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Aslam S, Zulfiqar F, Hameed W, Qureshi S, Zaroon, Bashir H. Fusion proteins development strategies and their role as cancer therapeutic agents. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2024; 71:81-95. [PMID: 37822167 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Cancer continues to be leading cause of morbidity and mortality despite decades of research and advancement in chemotherapy. Most tumors can be reduced via standard oncology treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical resection, and they frequently recur. Significant progress has been made since targeted cancer therapy inception in creation of medications that exhibit improved tumor-selective action. Particularly in preclinical and clinical investigations, fusion proteins have shown strong activity and improved treatment outcomes for a number of human cancers. Synergistically combining many proteins into one complex allows the creation of synthetic fusion proteins with enhanced characteristics or new capabilities. Signal transduction pathways are important for onset, development, and spread of cancer. As result, signaling molecules are desirable targets for cancer therapies, and significant effort has been made into developing fusion proteins that would act as inhibitors of these pathways. A wide range of biotechnological and medicinal applications are made possible by fusion of protein domains that improves bioactivities or creates new functional combinations. Such proteins may function as immune effectors cell recruiters to tumors or as decoy receptors for various ligands. In this review article, we have outlined the standard methods for creating fusion proteins and covered the applications of fusion proteins in treatment of cancer. This article also highlights the role of fusion proteins in targeting the signaling pathways involved in cancer for effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakira Aslam
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Warda Hameed
- King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shahnila Qureshi
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Zaroon
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hamid Bashir
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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Luo L, Zhang H, Zhang S, Luo C, Kan X, Lv J, Zhao P, Tian Z, Li C. Extracellular vesicle-derived silk fibroin nanoparticles loaded with MFGE8 accelerate skin ulcer healing by targeting the vascular endothelial cells. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:455. [PMID: 38017428 PMCID: PMC10685683 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02185-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reduced supplies of oxygen and nutrients caused by vascular injury lead to difficult-to-heal pressure ulcers (PU) in clinical practice. Rapid vascular repair in the skin wound is the key to the resolution of this challenge, but clinical measures are still limited. We described the beneficial effects of extracellular vesicle-derived silk fibroin nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with milk fat globule EGF factor 8 (MFGE8) on accelerating skin blood vessel and PU healing by targeting CD13 in the vascular endothelial cells (VECs). METHODS CD13, the specific targeting protein of NGR, and MFGE8, an inhibitor of ferroptosis, were detected in VECs and PU tissues. Then, NPs were synthesized via silk fibroin, and MFGE8-coated NPs (NPs@MFGE8) were assembled via loading purified protein MFGE8 produced by Chinese hamster ovary cells. Lentivirus was used to over-express MFGE8 in VECs and obtained MFGE8-engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs-MFGE8) secreted by these VECs. The inhibitory effect of EVs-MFGE8 or NPs@MFGE8 on ferroptosis was detected in vitro. The NGR peptide cross-linked with NPs@MFGE8 was assembled into NGR-NPs@MFGE8. Collagen and silk fibroin were used to synthesize the silk fibroin/collagen hydrogel. After being loaded with NGR-NPs@MFGE8, silk fibroin/collagen hydrogel sustained-release carrier was synthesized to investigate the repair effect on PU in vivo. RESULTS MFGE8 was decreased, and CD13 was increased in PU tissues. Similar to the effect of EVs-MFGE8 on inhibiting ferroptosis, NPs@MFGE8 could inhibit the mitochondrial autophagy-induced ferroptosis of VECs. Compared with the hydrogels loaded with NPs or NPs@MFGE8, the hydrogels loaded with NGR-NPs@MFGE8 consistently released NGR-NPs@MFGE8 targeting CD13 in VECs, thereby inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy and ferroptosis caused by hypoxia and accelerating wound healing effectively in rats. CONCLUSIONS The silk fibroin/collagen hydrogel sustained-release carrier loaded with NGR-NPs@MFGE8 was of great significance to use as a wound dressing to inhibit the ferroptosis of VECs by targeting CD13 in PU tissues, preventing PU formation and promoting wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwen Luo
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 83, Xinqiao St, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- Department of Emergency, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shiyu Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 83, Xinqiao St, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Chengqin Luo
- Department of Emergency, Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuewei Kan
- Department of Dermatology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jun Lv
- Department of Pharmacy, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Ping Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Tian
- Institute of Immunology, PLA, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 30 Gaotanyan St, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400038, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, 2, Tiansheng Road, Beibei District, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Changqing Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), 83, Xinqiao St, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400037, China.
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Shi X, Ding H, Tao J, Zhu Y, Zhang X, He G, Yang J, Wu X, Liu X, Yu X. Comprehensive evaluation of cell death-related genes as novel diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21341. [PMID: 38027811 PMCID: PMC10643282 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer (BRCA) ranks first among cancers in terms of incidence and mortality rates in women, primarily owing to metastasis, chemo-resistance, and heterogeneity. To predict long-term prognosis and design novel therapies for BRCA, more sensitive markers need to be explored. Methods Data from 1089 BRCA patients were downloaded from TCGA database. Pearson's correlation analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the role of cell death-related genes (CDGs) in predicting BRCA prognosis. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to compare the overall survival in the two subgroups. A nomogram was constructed using risk scores based on the five CDGs and other clinicopathological features. CCK-8, EdU incorporation, and colony formation assays were performed to verify the inhibitory effect of NFKBIA on BRCA cell proliferation. Transwell assay, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to ascertain the biological function of NFKBIA. Results Five differentially expressed CDGs were detected among 156 CDGs. The risk score for each patient was then calculated based on the expression levels of the five CDGs. Distinct differences in immune infiltration, expression of immune-oncological targets, mutation status, and half-maximal inhibitory concentration values of some targeted drugs were observed between the high- and low-risk groups. Finally, in vitro cell experiments verified that NFKBIA overexpression suppresses the proliferation and migration of BRCA cells. Conclusions Our study revealed that some CDGs, especially NFKBIA, could serve as sensitive markers for predicting the prognosis of patients with BRCA and designing more personalized clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Shi
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Ding
- Department of Breast Surgery, Baoying Maternal and Child Health Hospital, 120 Anyi East Road, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225800, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Tao
- Department of Thyroid-Breast Surgery, Nanjing Pukou Hospital, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 18 Puyuan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210031, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanhui Zhu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqiang Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Gao He
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Junzhe Yang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xian Wu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoan Liu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiafei Yu
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, People's Republic of China
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Ahmadi Moghaddam Y, Maroufi A, Zareei S, Irani M. Computational design of fusion proteins against ErbB2-amplified tumors inspired by ricin toxin. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1098365. [PMID: 36936983 PMCID: PMC10018397 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1098365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the anti-cancer activity of ricin is well-known, its non-specific targeting challenges the development of ricin-derived medicines. In the present study, novel potential ribosome-inactivating fusion proteins (RIPs) were computationally engineered by incorporation of an ErbB2-dependant penetrating peptide (KCCYSL, MARAKE, WYSWLL, MARSGL, MSRTMS, and WYAWML), a linker (either EAAAK or GGGGS) and chain A of ricin which is responsible for the ribosome inactivation. Molecular dynamics simulations assisted in making sure that the least change is made in conformation and dynamic behavior of ricin chain A in selected chimeric protein (CP). Moreover, the potential affinity of the selected CPs against the ligand-uptaking ErbB2 domain was explored by molecular docking. The results showed that two CPs (CP2 and 10) could bind the receptor with the greatest affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasser Ahmadi Moghaddam
- Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
- *Correspondence: Yasser Ahmadi Moghaddam,
| | - Asad Maroufi
- Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Sara Zareei
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Irani
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
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Zorko M, Jones S, Langel Ü. Cell-penetrating peptides in protein mimicry and cancer therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 180:114044. [PMID: 34774552 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Extensive research has been undertaken in the pursuit of anticancer therapeutics. Many anticancer drugs require specificity of delivery to cancer cells, whilst sparing healthy tissue. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), now well established as facilitators of intracellular delivery, have in recent years advanced to incorporate target specificity and thus possess great potential for the targeted delivery of anticancer cargoes. Though none have yet been approved for clinical use, this novel technology has already entered clinical trials. In this review we present CPPs, discuss their classification, mechanisms of cargo internalization and highlight strategies for conjugation to anticancer moieties including their incorporation into therapeutic proteins. As the mainstay of this review, strategies to build specificity into tumor targeting CPP constructs through exploitation of the tumor microenvironment and the use of tumor homing peptides are discussed, whilst acknowledging the extensive contribution made by CPP constructs to target specific protein-protein interactions integral to intracellular signaling pathways associated with tumor cell survival and progression. Finally, antibody/antigen CPP conjugates and their potential roles in cancer immunotherapy and diagnostics are considered. In summary, this review aims to harness the potential of CPP-aided drug delivery for future cancer therapies and diagnostics whilst highlighting some of the most recent achievements in selective delivery of anticancer drugs, including cytostatic drugs, to a range of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matjaž Zorko
- University of Ljubljana, Medical Faculty, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sarah Jones
- University of Wolverhampton, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science & Engineering, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK.
| | - Ülo Langel
- University of Stockholm, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Svante Arrhenius väg 16, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, Tartu, Estonia 50411, Estonia.
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Al-Mansoori L, Elsinga P, Goda SK. Bio-vehicles of cytotoxic drugs for delivery to tumor specific targets for cancer precision therapy. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 144:112260. [PMID: 34607105 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal structural and molecular changes in malignant tissues were thoroughly investigated and utilized to target tumor cells, hence rescuing normal healthy tissues and lowering the unwanted side effects as non-specific cytotoxicity. Various ligands for cancer cell specific markers have been uncovered and inspected for directional delivery of the anti-cancer drug to the tumor site, in addition to diagnostic applications. Over the past few decades research related to the ligand targeted therapy (LTT) increased tremendously aiming to treat various pathologies, mainly cancers with well exclusive markers. Malignant tumors are known to induce elevated levels of a variety of proteins and peptides known as cancer "markers" as certain antigens (e.g., Prostate specific membrane antigen "PSMA", carcinoembryonic antigen "CEA"), receptors (folate receptor, somatostatin receptor), integrins (Integrin αvβ3) and cluster of differentiation molecules (CD13). The choice of an appropriate marker to be targeted and the design of effective ligand-drug conjugate all has to be carefully selected to generate the required therapeutic effect. Moreover, since some tumors express aberrantly high levels of more than one marker, some approaches investigated targeting cancer cells with more than one ligand (dual or multi targeting). We aim in this review to report an update on the cancer-specific receptors and the vehicles to deliver cytotoxic drugs, including recent advancements on nano delivery systems and their implementation in targeted cancer therapy. We will discuss the advantages and limitations facing this approach and possible solutions to mitigate these obstacles. To achieve the said aim a literature search in electronic data bases (PubMed and others) using keywords "Cancer specific receptors, cancer specific antibody, tumor specific peptide carriers, cancer overexpressed proteins, gold nanotechnology and gold nanoparticles in cancer treatment" was carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Layla Al-Mansoori
- Qatar University, Biomedical Research Centre, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar.
| | - Philip Elsinga
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Sayed K Goda
- Cairo University, Faculty of Science, Giza, Egypt; University of Derby, College of Science and Engineering, Derby, UK.
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Li T, Zhang HZ, Ge GF, Yue ZR, Wang RY, Zhang Q, Gu Y, Song MJ, Li WB, Ma MZ, Wang MZ, Yang H, Li Y, Li HY. Albumin Fusion at the N-Terminus or C-Terminus of HM-3 Leads to Improved Pharmacokinetics and Bioactivities. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091084. [PMID: 34572270 PMCID: PMC8472738 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
HM-3, an integrin antagonist, exhibits anti-tumor biological responses and therefore has potential as a therapeutic polypeptide. However, the clinical applications of HM-3 are limited by its short half-life. In this study, we genetically fused human serum albumin (HSA) to the N or C-terminus of HM-3 to improve HM-3 pharmacokinetics. HM-3/HSA proteins were successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and displayed improved pharmacokinetic properties and stability. Among them, the half-life of HM-3-HSA was longer than HSA-HM-3. In vitro, the IC50 values of HSA-HM-3 and HM-3-HSA were 0.38 ± 0.14 μM and 0.25 ± 0.08 μM in B16F10 cells, respectively. In vivo, the inhibition rates of B16F10 tumor growth were 36% (HSA-HM-3) and 56% (HM-3-HSA), respectively, indicating antitumor activity of HM-3-HSA was higher than HSA-HM-3. In conclusion, these results suggested that the HM-3/HSA fusion protein might be potential candidate HM-3 agent for treatment of melanoma and when HSA was fused at the C-terminus of HM-3, the fusion protein had a higher stability and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Han-Zi Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Guang-Fei Ge
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Zhao-Rong Yue
- Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (Z.-R.Y.); (Y.G.); (M.-Z.W.)
| | - Ru-Yue Wang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Qian Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Yan Gu
- Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (Z.-R.Y.); (Y.G.); (M.-Z.W.)
| | - Mei-Juan Song
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Wen-Bo Li
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Min-Zhi Ma
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
| | - Mei-Zhu Wang
- Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (Z.-R.Y.); (Y.G.); (M.-Z.W.)
| | - Hui Yang
- Institute of Biology, Gansu Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China;
| | - Yang Li
- Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (Z.-R.Y.); (Y.G.); (M.-Z.W.)
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (H.-Y.L.); Tel.: +86-0931-8915630 (H.-Y.L.)
| | - Hong-Yu Li
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution, Institute of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (T.L.); (H.-Z.Z.); (G.-F.G.); (R.-Y.W.); (Q.Z.); (M.-J.S.); (W.-B.L.); (M.-Z.M.)
- Gansu High Throughput Screening and Creation Center for Health Products, School of Pharmacy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China; (Z.-R.Y.); (Y.G.); (M.-Z.W.)
- Correspondence: (Y.L.); (H.-Y.L.); Tel.: +86-0931-8915630 (H.-Y.L.)
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Ilangala AB, Lechanteur A, Fillet M, Piel G. Therapeutic peptides for chemotherapy: Trends and challenges for advanced delivery systems. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2021; 167:140-158. [PMID: 34311093 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2021.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The past decades witnessed an increasing interest in peptides as clinical therapeutics. Rightfully considered as a potential alternative for small molecule therapy, these remarkable pharmaceuticals can be structurally fine-tuned to impact properties such as high target affinity, selectivity, low immunogenicity along with satisfactory tissue penetration. Although physicochemical and pharmacokinetic challenges have mitigated, to some extent, the clinical applications of therapeutic peptides, their potential impact on modern healthcare remains encouraging. According to recent reports, there are more than 400 peptides under clinical trials and 60 were already approved for clinical use. As the demand for efficient and safer therapy became high, especially for cancers, peptides have shown some exciting developments not only due to their potent antiproliferative action but also when used as adjuvant therapies, either to decrease side effects with tumor-targeted therapy or to enhance the activity of anticancer drugs via transbarrier delivery. The first part of the present review gives an insight into challenges related to peptide product development. Both molecular and formulation approaches intended to optimize peptide's pharmaceutical properties are covered, and some of their current issues are highlighted. The second part offers a comprehensive overview of the emerging applications of therapeutic peptides in chemotherapy from bioconjugates to nanovectorized therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ange B Ilangala
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, CIRM, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Nanomedicine Development, CIRM, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
| | - Anna Lechanteur
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Nanomedicine Development, CIRM, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Marianne Fillet
- Laboratory for the Analysis of Medicines, CIRM, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Géraldine Piel
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Nanomedicine Development, CIRM, University of Liège, Avenue Hippocrate 15, 4000 Liège, Belgium
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Li X, Fu H, Wang J, Liu W, Deng H, Zhao P, Liao W, Yang Y, Wei H, Yang X, Chen Y. Multimodality labeling of NGR-functionalized hyaluronan for tumor targeting and radiotherapy. Eur J Pharm Sci 2021; 161:105775. [PMID: 33640501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.105775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hyaluronan (HA) is a negatively charged linear polysaccharide that can interact with cluster determinant 44 (CD44) overexpressed cancers. However, HA can also bind to excess substrates in the human body leading to the lower specificity of tumor targeting. Conjugation of other targeting group to HA could enhance the uptake by cancer cell comparing to that of native HA. In this study, we develop the multi-functionalized HA (177Lu-DOTA/Alexa647-HA100-N) for malignant tumor targeting. An asparagine-glycine-arginine (NGR) based peptide was selected for HA functionalization. The peptide is known to target CD13 receptor that is overexpressed in malignant tumors with abundant blood vessels, such as lung cancer. Furthermore, the fluorescent probe Alexa Fluor 647 for ex vivo/in vivo tracking and the radionuclide 177Lu for radioactive therapy were both labeled on the material. The functionalized HA could be bound by lung cancer cells and breast cancer cells. In vivo fluorescent imaging showed that the material could accumulate in the tumor site for more than 96 h. The 177Lu labeling of functionalized HA was stable for more 48 h at physiological conditions. The accumulation of 177Lu-DOTA/Alexa647-HA100-N in the tumor of lung cancer (NCI-H292) bearing mice was 1.91±0.97%ID/g, and it was about 17 times higher than the value in blood. Conclusion: The multimodality labeled functional HA was successfully prepared and could be fluorescent trackable ex vivo and in vivo. It showed high potential to be used for malignant cancer radiotherapy for its specific targeting property to tumors and radiotoxicity from the labeled 177Lu radionuclide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyu Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Huaxia Fu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu, Higher Education Institutions, 215123 Suzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Sichuan Province, 621999 Mianyang, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Hao Deng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Wei Liao
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China; Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Sichuan Province, 621999 Mianyang, China
| | - Yuchuan Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China
| | - Hongyuan Wei
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China.
| | - Xia Yang
- Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu, Higher Education Institutions, 215123 Suzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging of Sichuan Province, 621999 Mianyang, China.
| | - Yue Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, 646000 Luzhou, China; Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, 621900 Mianyang, China.
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Gong W, Liang Y, Mi J, Jia Z, Xue Y, Wang J, Wang L, Zhou Y, Sun S, Wu X. Peptides-Based Vaccine MP3RT Induced Protective Immunity Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection in a Humanized Mouse Model. Front Immunol 2021; 12:666290. [PMID: 33981313 PMCID: PMC8108698 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.666290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tuberculosis (TB) is still a global infectious disease that seriously threatens human beings. The only licensed TB vaccine Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)’s protective efficacy varies significantly among populations and regions. It is very urgent to develop more effective vaccines. Methods In this study, eleven candidate proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis were selected to predict peptides with high-affinity binding capacity for the HLA-DRB1*01:01 molecule. The immunodominant peptides were identified with the enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) and linked in silico to result in a novel polypeptide vaccine in Escherichia coli cells. The vaccine’s protective efficacy was evaluated in humanized and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The potential immune protective mechanisms were explored with Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), flow cytometry, and ELISPOT. Results Six immunodominant peptides screened from 50 predicted peptides were used to construct a new polypeptide vaccine named MP3RT. After challenge with M. tuberculosis, the colony-forming units (CFUs), lung lesion area, and the number of inflammatory cells in humanized mice rather than wild-type mice vaccinated with MP3RT were significantly lower than these in mice immunized with PBS. The humanized mice vaccinated with MP3RT revealed significant increases in IFN-γ cytokine production, IFN-γ+ T lymphocytes, CD3+IFN-γ+ T lymphocytes, and the MP3RT-specific IgG antibody. Conclusions Taken together, MP3RT is a promising peptides-based TB vaccine characterized by inducing high levels of IFN-γ and CD3+IFN-γ+ T lymphocytes in humanized mice. These new findings will lay a foundation for the development of peptides-based vaccines against TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenping Gong
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liang
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Mi
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zaixing Jia
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Graduate School, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Yong Xue
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Lan Wang
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yusen Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Shihui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Xueqiong Wu
- Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Key Laboratory/Beijing Key Laboratory of New Techniques of Tuberculosis Diagnosis and Treatment, Institute for Tuberculosis Research, 8th Medical Center, Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing, China
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