Background: Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has become increasingly important as a tumor treatment strategy, which relies on intracellular acid and hydrogen peroxide to kill tumor cells by generating hydroxyl radicals (·OH) through Fenton/Fenton-like reactions. However, the weakly alkaline intracellular environment considerably caused by the efflux of lactate and H + from glioblastoma cells is not conducive to CDT performance. Intracellular acidification induced by inhibiting the transmembrane monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of CDT. Existing approaches suffer from insufficient MCT4 inhibition, involve complex drug synthesis, and have many unsatisfactory side effects. Methods: In this study, we constructed an anti-tumor nanoparticle formed by self-assembly driven by the coordination interaction of Fe 3+ and α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CHC) to avoid safety issues posed by excessive modification. Fe-CHC nanoparticles were designed to decrease intracellular pH through inhibition of MCT4, which transports lactate/H + to the extracellular space. The resulting intracellular accumulation of lactate and H + led to fatal acidosis and promoted ·OH generated by Fenton/Fenton-like reactions with the presence of the Fe 3+ , thus enhancing CDT-induced tumor cell death. Results: In vitro and in vivo results revealed that Fe-CHC exerted a significant synergistic anti-tumor effect by re-establishing acidosis and enhancing CDT in glioblastoma. Furthermore, the decreased H + outside the cells caused by the inhibition of lactate/H + efflux hindered extracellular matrix degradation, thereby inhibiting tumor metastasis. Conclusion: Fe-CHC is an effective anti-cancer agent against glioblastoma. This study provides valuable insights for developing acid-modulating anti-tumor nanoparticles, as well as enriching and optimizing the application of CDT in tumor therapy. Statement of Significance Our study pioneers the Fe-CHC nanoparticle, a metal-coordination polymer that targets MCT4 in glioblastoma cells to restore intracellular acidity and synergize with Fe 3+ to boost chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Unlike other studies, Fe 3+ and CHC work together to maximize the therapeutic potential and safety of Fe-CHC with minimal complexity. This innovative approach not only increased the production of reactive oxygen species within tumor cells, but also hindered tumor metastasis. Our work has important scientific implications for tumor microenvironment regulation and the application of CDT, and will provide a promising pathway for the treatment of aggressive cancers and attract a wide audience through its scientific implications.
Xuan Wang,Yuanyuan Zhao,Yan Hu,Yang Fei,Youbo Zhao,Chencheng Xue,Kaiyong Cai,Menghuan Li,Zhong Luo
Ferroptosis is a new form of regulated cell death with significant therapeutic prospect, but its application against drug-resistant tumor cells is challenging due to their ability to effuse antitumor agents via p-glycoprotein (P-gp) and anti-lipid peroxidation alkaline intracellular environment. Herein, an amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP)-based nanoplatform is reported for the targeted combinational ferroptosis/apoptosis therapy of drug resistant tumor cells by blocking the MCT4-mediated efflux of lactic acid (LA). The nanoplatform is fabricated through the biomineralization of doxorubicin-Fe 2+ (DOX-Fe 2+ ) complex and MCT4-inhibiting siRNAs (siMCT4) and can release them to the tumor cytoplasm after the hydrolysis of ACP and dissociation of DOX-Fe 2+ in the acidic lysosomes. siMCT4 can inhibit MCT4 expression and force the glycolysis-generated lactic acid (LA) to remain in cytoplasm for rapid acidification. The nanoplatform-induced remodeling of the tumor intracellular environment can not only interrupt the ATP supply required for P-gp-dependent DOX effusion to enhance H 2 O 2 production, but also increase the overall catalytic efficiency of Fe 2+ for the initiation and propagation of lipid peroxidation. These features could act in concert to enhance the efficacy of the combinational ferroptosis/chemotherapy and prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice. This study may provide new avenues for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tumors.
The development of tumors relies on lactate metabolic reprogramming to facilitate their unchecked growth and evade immune surveillance. This poses a significant challenge to the efficacy of antitumor immunity. To address this, a tumor-selective nano-dispatcher, PIMDQ/Syro-RNP, to enforce the immunotherapeutic effect through regulation of lactate metabolism and activation of toll-like receptors is developed. By using the tumor-targeting properties of c-RGD, the system can effectively deliver monocarboxylate transporters 4 (MCT4) inhibitor (Syro) to inhibit lactate efflux in tumor cells, leading to decreased lactate levels in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and increased accumulation within tumor cells. The reduction of lactate in TME will reduce the nutritional support for regulatory T cells (Tregs) and promote the effector function of T cells. The accumulation of lactate in tumor cells will lead to tumor death due to cellular acidosis. In addition, it will also reduce the uptake of glucose by tumor cells, reduce nutrient plunder, and further weaken the inhibition of T cell function. Furthermore, the pH-responsive release of Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7/8 agonist IMDQ within the TME activates dendritic cells (DCs) and promotes the infiltration of T cells. These findings offer a promising approach for enhancing tumor immune response through targeted metabolic interventions.