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Rosu A, Ghaemi B, Bulte JW, Shakeri-Zadeh A. Tumor-tropic Trojan horses: Using mesenchymal stem cells as cellular nanotheranostics. Theranostics 2024; 14:571-591. [PMID: 38169524 PMCID: PMC10758060 DOI: 10.7150/thno.90187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Various classes of nanotheranostics have been developed for enhanced tumor imaging and therapy. However, key limitations for a successful use of nanotheranostics include their targeting specificity with limited off-site tissue accumulation as well as their distribution and prolonged retention throughout the entire tumor. Due to their inherent tumor-tropic properties, the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a "Trojan horse" has recently been proposed to deliver nanotheranostics more effectively. This review discusses the current status of "cellular nanotheranostics" for combined (multimodal) imaging and therapy in preclinical cancer models. Emphasis is placed on the limited knowledge of the signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of MSC tumor-tropism, and how such information may be exploited to engineer MSCs in order to further improve tumor homing and nanotheranostic delivery using image-guided procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ali Shakeri-Zadeh
- The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research and Cellular Imaging Section and Vascular Biology Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Wu Z, Stangl S, Hernandez-Schnelzer A, Wang F, Hasanzadeh Kafshgari M, Bashiri Dezfouli A, Multhoff G. Functionalized Hybrid Iron Oxide-Gold Nanoparticles Targeting Membrane Hsp70 Radiosensitize Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells by ROS-Mediated Apoptosis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15041167. [PMID: 36831510 PMCID: PMC9954378 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15041167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) a highly aggressive tumor entity with an unfavorable prognosis, is treated by multimodal therapies, including ionizing radiation (IR). Radiation-resistant tumor cells, as well as induced normal tissue toxicity, contribute to the poor clinical outcome of the disease. In this study, we investigated the potential of novel hybrid iron oxide (Fe3O4)-gold (Au) nanoparticles (FeAuNPs) functionalized with the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) tumor-penetrating peptide (TPP) and coupled via a PEG4 linker (TPP-PEG4-FeAuNPs) to improve tumor targeting and uptake of NPs and to break radioresistance in TNBC cell lines 4T1 and MDA-MB-231. Hsp70 is overexpressed in the cytosol and abundantly presented on the cell membrane (mHsp70) of highly aggressive tumor cells, including TNBCs, but not on corresponding normal cells, thus providing a tumor-specific target. The Fe3O4 core of the NPs can serve as a contrast agent enabling magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the tumor, and the nanogold shell radiosensitizes tumor cells by the release of secondary electrons (Auger electrons) upon X-ray irradiation. We demonstrated that the accumulation of TPP-PEG4-FeAuNPs into mHsp70-positive TNBC cells was superior to that of non-conjugated FeAuNPs and FeAuNPs functionalized with a non-specific, scrambled peptide (NGL). After a 24 h co-incubation period of 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells with TPP-PEG4-FeAuNPs, but not with control hybrid NPs, ionizing irradiation (IR) causes a cell cycle arrest at G2/M and induces DNA double-strand breaks, thus triggering apoptotic cell death. Since the radiosensitizing effect was completely abolished in the presence of the ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), we assume that the TPP-PEG4-FeAuNP-induced apoptosis is mediated via an increased production of ROS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Wu
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Stangl
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Alicia Hernandez-Schnelzer
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Fei Wang
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Morteza Hasanzadeh Kafshgari
- Heinz-Nixdorf-Chair of Biomedical Electronics, TranslaTUM, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Ali Bashiri Dezfouli
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Multhoff
- Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), Radiation Immuno Oncology Group, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technischen Universität München, 81675 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-4140-4514; Fax: +49-89-4140-4299
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[18F]FDG-labelled stem cell PET imaging in different route of administrations and multiple animal species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10896. [PMID: 34035416 PMCID: PMC8149709 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Stem cell therapy holds great promise for tissue regeneration and cancer treatment, although its efficacy is still inconclusive and requires further understanding and optimization of the procedures. Non-invasive cell tracking can provide an important opportunity to monitor in vivo cell distribution in living subjects. Here, using a combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and in vitro 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) direct cell labelling, the feasibility of engrafted stem cell monitoring was tested in multiple animal species. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were incubated with phosphate-buffered saline containing [18F]FDG for in vitro cell radiolabelling. The pre-labelled MSCs were administrated via peripheral vein in a mouse (n = 1), rats (n = 4), rabbits (n = 4) and non-human primates (n = 3), via carotid artery in rats (n = 4) and non-human primates (n = 3), and via intra-myocardial injection in rats (n = 5). PET imaging was started 10 min after cell administration using a dedicated small animal PET system for a mouse and rats. A clinical PET system was used for the imaging of rabbits and non-human primates. After MSC administration via peripheral vein, PET imaging revealed intense radiotracer signal from the lung in all tested animal species including mouse, rat, rabbit, and non-human primate, suggesting administrated MSCs were trapped in the lung tissue. Furthermore, the distribution of the PET signal significantly differed based on the route of cell administration. Administration via carotid artery showed the highest activity in the head, and intra-myocardial injection increased signal from the heart. In vitro [18F]FDG MSC pre-labelling for PET imaging is feasible and allows non-invasive visualization of initial cell distribution after different routes of cell administration in multiple animal models. Those results highlight the potential use of that imaging approach for the understanding and optimization of stem cell therapy in translational research.
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