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Bioconjugate Chemistry Dec 2023Bioorthogonal prodrug therapies offer an intriguing two-component system that features enhanced circulating stability and controlled activation on demand. Current...
Bioorthogonal prodrug therapies offer an intriguing two-component system that features enhanced circulating stability and controlled activation on demand. Current strategies often deliver either the prodrug or its complementary activator to the tumor with a monomechanism targeted mechanism, which cannot achieve the desired antitumor efficacy and safety profile. The orchestration of two distinct and orthogonal mechanisms should overcome the hierarchical heterogeneity of solid tumors to improve the delivery efficiency of both components simultaneously for bio-orthogonal prodrug therapies. We herein developed a dual-mechanism targeted bioorthogonal prodrug therapy by integrating two orthogonal, receptor-independent tumor-targeting strategies. We first employed the endogenous albumin transport system to generate the albumin-bound, bioorthogonal-caged doxorubicin prodrug with extended plasma circulation and selective accumulation at the tumor site. We then employed enzyme-instructed self-assembly (EISA) to specifically enrich the bioorthogonal activators within tumor cells. As each targeted delivery mode induced an intrinsic pharmacokinetic profile, further optimization of the administration sequence according to their pharmacokinetics allowed the spatiotemporally controlled prodrug activation on-target and on-demand. Taken together, by orchestrating two discrete and receptor-independent targeting strategies, we developed an all-small-molecule based bioorthogonal prodrug system for dual-mechanism targeted anticancer therapies to maximize therapeutic efficacy and minimize adverse drug reactions for chemotherapeutic agents.
Topics: Humans; Prodrugs; Doxorubicin; Neoplasms; Albumins; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 37955377
DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00404 -
Biomaterials Jul 2023Multicellular clustering provides cancer cells with survival advantages and facilitates metastasis. At the tumor migration front, cancer cell clusters are surrounded by...
Multicellular clustering provides cancer cells with survival advantages and facilitates metastasis. At the tumor migration front, cancer cell clusters are surrounded by an aligned stromal topography. It remains unknown whether aligned stromal topography regulates the resistance of migrating cancer cell clusters to therapeutics. Using a hybrid nanopatterned model to characterize breast cancer cell clusters at the migration front with aligned stromal topography, we demonstrate that topography-induced migrating cancer cell clusters exhibit upregulated cytochrome P450 family 1 (CYP1) drug metabolism and downregulated glycolysis gene signatures, which correlates with unfavorable prognosis. Screening on approved oncology drugs shows that cancer cell clusters on aligned stromal topography are more resistant to diverse chemotherapeutics. Full-dose drug testings further indicate that topography induces drug resistance of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cell clusters to doxorubicin and tamoxifen and triple-negative breast cancer cell clusters to doxorubicin by activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)/CYP1 pathways. Inhibiting the AhR/CYP1 pathway restores reactive oxygen species-mediated drug sensitivity to migrating cancer cell clusters, suggesting a plausible therapeutic direction for preventing metastatic recurrence.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; Doxorubicin; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 37121102
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122128 -
European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Oct 2023The chemotherapeutic drug of doxorubicin (DOX) has witnessed widespread applications for treating various cancers. DOX-treated dying cells bear cellular modifications... (Review)
Review
The chemotherapeutic drug of doxorubicin (DOX) has witnessed widespread applications for treating various cancers. DOX-treated dying cells bear cellular modifications which allow enhanced presentation of tumor antigen and neighboring dendritic cell activation. Furthermore, DOX also facilitate the immune-mediated clearance of tumor cells. However, disadvantages such as severe off-target toxicity, and prominent hydrophobicity have resulted in unsatisfactory clinical therapeutic outcomes. The effective delivery of DOX drug molecules is still challenging despite the rapid advances in nanotechnology and biomaterials. Huge progress has been witnessed in DOX nanoprodrugs owing to their brilliant benefits such as tumor stimuli-responsive drug release capacity, high drug loading efficiency and so on. This review summarized recent progresses of DOX prodrug-based nanomedicines to provide deep insights into future development and inspire researchers to explore DOX nanoprodrugs with real clinical applications.
Topics: Humans; Prodrugs; Drug Delivery Systems; Nanomedicine; Doxorubicin; Neoplasms; Nanoparticles; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 37441851
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115612 -
Current Drug Targets 2018The mitochondria may very well determine the final commitment of the cell to death, particularly in times of energy stress. Cancer chemotherapeutics such as the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The mitochondria may very well determine the final commitment of the cell to death, particularly in times of energy stress. Cancer chemotherapeutics such as the anthracycline doxorubicin perturb mitochondrial structure and function in tumour cells, as evidenced in osteosarcoma, for which doxorubicin is used clinically as frontline therapy. This same mechanism of cell inhibition is also pertinent to doxorubicin's primary cause of side-effects, that to the cardiac tissue, culminating in such dire events as congestive heart failure. Reactive oxygen species are partly to blame for this effect on the mitochondria, which impact the electron transport chain.
OBJECTIVE
As this review highlights that, there is much more to be learnt about the mitochondria and how it is affected by such effective but toxic drugs as doxorubicin.
CONCLUSION
Such information will aid researchers who search for cancer treatment able to preserve mitochondrial number and function in normal cells.
Topics: Animals; Bone Diseases; Cell Survival; Doxorubicin; Heart Failure; Humans; Mitochondria, Heart; Osteosarcoma; Oxidation-Reduction; Reactive Oxygen Species
PubMed: 25882220
DOI: 10.2174/1389450116666150416115852 -
Cellular Oncology (Dordrecht) Dec 2023Tissue-specific drug uptake has not been well studied, compared to the deeper understanding of drug resistance mediated by the cellular efflux system such as MDR1...
PURPOSE
Tissue-specific drug uptake has not been well studied, compared to the deeper understanding of drug resistance mediated by the cellular efflux system such as MDR1 proteins. It has been suggested that many drugs need active or defined transporters to pass the cell membrane. In contrast to efflux components induced after anti-cancer drugs reach the intracellular compartment, drug importers are required for initial drug responses. Furthermore, tissue-specific uptake of anti-cancer drugs may directly impact the side effects of many drugs when they accumulate in healthy tissues. Therefore, linking anti-cancer drugs to their respective drug import transporters would directly help to predict drug responses, whilst minimizing side effects.
METHODS
To identify drug transporters of the commonly used anti-cancer drug doxorubicin, we performed focused CRISPR activation and knockout genetic screens targeting all potential membrane-associated transporters and proteins. We monitored the direct uptake of doxorubicin by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) as the screening readout for identifying transporters/proteins directly involved in doxorubicin uptake.
RESULTS
Integrating the data from these comprehensive CRISPR screenings, we confirmed previously indicated doxorubicin exporters such as ABCB1 and ABCG2 genes, and identified novel doxorubicin importer gene SLC2A3 (GLUT3). Upregulation of SLC2A3 led to higher doxorubicin uptake and better cell killing, indicating SLC2A3 could be a new marker to predict doxorubicin drug response and minimize side effects for the personalized application of this conventional chemotherapeutic drug.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study provides a comprehensive way for identifying drug transporters, as exemplified by the commonly used anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. The newly identified importers may have direct clinical implications for the personalized application of doxorubicin in treating distinct tumors. Our results also highlight the necessity of combining both CRISPR knockout and CRISPR activation genetic screens to identify drug transporters.
Topics: Humans; Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Doxorubicin; Antineoplastic Agents; Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor
PubMed: 37523060
DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00847-0 -
Current Pharmaceutical Design 2023Cancer is one of the significant issues with public health and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The three most lethal cancers in the general population are... (Review)
Review
Cancer is one of the significant issues with public health and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The three most lethal cancers in the general population are stomach, lung, and liver cancers, in which lung and breast cancers cause the majority of cancer-associated deaths among men and women, respectively. CeO nanoparticles have a cytoprotectant effect in normal cells and a cytotoxic effect in cancer cells that enables them to induce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production within cancer cells, which in turn develops reactive nitrogen species (RNS) that interfere with intracellular activities, and this property makes them an excellent anticancer agent. Because of its biofilm suppression, free radical scavenging ability, redox activity, and other unique properties, attention has been bestowed on cerium oxide nanoparticles as a potential alternative to solve many biomedical issues in the future. This review mainly focuses on the combinatorial effect of cerium dioxide nanoparticles and Doxorubicin in cancer management.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Nanoparticles; Cerium; Doxorubicin; Reactive Oxygen Species; Antineoplastic Agents; Neoplasms
PubMed: 37957864
DOI: 10.2174/0113816128270290231029161741 -
Journal For Immunotherapy of Cancer Aug 2023Localized radiotherapy (RT) can cause a T cell-mediated abscopal effect on non-irradiated tumor lesions, especially in combination with immune checkpoint blockade....
BACKGROUND
Localized radiotherapy (RT) can cause a T cell-mediated abscopal effect on non-irradiated tumor lesions, especially in combination with immune checkpoint blockade. However, this effect is still clinically rare and improvements are highly desirable. We investigated whether triple combination with a low dose of clinically approved liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) could augment abscopal responses compared with RT/αPD-1 and Doxil/αPD-1. We also investigated whether the enhanced abscopal responses depended on the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)/cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING)/IFN-I pathway.
MATERIALS/METHODS
We used Doxil in combination with RT and αPD-1 in two tumor models (B16-CD133 melanoma and MC38 colon carcinoma) with mice bearing two tumors, only one of which was irradiated. Mechanistic studies on the role of the mtDNA/cGAS/STING/IFN-I axis were performed using inhibitors and knockout cells in vitro as well as in mice.
RESULTS
Addition of a single low dose of Doxil to RT and αPD-1 strongly enhanced the RT/αPD-1-induced abscopal effect in both models. Complete cures of non-irradiated tumors were mainly observed in triple-treated mice. Triple therapy induced more cross-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) and more tumor-specific CD8 T cells than RT/αPD-1 and Doxil/αPD-1, particularly in non-irradiated tumors. Coincubation of Doxil-treated and/or RT-treated tumor cells with DCs enhanced DC antigen cross-presentation which is crucial for inducing CD8 T cells. CD8 T cell depletion or implantation of cGAS-deficient or STING-deficient tumor cells abolished the abscopal effect. Doxorubicin-induced/Doxil-induced IFNβ1 markedly depended on the cGAS/STING pathway. Doxorubicin-treated/Doxil-treated tumor cells depleted of mtDNA secreted less IFNβ1, of the related T cell-recruiting chemokine CXCL10, and ATP; coincubation with mtDNA-depleted tumor cells strongly reduced IFNβ1 secretion by DCs. Implantation of mtDNA-depleted tumor cells, particularly at the non-irradiated/abscopal site, substantially diminished the Doxil-enhanced abscopal effect and tumor infiltration by tumor-specific CD8 T cells.
CONCLUSIONS
These data show that single low-dose Doxil can substantially enhance the RT/αPD-1-induced abscopal effect, with a strong increase in cross-presenting DCs and CD8 tumor-specific T cells particularly in abscopal tumors compared with RT/αPD-1 and Doxil/αPD-1. Moreover, they indicate that the mtDNA/cGAS/STING/IFN-I axis is important for the immunogenic/immunomodulatory doxorubicin effects. Our findings may be helpful for the planning of clinical radiochemoimmunotherapy trials in (oligo)metastatic patients.
Topics: Animals; Mice; DNA, Mitochondrial; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Mitochondria; Doxorubicin
PubMed: 37640480
DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-006235 -
Current Medicinal Chemistry 2019Stimuli-responsive carriers are a class of drug delivery systems which can change their physicochemical properties and/or structural conformations in response to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Stimuli-responsive carriers are a class of drug delivery systems which can change their physicochemical properties and/or structural conformations in response to specific stimuli. Although passive and active drug targeting has proved to reduce the side effects to normal cells, controlled intracellular drug release should be included in drug carriers to enhance the bioavailability of drugs at the disease site.
METHODS
This review focuses on several recent advances in the development of stimuli-responsive carriers for spatially and temporally controlled release of therapeutic agents in response to intracellular stimuli, such as pH, redox potential, reactive oxygen species, enzyme and temperature.
RESULTS
Among the different types of stimuli, pH-responsive carriers have been mostly used to design intracellular controlled release system. The sharp difference of redox potential between inside and outside cells is attributed to the high variation in concentration of glutathione. ROS-responsive carriers are gaining much attention for selective release of therapeutic agents by sensing oxidative conditions at different levels. The advantages of utilizing enzymes as the trigger of stimuli-responsive carriers include diverse types of enzymes, high selectivity of enzyme catalyzed reactions and the mild reaction conditions involved. Abnormal temperature is another unique stimulus and has been widely used to trigger controlled release of drug in tumor cells.
CONCLUSION
Recent developments highlighted in this paper demonstrate that stimuli-responsive carriers possess great potential as a new platform for controlled intracellular drug release.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Delayed-Action Preparations; Doxorubicin; Drug Carriers; Drug Liberation; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hydrolases; Neoplasms; Oxidation-Reduction; Reactive Oxygen Species; Temperature
PubMed: 28875840
DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170830102409 -
Overcoming doxorubicin resistance in cancer: siRNA-loaded nanoarchitectures for cancer gene therapy.Life Sciences Jun 2022Gene therapy can be used as a cancer therapy by affecting signaling networks participating in the aggressive behavior of tumors. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a... (Review)
Review
Gene therapy can be used as a cancer therapy by affecting signaling networks participating in the aggressive behavior of tumors. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a genetic tool employed for gene silencing. The siRNA molecules have a length of 21-22 nucleotides, and are synthetic, short non-coding RNAs. The siRNA molecule should be loaded into the RISC complex to carry out its function to degrade mRNA and reduce protein expression. By targeting oncogenic pathways, siRNA can also promote chemosensitivity and reduce resistance. Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline family member capable of triggering cell cycle arrest via binding to topoisomerase II and inhibiting DNA replication. The present review focuses on the design of siRNA for increasing DOX sensitivity and overcoming resistance. Molecular pathways such as STAT3, Notch1, Mcl-1 and Nrf2 can be down-regulated by siRNA to promote DOX sensitivity. Furthermore, siRNA can be used to suppress the activity of P-glycoprotein as a cell membrane transporter of drugs, leading to enhanced accumulation of DOX. The co-delivery of DOX and siRNA both incorporated into nanoparticles can increase the intracellular accumulation in cancer cells, and protect siRNA against degradation by enzymes. Furthermore, the circulation time of DOX is lengthened to boost cytotoxicity against cancer cells. The surface modification of nanocarriers with ligands such as RGD or folate increases their selectivity towards cancer cells. Moreover, smart nanostructures, including pH-, redox- and light-responsive are optimized for siRNA and DOX delivery and tumor treatment.
Topics: Cell Line, Tumor; Doxorubicin; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Genes, Neoplasm; Humans; Nanoparticles; Neoplasms; RNA, Small Interfering
PubMed: 35259354
DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120463 -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Apr 2022Current pharmacotherapy is challenged by side effects and drug resistance issues due to the lack of drug selectivity. Mechanochemistry-based strategies provide new...
Current pharmacotherapy is challenged by side effects and drug resistance issues due to the lack of drug selectivity. Mechanochemistry-based strategies provide new avenues to overcome the related problems by improving drug selectivity. It is recently shown that sonomechanical bond scission enables the remote-controlled drug release from their inactive parent macromolecules using ultrasound (US). To further expand the scope of the US-controlled drug activation strategy, herein a mechano-responsive nanoswitch for the selective activation of doxorubicin (DOX) to inhibit cancer cell proliferation is constructed. As a proof-of-concept, the synthesis, characterization, and US-responsive drug activation evaluation of the mechano-nanoswitch, which provides a blueprint for tailoring nanosystems for force-induced pharmacotherapy is presented.
Topics: Activation, Metabolic; Doxorubicin; Drug Liberation; Humans; Macromolecular Substances; Neoplasms
PubMed: 35195372
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104696