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Bai M, Qin R, Cheng K, Wang Z, Zhang L, Tian X, Zhang F, Yang Y, Hou S, Xu J, Liu L. A Bio-Inspired Free-Standing Film with Versatility: From Heterogeneous CTCs Programed Isolating to Breast Cancer Molecular Typing. Adv Mater 2024; 36:e2309046. [PMID: 38011581 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202309046] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Bai
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Rong Qin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Zhenjiang Clinical Medical College of Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, 212000, China
| | - Kai Cheng
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Zengkai Wang
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Xiaohua Tian
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Feiyi Zhang
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Yuhe Yang
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Shuai Hou
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Institute for Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
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Engel L, Zaoralová M, Zhou M, Dunn AR, Oliver SL. Extracellular filaments revealed by affinity capture cryo-electron tomography of lymphocytes. bioRxiv 2024:2023.08.05.552110. [PMID: 37577490 PMCID: PMC10418515 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.05.552110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has provided an un-precedented glimpse into the nanoscale architecture of cells by combining cryogenic preservation of biological structures with electron tomography. Micropatterning of extracellular matrix proteins is increasingly used as a method to prepare adherent cell types for cryo-ET as it promotes optimal positioning of cells and subcellular regions of interest for vitrification, cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling, and data acquisition. Here we demonstrate a micropatterning workflow for capturing minimally adherent cell types, human T-cells and Jurkat cells, for cryo-FIB and cryo-ET. Our affinity capture system facilitated the nanoscale imaging of Jurkat cells, revealing extracellular filamentous structures. It improved workflow efficiency by consistently producing grids with a sufficient number of well-positioned cells for an entire cryo-FIB session. Affinity capture can be extended to facilitate high resolution imaging of other adherent and non-adherent cell types with cryo-ET.
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Wang TH, Shen YW, Chen HY, Chen CC, Lin NC, Shih YH, Hsia SM, Chiu KC, Shieh TM. Arecoline Induces ROS Accumulation, Transcription of Proinflammatory Factors, and Expression of KRT6 in Oral Epithelial Cells. Biomedicines 2024; 12:412. [PMID: 38398015 PMCID: PMC10887121 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020412] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Areca nut is a major contributor to the high prevalence of oral cancer in Asia. The precise mechanisms by which areca nut stimulates mucosal cells and contributes to the progression of oral cancer urgently require clarification. The current study aimed to assess the effects of arecoline on the normal human gingival epithelium cell line S-G. Cell viability, levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein expression, cellular morphology, and gene expression were evaluated using the MTT test, flow cytometry, Western blot analysis, optical or confocal microscopy, and RT-qPCR. Keratin (KRT6) analysis involved matched normal and cancer tissues from clinical head and neck specimens. The results demonstrated that 12.5 µg/mL of arecoline induced ROS production, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA expression in S-G cells. This activation of the MAPK/ERK pathway increased KRT6 expression while limiting cell migration. In head and neck cancer tissues, KRT6B gene expression exceeded that of normal tissues. This study confirms that arecoline induces ROS accumulation in normal cells, leading to the secretion of proinflammatory factors and KRT6 expression. This impedes oral mucosal healing, thereby promoting the progression of oral cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong-Hong Wang
- Biobank, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Wen Shen
- School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 404328, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Ying Chen
- School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 404328, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chieh Chen
- Department of Sports Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404328, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Chin Lin
- School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 404328, Taiwan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua 505029, Taiwan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 500011, Taiwan
| | - Yin-Hwa Shih
- Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Min Hsia
- School of Nutrition and Health Sciences, College of Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Chou Chiu
- Division of General Dentistry, Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital, Taichung 411228, Taiwan
| | - Tzong-Ming Shieh
- School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 404328, Taiwan
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Qi W, Zhang Q. Insights on epithelial cells at the single-cell level in hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis and response to chemotherapy. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1292831. [PMID: 38044951 PMCID: PMC10690771 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1292831] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) originates from Epithelial cells, and epithelial lineage plasticity has become a promising research direction for advancing HCC treatment. This study aims to focus on Epithelial cells to provide target insights for detecting HCC prognosis and response to drug therapy. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from GSE149614 were clustered using Seurat, and the differentiation and evolution of epithelial cells were analyzed by Monocle 2. Scissor+ and Scissor- Epithelial cells associated with the prognostic phenotypes of bulk RNA-seq of HCC were screened using the Scissor algorithm for differential analysis to screen candidate genes. Candidate genes were overlapped with prognostic related genes screened by univariate Cox regression, and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) sparse penalty was imposed on the intersection genes to construct a risk assessment system. Results: Eight major cell subpopulations of HCC were identified, among which the proportion of epithelial cells in non-tumor liver tissues and HCC tissues was significantly different, and its proportion increased with advanced clinical stage. During the progression of HCC, the whole direction of epithelial cells differentiation trajectory was towards enhanced cell proliferation. Differential analysis between Scissor+ and Scissor- epithelial cells screened 1,265 upregulated and 191 downregulated prognostic candidate genes. Wherein, the upregulated genes were enriched in Cell processes, Genetic information processing, Metabolism and Human disease with Infection. Nevertheless, immune system related pathways took the main proportions in downregulated genes enriched pathways. There were 17 common genes between upregulated candidate genes and prognostic risk genes, of which CDC20, G6PD and PLOD2 were selected as components for constructing the risk assessment system. Risk score showed a significant correlation with tumor stage, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related pathways and 22 therapeutic drugs, and was an independent prognostic factor for HCC. Conclusion: This study revealed the cellular composition of HCC, the differentiation evolution and functional landscape of epithelial cells in the further deterioration of HCC, and established a 3-gene risk model, which was closely related to clinical features, EMT, and drug sensitivity prediction. These findings provided insights in patient prognosis and drug therapy detection for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qian Zhang
- Department of digestive, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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Ziaei E, de Paiva IM, Yao SJ, Sarrami N, Mehinrad P, Lai J, Lavasanifar A, Kaur K. Peptide-Drug Conjugate Targeting Keratin 1 Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Mice. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:3570-3577. [PMID: 37307328 PMCID: PMC10699791 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Ziaei
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA, 92618-1908, USA
| | - Igor Moura de Paiva
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Shih-Jing Yao
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA, 92618-1908, USA
| | - Nasim Sarrami
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Parnian Mehinrad
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Justine Lai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Afsaneh Lavasanifar
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E1, Canada
| | - Kamaljit Kaur
- Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP), Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus, Chapman University, Irvine, CA, 92618-1908, USA
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Azari M, Bahreini F, Uversky VN, Rezaei N. Current therapeutic approaches and promising perspectives of using bioengineered peptides in fighting chemoresistance in triple-negative breast cancer. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 210:115459. [PMID: 36813121 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115459] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandana Azari
- School of Chemical Engineering-Biotechnology, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran; Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Farbod Bahreini
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, USA
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran; Research Center for Immunodeficiencies (RCID), Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Kalabusheva EP, Shtompel AS, Rippa AL, Ulianov SV, Razin SV, Vorotelyak EA. A Kaleidoscope of Keratin Gene Expression and the Mosaic of Its Regulatory Mechanisms. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5603. [PMID: 36982676 PMCID: PMC10052683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Keratins are a family of intermediate filament-forming proteins highly specific to epithelial cells. A combination of expressed keratin genes is a defining property of the epithelium belonging to a certain type, organ/tissue, cell differentiation potential, and at normal or pathological conditions. In a variety of processes such as differentiation and maturation, as well as during acute or chronic injury and malignant transformation, keratin expression undergoes switching: an initial keratin profile changes accordingly to changed cell functions and location within a tissue as well as other parameters of cellular phenotype and physiology. Tight control of keratin expression implies the presence of complex regulatory landscapes within the keratin gene loci. Here, we highlight patterns of keratin expression in different biological conditions and summarize disparate data on mechanisms controlling keratin expression at the level of genomic regulatory elements, transcription factors (TFs), and chromatin spatial structure.
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Chen P, Quan Z, Song X, Gao Z, Yuan K. MDFI is a novel biomarker for poor prognosis in LUAD. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1005962. [PMID: 36300089 PMCID: PMC9589366 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1005962] [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: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Approximately 80% of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the main subtype of NSCLC. The incidence and mortality of lung cancer are also increasing yearly. Myogenic differentiation family inhibitor (MDFI) as a transcription factor, its role in lung cancer has not yet been clarified. Methods LUAD data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), analyzed and plotted using the R language. Associations between Clinical information and MDFI expression were assessed using logistic regression analyses to explore the effects of MDFI on LUAD. Two sets of tissue microarrays (TMAs) further confirmed the overexpression of MDFI in LUAD and its impact on prognosis. In addition, we examined the correlation between MDFI and immune infiltration. To investigate the effect of MDFI on the biological behavior of LUAD tumor cells by GSEA and GO/KEGG analysis. The survival status and somatic mutational characteristics of patients according to MDFI levels were depicted and analyzed. Results Expression of high MDFI in LUAD tissues via analyzing TCGA dataset (P <0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated a poor prognosis for those patients with LUAD who had upregulated MDFI expression levels (P <0.001). This was also verified by two groups of TMAs (P=0.024). Using logistic statistics analysis, MDFI was identified as an independent predictive factor and was associated with poor prognosis in LUAD (P <0.001, P =0.021). Assessment of clinical characteristics, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and tumor microenvironment (TME) between high- and low-expression score groups showed lower TMB, richer immune cell infiltration, and better prognosis in the low-risk group. Conclusion This study showed that MDFI was overexpressed in LUAD and was significantly associated with poor prognosis, indicating that MDFI may be used as a potential novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of LUAD. MDFI is associated with immune infiltration of LUAD and it is reasonable to speculate that it plays an important role in tumor proliferation and spread. In view of the significant differences in MDFI expression between different biological activities, LUAD patients with MDFI overexpression may obtain more precise treatment strategies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyu Chen
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhen Quan
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xueyu Song
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhaojia Gao
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- Heart and Lung Disease Laboratory, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- Heart and Lung Disease Laboratory, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
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Tong S, Darwish S, Ariani HHN, Lozada KA, Salehi D, Cinelli MA, Silverman RB, Kaur K, Yang S. A Small Peptide Increases Drug Delivery in Human Melanoma Cells. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:1036. [PMID: 35631623 PMCID: PMC9145755 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14051036] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Tong
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.T.); (K.A.L.)
| | - Shaban Darwish
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.D.); (H.H.N.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Hanieh Hossein Nejad Ariani
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.D.); (H.H.N.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Kate Alison Lozada
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.T.); (K.A.L.)
| | - David Salehi
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.D.); (H.H.N.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Maris A. Cinelli
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (M.A.C.); (R.B.S.)
| | - Richard B. Silverman
- Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (M.A.C.); (R.B.S.)
- Department of Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Kamaljit Kaur
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.D.); (H.H.N.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Sun Yang
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA; (S.T.); (K.A.L.)
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