Breast Cancer Targeting Peptide Binds Keratin 1: A New Molecular Marker for Targeted Drug Delivery to Breast Cancer

Keratin: A potential driver of tumor metastasis

Keratins, as essential components of intermediate filaments in epithelial cells, play a crucial role in maintaining cell structure and function. In various malignant epithelial tumors, abnormal keratin expression is frequently observed and serves not only as a diagnostic marker but also closely correlates with tumor progression. Extensive research has demonstrated that keratins are pivotal in multiple stages of tumor metastasis, including responding to mechanical forces, evading the immune system, reprogramming metabolism, promoting angiogenesis, and resisting apoptosis. Here we emphasize that keratins significantly enhance the migratory and invasive capabilities of tumor cells, making them critical drivers of tumor metastasis. These findings highlight the importance of targeting keratins as a strategic approach to combat tumor metastasis, thereby advancing our understanding of their role in cancer progression and offering new therapeutic opportunities.

Lasso peptides: A focus on therapeutic index

Lasso peptides, a significant group of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), have emerged as potential therapeutic agents owing to their unique structural features and diverse biological activities. These peptides are characterized by an isopeptide-bonded macrolactam ring and a tail threaded through the ring, forming a distinctive lasso structure that provides remarkable stability and functionality, leading to significant therapeutic potential for antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory applications. This review highlights the structural diversity and therapeutic applications of lasso peptides, emphasizing their potential as next-generation therapeutics. Additionally, while their mechanisms of action and innovative therapeutic prospects are explored, the challenges and limitations associated with their use are also discussed.

Intermediate Filaments in Breast Cancer Progression, and Potential Biomarker for Cancer Therapy: A Narrative Review

Intermediate filaments are one of the three components of the cytoskeletons, along with actin and microtubules. The intermediate filaments consist of extensive variations of structurally related proteins with specific expression patterns in cell types. The expression pattern alteration of intermediate filaments is frequently correlated with cancer progression, specifically with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process closely related to increasing cellular migration and invasion. This review will discuss the involvement of cytoplasmic intermediate filaments, specifically vimentin, nestin, and cytokeratin (CK5/CK6, CK7, CK8/CK18, CK17, CK19, CK20, CSK1), in breast cancer progression and as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers. The potential for drug development targeting intermediate filaments in cancer will be reviewed.

Clinical significance of KRT7 in bladder cancer prognosis

BACKGROUND

Typically, the overexpressed keratin 7 (KRT7) is considered a validated therapeutic target and prognosis marker in bladder cancer. However, the crucial roles of KRT7 in the clinical prognosis and immune microenvironment in bladder cancer remain unclear.

METHODS

Initially, the expression levels of KRT7 in public databases were analyzed that is,Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) 2.0 and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). Further, the clinical tissue samples from patients (n = 10 pairs) were collected to confirm the expression trends of KRT7 and detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. Meanwhile, the relationship between KRT7 and the prognosis of bladder cancer patients was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier plotter estimation and Cox regression analysis. Finally, TIMER 2.0 and IHC staining analyses were performed to calculate the infiltration abundances of three kinds of immune cells in eligible bladder tumor samples.

RESULTS

The TIMER 2.0 and GEPIA datasets suggested the differences in the expression levels of KRT7 in tumors, in which KRT7 was significantly upregulated in bladder cancer. The KRT7 expression was closely associated with patients' gender, tumor histologic subtypes, T status, and American Joint Committee on Cancer stages. Notably, the increased KRT7 indicated poor overall survival and disease-free survival rates. Moreover, KRT7 expression could be responsible for immune infiltration in the cancer microenvironment of the bladder. Finally, the high expression level of KRT7 increased the presence of regulatory T cells (Tregs) but reduced the infiltration of CD8+ T and natural killer cells.

CONCLUSION

KRT7 as a biomarker potentiated the prediction of bladder cancer prognosis and the immune microenvironment.

Therapeutic Peptides, Proteins and their Nanostructures for Drug Delivery and Precision Medicine

Peptide and protein nanostructures with tunable structural features, multifunctionality, biocompatibility and biomolecular recognition capacity enable development of efficient targeted drug delivery tools for precision medicine applications. In this review article, we present various techniques employed for the synthesis and self-assembly of peptides and proteins into nanostructures. We discuss design strategies utilized to enhance their stability, drug-loading capacity, and controlled release properties, in addition to the mechanisms by which peptide nanostructures interact with target cells, including receptor-mediated endocytosis and cell-penetrating capabilities. We also explore the potential of peptide and protein nanostructures for precision medicine, focusing on applications in personalized therapies and disease-specific targeting for diagnostics and therapeutics in diseases such as cancer.

An all-in-one tetrazine reagent for cysteine-selective labeling and bioorthogonal activable prodrug construction

The prodrug design strategy offers a potent solution for improving therapeutic index and expanding drug targets. However, current prodrug activation designs are mainly responsive to endogenous stimuli, resulting in unintended drug release and systemic toxicity. In this study, we introduce 3-vinyl-6-oxymethyl-tetrazine (voTz) as an all-in-one reagent for modular preparation of tetrazine-caged prodrugs and chemoselective labeling peptides to produce bioorthogonal activable peptide-prodrug conjugates. These stable prodrugs can selectively bind to target cells, facilitating cellular uptake. Subsequent bioorthogonal cleavage reactions trigger prodrug activation, significantly boosting potency against tumor cells while maintaining exceptional off-target safety for normal cells. In vivo studies demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of this prodrug design approach. Given the broad applicability of functional groups and labeling versatility with voTz, we foresee that this strategy will offer a versatile solution to enhance the therapeutic range of cytotoxic agents and facilitate the development of bioorthogonal activatable biopharmaceuticals and biomaterials.

The pearl jubilee of microcin J25: thirty years of research on an exceptional lasso peptide

Covering: 1992 up to 2023Since their discovery, lasso peptides went from peculiarities to be recognized as a major family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products that were shown to be spread throughout the bacterial kingdom. Microcin J25 was first described in 1992, making it one of the earliest known lasso peptides. No other lasso peptide has since then been studied to such an extent as microcin J25, yet, previous review articles merely skimmed over all the research done on this exceptional lasso peptide. Therefore, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its first report, we give a comprehensive overview of all literature related to microcin J25. This review article spans the early work towards the discovery of microcin J25, its biosynthetic gene cluster, and the elucidation of its three-dimensional, threaded lasso structure. Furthermore, the current knowledge about the biosynthesis of microcin J25 and lasso peptides in general is summarized and a detailed overview is given on the biological activities associated with microcin J25, including means of self-immunity, uptake into target bacteria, inhibition of the Gram-negative RNA polymerase, and the effects of microcin J25 on mitochondria. The in vitro and in vivo models used to study the potential utility of microcin J25 in a (veterinary) medicine context are discussed and the efforts that went into employing the microcin J25 scaffold in bioengineering contexts are summed up.

A Bio-Inspired Free-Standing Film with Versatility: From Heterogeneous CTCs Programed Isolating to Breast Cancer Molecular Typing

Developing a robust strategy for profiling heterogeneous circular tumor cells specifically, distinguishing the phenotypes of which in blood sample of cancer patient precisely, and releasing them sequentially, is significant for cancer management by liquid biopsy. Herein, a bio-inspired free-standing and flexible film composed of TiO2 nanotube and silk fibroin, fabricated with multiply dynamic bioactive surface (TSF/MDBS) by a simple and eco-friendly way including using polydopamine chemistry and dual dynamic covalent chemistry, is reported. The as-prepared TSF/MDBS binds specific peptides toward cells with epithelial biomarker and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) biomarker, and antifouling agents bovine serum albumin for obviating platelets and proteins adhering of blood, can capture heterogeneous CTCs with enhanced capability due to the cytocompatible soft film and exquisite surface design, and further release the captured cells as program, by specifically breaking down the covalent bonds in sequence via the action of adding biocompatible molecules fructose and glutathione. By applying the TSF/MDBS, it can be tailored into desired pieces for identifying CTCs with different phenotypes (HER2-high and HER2-low) from the unprocessed blood samples of breast cancer patients, and finally profiling these heterogeneous CTCs, to discriminate HER2 positive or negative of breast cancer patients in clinical applications.

Peptide-Drug Conjugate Targeting Keratin 1 Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Mice

Selective delivery of chemotherapy to the tumor site while sparing healthy cells and tissues is an attractive approach for cancer treatment. Carriers such as peptides can facilitate selective tumor targeting and payload delivery. Peptides with specific affinity for the overexpressed cell-surface receptors in cancer cells are conjugated to chemotherapy to afford peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) that show selective uptake by cancer cells. Using a 10-mer linear peptide (WxEAAYQrFL) called 18-4 that targets and binds breast cancer cells, we designed a peptide 18-4-doxorubicin (Dox) conjugate with high specific toxicity toward triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 cells and 30-fold lower toxicity to normal breast MCF10A epithelial cells. Here, we elucidate the in vivo activity of this potent and tumor-selective peptide 18-4-Dox conjugate in mice bearing orthotopic MDA-MB-231 tumors. Mice treated with four weekly injections of the conjugate showed significantly lower tumor volumes compared to mice treated with free Dox at an equivalent Dox dose. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of mice tissues revealed that treatment with a low dose of PDC (2.5 mg/kg of Dox equiv) reduced the expression of proliferation markers (PCNA and Ki-67) and increased apoptosis (evidenced by increased caspase-3 expression). At the same dose of free Dox (2.5 mg/kg), the expression of these markers was similar to that of saline treatment. Accordingly, significantly more Dox accumulated in tumors of conjugate-treated mice (7-fold) compared to the Dox-treated mice, while lower levels of Dox were observed in the liver, heart, and lungs of peptide-Dox conjugate-treated mice (up to 3-fold less) than Dox-treated mice. The IHC analysis of keratin 1 (K1), the receptor for peptide 18-4, revealed K1 upregulation in tumors and low levels in normal mammary fat pad and liver tissues from mice, suggesting preferential uptake of PDCs by TNBC to be K1 receptor-mediated. Taken together, our data support the use of a PDC approach to deliver chemotherapy selectively to the TNBC to inhibit tumor growth.

Current therapeutic approaches and promising perspectives of using bioengineered peptides in fighting chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is a collation of malignancies that manifest in the mammary glands at the early stages. Among breast cancer subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) shows the most aggressive behavior, with apparent stemness features. Owing to the lack of response to hormone therapy and specific targeted therapies, chemotherapy remains the first line of the TNBC treatment. However, the acquisition of resistance to chemotherapeutic agents increase therapy failure, and promotes cancer recurrence and distant metastasis. Invasive primary tumors are the birthplace of cancer burden, though metastasis is a key attribute of TNBC-associated morbidity and mortality. Targeting the chemoresistant metastases-initiating cells via specific therapeutic agents with affinity to the upregulated molecular targets is a promising step in the TNBC clinical management. Exploring the capacity of peptides as biocompatible entities with the specificity of action, low immunogenicity, and robust efficacy provides a principle for designing peptide-based drugs capable of increasing the efficacy of current chemotherapy agents for selective targeting of the drug-tolerant TNBC cells. Here, we first focus on the resistance mechanisms that TNBC cells acquire to evade the effect of chemotherapeutic agents. Next, the novel therapeutic approaches employing tumor-targeting peptides to exploit the mechanisms of drug resistance in chemorefractory TNBC are described.

Colicins and Microcins Produced by Enterobacteriaceae: Characterization, Mode of Action, and Putative Applications

Enterobacteriaceae are widely present in many environments related to humans, including the human body and the food that they consume, from both plant or animal origin. Hence, they are considered relevant members of the gastrointestinal tract microbiota. On the other hand, these bacteria are also recognized as putative pathogens, able to impair human health and, in food, they are considered indicators for the microbiological quality and hygiene status of a production process. Nevertheless, beneficial properties have also been associated with Enterobacteriaceae, such as the ability to synthesize peptides and proteins, which can have a role in the structure of microbial communities. Among these antimicrobial molecules, those with higher molecular mass are called colicins, while those with lower molecular mass are named microcins. In recent years, some studies show an emphasis on molecules that can help control the development of pathogens. However, not enough data are available on this subject, especially related to microcins. Hence, this review gathers and summarizes current knowledge on colicins and microcins, potential usage in the treatment of pathogen-associated diseases and cancer, as well as putative applications in food biotechnology.

Reduced Expression of KRT17 Predicts Poor Prognosis in HER2high Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common types of malignancies in women and greatly threatens female health. KRT17 is a member of the keratin (KRT) protein family that is abundant in the outer layer of the skin, where it protects epithelial cells from damage. Although KRT17 has been studied in many types of cancer, the expression of KRT17 in specific subtypes of BC remains to be determined. In our study, we explored the expression and prognostic implications of KRT17 in BC patients using mRNA transcriptome data and clinical BC data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the chi-square test were used to assess the diagnostic value of KRT17 expression. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT−PCR) analysis of BC cells and tissues and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of clinical tissues were used for external validation. Furthermore, the relationship between KRT17 and immune function was studied by using the CIBERSORT algorithm to predict the proportions of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to explore the potential mechanisms by which KRT17 expression influences patient survival. We found that KRT17 expression was significantly lower in BC tissues than in normal tissues, especially in the luminal-A, luminal-B and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)+ subtypes of BC. ROC analysis revealed that KRT17 expression had moderate diagnostic value. Interestingly, decreased expression of KRT17 was significantly correlated with poor prognosis in BC patients, especially in HER2high and ERhigh patients. This trend was also verified by tissue microarray (TMA) analysis. KRT17 was found to be involved in some antitumor immune pathways, especially the IL-17 signaling pathway, and associated with multiple immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) and CD4+ T cells. In conclusion, high expression of KRT17 predicted favorable prognosis in BC patients with higher HER2 expression. This result may indicate that KRT17 plays a different role depending on the level of HER2 expression and could serve as a promising and sensitive biomarker for the diagnosis and prognostication of HER2high BC.

2D MOF Nanosensor-Integrated Digital Droplet Microfluidic Flow Cytometry for In Situ Detection of Multiple miRNAs in Single CTC Cells

Current circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detection strategies based on surface epithelial markers suffer from low specificity in distinguishing between CTCs and epithelial cells in hematopoietic cell population. Tumor-associated miRNAs within CTCs are emerging as new biomarkers due to their high correlation with tumor development and progress. However, in-situ simultaneous analysis of multiple miRNAs in single CTC cell is still challenging. To overcome this limitation, a digital droplet microfluidic flow cytometry based on biofunctionalized 2D metal-organic framework nanosensor (Nano-DMFC) is developed for in situ detection of dual miRNAs simultaneously in single living breast cancer cells. Here, 2D MOF-based fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) nanosensors are established by conjugating dual-color fluorescence dye-labeled DNA probes on MOF nanosheet surface. In the Nano-DMFC, 2D MOF-based nanoprobes are precisely microinjected into each single-cell encapsulated droplets to achieve dual miRNA characterization in single cancer cell. This Nano-DMFC platform successfully detects dual miRNAs at single-cell resolution in 10 mixed positive MCF-7 cells out of 10 000 negative epithelial cells in serum biomimic samples. Moreover, this Nano-DMFC platform shows good reproductivity in the recovery experiment of spiked blood samples, which demonstrate the high potential for CTC-based cancer early diagnosis and prognosis.

A Small Peptide Increases Drug Delivery in Human Melanoma Cells

Melanoma is the most fatal type of skin cancer and is notoriously resistant to chemotherapies. The response of melanoma to current treatments is difficult to predict. To combat these challenges, in this study, we utilize a small peptide to increase drug delivery to melanoma cells. A peptide library array was designed and screened using a peptide array-whole cell binding assay, which identified KK-11 as a novel human melanoma-targeting peptide. The peptide and its D-amino acid substituted analogue (VPWxEPAYQrFL or D-aa KK-11) were synthesized via a solid-phase strategy. Further studies using FITC-labeled KK-11 demonstrated dose-dependent uptake in human melanoma cells. D-aa KK-11 significantly increased the stability of the peptide, with 45.3% remaining detectable after 24 h with human serum incubation. Co-treatment of KK-11 with doxorubicin was found to significantly enhance the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin compared to doxorubicin alone, or sequential KK-11 and doxorubicin treatment. In vivo and ex vivo imaging revealed that D-aa KK-11 distributed to xenografted A375 melanoma tumors as early as 5 min and persisted up to 24 h post tail vein injection. When co-administered, D-aa KK-11 significantly enhanced the anti-tumor activity of a novel nNOS inhibitor (MAC-3-190) in an A375 human melanoma xenograft mouse model compared to MAC-3-190 treatment alone. No apparent systemic toxicities were observed. Taken together, these results suggest that KK-11 may be a promising human melanoma-targeted delivery vector for anti-melanoma cargo.

Keratin 1 as a cell-surface receptor in cancer

Keratins are fibrous proteins that take part in several important cellular functions, including the formation of intermediate filaments. In addition, keratins serve as epithelial cell markers, which has made their role in cancer progression, diagnosis, and treatment an important focus of research. Keratin 1 (K1) is a type II keratin whose structure is comprised of a coiled-coil central domain flanked by flexible, glycine-rich loops in the N- and C-termini. While the structure of cytoplasmic K1 is established, the structure of cell-surface K1 is not known. Several transformed cells, such as cancerous cells and cells that have undergone oxidative stress, display increased levels of overall and/or cell-surface K1 expression. Cell-surface keratins (CSKs) may be modified or truncated, and their role is yet to be fully elucidated. Current studies suggest that CSKs are involved in receptor-mediated endocytosis and immune evasion. In this Review, we discuss findings relating to K1 structure, overexpression, and cell-surface expression in the context of utilizing CSK1 as a receptor for targeted drug delivery to cancer cells, and other strategies to develop novel treatments for cancer.

hsa_circ_0001275 Is One of a Number of circRNAs Dysregulated in Enzalutamide Resistant Prostate Cancer and Confers Enzalutamide Resistance In Vitro

Simple Summary

Although newer generations of androgen deprivation therapy such as enzalutamide are providing hope, it is clinically challenging to deliver effective therapy to individuals with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Between 20–40% of patients have intrinsic resistance to therapy and all patients will ultimately experience disease progression due to acquired resistance, which is a significant clinical dilemma. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer as part of the effort to identify useful biomarkers for patient selection and potential new therapeutic targets. We confirmed that hsa_circ_0001275 was highly upregulated in an enzalutamide resistant cell line and demonstrated that its overexpression resulted in increased enzalutamide resistance. Our data showed that hsa_circ_0001275 was not expressed abundantly in patient plasma samples, however, a trend of expression was evident which paralleled disease activity indicating a possible association with enzalutamide resistance. Overall, we have provided evidence that hsa_circ_0001275 promotes enzalutamide resistance and thus may serve as a potential therapeutic target.

Abstract

Background: Enzalutamide is part of the treatment regimen for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (MCRPC). However, both intrinsic and acquired resistance to the drug remain substantial clinical quandaries. circRNAs, a novel type of non-coding RNA, have been identified in a number of cancers including prostate cancer and have been associated with cancer development and progression. circRNAs have shown great potential as clinically useful blood-based ‘liquid biopsies’ and as therapeutic targets in prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the role of circRNA transcripts in enzalutamide-resistant prostate cancer cells and assess their utility as biomarkers. Methods: An isogenic cell line model of enzalutamide resistance was subjected to circRNA microarray profiling. Several differentially expressed circRNAs, along with their putative parental genes were validated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). circRNAs of interest were stably overexpressed in the control cell line and drug sensitivity was assessed using an ELISA-based proliferation assay. The candidate circRNA, hsa_circ_0001275, was measured in patient plasma samples using RT-droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR). Results: hsa_circ_0001275 and its parental gene, PLCL2, were significantly up-regulated in strongly resistant clones vs. control (p < 0.05). Overexpression of hsa_circ_0001275 in the control cell line resulted in increased resistance to enzalutamide (p < 0.05). While RT-ddPCR analysis of hsa_circ_0001275 expression in plasma samples of 44 clinical trial participants showed a trend that mirrored the stages of disease activity (as defined by PSA level), the association did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Our data suggest that increased levels of hsa_circ_0001275 contribute to enzalutamide resistance. hsa_circ_0001275 plasma expression showed a trend that mirrors the PSA level at specific disease time points, indicating that circRNAs mirror disease recurrence and burden and may be associated with enzalutamide resistance.

Synthesis, proteolytic stability, and in vitro evaluation of DOTA conjugated p160 peptide based radioconjugates: [177Lu]Lu-DOTA-p160

In this work, we describe the synthesis, in vitro stability, and preliminary biological evaluation of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-DOTA-p160 peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals. Our findings highlight that all DOTA-p160-peptide radioconjugates exhibit favorable proteolytic and enzymatic stability with a prolonged half-life in human plasma and serum. Cell uptake studies carried out on MCF-7 cell line revealed saturable binding of the radioconjugates in the nanomolar range, thereby demonstrating their promising potential in the imaging and therapy of breast tumors.

Escherichia coli small molecule metabolism at the host-microorganism interface

Escherichia coli are a common component of the human microbiota, and isolates exhibit probiotic, commensal and pathogenic roles in the host. E. coli members often use diverse small molecule chemistry to regulate intrabacterial, intermicrobial and host-bacterial interactions. While E. coli are considered to be a well-studied model organism in biology, much of their chemical arsenal has only more recently been defined, and much remains to be explored. Here we describe chemical signaling systems in E. coli in the context of the broader field of metabolism at the host-bacteria interface and the role of this signaling in disease modulation.

Streptomyces griseocarneus R132 expresses antimicrobial genes and produces metabolites that modulate Galleria mellonella immune system

Actinobacteria is a phylum composed of aerobic, Gram-positive, and filamentous bacteria with a broad spectrum of biological activity, including antioxidant, antitumor, and antibiotic. The crude extract of Streptomyces griseocarneus R132 was fractionated on a C18 silica column and the isolated compound was identified by ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance as 3-(phenylprop-2-enoic acid), also known as trans-cinnamic acid. Antimicrobial activity against human pathogens was assayed in vitro (disk-diffusion qualitative test) and in vivo using Galleria mellonella larvae (RT-qPCR). The methanol fractions 132-F30%, 132-F50%, 132-F70%, and 132-F100% inhibited the Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922) and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) growth in vitro the most effectively. Compared with the untreated control (60-80% of larvae death), the fractions and isolated trans-cinnamic acid increased the survival rate and modulated the immune system of G. mellonella larvae infected with pathogenic microorganisms. The anti-infection effect of the S. griseocarneus R132 fermentation product led us to sequence its genome, which was assembled and annotated using the Rast and antiSMASH platforms. The assembled genome consisted of 227 scaffolds represented on a linear chromosome of 8.85 Mb and 71.3% of GC. We detected conserved domains typical of enzymes that produce molecules with biological activity, such as polyketides and non-ribosomal and ribosomal peptides, indicating a great potential for obtaining new antibiotics and molecules with biotechnological application.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02942-1.

Delivery of doxorubicin loaded P18 conjugated-poly(2-ethyl-oxazoline)-DOPE nanoliposomes for targeted therapy of breast cancer

Breast cancer, a heterogeneous disease, has the highest incidence rate and is a major cause of death in females worldwide. Drug delivery by using nanotechnology has shown great promise for improving cancer treatment. Nanoliposomes are known to have enhanced accumulation ability in tumors due to prolonged systemic circulation. Peptide 18 (P18), a tumor homing peptide targeting keratin-1 (KRT-1), was previously shown to have high binding affinity towards breast cancer cells. In this study, we investigate the ability of P18 conjugated PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes (P18-PEtOx-DOPE) for the targeted delivery of doxorubicin to AU565 breast cancer model. Toxicology studies of PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes performed on normal breast epithelial cells (MCF10A), showed minimal toxicity. Doxorubicin delivery by P18-PEtOx-DOPE to AU565 cells induces cytotoxicity in a dose and time dependent manner causing mitotic arrest in G2/M phase at 24 h. Anti-cancer activity of P18-PEtOx-DOPE-DOX nanoliposomes on AU565 cells was detected by Annexin V/PI apoptosis assay. In terms of in vivo antitumor efficacy, P18-PEtOx-DOPE-DOX nanoliposomes administration to AU565 CD-1 nu/nu mice model showed significant decrease in tumor volume suggesting that DOX delivered by these nanoliposomes elicited a strong antitumor response comparable to the free delivery of doxorubicin. Overall, our results offered preclinical proof for the use of P18-PEtOx-DOPE-DOX nanoliposomes in KRT-1⁺ breast cancer therapy.

Antimicrobial peptides as potential therapeutics for breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer in women worldwide. Although notable advances have been achieved in the treatment of breast cancer, the overall survival rate of metastatic breast cancer patients is still considerably low due to the development of resistance to breast cancer chemotherapeutic agents and the non-optimal specificity of the current generation of cancer medications. Hence, there is a growing interest in the search for alternative therapeutics with novel anticancer mechanisms. Recently, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have gained much attention due to their cost-effectiveness, high specificity of action, and robust efficacy. However, there are no clinical data available about their efficacy. This warrants the increasing need for clinical trials to be conducted to assess the efficacy of this new class of drugs. Here, we will focus on the recent progress in the use of AMPs for breast cancer therapy and will highlight their modes of action. Finally, we will discuss the combination of AMP-based therapeutics with other breast cancer therapy strategies, including nanotherapy and chemotherapy, which may provide a potential avenue for overcoming drug resistance.

Recent Advances in Therapeutic Peptides for Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous malignancy and is the second leading cause of mortality among women around the world. Increasing the resistance to anti-cancer drugs in breast cancer cells persuades researchers to search the novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this malignancy. Among the novel methods, therapeutic peptides that target and disrupt tumor cells have been of great interest. Therapeutic peptides are short amino acid monomer chains with high specificity to bind and modulate a protein interaction of interest. Several advantages of peptides, such as specific binding on tumor cells surface, low molecular weight, and low toxicity on normal cells, make the peptides appealing therapeutic agents against solid tumors, particularly breast cancer. Also, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes therapeutic peptides as a suitable candidate for the treatment of drug-resistant breast cancer. In this review, we attempt to review the different therapeutic peptides against breast cancer cells that can be used in the treatment and diagnosis of the malignancy. Meanwhile, we presented an overview of peptide vaccines that have been developed for the treatment of breast cancer.

Evaluation of a Keratin 1 Targeting Peptide-Doxorubicin Conjugate in a Mouse Model of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy is the main treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a subtype of breast cancer that is aggressive with a poor prognosis. While chemotherapeutics are potent, these agents lack specificity and are equally toxic to cancer and nonmalignant cells and tissues. Targeted therapies for TNBC treatment could lead to more safe and efficacious drugs. We previously engineered a breast cancer cell targeting peptide 18-4 that specifically binds cell surface receptor keratin 1 (K1) on breast cancer cells. A conjugate of peptide 18-4 and doxorubicin (Dox) containing an acid-sensitive hydrazone linker showed specific toxicity toward TNBC cells. Here, we report the in vivo evaluation of the K1 targeting peptide-Dox conjugate (PDC) in a TNBC cell-derived xenograft mouse model. Mice treated with the conjugate show significantly improved antitumor efficacy and reduced off-target toxicity compared to mice treated with Dox or saline. After six weekly treatments, on day 35, the mice treated with PDC (2.5 mg Dox equivalent/kg) showed significant reduction (1.5 times) in tumor volume compared to mice treated with Dox (2.5 mg/kg). The mice treated with the conjugate showed significantly higher (1.4 times) levels of Dox in tumors and lower (1.3-2.2 times) levels of Dox in other organs compared to mice treated with Dox. Blood collected at 15 min showed 3.6 times higher concentration of the drug (PDC and Dox) in mice injected with PDC compared to the drug (Dox) in mice injected with Dox. The study shows that the K1 targeting PDC is a promising novel modality for treatment of TNBC, with a favorable safety profile, and warrants further investigation of K1 targeting conjugates as TNBC therapeutics.

Design and evaluation of peptide-18-targeted nanoliposomes constructed by poly(2-oxazoline)-DOPE for doxorubicin delivery

AIMS

The aim of this study is to develop targeted nanoliposome formulations to provide efficient treatment for breast cancer. In this study, peptide 18-modified poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (P18-PEtOx-DOPE), was synthesised to construct nanoliposomes.

METHODS

Doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated into the nanoliposomes by ethanol injection method. Particle size and polydispersity index were measured by dynamic light scattering. Zeta potential was determined by electrophoretic laser Doppler anemometry. The shape of the nanoliposomes was examined by transmission electron microscope. Specific bindings of P18-PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes were demonstrated on AU565 cells by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry studies.

RESULTS

DOX-loaded nanoliposomes with particle diameter of 150.00 ± 2.84 nm and PDI of 0.212 ± 0.013 were obtained. PEtOx-DOPE and PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes are non-toxic on HUVEC, HEK293 and hMSC cells for 48 h. Furthermore, P18-PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes demonstrated specificity towards AU565 cells with high binding affinity.

CONCLUSIONS

As a result, DOX-loaded P18-PEtOx-DOPE nanoliposomes can serve as favourable candidates in breast cancer targeted therapy.

Innovative Betulin Nanosuspension exhibits enhanced anticancer activity in a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cell line and Zebrafish angiogenesis model

We present a nanosuspension of betulin, a BCS class II anticancer drug, particularly effective against resistant breast cancer. As anticancer efficacy of betulin is hampered by poor aqueous solubility, a nanosuspension with surface area was considered to enhance efficacy. An innovative approach wherein the betulin nanosuspension is generated instantaneously in situ, by adding a betulin preconcentrate (BeTPC) comprising drug and excipients, to aqueous medium, is successfully demonstrated. The optimal BeTPC when added to isotonic dextrose solution instantaneously generated an in situ nanosuspension (BeTNS-15) with high precipitation efficiency (92.7 ± 1.21%), average particle size (383.74 ± 7.24 nm) and good stability as per ICH guidelines. TEM revealed elongated particles while DSC and XRD indicated partial amorphization. Significantly higher cytotoxicity of BeTNS-15 (IC₅₀ 38.44 µg/ml) compared to betulin (BetS) (IC₅₀ 69.54 µg/ml) in the resistant triple negative human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231, was attributed to high intracellular uptake confirmed by HPLC and Imaging Flow cytometry (IFC). IFC confirmed superior anti-cancer efficacy of BeTNS-15 mediated by mitochondrial membrane disruption and inhibition of the G0/G1 phase. BeTNS-15 also exhibited significantly greater anti-angiogenic efficacy (p < 0.05) in the zebrafish model confirming superior efficacy. Simplicity of the innovative in situ approach coupled with superior efficacy proposes BeTNS as an innovative and highly promising anticancer formulation.

Low Expression of Keratin17 is Related to Poor Prognosis in Bladder Cancer

Objective

To investigate the association between KRT17 and the prognosis in bladder cancer patients.

Methods

The clinical data of 101 patients with bladder cancer from May 2013 to May 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. At the same time, the expression of KRT17 and its correlation with clinicopathological factors were examined by immunohistochemistry. We search the prognostic value of KRT17 in bladder cancer from the cancer genome map (TCGA) online database. To explore the possible cellular mechanism, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used. The patients were divided into two groups: high expression of KRT17 and low expression of KRT17. The patients were followed up for 5 years to observe the survival. Kaplan–Meier method and Log rank test were used for univariate survival analysis, and Cox regression analysis was used for multivariate analysis. Finally, a nomogram was constructed on this basis for internal verification.

Results

Among the 101 patients, 46 (45.5%) were in the KRT17 low expression group and 55 (54.5%) in the high KRT17 expression group. After 5 years of follow-up, 79 patients survived with a survival rate of 78.2% and 22 patients died with a mortality rate of 21.8%. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that OS and PFS of patients with high expression of KRT17 were significantly higher than those of patients with low expression of KRT17 (p<0.001, p=0.005). Cox multivariate analysis showed that KRT17 expression was an independent risk factor for tumor progression (p=0.019). And tumor size, vascular tumor thrombus, and T stage also affected tumor progression (p<0.05). In the internal validation, the c-index of nomogram was 0.898 (95% CI: 0.854–0.941).

Conclusion

The decreased expression of KRT17 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer. KRT17 can be used as a novel predictive biomarker to provide a new therapeutic target for bladder cancer patients.

Transcript levels of keratin 1/5/6/14/15/16/17 as potential prognostic indicators in melanoma patients

Keratins (KRTs), the intermediate filament-forming proteins of epithelial cells, are extensively used as diagnostic biomarkers in cancers and associated with tumorigenesis and metastasis in multiple cancers. However, the diverse expression patterns and prognostic values of KRTs in melanoma have yet to be elucidated. In the current study, we examined the transcriptional and clinical data of KRTs in patients with melanoma from GEO, TCGA, ONCOMINE, GEPIA, cBioPortal, TIMER and TISIDB databases. We found that the mRNA levels of KRT1/2/5/6/8/10/14/15/16/17 were significantly differential expressed between primary melanoma and metastatic melanoma. The expression levels of KRT1/2/5/6/10/14/15/16/17 were correlated with advanced tumor stage. Survival analysis revealed that the high transcription levels of KRT1/5/6/14/15/16/17 were associated with low overall survival in melanoma patients. GSEA analysis indicated that the most involved hallmarks pathways were P53 pathway, KRAS signaling, estrogen response early and estrogen response late. Furthermore, we found some correlations among the expression of KRTs and the infiltration of immune cells. Our study may provide novel insights for the selection of prognostic biomarkers for melanoma.

Peptide-Drug Conjugates with Different Linkers for Cancer Therapy

Drug conjugates are chemotherapeutic or cytotoxic agents covalently linked to targeting ligands such as an antibody or a peptide via a linker. While antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are now clinically established for cancer therapy, peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are gaining recognition as a new modality for targeted drug delivery with improved efficacy and reduced side effects for cancer treatment. The linker in a drug conjugate plays a key role in the circulation time of the conjugate and release of the drug for full activity at the target site. Herein, we highlight the main linker chemistries utilized in the design of PDCs and discuss representative examples of PDCs with different linker chemistries with the related outcome in cell and animal studies.

A TP53-based immune prognostic model for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients are subject to unfavorable treatment options and a high recurrence rate. The status of TP53 mutations played an essential role in the progression and the prognosis of MIBC. The present study proposed to investigate the association between TP53 mutations and immunophenotype in MIBC.

RESULTS

We established an immune prognostic model (IPM) ground on the immune-associated genes derived from variation analysis between wild-type TP53 and mutated TP53 TCGA-MIBC patients, and validated in another cohort from GEO database. Based on IPM, we divided MIBC patients into low and high risk subgroups. The high risk MIBC patients had higher proportions of macrophages M1, and lower proportions of T cells regulatory (Tregs) and activated dendritic cells than the low risk MIBC patients. Moreover, the expression of immune checkpoints genes (PD1, CTLA4, LAG3, HAVCR2 and TIGIT) was higher in the high risk patients than the low risk patients. In clinical application, IPM exhibited better survival prediction than conventional clinical characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our investigation presented practical prognostic significance for MIBC patients and displayed the overarching landscape of the immune response in the MIBC microenvironment.

METHODS

Data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis between the TP53 mutated and wild-type MIBC patients was conducted. The CIBERSORT algorithm was performed to evaluate the proportion of immune cell types. Gene expression profiles from the TCGA and GEO were used as training and testing cohorts to build and validate an immune-related prognostic model (IPM). Genes in the IPM model were first screened by univariate Cox analysis, then filtered by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression. A nomogram was finally established and evaluated by combining both the IPM and other clinical factors.

Anticancer peptide: Physicochemical property, functional aspect and trend in clinical application (Review)

Cancer is currently ineffectively treated using therapeutic drugs, and is also able to resist drug action, resulting in increased side effects following drug treatment. A novel therapeutic strategy against cancer cells is the use of anticancer peptides (ACPs). The physicochemical properties, amino acid composition and the addition of chemical groups on the ACP sequence influences their conformation, net charge and orientation of the secondary structure, leading to an effect on targeting specificity and ACP-cell interaction, as well as peptide penetrating capability, stability and efficacy. ACPs have been developed from both naturally occurring and modified peptides by substituting neutral or anionic amino acid residues with cationic amino acid residues, or by adding a chemical group. The modified peptides lead to an increase in the effectiveness of cancer therapy. Due to this effectiveness, ACPs have recently been improved to form drugs and vaccines, which have sequentially been evaluated in various phases of clinical trials. The development of the ACPs remains focused on generating newly modified ACPs for clinical application in order to decrease the incidence of new cancer cases and decrease the mortality rate. The present review could further facilitate the design of ACPs and increase efficacious ACP therapy in the near future.

A Review on Targeting Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapeutic agents have been used extensively in breast cancer remedy. However, most anticancer drugs cannot differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells, leading to toxic side effects. Also, the resulted drug resistance during chemotherapy reduces treatment efficacy. The development of targeted drug delivery offers great promise in breast cancer treatment both in clinical applications and in pharmaceutical research. Conjugation of nanocarriers with targeting ligands is an effective therapeutic strategy to treat cancer diseases. In this review, we focus on active targeting methods for breast cancer cells through the use of chemical ligands such as antibodies, peptides, aptamers, vitamins, hormones, and carbohydrates. Also, this review covers all information related to these targeting ligands, such as their subtypes, advantages, disadvantages, chemical modification methods with nanoparticles and recent published studies (from 2015 to present). We have discussed 28 different targeting methods utilized for targeted drug delivery to breast cancer cells with different nanocarriers delivering anticancer drugs to the tumors. These different targeting methods give researchers in the field of drug delivery all the information and techniques they need to develop modern drug delivery systems.

Identification of key molecular targets that correlate with breast cancer through bioinformatic methods

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to identify key molecular targets of breast cancer for targeted treatment and to improve the survival rate.

METHODS

Overlapped difference expression genes in three datasets were identified in a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) module and MetaDE.ES analysis. Combined with the prognosis information [time, death, status and relative survival (RS)] in GSE42568, single-factor Cox regression analysis was used to screen the genes that were significantly related to the prognosis in the target gene set.

RESULTS

In total, 13 optimal gene combinations with a significantly correlated prognosis were obtained, including SSPN, NELL2, AGTR1, NRIP3, IKZF2, NAT1, CXCL12, NPY1R, PRAME, PPP1R1B, CRISP3, NMU and GSTP1. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the samples given by the prognostic prediction system and the validation dataset (GSE20685 and TCGA), with p values of 0.0299 in GSE20685 and 1.461 × 10^-5 in TCGA, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.942 and 0.923, respectively. RS-related differentially expressed genes between high- and low-risk groups were significantly related to biological processes such as cell period and the hormone stimulation response, and were also significantly involved in KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways such as cell period, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway and the cancer pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

By predicting the survival risk of breast cancer patients based on the 13 optimal genes, high-risk patients would be detected early. Accordingly, this would help in the formulation of an appropriate treatment plan for patients.

Fluorogenic Trp(redBODIPY) cyclopeptide targeting keratin 1 for imaging of aggressive carcinomas

Keratin 1 (KRT1) is overexpressed in squamous carcinomas and associated with aggressive pathologies in breast cancer. Herein we report the design and preparation of the first Trp-based red fluorogenic amino acid, which is synthetically accessible in a few steps and displays excellent photophysical properties, and its application in a minimally-disruptive labelling strategy to prepare a new fluorogenic cyclopeptide for imaging of KRT1+ cells in whole intact tumour tissues.

Targeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells with Novel Cytotoxic Peptide-Doxorubicin Conjugates

In this study, we have designed and synthesized two novel peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) where the drug, doxorubicin (Dox), is linked to the peptide via a succinimidyl thioether bond or a hydrazone linker. A highly specific and proteolytically stable breast cancer cell targeting peptide (WxEAAYQrFL) is conjugated to Dox to synthesize peptide-Dox thioether (1) or hydrazone (2) conjugate. The evaluation of the stability in water, media, and human serum showed that the conjugate 1 with the succinimidyl thioether linkage is more stable compared to the acid-sensitive hydrazone containing conjugate 2. The cytotoxicity studies showed that the two PDCs were as toxic as free Dox toward the triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and were 7-30 times less toxic (IC₅₀ 1.2-4.7 μM for TNBC cells versus 15-39 μM for noncancerous cells) toward the noncancerous breast cells compared to the free doxorubicin (IC₅₀ 0.35-1.5 μM for TNBC cells versus 0.24 μM for noncancerous cells). The results from the comparative study of the two PDCs suggest that both may have translational potential for TNBC treatment.

Microcins in Enterobacteriaceae: Peptide Antimicrobials in the Eco-Active Intestinal Chemosphere

Microcins are low-molecular-weight, ribosomally produced, highly stable, bacterial-inhibitory molecules involved in competitive, and amensalistic interactions between Enterobacteriaceae in the intestine. These interactions take place in a highly complex chemical landscape, the intestinal eco-active chemosphere, composed of chemical substances that positively or negatively influence bacterial growth, including those originated from nutrient uptake, and those produced by the action of the human or animal host and the intestinal microbiome. The contribution of bacteria results from their effect on the host generated molecules, on food and digested food, and organic substances from microbial origin, including from bacterial degradation. Here, we comprehensively review the main chemical substances present in the human intestinal chemosphere, particularly of those having inhibitory effects on microorganisms. With this background, and focusing on Enterobacteriaceae, the most relevant human pathogens from the intestinal microbiota, the microcin’s history and classification, mechanisms of action, and mechanisms involved in microcin’s immunity (in microcin producers) and resistance (non-producers) are reviewed. Products from the chemosphere likely modulate the ecological effects of microcin activity. Several cross-resistance mechanisms are shared by microcins, colicins, bacteriophages, and some conventional antibiotics, which are expected to produce cross-effects. Double-microcin-producing strains (such as microcins MccM and MccH47) have been successfully used for decades in the control of pathogenic gut organisms. Microcins are associated with successful gut colonization, facilitating translocation and invasion, leading to bacteremia, and urinary tract infections. In fact, Escherichia coli strains from the more invasive phylogroups (e.g., B2) are frequently microcinogenic. A publicly accessible APD3 database http://aps.unmc.edu/AP/ shows particular genes encoding microcins in 34.1% of E. coli strains (mostly MccV, MccM, MccH47, and MccI47), and much less in Shigella and Salmonella (<2%). Some 4.65% of Klebsiella pneumoniae are microcinogenic (mostly with MccE492), and even less in Enterobacter or Citrobacter (mostly MccS). The high frequency and variety of microcins in some Enterobacteriaceae indicate key ecological functions, a notion supported by their dominance in the intestinal microbiota of biosynthetic gene clusters involved in the synthesis of post-translationally modified peptide microcins.

Circular RNAs are differentially expressed in prostate cancer and are potentially associated with resistance to enzalutamide

Most forms of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) are dependent on the androgen receptor (AR) for survival. While, enzalutamide provides a substantial survival benefit, it is not curative and many patients develop resistance to therapy. Although not yet fully understood, resistance can develop through a number of mechanisms, such as AR copy number gain, the generation of splice variants such as AR-V7 and mutations within the ligand binding domain (LBD) of the AR. circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel type of non-coding RNA, which can regulate the function of miRNA, and may play a key role in the development of drug resistance. circRNAs are highly resistant to degradation, are detectable in plasma and, therefore may serve a role as clinical biomarkers. In this study, AR-V7 expression was assessed in an isogenic model of enzalutamide resistance. The model consisted of age matched control cells and two sub-line clones displaying varied resistance to enzalutamide. circRNA profiling was performed on the panel using a high throughout microarray assay. Bioinformatic analysis identified a number of differentially expressed circRNAs and predicted five miRNA binding sites for each circRNA. miRNAs were stratified based on known associations with prostate cancer, and targets were validated using qPCR. Overall, circRNAs were more often down regulated in resistant cell lines compared with control (588 vs. 278). Of particular interest was hsa_circ_0004870, which was down-regulated in enzalutamide resistant cells (p ≤ 0.05, vs. sensitive cells), decreased in cells that highly express AR (p ≤ 0.01, vs. AR negative), and decreased in malignant cells (p ≤ 0.01, vs. benign). The associated parental gene was identified as RBM39, a member of the U2AF65 family of proteins. Both genes were down-regulated in resistant cells (p < 0.05, vs. sensitive cells). This is one of the first studies to profile and demonstrate discrete circRNA expression patterns in an enzalutamide resistant cell line model of prostate cancer. Our data suggests that hsa_circ_0004870, through RBM39, may play a critical role in the development of enzalutamide resistance in CRPC.

Small Peptide Ligands for Targeting EGFR in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

The efficacy of chemotherapy for cancer treatment can be increased by targeted drug delivery to the cancer cells. This is particularly important for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) for which chemotherapy is a major form of treatment. Here we designed and screened a library of 30 peptides starting with a previously reported epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeting peptide GE11 (YHWYGYTPQNVI). A direct peptide array-whole cell binding assay, where the peptides are conjugated to a cellulose membrane, was used to identify four peptides with enhanced binding to TNBC cells. Next, the four peptides were synthesized as FITC-labelled soluble peptides to study their direct uptake by TNBC cells using flow cytometry. The results showed that peptide analogue 22 had several fold higher uptake by the TNBC cells compared to the lead peptide GE11. The specific uptake of the peptide analogue 22 was confirmed by competition experiment using pure EGF protein. Further, peptide 22 showed dose dependent uptake by the TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells (10⁵) with uptake saturating at around 2 μM peptide concentration. Thus, peptide 22 is a promising EGFR specific TNBC cell binding peptide that can be conjugated directly to a chemotherapeutic drug or to nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy for TNBC treatment.

Modified cantilever arrays improve sensitivity and reproducibility of nanomechanical sensing in living cells

Mechanical signaling involved in molecular interactions lies at the heart of materials science and biological systems, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Here we use nanomechanical sensors and intact human cells to provide unique insights into the signaling pathways of connectivity networks, which deliver the ability to probe cells to produce biologically relevant, quantifiable and reproducible signals. We quantify the mechanical signals from malignant cancer cells, with 10 cells per ml in 1000-fold excess of non-neoplastic human epithelial cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that a direct link between cells and molecules creates a continuous connectivity which acts like a percolating network to propagate mechanical forces over both short and long length-scales. The findings provide mechanistic insights into how cancer cells interact with one another and with their microenvironments, enabling them to invade the surrounding tissues. Further, with this system it is possible to understand how cancer clusters are able to co-ordinate their migration through narrow blood capillaries.

Samadhan Patil et al. report a new method for improving the sensitivity and reproducibility of mechanobiological measurements in malignant cancer cells. Their findings provide insight into the interaction of cells with each other and the microenvironment and may impact our understanding of metastasis.

Synthesis of breast cancer targeting conjugate of temporin-SHa analog and its effect on pro- and anti-apoptotic protein expression in MCF-7 cells

The frog natural product temporin-SHa (FLSGIVGMLGKLF_amide) is a potent antimicrobial peptide, as is the analog [S3K]SHa. By solid-phase synthesis, we prepared temporin-SHa and several temporin-SHa analogs with one or more D-alanine residues incorporated. The natural product and the analog [G10a]SHa were found to be cytotoxic in mammalian cell lines and induce cell death. To achieve selectivity, we conjugated the analog [G10a]SHa with a breast cancer targeting peptide (BCTP). The resulting peptide temporin [G10a]SHa-BCTP conjugate was selectively active against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line with no cytotoxicity in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts. Unlike the natural product or [G10a]SHa, the conjugated peptide induced apoptosis, downregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and survivin and upregulating Bax and caspase-3.

Traceable PEO-poly(ester) micelles for breast cancer targeting: The effect of core structure and targeting peptide on micellar tumor accumulation

Traceable poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ester) micelles were developed through chemical conjugation of a near-infrared (NIR) dye to the poly(ester) end by click chemistry. This strategy was tried for micelles with poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) or poly(α-benzyl carboxylate-ε-caprolactone) (PBCL) cores. The surface of both micelles was also modified with the breast cancer targeting peptide, P18-4. The results showed the positive contribution of PBCL over PCL core on micellar thermodynamic and kinetic stability as well as accumulation in primary orthotopic MDA-MB-231 tumors within 4-96 h following intravenous administration in mice. This was in contrast to in vitro studies where better uptake of PEO-PCL versus PEO-PBCL micelles by MDA-MB-231 cells was observed. The presence of P18-4 enhanced the in vitro cell uptake and homing of both polymeric micelles in breast tumors, but only at early time points. In conclusion, the use of developed NIR labeling technique provided means for following the fate of PEO-poly(ester) based nano-carriers in live animals. Our results showed micellar stabilization through the use of PBCL over PCL cores, to have a more significant effect in enhancing the level and duration of nano-carrier accumulation in primary breast tumors than the modification of polymeric micellar surface with breast tumor targeting peptide, P18-4.

Proteolytically Stable Cyclic Decapeptide for Breast Cancer Cell Targeting

Starting with a previously reported linear breast cancer targeting decapeptide WxEAAYQkFL, here we report the synthesis of a novel cyclic peptide analogue cyclic WXEAAYQkFL. The N- to C-terminus amide cyclized peptide with one d-amino acid (k) displayed higher uptake by breast cancer cells, with minimal uptake by the noncancerous cells compared to the linear peptide with two d-amino acids (x and k), and was stable toward proteolytic degradation. When immobilized on gold microcantilever surface, the cyclic peptide was able to capture breast cancer cells specifically and sense samples with ≥25 cancer cells/mL. Animal studies using mice carrying orthotopic breast MDA-MB-231 tumors showed that the cyclic peptide preferentially accumulates in tumor (2 h after injection) and is rapidly cleared from all other organs except kidneys and liver. The study highlights the discovery of a novel proteolytically stable cyclic peptide that can be used for targeted drug delivery or for enumerating circulating breast tumor cells.