possible that their high toxicity is due to the large set of processes involved in anthracycline action. The development of resistance is a major barrier to successful treatment when using anthracyclines. This resistance is based on a series of mechanisms that have been studied and addressed in recent years. This work provides an overview of the anthracyclines used in cancer therapy. It discusses their mechanisms of activity, toxicity, and chemoresistance, as well as the approaches used to improve their activity, decrease their toxicity, and overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Mattioli
- Dept. Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Ilari
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Italian National Research Council IBPM-CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Beatrice Colotti
- Dept. Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luciana Mosca
- Dept. Biochemical Sciences A. Rossi Fanelli, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Fazi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianni Colotti
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Italian National Research Council IBPM-CNR, Rome, Italy.
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Ji Y, Liu D, Zhu H, Bao L, Chang R, Gao X, Yin J. Unstructured Polypeptides as a Versatile Drug Delivery Technology. Acta Biomater 2023; 164:74-93. [PMID: 37075961 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Although polyethylene glycol (PEG), or "PEGylation" has become a widely applied approach for improving the efficiency of drug delivery, the immunogenicity and non-biodegradability of this synthetic polymer have prompted an evident need for alternatives. To overcome these caveats and to mimic PEG -or other natural or synthetic polymers- for the purpose of drug half-life extension, unstructured polypeptides are designed. Due to their tunable length, biodegradability, low immunogenicity and easy production, unstructured polypeptides have the potential to replace PEG as the preferred technology for therapeutic protein/peptide delivery. This review provides an overview of the evolution of unstructured polypeptides, starting from natural polypeptides to engineered polypeptides and discusses their characteristics. Then, it is described that unstructured polypeptides have been successfully applied to numerous drugs, including peptides, proteins, antibody fragments, and nanocarriers, for half-life extension. Innovative applications of unstructured peptides as releasable masks, multimolecular adaptors and intracellular delivery carriers are also discussed. Finally, challenges and future perspectives of this promising field are briefly presented. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : Polypeptide fusion technology simulating PEGylation has become an important topic for the development of long-circulating peptide or protein drugs without reduced activity, complex processes, and kidney injury caused by PEG modification. Here we provide a detailed and in-depth review of the recent advances in unstructured polypeptides. In addition to the application of enhanced pharmacokinetic performance, emphasis is placed on polypeptides as scaffolders for the delivery of multiple drugs, and on the preparation of reasonably designed polypeptides to manipulate the performance of proteins and peptides. This review will provide insight into future application of polypeptides in peptide or protein drug development and the design of novel functional polypeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Dingkang Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haichao Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lichen Bao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Ruilong Chang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiangdong Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Jun Yin
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Druggability of Biopharmaceuticals and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Proteins and their functionalization for finding therapeutic avenues in cancer: Current status and future prospective. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188862. [PMID: 36791920 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188862] [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: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the remarkable advancement in the health care sector, cancer remains the second most fatal disease globally. The existing conventional cancer treatments primarily include chemotherapy, which has been associated with little to severe side effects, and radiotherapy, which is usually expensive. To overcome these problems, target-specific nanocarriers have been explored for delivering chemo drugs. However, recent reports on using a few proteins having anticancer activity and further use of them as drug carriers have generated tremendous attention for furthering the research towards cancer therapy. Biomolecules, especially proteins, have emerged as suitable alternatives in cancer treatment due to multiple favourable properties including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and structural flexibility for easy surface functionalization. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that various proteins derived from animal, plant, and bacterial species, demonstrated strong cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties against malignant cells in native and their different structural conformations. Moreover, surface tunable properties of these proteins help to bind a range of anticancer drugs and target ligands, thus making them efficient delivery agents in cancer therapy. Here, we discuss various proteins obtained from common exogenous sources and how they transform into effective anticancer agents. We also comprehensively discuss the tumor-killing mechanisms of different dietary proteins such as bovine α-lactalbumin, hen egg-white lysozyme, and their conjugates. We also articulate how protein nanostructures can be used as carriers for delivering cancer drugs and theranostics, and strategies to be adopted for improving their in vivo delivery and targeting. We further discuss the FDA-approved protein-based anticancer formulations along with those in different phases of clinical trials.
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Sevieri M, Pinori M, Chesi A, Bonizzi A, Sitia L, Truffi M, Morasso C, Corsi F, Mazzucchelli S. Novel Bioengineering Strategies to Improve Bioavailability and In Vivo Circulation of H-Ferritin Nanocages by Surface Functionalization. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:7244-7251. [PMID: 36873018 PMCID: PMC9979315 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c07794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Due to its unique architecture and innate capability to specifically target cancer cells, ferritin has emerged as an attractive class of biomaterials for drug delivery. In many studies, various chemotherapeutics have been loaded into ferritin nanocages constituted by H-chains of ferritin (HFn), and their related anti-tumor efficacy has been explored by employing different strategies. Despite the multiple advantages and the versatility of HFn-based nanocages, there are still many challenges to face for their reliable implementation as drug nanocarriers in the process of clinical translation. This review aims at providing an overview of the significant efforts expended during recent years to maximize the features of HFn in terms of increased stability and in vivo circulation. The most considerable modification strategies explored to improve bioavailability and pharmacokinetics profiles of HFn-based nanosystems will be discussed herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Sevieri
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Mattia Pinori
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Chesi
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Arianna Bonizzi
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Leopoldo Sitia
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Truffi
- Nanomedicine
and Molecular Imaging Lab, Istituti Clinici
Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Carlo Morasso
- Nanomedicine
and Molecular Imaging Lab, Istituti Clinici
Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Fabio Corsi
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
- Nanomedicine
and Molecular Imaging Lab, Istituti Clinici
Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Breast
Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri
IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Serena Mazzucchelli
- Nanomedicine
Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
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11
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Zhu Y, Zhu Y, Cao T, Liu X, Liu X, Yan Y, Shi Y, Wang JC. Ferritin-based nanomedicine for disease treatment. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2023; 3:49-74. [PMID: 37724111 PMCID: PMC10471093 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2023-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin is an endogenous protein which is self-assembled by 24 subunits into a highly uniform nanocage structure. Due to the drug-encapsulating ability in the hollow inner cavity and abundant modification sites on the outer surface, ferritin nanocage has been demonstrated great potential to become a multi-functional nanomedicine platform. Its good biocompatibility, low toxicity and immunogenicity, intrinsic tumor-targeting ability, high stability, low cost and massive production, together make ferritin nanocage stand out from other nanocarriers. In this review, we summarized ferritin-based nanomedicine in field of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. The different types of drugs to be loaded in ferritin, as well as drug-loading methods were classified. The strategies for site-specific and non-specific functional modification of ferritin were investigated, then the application of ferritin for disease imaging, drug delivery and vaccine development were discussed. Finally, the challenges restricting the clinical translation of ferritin-based nanomedicines were analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjun Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuefeng Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianmiao Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Cheng Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Innovative Formulations and Pharmaceutical Excipients, Ningbo Institute of Marine Medicine, Peking University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
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12
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PASylation improves pharmacokinetic of liposomes and attenuates anti-PEG IgM production: An alternative to PEGylation. NANOMEDICINE: NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2023; 47:102622. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2022.102622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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13
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Aljabali AAA, Rezigue M, Alsharedeh RH, Obeid MA, Mishra V, Serrano-Aroca Á, Tambuwala MM. Protein-Based Drug Delivery Nanomedicine Platforms: Recent Developments. Pharm Nanotechnol 2022; 10:257-267. [PMID: 35980061 DOI: 10.2174/2211738510666220817120307] [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: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Naturally occurring protein cages, both viral and non-viral assemblies, have been developed for various pharmaceutical applications. Protein cages are ideal platforms as they are compatible, biodegradable, bioavailable, and amenable to chemical and genetic modification to impart new functionalities for selective targeting or tracking of proteins. The ferritin/ apoferritin protein cage, plant-derived viral capsids, the small Heat shock protein, albumin, soy and whey protein, collagen, and gelatin have all been exploited and characterized as drugdelivery vehicles. Protein cages come in many shapes and types with unique features such as unmatched uniformity, size, and conjugations. OBJECTIVES The recent strategic development of drug delivery will be covered in this review, emphasizing polymer-based, specifically protein-based, drug delivery nanomedicine platforms. The potential and drawbacks of each kind of protein-based drug-delivery system will also be highlighted. METHODS Research examining the usability of nanomaterials in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors were identified by employing bibliographic databases and web search engines. RESULTS Rings, tubes, and cages are unique protein structures that occur in the biological environment and might serve as building blocks for nanomachines. Furthermore, numerous virions can undergo reversible structural conformational changes that open or close gated pores, allowing customizable accessibility to their core and ideal delivery vehicles. CONCLUSION Protein cages' biocompatibility and their ability to be precisely engineered indicate they have significant potential in drug delivery and intracellular administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa A A Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163 - P.O. BOX 566, Jordan
| | - Meriem Rezigue
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163 - P.O. BOX 566, Jordan
| | - Rawan H Alsharedeh
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163 - P.O. BOX 566, Jordan
| | - Mohammad A Obeid
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163 - P.O. BOX 566, Jordan
| | - Vijay Mishra
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara 144411, India
| | - Ángel Serrano-Aroca
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia, San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, Spain
| | - Murtaza M Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, England, UK
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14
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Hou S, Hasnat M, Chen Z, Liu Y, Faran Ashraf Baig MM, Liu F, Chen Z. Application Perspectives of Nanomedicine in Cancer Treatment. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:909526. [PMID: 35860027 PMCID: PMC9291274 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.909526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease that seriously threatens human health. Based on the improvement of traditional treatment methods and the development of new treatment modes, the pattern of cancer treatment is constantly being optimized. Nanomedicine plays an important role in these evolving tumor treatment modalities. In this article, we outline the applications of nanomedicine in three important tumor-related fields: chemotherapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy. According to the current common problems, such as poor targeting of first-line chemotherapy drugs, easy destruction of nucleic acid drugs, and common immune-related adverse events in immunotherapy, we discuss how nanomedicine can be combined with these treatment modalities, provide typical examples, and summarize the advantages brought by the application of nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Hou
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo, China
| | - Muhammad Hasnat
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ziwei Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo, China
| | - Yinong Liu
- Hospital Laboratory of Nangjing Lishui People’s Hospital, Nangjing, China
| | - Mirza Muhammad Faran Ashraf Baig
- Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering for Novel Bio-functional, and Pharmaceutical Nanomaterials, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fuhe Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo, China
- *Correspondence: Zelong Chen, ; Fuhe Liu,
| | - Zelong Chen
- The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Province Engineering Research Center of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things Wise Medical, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zelong Chen, ; Fuhe Liu,
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15
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Elzenaty O, Luciani P, Aleandri S. A lipidic mesophase with tunable release properties for the local delivery of macromolecules: the apoferritin nanocage, a case study. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:3876-3885. [PMID: 35470843 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb00403h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Lipid mesophases are able to incorporate and release a plethora of molecules, spanning from hydrophobic drugs to small hydrophilic proteins and therefore they have been widely used as drug delivery systems. However, their 3-5 nm water channels do not allow the release of large hydrophilic molecules such as monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic proteins. To overcome this major geometrical constraint, we designed a gel by mixing monoacylglycerol lipids, generally recognized as safe for human and/or animal use by FDA, and phospholipids, to obtain a material with swollen water channels suitable to host and further release macromolecules. Apoferritin, a 12 nm nanocage protein with intrinsic tumor-targeting properties able to incorporate several molecules, was selected here as the hydrophilic model protein to be embedded in the biocompatible gel. When immersed completely in the release media, mesophases with a swollen water channel of 22 nm, composed of monoolein and doped with 5 mole% of DOPS and 10 mole% of Chol allowed us to achieve a protein release of 60%, which is 120 times higher with respect to that obtained by employing non swollen-LMPs composed only of monoolein. Thus, the formulation can be administered locally to the rectal or vaginal mucosa, reducing the drawbacks often associated with the parenteral administration of bio-therapeutics. This approach would pave the way for the local application of other biomacromolecules (including human ferritin, monoclonal antibodies and antibody drug-conjugates) in those diseases easily reachable by a local application such as rectal or vaginal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oumar Elzenaty
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Paola Luciani
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Simone Aleandri
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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16
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Ju Y, Liao H, Richardson JJ, Guo J, Caruso F. Nanostructured particles assembled from natural building blocks for advanced therapies. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:4287-4336. [PMID: 35471996 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00343g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Advanced treatments based on immune system manipulation, gene transcription and regulation, specific organ and cell targeting, and/or photon energy conversion have emerged as promising therapeutic strategies against a range of challenging diseases. Naturally derived macromolecules (e.g., proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, and polyphenols) have increasingly found use as fundamental building blocks for nanostructured particles as their advantageous properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, inherent bioactivity, and diverse chemical properties make them suitable for advanced therapeutic applications. This review provides a timely and comprehensive summary of the use of a broad range of natural building blocks in the rapidly developing field of advanced therapeutics with insights specific to nanostructured particles. We focus on an up-to-date overview of the assembly of nanostructured particles using natural building blocks and summarize their key scientific and preclinical milestones for advanced therapies, including adoptive cell therapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, active targeted drug delivery, photoacoustic therapy and imaging, photothermal therapy, and combinational therapy. A cross-comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of different natural building blocks are highlighted to elucidate the key design principles for such bio-derived nanoparticles toward improving their performance and adoption. Current challenges and future research directions are also discussed, which will accelerate our understanding of designing, engineering, and applying nanostructured particles for advanced therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ju
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. .,School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
| | - Haotian Liao
- BMI Center for Biomass Materials and Nanointerfaces, College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China. .,Department of Liver Surgery & Liver Transplantation, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan 610065, China
| | - Joseph J Richardson
- Department of Materials Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Junling Guo
- BMI Center for Biomass Materials and Nanointerfaces, College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610065, China. .,Bioproducts Institute, Departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Frank Caruso
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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17
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Yadav N, Francis AP, Priya VV, Patil S, Mustaq S, Khan SS, Alzahrani KJ, Banjer HJ, Mohan SK, Mony U, Rajagopalan R. Polysaccharide-Drug Conjugates: A Tool for Enhanced Cancer Therapy. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14050950. [PMID: 35267773 PMCID: PMC8912870 DOI: 10.3390/polym14050950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most widespread deadly diseases, following cardiovascular disease, worldwide. Chemotherapy is widely used in combination with surgery, hormone and radiation therapy to treat various cancers. However, chemotherapeutic drugs can cause severe side effects due to non-specific targeting, poor bioavailability, low therapeutic indices, and high dose requirements. Several drug carriers successfully overcome these issues and deliver drugs to the desired sites, reducing the side effects. Among various drug delivery systems, polysaccharide-based carriers that target only the cancer cells have been developed to overcome the toxicity of chemotherapeutics. Polysaccharides are non-toxic, biodegradable, hydrophilic biopolymers that can be easily modified chemically to improve the bioavailability and stability for delivering therapeutics into cancer tissues. Different polysaccharides, such as chitosan, alginates, cyclodextrin, pullulan, hyaluronic acid, dextran, guar gum, pectin, and cellulose, have been used in anti-cancer drug delivery systems. This review highlights the recent progress made in polysaccharides-based drug carriers in anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neena Yadav
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605014, India; (N.Y.); (A.P.F.)
| | - Arul Prakash Francis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605014, India; (N.Y.); (A.P.F.)
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India; (V.V.P.); (U.M.)
| | - Veeraraghavan Vishnu Priya
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India; (V.V.P.); (U.M.)
| | - Shankargouda Patil
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (S.P.); (S.S.K.)
| | - Shazia Mustaq
- Dental Health Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sameer Saeed Khan
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Division of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; (S.P.); (S.S.K.)
| | - Khalid J. Alzahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia; (K.J.A.); (H.J.B.)
| | - Hamsa Jameel Banjer
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia; (K.J.A.); (H.J.B.)
| | - Surapaneni Krishna Mohan
- Departments of Biochemistry, Molecular Virology, Research, Clinical Skills & Research Institute & Simulation, Panimalar Medical College Hospital, Varadharajapuram, Poonamallee, Chennai 600123, India;
| | - Ullas Mony
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Diagnostics (COMManD), Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India; (V.V.P.); (U.M.)
| | - Rukkumani Rajagopalan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Puducherry 605014, India; (N.Y.); (A.P.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-(96)-7784-7337
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18
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Liu T, Li L, Cheng C, He B, Jiang T. Emerging prospects of protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies for drug delivery and vaccine development. NANO RESEARCH 2022; 15:7267-7285. [PMID: 35692441 PMCID: PMC9166156 DOI: 10.1007/s12274-022-4385-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Proteins have been widely used in the biomedical field because of their well-defined architecture, accurate molecular weight, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, and easy-to-functionalization. Inspired by the wisdom of nature, increasing proteins/peptides that possess self-assembling capabilities have been explored and designed to generate nanoassemblies with unique structure and function, including spatially organized conformation, passive and active targeting, stimuli-responsiveness, and high stability. These characteristics make protein/peptide-based nanoassembly an ideal platform for drug delivery and vaccine development. In this review, we focus on recent advances in subsistent protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies, including protein nanocages, virus-like particles, self-assemblable natural proteins, and self-assemblable artificial peptides. The origin and characteristics of various protein/peptide-based assemblies and their applications in drug delivery and vaccine development are summarized. In the end, the prospects and challenges are discussed for the further development of protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiyu Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Lu Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Bingfang He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Tianyue Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
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19
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Mainini F, Bonizzi A, Sevieri M, Sitia L, Truffi M, Corsi F, Mazzucchelli S. Protein-Based Nanoparticles for the Imaging and Treatment of Solid Tumors: The Case of Ferritin Nanocages, a Narrative Review. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13122000. [PMID: 34959283 PMCID: PMC8708614 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein nanocages have been studied extensively, due to their unique architecture, exceptional biocompatibility and highly customization capabilities. In particular, ferritin nanocages (FNs) have been employed for the delivery of a vast array of molecules, ranging from chemotherapeutics to imaging agents, among others. One of the main favorable characteristics of FNs is their intrinsic targeting efficiency toward the Transferrin Receptor 1, which is overexpressed in many tumors. Furthermore, genetic manipulation can be employed to introduce novel variants that are able to improve the loading capacity, targeting capabilities and bio-availability of this versatile drug delivery system. In this review, we discuss the main characteristics of FN and the most recent applications of this promising nanotechnology in the field of oncology with a particular emphasis on the imaging and treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Mainini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
| | - Arianna Bonizzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
| | - Marta Sevieri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
| | - Leopoldo Sitia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
| | - Marta Truffi
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Fabio Corsi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Correspondence: (F.C.); (S.M.)
| | - Serena Mazzucchelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Cliniche “L. Sacco”, Università di Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (A.B.); (M.S.); (L.S.)
- Correspondence: (F.C.); (S.M.)
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20
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Huang S, Huang X, Yan H. Peptide dendrimers as potentiators of conventional chemotherapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in a mouse model. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 170:121-132. [PMID: 34801706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Chemotherapy is the recommended treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, efficacy of traditional chemotherapy is not satisfactory due to the presence of a dense dysplastic tumor stroma which prevents drug accumulation in and deep penetration into tumors. To overcome these obstacles, we designed and synthesized peptide dendrimers as potentiators of conventional chemotherapy. The dendrimers markedly promoted free doxorubicin accumulation and penetration deeply into 3D multicellular PDAC tumor cultures upon co-incubation. Co-administration of the dendrimer and doxorubicin into PDAC tumor xenograft-bearing mice greatly increased the doxorubicin concentration in the tumor. In addition, the dendrimer also promoted free doxorubicin internalization into PDAC cells upon co-incubation in media mimicking tumor microenvironment. Finally, a significant enhancement in the anticancer efficacy of doxorubicin and gemcitabine when either of the drugs was individually co-administered with the dendrimer into PDAC tumor xenograft-bearing mice was observed. This was especially pronounced for the combination treatment with the dendrimer and gemcitabine, resulting in a tumor weight decrease to 12.9% compared to the treatment with gemcitabine alone. This can be attributed to the combination of the multi-functionalities of the dendrimer, i.e., promoting free drug accumulation and penetration deeply into tumors and internalization into cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Husheng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China.
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21
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Conti G, Pitea M, Ossanna R, Opri R, Tisci G, Falvo E, Innamorati G, Ghanem E, Sbarbati A, Ceci P, Fracasso G. Mitoxantrone-Loaded Nanoferritin Slows Tumor Growth and Improves the Overall Survival Rate in a Subcutaneous Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Model. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9111622. [PMID: 34829851 PMCID: PMC8615572 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9111622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) represents an intriguing topic for researchers. To date, the prognosis of metastasized PC is poor with just 7% of patients exceeding a five-year survival period. Thus, molecular modifications of existing drugs should be developed to change the course of the disease. Our previously generated nanocages of Mitoxantrone (MIT) encapsulated in human H-chain Ferritin (HFt), designated as HFt-MP-PASE-MIT, has shown excellent tumor distribution and extended serum half-life meriting further investigation for PC treatment. Thus, in this study, we used the same nano-formulation to test its cytotoxicity using both in vitro and in vivo assays. Interestingly, both encapsulated and free-MIT drugs demonstrated similar killing capabilities on PaCa44 cell line. Conversely, in vivo assessment in a subcutaneous PaCa44 tumor model of PC demonstrated a remarkable capability for encapsulated MIT to control tumor growth and improve mouse survival with a median survival rate of 65 vs. 33 days for loaded and free-MIT, respectively. Interestingly, throughout the course of mice treatment, MIT encapsulation did not present any adverse side effects as confirmed by histological analysis of various murine tissue organs and body mass weights. Our results are promising and pave the way to effective PC targeted chemotherapy using our HFt nanodelivery platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giamaica Conti
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (G.C.); (R.O.); (A.S.)
| | - Martina Pitea
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.P.); (G.T.)
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Riccardo Ossanna
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (G.C.); (R.O.); (A.S.)
| | - Roberta Opri
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Giada Tisci
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, University Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.P.); (G.T.)
| | - Elisabetta Falvo
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR—National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Giulio Innamorati
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Section of Surgery, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Esther Ghanem
- Department of Sciences, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh P.O. Box 72, Lebanon;
| | - Andrea Sbarbati
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (G.C.); (R.O.); (A.S.)
| | - Pierpaolo Ceci
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR—National Research Council of Italy, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: (P.C.); (G.F.); Tel.: +39-06-4991-0761 (P.C.); +39-04-5812-6449 (G.F.)
| | - Giulio Fracasso
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy;
- Correspondence: (P.C.); (G.F.); Tel.: +39-06-4991-0761 (P.C.); +39-04-5812-6449 (G.F.)
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Cargo loading within ferritin nanocages in preparation for tumor-targeted delivery. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:4878-4896. [PMID: 34497386 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00602-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ferritins are spherical iron storage proteins within cells, composed of 24 subunits of two types, heavy-chain ferritin (HFn) and light-chain ferritin. Ferritins auto-assemble naturally into hollow nanocages with an outer diameter of 12 nm and an interior cavity 8 nm in diameter. Since the intrinsic tumor-targeting property of human HFn was first reported in 2012, HFn has been extensively explored for tumor-targeted delivery of anticancer drugs and diagnostic molecules, including radioisotopes and fluorophores, as well as inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and chemotherapeutic drugs. This protocol provides four detailed procedures describing how to load four types of cargoes within HFn nanocages that are capable of accurately controlling cargo loading: synthesis of inorganic metal nanoparticles within the cavity of a wild-type human HFn nanocage (Procedure 1, requires ~5 h); loading of doxorubicin into the cavity of a wild-type human HFn nanocage (Procedure 2, requires ~3 d); loading Gd3+ into the cavity of a genetically engineered human HFn nanocage (Procedure 3, requires ~20 h); and loading 64Cu2+ radioisotope into the cavity of a genetically engineered human HFn nanocage (Procedure 4, requires ~3 h). Subsequent use of these HFn-based formulations is advantageous as they have intrinsic tumor-targeting capability and lack immunogenicity. Human HFn generated as described in this protocol can therefore be used to deliver therapeutic drugs and diagnostic signals as multifunctional nanomedicines.
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Song N, Zhang J, Zhai J, Hong J, Yuan C, Liang M. Ferritin: A Multifunctional Nanoplatform for Biological Detection, Imaging Diagnosis, and Drug Delivery. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:3313-3325. [PMID: 34415728 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Ferritins are spherical iron storage proteins within cells that are composed of a combination of 24 subunits of two types, heavy-chain ferritin (HFn) and light-chain ferritin (LFn). They autoassemble naturally into a spherical hollow nanocage with an outer diameter of 12 nm and an interior cavity that is 8 nm in diameter. In recent years, with the constantly emerging safety issues and the concerns about unfavorable uniformity and indefinite in vivo behavior of traditional nanomedicines, the characteristics of native ferritin nanocages, such as the unique nanocage structure, excellent safety profile, and definite in vivo behavior, make ferritin-based formulations uniquely attractive for nanomedicine development. To date, a variety of cargo molecules, including therapeutic drugs (e.g., cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel, curcumin, atropine, quercetin, gefitinib, daunomycin, epirubicin, doxorubicin, etc.), imaging agents (e.g., fluorescence dyes, radioisotopes, and MRI contrast agents), nucleic acids (e.g., siRNA and miRNA), and metal nanoparticles (e.g., Fe3O4, CeO2, AuPd, CuS, CoPt, FeCo, Ag, etc.) have been loaded into the interior cavity of ferritin nanocages for a broad range of biomedical applications from in vitro biosensing to targeted delivery of cargo molecules in living systems with the aid of modified targeting ligands either genetically or chemically. We reported that human HFn could selectively deliver a large amount of cargo into tumors in vivo via transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1)-mediated tumor-cell-specific targeting followed by rapid internalization. By the use of the intrinsic tumor-targeting property and unique nanocage structure of human HFn, a broad variety of cargo-loaded HFn formulations have been developed for biological analysis, imaging diagnosis, and medicine development. In view of the intrinsic tumor-targeting property, unique nanocage structure, lack of immunogenicity, and definite in vivo behavior, human HFn holds promise to promote therapeutic drugs, diagnostic imaging agents, and targeting moieties into multifunctional nanomedicines.Since the report of the intrinsic tumor-targeting property of human HFn, we have extensively explored human HFn as an ideal nanocarrier for tumor-targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, MRI contrast agents, inorganic nanoparticles, and radioisotopes. In particular, by the use of genetic tools, we also have genetically engineered human HFn nanocages to recognize a broader range of disease biomarkers. In this Account, we systematically review human ferritins from characterizing their tumor-binding property and understanding their mechanism and kinetics for cargo loading to exploring their biomedical applications. We finally discuss the prospect of ferritin-based formulations to become next-generation nanomedicines. We expect that ferritin formulations with unique physicochemical characteristics and intrinsic tumor-targeting property will attract broad interest in fundamental drug research and offer new opportunities for nanomedicine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Song
- Experimental Center of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jianlin Zhang
- Experimental Center of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Jiao Zhai
- Tung Foundation Biomedical Sciences Centre/Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Juanji Hong
- Experimental Center of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Chang Yuan
- Experimental Center of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Minmin Liang
- Experimental Center of Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science & Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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Sun X, Hong Y, Gong Y, Zheng S, Xie D. Bioengineered Ferritin Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7023. [PMID: 34209892 PMCID: PMC8268655 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferritin naturally exists in most organisms and can specifically recognize the transferrin 1 receptor (TfR1), which is generally highly expressed on various types of tumor cells. The pH dependent reversible assembling and disassembling property of ferritin renders it as a suitable candidate for encapsulating a variety of anticancer drugs and imaging probes. Ferritins external surface is chemically and genetically modifiable which can serve as attachment site for tumor specific targeting peptides or moieties. Moreover, the biological origin of these protein cages makes it a biocompatible nanocarrier that stabilizes and protects the enclosed particles from the external environment without provoking any toxic or immunogenic responses. Recent studies, further establish ferritin as a multifunctional nanocarrier for targeted cancer chemotherapy and phototherapy. In this review, we introduce the favorable characteristics of ferritin drug carriers, the specific targeted surface modification and a multifunctional nanocarriers combined chemotherapy with phototherapy for tumor treatment. Taken together, ferritin is a potential ideal base of engineered nanoparticles for tumor therapy and still needs to explore more on its way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanrong Sun
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta Region Green Pharmaceuticals, College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (Y.H.); (Y.G.); (S.Z.); (D.X.)
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25
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Carrion CC, Nasrollahzadeh M, Sajjadi M, Jaleh B, Soufi GJ, Iravani S. Lignin, lipid, protein, hyaluronic acid, starch, cellulose, gum, pectin, alginate and chitosan-based nanomaterials for cancer nanotherapy: Challenges and opportunities. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 178:193-228. [PMID: 33631269 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.02.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Although nanotechnology-driven drug delivery systems are relatively new, they are rapidly evolving since the nanomaterials are deployed as effective means of diagnosis and delivery of assorted therapeutic agents to targeted intracellular sites in a controlled release manner. Nanomedicine and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems are rapidly developing as they play crucial roles in the development of therapeutic strategies for various types of cancer and malignancy. Nevertheless, high costs, associated toxicity and production of complexities are some of the critical barriers for their applications. Green nanomedicines have continually been improved as one of the viable approaches towards tumor drug delivery, thus making a notable impact on which considerably affect cancer treatment. In this regard, the utilization of natural and renewable feedstocks as a starting point for the fabrication of nanosystems can considerably contribute to the development of green nanomedicines. Nanostructures and biopolymers derived from natural and biorenewable resources such as proteins, lipids, lignin, hyaluronic acid, starch, cellulose, gum, pectin, alginate, and chitosan play vital roles in the development of cancer nanotherapy, imaging and management. This review uncovers recent investigations on diverse nanoarchitectures fabricated from natural and renewable feedstocks for the controlled/sustained and targeted drug/gene delivery systems against cancers including an outlook on some of the scientific challenges and opportunities in this field. Various important natural biopolymers and nanomaterials for cancer nanotherapy are covered and the scientific challenges and opportunities in this field are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Carrillo Carrion
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, Edificio Marie Curie, Ctra Nnal IV-A Km. 396, E-14014 Cordoba, Spain
| | | | - Mohaddeseh Sajjadi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom 37185-359, Iran
| | - Babak Jaleh
- Department of Physics, Bu-Ali Sina University, 65174 Hamedan, Iran
| | | | - Siavash Iravani
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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26
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Min X, Zhang J, Li RH, Xia F, Cheng SQ, Li M, Zhu W, Zhou W, Li F, Sun Y. Encapsulation of NIR-II AIEgens in Virus-like Particles for Bioimaging. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:17372-17379. [PMID: 33834757 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c02691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of organic nanoparticles that fluoresce in the near-infrared, especially in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window, improves in vivo fluorescence imaging due to deeper penetration and higher spatiotemporal resolution. We report two kinds of NIR-II fluorescent molecules with twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics. The virus-like particles (VLPs) of simian virus 40 (SV40) were used as templates to encapsulate the molecules in a well-defined structure (referred to as CH1-SV40 and CH2-SV40). The CH1-SV40 dots exhibited a highly uniform size of 21.5 nm, strong fluorescence, high photostability, and good biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. Their fluorescence spectrum exhibited a peak at 955 nm, with a tail extending to 1200 nm. Moreover, the CH1-SV40 dots, with a quantum yield of 13.03%, enabled blood vessel imaging and image-guided surgery with a high signal-to-background ratio. Overall, the hybrid nanoparticles represent a new kind of NIR-II AIE nanoprobes for biomedical imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuehong Min
- Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
| | - Juan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Run-Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
| | - Fangfang Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die and Mould Technology School of Material Sciences and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
| | - Shi-Qi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
| | - Ming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Weiwei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Feng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yue Sun
- Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Energy Materials Chemistry of Ministry of Education & Hubei Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China
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Veroniaina H, Pan X, Wu Z, Qi X. Apoferritin: a potential nanocarrier for cancer imaging and drug delivery. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2021; 21:901-913. [PMID: 33844625 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1910027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: As a protein-based biomaterial for potential cancer targeting delivery, apoferritin has recently attracted interest.Areas covered: In this review, we discuss the development of this cage-like protein as an endogenous nanocarrier that can hold molecules in its cavity. We present the specific characterizations and formulations of apoferritin nanocarriers, and outline the recent progress of the protein as an appropriate tumor-delivery vehicle in different therapeutic strategies to treat solid tumors. Finally, we propose how the application for cancer drug repurposing delivery within apoferritin could expand cancer treatment in the future.Expert opinion: Being a ubiquitous iron storage protein that exists in many living organisms, apoferritin is promising as a cancer tumor-targeting nanocarrier. By exploiting its versatility, apoferritin could be used for cancer repurposed drug delivery and could reduce the high cost of new drug discovery development and shorten the formulation process.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiuhua Pan
- Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhenghong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaole Qi
- Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
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28
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Yin S, Wang Y, Zhang B, Qu Y, Liu Y, Dai S, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Bi J. Engineered Human Heavy-Chain Ferritin with Half-Life Extension and Tumor Targeting by PAS and RGDK Peptide Functionalization. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13040521. [PMID: 33918853 PMCID: PMC8070472 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferritin, one of the most investigated protein nanocages, is considered as a promising drug carrier because of its advantageous stability and safety. However, its short half-life and undesirable tumor targeting ability has limited its usage in tumor treatment. In this work, two types of functional peptides, half-life extension peptide PAS, and tumor targeting peptide RGDK (Arg-Gly-Asp-Lys), are inserted to human heavy-chain ferritin (HFn) at C-terminal through flexible linkers with two distinct enzyme cleavable sites. Structural characterizations show both HFn and engineered HFns can assemble into nanoparticles but with different apparent hydrodynamic volumes and molecular weights. RGDK peptide enhanced the internalization efficiency of HFn and showed a significant increase of growth inhibition against 4T1 cell line in vitro. Pharmacokinetic study in vivo demonstrates PAS peptides extended ferritin half-life about 4.9 times in Sprague Dawley rats. RGDK peptides greatly enhanced drug accumulation in the tumor site rather than in other organs in biodistribution analysis. Drug loaded PAS-RGDK functionalized HFns curbed tumor growth with significantly greater efficacies in comparison with drug loaded HFn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Yin
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yan Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine and Food Engineering, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong 030619, China;
| | - Bingyang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yiran Qu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yongdong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemistry Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; (Y.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Sheng Dai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK;
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemistry Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; (Y.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yingli Wang
- School of Chinese Medicine and Food Engineering, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong 030619, China;
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (J.B.)
| | - Jingxiu Bi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
- Correspondence: (Y.W.); (J.B.)
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29
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Huang X, Yan H. Co-administration of a branched arginine-rich polymer enhances the anti-cancer efficacy of doxorubicin. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021; 203:111752. [PMID: 33848897 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2021.111752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The severe side-effects and drug resistance development of conventional chemotherapy are mainly caused by poor tumor penetration as well as nonspecific biodistribution and insufficient cellular uptake of drugs. Herein a branched arginine-rich polymer was synthesized and co-administration of this polymer with doxorubicin, a model drug of chemotherapeutic agents, overcame simultaneously the three obstacles shown above. Co-incubation of the polymer promoted doxorubicin penetration deeply into multicellular tumor spheroids and internalization into cancer cells. Upon co-injection of the polymer with doxorubicin into tumor-bearing mice, the enhanced drug accumulation in and deep penetration into tumor tissue were observed compared to injection of doxorubicin alone. A combined therapy of doxorubicin and the polymer in the treatment of tumor-bearing mice showed a marked enhancement in anticancer efficacy compared to doxorubicin alone. Notably, the treatment with the combination regime reduced the doxorubicin dose to one fifth without reducing the antitumor efficacy compared to the treatment with doxorubicin alone. The possible mechanism of action of the polymer was postulated, in which the guanidinium groups of arginine residues in the polymer may play a pivotal role in the action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Husheng Yan
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin, 300071, China.
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30
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Falvo E, Damiani V, Conti G, Boschi F, Messana K, Giacomini P, Milella M, De Laurenzi V, Morea V, Sala G, Fracasso G, Ceci P. High activity and low toxicity of a novel CD71-targeting nanotherapeutic named The-0504 on preclinical models of several human aggressive tumors. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:63. [PMID: 33568214 PMCID: PMC7877078 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-01851-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Background Ferritin receptor (CD71) is an example of a very attractive cancer target, since it is highly expressed in virtually all tumor types, including metastatic loci. However, this target can be considered to be inaccessible to conventional target therapies, due to its presence in many healthy tissues. Here, we describe the preclinical evaluation of a tumor proteases-activatable human ferritin (HFt)-based drug carrier (The-0504) that is able to selectively deliver the wide-spectrum topoisomerase I inhibitor Genz-644282 to CD71-expressing tumors, preventing the limiting toxic effects associated with CD71-targeting therapies. Methods CD71 expression was evaluated using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry techniques. The-0504 antiproliferative activity towards several cancer cell lines was assessed in vitro. The-0504 antitumor efficacy and survival benefit were evaluated in different human tumors, which had been grown either as xenografts or patient-derived xenografts in mice. The-0504 toxicology profile was investigated in multiple-cycle repeat-dose study in rodents. Results In vitro studies indicate that The-0504 is highly specific for CD71 expressing cells, and that there is a relationship between CD71 levels and The-0504 anticancer activity. In vivo treatments with The-0504 showed a remarkable efficacy, eradicating several human tumors of very diverse and aggressive histotypes, such as pancreas, liver and colorectal carcinomas, and triple-negative breast cancer. Conclusions Durable disease-free survival, persistent antitumor responses after discontinuation of treatment and favorable toxicology profile make The-0504 an ideal candidate for clinical development as a novel, CD71-targeted, low-toxicity alternative to chemotherapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-01851-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Falvo
- CNR - National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy.
| | - Verena Damiani
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Medical Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giamaica Conti
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Federico Boschi
- Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Katia Messana
- IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Oncogenomics and Epigenetics, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Giacomini
- IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Oncogenomics and Epigenetics, Rome, Italy
| | - Michele Milella
- Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata (AOUI), Verona, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Laurenzi
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Medical Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Veronica Morea
- CNR - National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sala
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Department of Medical Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giulio Fracasso
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Pierpaolo Ceci
- CNR - National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Rome, Italy.,Thena Biotech, Latina, Italy
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Tumor Accumulation and Off-Target Biodistribution of an Indocyanine-Green Fluorescent Nanotracer: An Ex Vivo Study on an Orthotopic Murine Model of Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041601. [PMID: 33562574 PMCID: PMC7915532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Indocyanine green (ICG) is a near infrared fluorescent tracer used in image-guided surgery to assist surgeons during resection. Despite appearing as a very promising tool for surgical oncology, its employment in this area is limited to lymph node mapping or to laparoscopic surgery, as it lacks tumor targeting specificity. Recently, a nanoformulation of this dye has been proposed with the aim toward tumor targeting specificity in order to expand its employment in surgical oncology. This nanosystem is constituted by 24 monomers of H-Ferritin (HFn), which self-assemble into a spherical cage structure enclosing the indocyanine green fluorescent tracer. These HFn nanocages were demonstrated to display tumor homing due to the specific interaction between the HFn nanocage and transferrin receptor 1, which is overexpressed in most tumor tissues. Here, we provide an ex vivo detailed comparison between the biodistribution of this nanotracer and free ICG, combining the results obtained with the Karl Storz endoscope that is currently used in clinical practice and the quantification of the ICG signal derived from the fluorescence imaging system IVIS Lumina II. These insights demonstrate the suitability of this novel HFn-based nanosystem in fluorescence-guided oncological surgery.
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Engineered Human Nanoferritin Bearing the Drug Genz-644282 for Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12100992. [PMID: 33092088 PMCID: PMC7589674 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12100992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal tumors, including pancreatic and colorectal cancers, represent one of the greatest public health issues worldwide, leading to a million global deaths. Recent research demonstrated that the human heavy chain ferritin (HFt) can encapsulate different types of drugs in its cavity and can bind to its receptor, CD71, in several solid and hematological tumors, thus highlighting the potential use of ferritin for tumor-targeting therapies. Here, we describe the development and characterization of a novel nanomedicine based on the HFt that is named The-0504. In particular, this novel system is a nano-assembly comprising an engineered version of HFt that entraps about 80 molecules of a potent, wide-spectrum, non-camptothecin topoisomerase I inhibitor (Genz-644282). The-0504 can be produced by a standardized pre-industrial process as a pure and homogeneously formulated product with favourable lyophilization properties. The preliminary anticancer activity was evaluated in cultured cancer cells and in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Overall results reported here make The-0504 a candidate for further preclinical development against CD-71 expressing deadly tumors.
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Sandra F, Khaliq NU, Sunna A, Care A. Developing Protein-Based Nanoparticles as Versatile Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy and Imaging. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 9:E1329. [PMID: 31527483 PMCID: PMC6781024 DOI: 10.3390/nano9091329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, it has become apparent that cancer nanomedicine's reliance on synthetic nanoparticles as drug delivery systems has resulted in limited clinical outcomes. This is mostly due to a poor understanding of their "bio-nano" interactions. Protein-based nanoparticles (PNPs) are rapidly emerging as versatile vehicles for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents, offering a potential alternative to synthetic nanoparticles. PNPs are abundant in nature, genetically and chemically modifiable, monodisperse, biocompatible, and biodegradable. To harness their full clinical potential, it is important for PNPs to be accurately designed and engineered. In this review, we outline the recent advancements and applications of PNPs in cancer nanomedicine. We also discuss the future directions for PNP research and what challenges must be overcome to ensure their translation into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Febrina Sandra
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia.
| | - Nisar Ul Khaliq
- College of Pharmacy, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 30019, Korea.
| | - Anwar Sunna
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Andrew Care
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
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He J, Fan K, Yan X. Ferritin drug carrier (FDC) for tumor targeting therapy. J Control Release 2019; 311-312:288-300. [PMID: 31494184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin is an iron storage protein that plays a key role in iron homeostasis and anti-oxidation of cells. Due to its unique architecture of 24 self-assembling subunits and hollow cavity capable of encapsulating drugs, and an outer surface that can be modified genetically and chemically for additional functionality, ferritin has recently emerged as a promising drug delivery vehicle. Recent research demonstrated that unmodified human heavy chain ferritin binds to its receptor, transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), in different types of tumor tissues, including lung and breast cancer, thus highlighting the potential use of ferritin for tumor-targeting applications. In this review, we consider the many favorable characteristics of ferritin drug carriers (FDCs) for tumor drug delivery. In particular, compared with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), ferritin exhibits superiority in a range of attributes, including drug loading ability, thermostability, and ease of production. Thus, the emergence of FDCs may be the next step in targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuyang He
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kelong Fan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Xiyun Yan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Joint Laboratory of Nanozymes in Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University,Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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Huang X, Cao J, Zhang Y, Liu T, Yan H. Polyethylenimine modified with 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride potentiates the antitumor efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2019; 102:558-568. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2019.04.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Loria R, Giliberti C, Bedini A, Palomba R, Caracciolo G, Ceci P, Falvo E, Marconi R, Falcioni R, Bossi G, Strigari L. Very low intensity ultrasounds as a new strategy to improve selective delivery of nanoparticles-complexes in cancer cells. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2019; 38:1. [PMID: 30606223 PMCID: PMC6318873 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-018-1018-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background The possibility to combine Low Intensity UltraSound (LIUS) and Nanoparticles (NP) could represent a promising strategy for drugs delivery in tumors difficult to treat overcoming resistance to therapies. On one side the NP can carry drugs that specifically target the tumors on the other the LIUS can facilitate and direct the delivery to the tumor cells. In this study, we investigated whether Very Low Intensity UltraSound (VLIUS), at intensities lower than 120 mW/cm2, might constitute a novel strategy to improve delivery to tumor cells. Thus, in order to verify the efficacy of this novel modality in terms of increase selective uptake in tumoral cells and translate speedily in clinical practice, we investigated VLIUS in three different in vitro experimental tumor models and normal cells adopting three different therapeutic strategies. Methods VLIUS at different intensities and exposure time were applied to tumor and normal cells to evaluate the efficiency in uptake of labeled human ferritin (HFt)-based NP, the delivery of NP complexed Firefly luciferase reported gene (lipoplex-LUC), and the tumor-killing of chemotherapeutic agent. Results Specifically, we found that specific VLIUS intensity (120 mW/cm2) increases tumor cell uptake of HFt-based NPs at specific concentration (0.5 mg/ml). Similarly, VLIUS treatments increase significantly tumor cells delivery of lipoplex-LUC cargos. Furthermore, of interest, VLIUS increases tumor killing of chemotherapy drug trabectedin in a time dependent fashion. Noteworthy, VLIUS treatments are well tolerated in normal cells with not significant effects on cell survival, NPs delivery and drug-induced toxicity, suggesting a tumor specific fashion. Conclusions Our data shed novel lights on the potential application of VLIUS for the design and development of novel therapeutic strategies aiming to efficiently deliver NP loaded cargos or anticancer drugs into more aggressive and unresponsive tumors niche. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-1018-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Loria
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, Area of Translational Research, IRCCS - Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Giliberti
- Dipartimento Innovazioni Tecnologiche e Sicurezza degli Impianti, Prodotti e Insediamenti Antropici (DIT), INAIL, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelico Bedini
- Dipartimento Innovazioni Tecnologiche e Sicurezza degli Impianti, Prodotti e Insediamenti Antropici (DIT), INAIL, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Palomba
- Dipartimento Innovazioni Tecnologiche e Sicurezza degli Impianti, Prodotti e Insediamenti Antropici (DIT), INAIL, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulio Caracciolo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Ceci
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Raffaella Marconi
- Laboratory of Medical Physics and Expert Systems, IRCCS - Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Rita Falcioni
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, Area of Translational Research, IRCCS - Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Bossi
- Laboratory of Medical Physics and Expert Systems, IRCCS - Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
| | - Lidia Strigari
- Laboratory of Medical Physics and Expert Systems, IRCCS - Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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Tao X, Tao T, Wen Y, Yi J, He L, Huang Z, Nie Y, Yao X, Wang Y, He C, Yang X. Novel Delivery of Mitoxantrone with Hydrophobically Modified Pullulan Nanoparticles to Inhibit Bladder Cancer Cell and the Effect of Nano-drug Size on Inhibition Efficiency. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2018; 13:345. [PMID: 30377872 PMCID: PMC6207605 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-018-2769-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Reducing the dosage of chemotherapeutic drugs via enhancing the delivery efficiency using novel nanoparticles has great potential for cancer treatment. Here, we focused on improving mitoxantrone delivery by using cholesterol-substituted pullulan polymers (CHPs) and selected a suitable nano-drug size to inhibit the growth of bladder cancer cells. We synthesized three kinds of CHPs, named CHP-1, CHP-2, CHP-3. Their chemical structures were identified by NMR, and the degree of cholesterol substitution was 6.82%, 5.78%, and 2.74%, respectively. Their diameters were 86.4, 162.30, and 222.28 nm. We tested the release rate of mitoxantrone in phosphate-buffered saline for 48 h: the release rate was 38.73%, 42.35%, and 58.89% for the three CHPs. The hydrophobic substitution degree in the polymer was associated with the self-assembly process of the nanoparticles, which affected their size and therefore drug release rate. The release of the three drug-loaded nanoparticles was significantly accelerated in acid release media. The larger the nanoparticle, the greater the drug release velocity. At 24 h, the IC50 value was 0.25 M, for the best inhibition of mitoxantrone on bladder cancer cells.3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) experiments demonstrated that drug-loaded CHP-3 nanoparticles with the largest size were the most toxic to bladder cancer cells. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry revealed that drug-loaded CHP-3 nanoparticles with the largest size had the strongest effect on promoting apoptosis of bladder cancer cells. Also, the three drug-loaded nanoparticles could all inhibit the migration of MB49 cells, with large-size CHP-3 nanoparticles having the most powerful inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Tao
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Ting Tao
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Yi Wen
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Jiajin Yi
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Lihua He
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Zixuan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Yu Nie
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Xiaoyan Yao
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Yingying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Chunlian He
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
| | - Xiaoping Yang
- Key Laboratory of Study and Discovery of Small Targeted Molecules of Hunan Province and Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410013 China
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