-
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2022Cannabidiol (CBD) is a biologically active compound present in the plants of the family, used as anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and more recently,...
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a biologically active compound present in the plants of the family, used as anticonvulsant, anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, and more recently, anticancer drug. In this work, its use as a new self-assembly inducer in the formation of nanoparticles is validated. The target conjugates are characterized by the presence of different anticancer drugs (namely -desacetyl thiocolchicine, podophyllotoxin, and paclitaxel) connected to CBD through a linker able to improve drug release. These nanoparticles are formed via solvent displacement method, resulting in monodisperse and stable structures having hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 160 to 400 nm. Their biological activity is evaluated on three human tumor cell lines (MSTO-211H, HT-29, and HepG2), obtaining GI values in the low micromolar range. Further biological assays were carried out on MSTO-211H cells for the most effective NP , confirming the involvement of paclitaxel in cytotoxicity and cell death mechanism.
Topics: Humans; Cannabidiol; Antineoplastic Agents; Paclitaxel; Cell Line, Tumor; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 36615306
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010112 -
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and... Dec 2023Endothelial cells (ECs) are capable of quickly responding in a coordinated manner to a wide array of stresses to maintain vascular homeostasis. Loss of EC cellular...
BACKGROUND
Endothelial cells (ECs) are capable of quickly responding in a coordinated manner to a wide array of stresses to maintain vascular homeostasis. Loss of EC cellular adaptation may be a potential marker for cardiovascular disease and a predictor of poor response to endovascular pharmacological interventions such as drug-eluting stents. Here, we report single-cell transcriptional profiling of ECs exposed to multiple stimulus classes to evaluate EC adaptation.
METHODS
Human aortic ECs were costimulated with both pathophysiological flows mimicking shear stress levels found in the human aorta (laminar and turbulent, ranging from 2.5 to 30 dynes/cm) and clinically relevant antiproliferative drugs, namely paclitaxel and rapamycin. EC state in response to these stimuli was defined using single-cell RNA sequencing.
RESULTS
We identified differentially expressed genes and inferred the TF (transcription factor) landscape modulated by flow shear stress using single-cell RNA sequencing. These flow-sensitive markers differentiated previously identified spatially distinct subpopulations of ECs in the murine aorta. Moreover, distinct transcriptional modules defined flow- and drug-responsive EC adaptation singly and in combination. Flow shear stress was the dominant driver of EC state, altering their response to pharmacological therapies.
CONCLUSIONS
We showed that flow shear stress modulates the cellular capacity of ECs to respond to paclitaxel and rapamycin administration, suggesting that while responding to different flow patterns, ECs experience an impairment in their transcriptional adaptation to other stimuli.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Endothelial Cells; Aorta; Sirolimus; Paclitaxel; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Stress, Mechanical; Cells, Cultured
PubMed: 37732484
DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.123.319283 -
Drug Delivery Dec 2023Magnetic FeO nanoparticles were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method and utilized to load paclitaxel. The average particle size of FeO nanoparticles was found to be...
Magnetic FeO nanoparticles were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method and utilized to load paclitaxel. The average particle size of FeO nanoparticles was found to be 20.2 ± 3.0 nm, and the calculated saturation magnetization reached 129.38 emu/g, verifying superparamagnetism of nanomaterials. The specific surface area and pore volume were 84.756 m/g and 0.265 cm/g, respectively. Subsequently, FeO@mSiO nanoparticles were successfully fabricated using the FeO nanoparticles as precursors with an average size of 27.81 nm. The relevant saturation magnetization, zeta potential, and specific surface area of FeO@mSiO-NH-FA were respectively 76.3 emu/g, -14.1 mV, and 324.410 m/g. The pore volume and average adsorption pore size were 0.369 cm/g and 4.548 nm, respectively. Compared to free paclitaxel, the solubility and stability of nanoparticles loaded with paclitaxel were improved. The drug loading efficiency and drug load of the nanoformulation were 44.26 and 11.38%, respectively. The FeO@mSiO-NH-FA nanocomposites were easy to construct with excellent active targeting performance, pH sensitivity, and sustained-release effect. The nanoformulation also showed good biocompatibility, where the cell viability remained at 73.8% when the concentration reached 1200 μg/mL. The nanoformulation induced cell death through apoptosis, as confirmed by AO/EB staining and flow cytometry. Western blotting results suggested that the nanoformulation could induce iron death by inhibiting Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) activity or decreasing Ferritin Heavy Chain 1 (FTH1) expression. Subsequently, the expression of HIF-1α was upregulated owing to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus affecting the expression of apoptosis-related proteins regulated by p53, inducing cell apoptosis.
Topics: Humans; MCF-7 Cells; Paclitaxel; Magnetic Phenomena
PubMed: 36474448
DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2022.2154411 -
Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Nov 2022A CCO-NalLeuVal (C10NLV) tripeptide was synthesized and explored as a carrier for paclitaxel (TAX) delivery. Five types of TAX-loaded micelles were produced by loading...
A CCO-NalLeuVal (C10NLV) tripeptide was synthesized and explored as a carrier for paclitaxel (TAX) delivery. Five types of TAX-loaded micelles were produced by loading TAX with different doses of C10NLV. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that TAX-loaded micelles dramatically reduced TAX IC values of TAX-resistant A549 (A549/TAX) and Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells in a C10NLV-dose-dependent manner, with micelles 4 and 5 exhibited comparable inhibitory effects on A549/TAX proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis showed that TAX-loaded micelles 4 promoted lung cancer cell apoptosis in a TAX-dose-dependent manner. Immunofluorescent staining and Western blotting revealed that TAX-loaded micelles 4 dramatically reduced the protein levels of F-actin, p53, Bcl-2, and LC3A/B in A549/TAX cells. Wound healing, cell adhesion, migration, and invasion assays demonstrated that TAX-loaded micelles 4 suppressed the metastatic abilities of lung cancer cells. Furthermore, compared with the same dose of free TAX, TAX-loaded micelles 4 significantly reduced the volumes and weights of A549/TAX-generated tumors as well as the numbers of LLC-generated pulmonary metastatic foci in mice, without affecting the organ/body weight ratios, body weights, and blood cell counts. Histological analysis demonstrated that TAX-loaded micelles 4 administration resulted in tubulin and CD206 downregulation as well as cytoplasm disappearance and nuclear shrinkage in xenograft tumors. These data suggest that TAX-loaded micelles 4 inhibits the proliferative and metastatic capacity of lung cancer cells, despite TAX resistance. TAX-loaded micelles 4 suppresses lung tumor growth and metastasis in vivo without inducing systemic toxicity. Thus, the C10NLV-based TAX delivery is effective and safe to combat TAX resistance and metastasis in lung cancer.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Paclitaxel; Micelles; Lung Neoplasms; A549 Cells; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Carriers
PubMed: 36002259
DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c22-00178 -
ELife Mar 2023Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a taxane and a chemotherapeutic drug that stabilizes microtubules. While the interaction of paclitaxel with microtubules is well described, the...
Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a taxane and a chemotherapeutic drug that stabilizes microtubules. While the interaction of paclitaxel with microtubules is well described, the lack of high-resolution structural information on a tubulin-taxane complex precludes a comprehensive description of the binding determinants that affect its mechanism of action. Here, we solved the crystal structure of baccatin III the core moiety of paclitaxel-tubulin complex at 1.9 Å resolution. Based on this information, we engineered taxanes with modified C13 side chains, solved their crystal structures in complex with tubulin, and analyzed their effects on microtubules (X-ray fiber diffraction), along with those of paclitaxel, docetaxel, and baccatin III. Further comparison of high-resolution structures and microtubules' diffractions with the apo forms and molecular dynamics approaches allowed us to understand the consequences of taxane binding to tubulin in solution and under assembled conditions. The results sheds light on three main mechanistic questions: (1) taxanes bind better to microtubules than to tubulin because tubulin assembly is linked to a βM-loopconformational reorganization (otherwise occludes the access to the taxane site) and, bulky C13 side chains preferentially recognize the assembled conformational state; (2) the occupancy of the taxane site has no influence on the straightness of tubulin protofilaments and; (3) longitudinal expansion of the microtubule lattices arises from the accommodation of the taxane core within the site, a process that is no related to the microtubule stabilization (baccatin III is biochemically inactive). In conclusion, our combined experimental and computational approach allowed us to describe the tubulin-taxane interaction in atomic detail and assess the structural determinants for binding.
Topics: Tubulin; Taxoids; Microtubules; Paclitaxel
PubMed: 36876916
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.84791 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... May 2022Despite recent advances in cancer therapy, hard-to-reach, unidentified tumors remain a significant clinical challenge. A promising approach is to treat locatable and...
Despite recent advances in cancer therapy, hard-to-reach, unidentified tumors remain a significant clinical challenge. A promising approach is to treat locatable and accessible tumors locally and stimulate antitumor immunity in situ to exert systemic effects against distant tumors. We hypothesize that a carrier of immunotherapeutics can play a critical role in activating antitumor immunity as an immunoadjuvant and a local retainer of drug combinations. Here, we develop a polyethyleneimine-lithocholic acid conjugate (2E′), which forms a hydrophobic core and cationic surface to codeliver hydrophobic small molecules and anionic nucleic acids and activates antigen-presenting cells via the intrinsic activities of 2E′ components. 2E′ delivers paclitaxel and small-interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting PD-L1 (or cyclic dinucleotide, [CDN]) to induce the immunogenic death of tumor cells and maintain the immunoactive tumor microenvironment, and further activates dendritic cells and macrophages, leveraging the activities of loaded drugs. A single local administration of 2E′ or its combination with paclitaxel and PD-L1–targeting siRNA or CDN induces strong antitumor immunity, resulting in immediate regression of large established tumors, tumor-free survival, an abscopal effect on distant tumors, and resistance to rechallenge and metastasis in multiple models of murine tumors, including CT26 colon carcinoma, B16F10 melanoma, and 4T1 breast cancer. This study supports the finding that local administration of immunotherapeutics, when accompanied by the rationally designed carrier, can effectively protect the host from distant and recurrent diseases.
Topics: Cell Line, Tumor; Humans; Immunotherapy; Neoplasms; Nucleic Acids; Paclitaxel; Polymers
PubMed: 35609195
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122595119 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Paclitaxel-triethylenetetramine hexaacetic acid conjugate (PTX-TTHA), a novel semi-synthetic taxane, is designed to improve the water solubility and cosolvent toxicity...
Paclitaxel-triethylenetetramine hexaacetic acid conjugate (PTX-TTHA), a novel semi-synthetic taxane, is designed to improve the water solubility and cosolvent toxicity of paclitaxel in several aminopolycarboxylic acid groups. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects and mechanisms of PTX-TTHA against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and its intravenous toxicity were evaluated. Results showed the water solubility of PTX-TTHA was greater than 5 mg/mL, which was about 7140-fold higher than that of paclitaxel (<0.7 µg/mL). PTX-TTHA (10-10 nmol/L) could significantly inhibit breast cancer proliferation and induce apoptosis by stabilizing microtubules and arresting the cell cycle in the G2/M phase in vitro, with its therapeutic effect and mechanism similar to paclitaxel. However, when the MDA-MB-231 cell-derived xenograft (CDX) tumor model received PTX-TTHA (13.73 mg/kg) treatment once every 3 days for 21 days, the tumor inhibition rate was up to 77.32%. Furthermore, PTX-TTHA could inhibit tumor proliferation by downregulating Ki-67, and induce apoptosis by increasing pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax, cleaved caspase-3) and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) positive apoptotic cells, and reducing anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2). Moreover, PTX-TTHA demonstrated no sign of acute toxicity on vital organs, hematological, and biochemical parameters at the limit dose (138.6 mg/kg, i.v.). Our study indicated that PTX-TTHA showed better water solubility than paclitaxel, as well as comparable in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity in TNBC models. In addition, the antitumor mechanism of PTX-TTHA was related to microtubule regulation and apoptosis signaling pathway activation.
Topics: Humans; Paclitaxel; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; Cell Cycle; Water; Cell Line, Tumor; Apoptosis
PubMed: 37175072
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093662 -
Journal of Materials Science. Materials... Dec 2021In this study, paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded pH-responsive niosomes modified with ergosterol were developed. This new formulation was characterized in terms of size,...
In this study, paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded pH-responsive niosomes modified with ergosterol were developed. This new formulation was characterized in terms of size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro release at pH 5.2 and 7.4. The in vitro efficacy of free PTX and niosome/PTX was assessed using MCF7, Hela, and HUVEC cell lines. In order to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of niosomal PTX in rats as compared to free PTX, the animals were intraperitoneally administered with 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg niosomal PTX for two weeks. Results showed that the pH-responsive niosomes had a nanometric size, spherical morphology, 77% EE, and pH-responsive release in pH 5.2 and 7.4. Compared with free PTX, we found markedly lower IC50s when cancer cells were treated for 48 h with niosomal PTX, which also showed high efficacy against human cancers derived from cervix and breast tumors. Moreover, niosomal PTX induced evident morphological changes in these cell lines. In vivo administration of free PTX at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg significantly increased serum biochemical parameters and liver lipid peroxidation in rats compared to the control rats. The situation was different when niosomal PTX was administered to the rats: the 5 mg/kg dosage of niosomal PTX significantly increased serum biochemical parameters, but the group treated with the 2.5 mg/kg dose of niosomal PTX showed fewer toxic effects than the group treated with free PTX at the same dosage. Overall, our results provide proof of concept for encapsulating PTX in niosomal formulation to enhance its therapeutic efficacy.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Drug Liberation; HeLa Cells; Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Lipid Peroxidation; Liposomes; MCF-7 Cells; Male; Paclitaxel; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
PubMed: 34862910
DOI: 10.1007/s10856-021-06623-6 -
International Journal of Nanomedicine 2020Targeted prodrug has various applications as drug formulation for tumor therapy. Therefore, amphoteric small-molecule prodrug combined with nanoscale characteristics for...
BACKGROUND
Targeted prodrug has various applications as drug formulation for tumor therapy. Therefore, amphoteric small-molecule prodrug combined with nanoscale characteristics for the self-assembly of the nano-drug delivery system (DDS) is a highly interesting research topic.
METHODS AND RESULTS
In this study, we developed a prodrug self-assembled nanoplatform, 2-glucosamine-fluorescein-5(6)-isothiocyanate-glutamic acid-paclitaxel (2DA-FITC-PTX NPs) by integration of targeted small molecule and nano-DDS with regular structure and perfect targeting ability. 2-glucosamine (DA) and paclitaxel were conjugated as the targeted ligand and anti-tumor chemotherapy drug by amino acid group. 2-DA molecular structure can enhance the targeting ability of prodrug-based 2DA-FITC-PTX NPs and prolong retention time, thereby reducing the toxicity of normal cell/tissue. The fluorescent dye FITC or near-infrared fluorescent dye ICG in prodrug-based DDS was attractive for in vivo optical imaging to study the behavior of 2DA-FITC-PTX NPs. In vitro and in vivo results proved that 2DA-FITC-PTX NPs exhibited excellent targeting ability, anticancer activity, and weak side effects.
CONCLUSION
This work demonstrates a new combination of nanomaterials for chemotherapy and may promote prodrug-based DDS clinical applications in the future.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Delivery Systems; Female; Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; Glucosamine; Glutamic Acid; Humans; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Nanoparticles; Paclitaxel; Prodrugs; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
PubMed: 32425524
DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S247443 -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Feb 2024Dysregulated eEF2K expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), making it a plausible therapeutic...
Dysregulated eEF2K expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), making it a plausible therapeutic target. However, specific eEF2K inhibitors with potent anti-cancer activity have not been available so far. Targeted protein degradation has emerged as a new strategy for drug discovery. In this study, a novel small molecule chemical is designed and synthesized, named as compound C1, which shows potent activity in degrading eEF2K. C1 selectively binds to F8, L10, R144, C146, E229, and Y236 of the eEF2K protein and promotes its proteasomal degradation by increasing the interaction between eEF2K and the ubiquitin E3 ligase βTRCP in the form of molecular glue. C1 significantly inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of TNBC cells both in vitro and in vivo and in TNBC patient-derived organoids, and these antitumor effects are attributed to the degradation of eEF2K by C1. Additionally, combination treatment of C1 with paclitaxel, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug, exhibits synergistic anti-tumor effects against TNBC. This study not only generates a powerful research tool to investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting eEF2K, but also provides a promising lead compound for developing novel drugs for the treatment of TNBC and other cancers.
Topics: Humans; Cell Line, Tumor; Paclitaxel; Phosphorylation; Signal Transduction; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; Elongation Factor 2 Kinase
PubMed: 38084501
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305035