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Theranostics 2021Glucose oxidase (GOx)-based biocatalytic nanoreactors can cut off the energy supply of tumors for starvation therapy and deoxygenation-activated chemotherapy. However,...
Glucose oxidase (GOx)-based biocatalytic nanoreactors can cut off the energy supply of tumors for starvation therapy and deoxygenation-activated chemotherapy. However, these nanoreactors, including mesoporous silica, calcium phosphate, metal-organic framework, or polymer nanocarriers, cannot completely block the reaction of GOx with glucose in the blood, inducing systemic toxicity from hydrogen peroxide (HO) and anoxia. The low enzyme loading capacity can reduce systemic toxicity but limits its therapeutic effect. Here, we describe a real 'ON/OFF' intelligent nanoreactor with a core-shell structure (GOx + tirazapamine (TPZ))/ZIF-8@ZIF-8 modified with the red cell membrane (GTZ@Z-RBM) for cargo delivery. GTZ@Z-RBM nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by the co-precipitation and epitaxial growth process under mild conditions. The core-shell structure loaded with GOx and TPZ was characterized for hydrate particle size and surface charge. The GTZ@Z-RBM NPs morphology, drug, and GOx loading/releasing abilities, system toxicity, multimodal synergistic therapy, and tumor metastasis suppression were investigated. The and outcomes of GTZ@Z-RBM NPs were assessed in 4T1 breast cancer cells. GTZ@Z-RBM NPs could spatially isolate the enzyme from glucose in a physiological environment, reducing systemic toxicity. The fabricated nanoreactor with high enzyme loading capacity and good biocompatibility could deliver GOx and TPZ to the tumors, thereby exhausting glucose, generating HO, and aggravating hypoxic microenvironment for starvation therapy, DNA damage, and deoxygenation-activated chemotherapy. Significantly, the synergistic therapy effectively suppressed the breast cancer metastasis in mice and prolonged life without systemic toxicity. The and results provided evidence that our biomimetic nanoreactor had a powerful synergistic cascade effect in treating breast cancer. GTZ@Z-RBM NPs can be used as an 'ON/OFF' intelligent nanoreactor to deliver GOx and TPZ for multimodal synergistic therapy and tumor metastasis suppression.
Topics: Animals; Biomimetics; Cell Line, Tumor; China; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Glucose Oxidase; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Mice; Nanoparticle Drug Delivery System; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Neoplasms; Tirapazamine; Tumor Microenvironment; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
PubMed: 34815800
DOI: 10.7150/thno.65399 -
Journal of Nanobiotechnology Sep 2021Hypoxia is a characteristic of solid tumors that can lead to tumor angiogenesis and early metastasis, and addressing hypoxia presents tremendous challenges. In this...
BACKGROUND
Hypoxia is a characteristic of solid tumors that can lead to tumor angiogenesis and early metastasis, and addressing hypoxia presents tremendous challenges. In this work, a nanomedicine based on oxygen-absorbing perfluorotributylamine (PFA) and the bioreductive prodrug tirapazamine (TPZ) was prepared by using a polydopamine (PDA)-coated UiO-66 metal organic framework (MOF) as the drug carrier.
RESULTS
The results showed that TPZ/PFA@UiO-66@PDA nanoparticles significantly enhanced hypoxia, induced cell apoptosis in vitro through the oxygen-dependent HIF-1α pathway and decreased oxygen levels in vivo after intratumoral injection. In addition, our study demonstrated that TPZ/PFA@UiO-66@PDA nanoparticles can accumulate in the tumor region after tail vein injection and effectively inhibit tumor growth when combined with photothermal therapy (PTT). TPZ/PFA@UiO-66@PDA nanoparticles increased HIF-1α expression while did not promote the expression of CD31 in vivo during the experiment.
CONCLUSIONS
By using TPZ and PFA and the enhanced permeability and retention effect of nanoparticles, TPZ/PFA@UiO-66@PDA can target tumor tissues, enhance hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment, and activate TPZ. Combined with PTT, the growth of osteosarcoma xenografts can be effectively inhibited.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Fluorocarbons; Humans; Indoles; Male; Metal-Organic Frameworks; Mice; Mice, Nude; Nanoparticles; Osteosarcoma; Phthalic Acids; Polymers; Tirapazamine; Tumor Hypoxia
PubMed: 34592996
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-01013-0 -
Frontiers in Chemistry 2021Radiotherapy (RT) is a standard treatment strategy for many cancer types, but the need to frequently apply high doses of ionizing radiation in order to achieve...
Radiotherapy (RT) is a standard treatment strategy for many cancer types, but the need to frequently apply high doses of ionizing radiation in order to achieve therapeutic efficacy can cause severe harm to healthy tissues, leading to adverse patient outcomes. In an effort to minimize these toxic side effects, we herein sought to design a novel approach to the low-dose RT treatment of hypoxic tumors using a Tirapazamine (TPZ)-loaded exosome (EXO) nanoplatform (MT). This MT platform was synthesized via loading EXOs with TPZ, which is a prodrug that is activated when exposed to hypoxic conditions. MT application was able to achieve effective tumor inhibition at a relatively low RT dose (2 Gy) that was superior to standard high-dose (6 Gy) RT treatment with specific targeting to the hypoxic region of tumor. RT-mediated oxygen consumption further aggravated hypoxic conditions to improve TPZ activation and treatment efficacy. Together, our findings demonstrate the clinical promise of this MT platform as a novel tool for the efficient radiosensitization and treatment of cancer patients.
PubMed: 34458237
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.710250 -
Cancers Aug 2021Hypoxia is a key characteristic of the tumor microenvironment, too rarely considered during drug development due to the lack of a user-friendly method to culture...
Hypoxia is a key characteristic of the tumor microenvironment, too rarely considered during drug development due to the lack of a user-friendly method to culture naturally hypoxic 3D tumor models. In this study, we used soft lithography to engineer a microfluidic platform allowing the culture of up to 240 naturally hypoxic tumor spheroids within an 80 mm by 82.5 mm chip. These jumbo spheroids on a chip are the largest to date (>750 µm), and express gold-standard hypoxic protein CAIX at their core only, a feature absent from smaller spheroids of the same cell lines. Using histopathology, we investigated response to combined radiotherapy (RT) and hypoxic prodrug Tirapazamine (TPZ) on our jumbo spheroids produced using two sarcoma cell lines (STS117 and SK-LMS-1). Our results demonstrate that TPZ preferentially targets the hypoxic core (STS117: = 0.0009; SK-LMS-1: = 0.0038), but the spheroids' hypoxic core harbored as much DNA damage 24 h after irradiation as normoxic spheroid cells. These results validate our microfluidic device and jumbo spheroids as potent fundamental and pre-clinical tools for the study of hypoxia and its effects on treatment response.
PubMed: 34439199
DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164046 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2021Hypoxia is an important characteristic of most solid malignancies, and is closely related to tumor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Hypoxia is one of the most...
Hypoxia is an important characteristic of most solid malignancies, and is closely related to tumor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Hypoxia is one of the most important factors associated with resistance to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therapies targeting tumor hypoxia have attracted considerable attention. Hypoxia-activated prodrugs (HAPs) are bioreductive drugs that are selectively activated under hypoxic conditions and that can accurately target the hypoxic regions of solid tumors. Both single-agent and combined use with other drugs have shown promising antitumor effects. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of action and the current preclinical and clinical progress of several of the most widely used HAPs, summarize their existing problems and shortcomings, and discuss future research prospects.
PubMed: 34395270
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.700407 -
The Journal of Clinical Investigation Jun 2021Hypoxia, a hallmark feature of the tumor microenvironment, causes resistance to conventional chemotherapy, but was recently reported to synergize with poly(ADP-ribose)...
Hypoxia, a hallmark feature of the tumor microenvironment, causes resistance to conventional chemotherapy, but was recently reported to synergize with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) in homologous recombination-proficient (HR-proficient) cells through suppression of HR. While this synergistic killing occurs under severe hypoxia (<0.5% oxygen), our study shows that moderate hypoxia (2% oxygen) instead promotes PARPi resistance in both HR-proficient and -deficient cancer cells. Mechanistically, we identify reduced ROS-induced DNA damage as the cause for the observed resistance. To determine the contribution of hypoxia to PARPi resistance in tumors, we used the hypoxic cytotoxin tirapazamine to selectively kill hypoxic tumor cells. We found that the selective elimination of hypoxic tumor cells led to a substantial antitumor response when used with PARPi compared with that in tumors treated with PARPi alone, without enhancing normal tissue toxicity. Since human breast cancers with BRAC1/2 mutations have an increased hypoxia signature and hypoxia reduces the efficacy of PARPi, then eliminating hypoxic tumor cells should enhance the efficacy of PARPi therapy.
Topics: Animals; Cell Hypoxia; Cell Line, Tumor; DNA Damage; Female; Homologous Recombination; Humans; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasms, Experimental; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors; Reactive Oxygen Species; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
PubMed: 34060485
DOI: 10.1172/JCI146256 -
Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma 2021Tirapazamine (TPZ) is a hypoxia activated drug that may be synergistic with transarterial embolization (TAE). The primary objective was to evaluate the safety of... (Clinical Trial)
Clinical Trial
BACKGROUND
Tirapazamine (TPZ) is a hypoxia activated drug that may be synergistic with transarterial embolization (TAE). The primary objective was to evaluate the safety of combining TPZ and TAE in patients with unresectable HCC and determine the optimal dose for Phase II.
METHODS
This was a Phase 1 multicenter, open-label, non-randomized trial with a classic 3+3 dose escalation and an expansion cohort in patients with unresectable HCC, Child Pugh A, ECOG 0 or 1. Two initial cohorts consisted of I.V. administration of Tirapazamine followed by superselective TAE while the remaining three cohorts underwent intraarterial administration of Tirapazamine with superselective TAE. Safety and tolerability were assessed using NCI CTCAE 4.0 with clinical, imaging and laboratory examinations including pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and an electrocardiogram 1 day pre-dose, at 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 24 hours post-TPZ infusion and an additional PK at 15- and 30-minutes post-TPZ. Tumor responses were evaluated using mRECIST criteria.
RESULTS
Twenty-seven patients (mean [range] age of 66.4 [37-79] years) with unresectable HCC were enrolled between July 2015 and January 2018. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Mean tumor size was 6.53 cm ± 2.60 cm with a median of two lesions per patient. Dose limiting toxicity and maximum tolerated dose were not reached. The maximal TPZ dose was 10 mg/m I.V. and 20 mg/m I.A. One adverse event (AE) was reported in all patients with fatigue, decreased appetite or pain being most common. Grade 3-5 AE were hypertension and transient elevation of AST/ALT in 70.4% of patients. No serious AE were drug related. Sixty percent (95% CI=38.7-78.9) achieved complete response (CR), and 84% (95% CI=63.9-95.5) had complete and partial response per mRECIST for target lesions.
DISCUSSION
TAE with TPZ was safe and tolerable with encouraging results justifying pursuit of a Phase II trial.
PubMed: 34041204
DOI: 10.2147/JHC.S304275 -
Journal of Molecular Modeling May 2021Tirapazamine (TP) has been shown to enhance the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation in hypoxic cells, thus making it a candidate for a radiosensitizer. This...
Tirapazamine (TP) has been shown to enhance the cytotoxic effects of ionizing radiation in hypoxic cells, thus making it a candidate for a radiosensitizer. This selective behavior is often directly linked to the abundance of O. In this paper, we study the electronic properties of TP in vacuum, micro-hydrated from one up to three molecules of water and embedded in a continuum of water. We discuss electron affinities, charge distribution, and bond dissociation energies of TP, and find that these properties do not change significantly upon hydration. In agreement with its large electron affinity, and bond breaking triggered by electron attachment requires energies higher than 2.5 eV, ruling out the direct formation of bioactive TP radicals. Our results suggest, therefore, that the selective behavior of TP cannot be explained by a one-electron reduction from a neighboring O molecule. Alternatively, we propose that TP's hypoxic selectivity could be a consequence of O scavenging hydrogen radicals.
Topics: Models, Chemical; Models, Molecular; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Tirapazamine
PubMed: 34021836
DOI: 10.1007/s00894-021-04771-8 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2021We investigate dissociative electron attachment to tirapazamine through a crossed electron-molecule beam experiment and quantum chemical calculations. After the electron...
We investigate dissociative electron attachment to tirapazamine through a crossed electron-molecule beam experiment and quantum chemical calculations. After the electron is attached and the resulting anion reaches the first excited state, D, we suggest a fast transition into the ground electronic state through a conical intersection with a distorted triazine ring that almost coincides with the minimum in the D state. Through analysis of all observed dissociative pathways producing heavier ions (90-161 u), we consider the predissociation of an OH radical with possible roaming mechanism to be the common first step. This destabilizes the triazine ring and leads to dissociation of highly stable nitrogen-containing species. The benzene ring is not altered during the process. Dissociation of small anionic fragments (NO, CN, CN, NH, O) cannot be conclusively linked to the OH predissociation mechanism; however, they again do not require dissociation of the benzene ring.
Topics: Algorithms; Anions; Electrons; Models, Chemical; Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; Tirapazamine
PubMed: 33808887
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063159 -
Journal of Nanobiotechnology Mar 2021Areas of hypoxia are often found in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), it is thus more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer, and may require...
BACKGROUND
Areas of hypoxia are often found in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), it is thus more difficult to treat than other types of breast cancer, and may require combination therapies. A new strategy that combined bioreductive therapy with photodynamic therapy (PDT) was developed herein to improve the efficacy of cancer treatment. Our design utilized the characteristics of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) molecules that reacted and consumed O at the tumor site, which led to the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). The low microenvironmental oxygen levels enabled activation of a bioreductive prodrug, tirapazamine (TPZ), to become a toxic radical. The TPZ radical not only eradicated hypoxic tumor cells, but it also promoted therapeutic efficacy of PDT.
RESULTS
To achieve the co-delivery of PpIX and TPZ for advanced breast cancer therapy, thin-shell hollow mesoporous Ia3d silica nanoparticles, designated as MMT-2, was employed herein. This nanocarrier designed to target the human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231 was functionalized with PpIX and DNA aptamer (LXL-1), and loaded with TPZ, resulting in the formation of TPZ@LXL-1-PpIX-MMT-2 nanoVector. A series of studies confirmed that our nanoVectors (TPZ@LXL-1-PpIX-MMT-2) facilitated in vitro and in vivo targeting, and significantly reduced tumor volume in a xenograft mouse model. Histological analysis also revealed that this nanoVector killed tumor cells in hypoxic regions efficiently.
CONCLUSIONS
Taken together, the synergism and efficacy of this new therapeutic design was confirmed. Therefore, we concluded that this new therapeutic strategy, which exploited a complementary combination of PpIX and TPZ, functioned well in both normoxia and hypoxia, and is a promising medical procedure for effective treatment of TNBC.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Aptamers, Nucleotide; Cell Line, Tumor; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Mice; Nanoparticles; Oxygen; Photochemotherapy; Prodrugs; Reactive Oxygen Species; Silicon Dioxide; Tirapazamine; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms; Tumor Burden; Tumor Hypoxia; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
PubMed: 33781277
DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-00786-8