Understanding co-loading of doxorubicin and camptothecin on graphene and folic acid-conjugated graphene for targeting drug delivery: classical MD simulation and DFT calculation

Abstract

The surface modification ability is one of the remarkable characters of graphene (G) nanosheet. Based on this strategy, G surface is modified with folic acid (FA) to improve the targeting delivery of chemotherapy agents. The dual delivery strategy for the transport of doxorubicin (DOX) and camptothecin (CPT) by using G and folic acid functionalized G nanocarriers is examined. The density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are employed to gain a deep insight into the nature of the drug and the carrier interactions. The obtained results indicate that the drug molecules spontaneously move toward the carriers and form stable complexes. In the graphene-based systems, the drug molecules form strong π-π interactions with the carrier surface. It is found that the FA functionalization of G (FA-G) not only improves targeting effect but also reinforces drug-carrier interaction. Furthermore, the MD and DFT results show that interaction of DOX molecules with G and FA-G is stronger than CPT. We believe that the results obtained from this study can be helpful to improve the drug effectiveness in cancer treatment.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

PhaP介导EGFR靶向多肽修饰的肿瘤靶向PHBHHx纳米药物递送载体的构建

聚羟基脂肪酸(PHA)颗粒表面结合蛋白Pha P具有与疏水性高分子材料表面紧密结合的能力,本研究将EGFR靶向多肽(ETP)与PhaP进行融合表达,构建了ETP-PhaP融合蛋白表达的重组工程菌Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)(pPI-ETP-P)。经对工程菌株的诱导表达及ETP-PhaP融合蛋白的纯化后,通过PhaP蛋白介导能够有效地将ETP-PhaP融合蛋白修饰于3-羟基丁酸-3-羟基己酸共聚酯(PHBHHx)纳米微球表面,构建成为具有EGFR靶向作用的药物递送载体。分别检测宫颈癌细胞系SiHa(EGFR高表达)和CaSKi(EGFR低表达)对ETP-PhaP修饰的PHBHHx纳米药物载体和未经修饰的纳米药物载体的吞噬情况。结果显示,纯化的ETP-PhaP融合蛋白能够很好地吸附于PHBHHx颗粒的表面,经ETP-PhaP融合蛋白修饰的PHBHHx纳米药物载体对EGFR高表达的宫颈癌Si Ha细胞的靶向效果强于EGFR低表达的CaSKi细胞系。这一结果表明了PhaP介导的PHBHHx纳米微球表面EGFR靶向多肽修饰具有简便、高效的优势,为疏水性纳米药物载体表面功能多肽修饰提供了一种新策略。     

Target-mediated drug disposition and prolonged liver accumulation of a novel humanized anti-CD81 monoclonal antibody in cynomolgus monkeys

CD81 is an essential receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV). K21 is a novel high affinity anti-CD81 antibody with potent broad spectrum anti-HCV activity in vitro. The pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics and liver distribution of K21 were characterized in cynomolgus monkeys after intravenous (i.v.) administration of K21. Characteristic target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) was shown based on the PK profile of K21 and a semi-mechanistic TMDD model was used to analyze the data. From the TMDD model, the estimated size of the total target pool at baseline (V_c • R_base) is 16 nmol/kg and the estimated apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (KM) is 4.01 nM. A simulation using estimated TMDD parameters indicated that the number of free receptors remains below 1% for at least 3 h after an i.v. bolus of 7 mg/kg. Experimentally, the availability of free CD81 on peripheral lymphocytes was measured by immunostaining with anti-CD81 antibody JS81. After K21 administration, a dose- and time-dependent reduction in free CD81 on peripheral lymphocytes was observed. Fewer than 3% of B cells could bind JS81 3 h after a 7 mg/kg dose. High concentrations of K21 were found in liver homogenates, and the liver/serum ratio of K21 increased time-dependently and reached ~160 at 168 h post-administration. The presence of K21 bound to hepatocytes was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The fast serum clearance of K21 and accumulation in the liver are consistent with TMDD. The TMDD-driven liver accumulation of the anti-CD81 antibody K21 supports the further investigation of K21 as a therapeutic inhibitor of HCV entry.     

Nanoparticle targeting to neurons in a rat hippocampal slice culture model

We have previously shown that CdSe/ZnS core/shell luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals or QDs (quantum dots) coated with PEG [poly(ethylene glycol)]-appended DHLA (dihydrolipoic acid) can bind AcWG(Pal)VKIKKP₉GGH₆ (Palm1) through the histidine residues. The coating on the QD provides colloidal stability and this peptide complex uniquely allows the QDs to be taken up by cultured cells and readily exit the endosome into the soma. We now show that use of a polyampholyte coating [in which the neutral PEG is replaced by the negatively heterocharged CL4 (compact ligand)], results in the specific targeting of the palmitoylated peptide to neurons in mature rat hippocampal slice cultures. There was no noticeable uptake by astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or microglia (identified by immunocytochemistry), demonstrating neuronal specificity to the overall negatively charged CL4 coating. In addition, EM (electron microscopy) images confirm the endosomal egress ability of the Palm1 peptide by showing a much more disperse cytosolic distribution of the CL4 QDs conjugated to Palm1 compared with CL4 QDs alone. This suggests a novel and robust way of delivering neurotherapeutics to neurons.     

Undesired versus designed enzymatic cleavage of linkers for liver targeting

A design for the selective release of drug molecules in the liver was tested, involving the attachment of a representative active agent by an ester linkage to various 2-substituted 5-aminovaleric acid carbamates. The anticipated pathway of carboxylesterase-1-mediated carbamate cleavage followed by lactamization and drug release was frustrated by unexpectedly high sensitivity of the ester linkage toward hydrolysis by carboxylesterase-2 and other microsomal components.     

Expression of Asialoglycoprotein Receptor 1 in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer in the world. Currently, surgical resection is the only effective treatment for HCC if the tumor is resectable. Small molecule, biologics and siRNA anti-cancer drugs have been explored for the treatment of HCC. Selective targeting to tumor tissue rather than normal liver in HCC patients is still a challenge. Galactosamine-mediated targeting delivery of anti-cancer drugs in the liver has been tested because its receptor, asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 (ASGPR1), is expressed in the liver and not in other human tissues. We examined ASGPR1 expression levels by immunohistochemistry in HCC with different grades. Guidance for a targeting delivery strategy for anti-cancer drugs to HCC is suggested in this report.     

Pharmacokinetics of monoclonal antibodies and Fc-fusion proteins

There are many factors that can influence the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a mAb or Fc-fusion molecule with the primary determinant being FcRn-mediated recycling. Through Fab or Fc engineering, IgG-FcRn interaction can be used to generate a variety of therapeutic antibodies with significantly enhanced half-life or ability to remove unwanted antigen from circulation. Glycosylation of a mAb or Fc-fusion protein can have a significant impact on the PK of these molecules. mAb charge can be important and variants with pI values of 1–2 unit difference are likely to impact PK with lower pI values being favorable for a longer half-life. Most mAbs display target mediated drug disposition (TMDD), which can have significant consequences on the study designs of preclinical and clinical studies. The PK of mAb can also be influenced by anti-drug antibody (ADA) response and off-target binding, which require careful consideration during the discovery stage. mAbs are primarily absorbed through the lymphatics via convection and can be conveniently administered by the subcutaneous (sc) route in large doses/volumes with co-formulation of hyaluronidase. The human PK of a mAb can be reasonably estimated using cynomolgus monkey data and allometric scaling methods.     

阿霉素靶向给药系统研究进展

近年来,癌症的发病率和死亡率不断上升,对人类健康造成极大的威胁。阿霉素作为一种广谱抗肿瘤药物,对正常细胞亦有严重毒副作用,从而使其临床应用受到限制。提高阿霉素肿瘤靶向性、降低其毒性由此成为该药物的热点研究方向。对阿霉素靶向给药系统的研究进展进行了综述。     

Rational design of urea-based glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) inhibitors as versatile tools for specific drug targeting and delivery

Glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), also known as prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), is an established prostate cancer marker and is considered a promising target for specific anticancer drug delivery. Low-molecular-weight inhibitors of GCPII are advantageous specific ligands for this purpose. However, they must be modified with a linker to enable connection of the ligand with an imaging molecule, anticancer drug, and/or nanocarrier. Here, we describe a structure–activity relationship (SAR) study of GCPII inhibitors with linkers suitable for imaging and drug delivery. Structure-assisted inhibitor design and targeting of a specific GCPII exosite resulted in a 7-fold improvement in K_i value compared to the parent structure. X-ray structural analysis of the inhibitor series led to the identification of several inhibitor binding modes. We also optimized the length of the inhibitor linker for effective attachment to a biotin-binding molecule and showed that the optimized inhibitor could be used to target nanoparticles to cells expressing GCPII.     

Genetic engineering, expression, and activity of a fusion protein of a human neurotrophin and a molecular Trojan horse for delivery across the human blood-brain barrier

Neurotrophins, such as brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), do not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Certain monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to the human insulin receptor (HIR) do cross the BBB via receptor-mediated transport, and can act as a molecular Trojan horse to ferry across the BBB an attached drug. A genetically engineered fusion protein was produced whereby the amino terminus of human BDNF is fused to the carboxyl terminus of the heavy chain of a chimeric HIRMAb. The HIRMAb-BDNF fusion protein reacted equally with antibodies to human IgG and BDNF. The bi-functionality of the fusion protein was retained as the affinity of the fusion protein for the HIR was identical to that of the chimeric HIRMAb, and the affinity of the fusion protein for the trkB receptor was identical to that of BDNF. The fusion protein was equi-potent with BDNF in a neuroprotection assay in human neural cells. The pharmacokinetics (PK) of the fusion protein was examined in the adult Rhesus monkey. The mean residence time (MRT) of the fusion protein in blood was >100-fold longer than the MRT of BDNF. Therapeutic levels of BDNF were produced in primate brain following the intravenous administration of the fusion protein. A fusion protein tandem vector was engineered that allowed for isolation of a CHO cell line that produced the fusion protein at high levels in serum free medium. Neurotrophins, such as BDNF, can be re-formulated to enable these molecules to cross the human BBB, and such fusion proteins represent a new class of human neurotherapeutics.     

Antidepressant-like effects exerted by the intranasal administration of a glucagon-like peptide-2 derivative containing cell-penetrating peptides and a penetration-accelerating sequence in mice

The intracerebroventicular (i.c.v.) administration of glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) to rodents was shown to have antidepressant-like effects in imipramine-resistant depression-model mice. In order to utilize GLP-2 as a clinical treatment tool for depression, we herein focused on the intranasal delivery that is non-invasive approach, because the i.c.v. administration is invasive and impractical. In the present study, we prepared a GLP-2 derivative containing cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) and a penetration accelerating sequence (PAS) (PAS-CPPs-GLP-2) for the intranasal (i.n.) administration. PAS-CPPs-GLP-2 (i.n.) exhibited antidepressant-like effects in the forced-swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST) in naïve mice as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) treated-mice. However, PAS-CPPs-GLP-2 (i.v.) and the GLP-2 derivative containing CPPs without a PAS (CPPs-GLP-2) (i.n.) did not affect the immobility time in the mouse FST. Moreover, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled PAS-CPPs-GLP-2 (i.n.), but not FITC-labeled CPPs-GLP-2 (i.n.) was distributed through the mouse brain after the FST session. These results suggest that PAS-CPPs-GLP-2 is effective for i.n. delivery to the brain, and may be useful in the clinical treatment of major depression.     

靶向递送蛋白水解靶向嵌合体在癌症治疗中的研究进展

小分子抗癌药物通过靶向特定蛋白来抑制肿瘤生长,但大部分致病蛋白被认为是“不可成药”的。蛋白水解靶向嵌合体(proteolysis targeting chimeras,PROTAC)通过靶向降解目标蛋白来抑制肿瘤细胞生长,是一项非常有潜力的新技术。本文在介绍传统多肽型PROTAC和小分子型PROTAC基础上,详细总结了靶向递送型PROTAC的最新研究进展,主要包括识别分子介导靶向PROTAC、纳米材料介导靶向PROTAC和可控激活小分子PROTAC前药。研究表明,靶向递送型PROTAC在提高肿瘤细胞特异性、减少脱靶效应和降低生物毒性等方面具有潜在应用价值。最后,本文对PROTAC的成药性进行了展望。     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of Doxorubicin-containing conjugate targeting PSMA

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), also known as glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII), has recently emerged as a prominent biomarker of prostate cancer (PC) and as an attractive protein trap for drug targeting. At the present time, several drugs and molecular diagnostic tools conjugated with selective PSMA ligands are actively evaluated in different preclinical and clinical trials. In the current work, we discuss design, synthesis and a preliminary biological evaluation of PSMA-specific small-molecule carrier equipped by Doxorubicin (Dox). We have introduced an unstable azo-linker between Dox and the carrier hence the designed compound does release the active substance inside cancer cells thereby providing a relatively high Dox concentration in nuclei and a relevant cytotoxic effect. In contrast, we have also synthesized a similar conjugate with a stable amide linker and it did not release the drug at all. This compound was predominantly accumulated in cytoplasm and did not cause cell death. Preliminary in vivo evaluation has showed good efficiency for the degradable conjugate against PC3-PIP(PSMA⁺)-containing xenograft mine. Thus, we have demonstrated that the conjugate can be used as a template to design novel analogues with improved targeting, anticancer activity and lower rate of potential side effects. 3D molecular docking study has also been performed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of binding and to further optimization of the linker area for improving the target affinity.     

Synthesis of phospholipid-conjugated bile salts and interaction of bile salt-coated liposomes with cultured hepatocytes

To examine the possibility of targeting liposomes to hepatocytes via bile salts, the bile salt lithocholyltaurine was covalently linked to a phospholipid. The isomeric compounds disodium 3alpha-(2-(1,2-O-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-2'-ethanolamidosuccinyloxy)ethoxy)-5beta-cholan-24-oyl-2'-aminoethansulfonate and disodium 3beta-(2-(1,2-O-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-2'-ethanolamidosuccinyloxy)ethoxy-5beta-cholan-24-oyl-2'-aminoethansulfonate (DSPE-3beta-LCT) were synthesized and incorporated into liposomal membranes. Confocal laser scanning microscopy studies showed that bile salt-bearing liposomes (BSLs) attach to the surface of rat hepatocytes in culture. Studies with radioactively labeled liposomes revealed that the bile salt linked via the 3beta-conformation resulted in a higher attachment efficiency than that with the 3alpha-derivative. In the presence of BSLs corresponding to 2 mM liposomal phosphatidylcholine, uptake of 50 microM cholyltaurine (CT) into hepatocytes was reduced by approximately 40% by the 3beta-derivative and by approximately 17% by the 3alpha-derivative. When added simultaneously with the liposomes, CT up to 75 microM inhibited the binding of DSPE-3beta-LCT-bearing liposomes. By contrast, increasing concentrations reversed this inhibition and resulted in an increased bile salt-mediated binding. The same was true when CT was added 10 min before the liposomes were added. The attachment of BSLs to the surface of hepatocytes opens up promising possibilities for hepatocyte-specific drug delivery. More generally, not only substrates for cellular endocytosing receptors but also substrates for cellular carrier proteins should be suitable ligands for the cell-specific targeting of nanoscale particles such as liposomes.     

新型纳米靶向给药系统载体材料的设计

新型纳米靶向给药系统的研究与开发对于难治愈性疾病（尤其是肿瘤）的治疗具有重大意义,而其发展很大程度上取决于载体材料 的设计。构思巧妙、设计合理的载体材料能使载体实现靶向功能,将药物定位浓集于病灶部位,并最大限度地发挥高效低毒的作用。基于 不同的靶向策略,包括被动靶向、主动靶向和响应肿瘤微环境的靶向,综述了近年来一些新型纳米载体材料的设计,为新型纳米靶向给药 系统的研究提供参考。     

蛋白降解靶向嵌合体临床前及临床研究进展

蛋白降解靶向嵌合体(proteolysis targeting chimera,PROTAC)是一种可以同时结合E3连接酶和靶蛋白的异双功能小分子,能够借助泛素-蛋白酶体系统特异性降解靶蛋白。目前PROTAC药物大多处于临床试验阶段,配体主要为非共价化合物,具有克服耐药性、降解“不可用药”靶蛋白的优势,但非共价配体会使PROTAC产生钩效应(hook effect),影响药效发挥。而共价配体凭借自身优势,可以避免该现象的发生,对于PROTAC的发展具有极大的帮助。本文总结了临床前及临床研究阶段,PROTAC分子在核内蛋白、跨膜蛋白和胞浆蛋白3种蛋白靶点中的应用,并以此为基础进行了讨论与展望,以期为今后PROTAC的发展提供一定的研究思路和参考。     

聚乙二醇-聚乳酸嵌段共聚物在药物递送系统中的应用

聚乙二醇-聚乳酸嵌段共聚物具备良好的生物相容性和生物可降解性,是良好的纳米级药物载体。嵌段共聚物具有载药能力强、粒径小、体内循环时间长、主动靶向性和被动靶向性等特点,因此在药物递送系统中得到广泛应用。简要介绍了聚乙二醇-聚乳酸嵌段共聚物的合成和性质,及其作为脂质体、胶束、微球等载体在药物递送系统中的最新进展。     

Screening and verification of ssDNA aptamers targeting human hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is one of the most malig- nant cancers in the world. Molecular probes that can recog- nize biomarkers specific for HCC are urgently needed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of early diagnosis. A recent study has applied the method of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment and produced several aptamers that can bind specifically to mouse liver cancer cells and tissues. However, the binding affinity to human liver cancer has not been fully identified. Using human-derived hepatoma cell line HepG2 as positive target cell line and normal hepatocyte cell line HL-7702 as negative one, we obtained an aptamer HA09 that could specifically bind to human liver cancer cells with Kd in the nanomolar range and recognize paraffin-embedded human HCC tissues. This aptamer may facilitate the discovery of novel biomarkers and serve as an ideal molecular probe for intracellular delivery with both diagnostic and therapeutic implications.