Biology Direct
·
2024
·Vol. 19
·期 1
·1-17
·
IF 5.7
Liu Shiwei,Yuan Fukang,Dong Hui,Zhang Jiaqi,Mao Xinyu,Liu Yangsui,Li Huansong
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and the lack of effective biomarkers for early detection leads to poor therapeutic outcomes. Prostaglandin E Synthase 3 (PTGES3) is a putative prognostic marker in many solid tumors; however, its expression and biological functions in HCC have not been determined. The proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) is an established technology for targeted protein degradation. Compared to the small-molecule PROTAC, the peptide PROTAC (p-PROTAC) utilizes peptides bound to target proteins to mediate the ubiquitination and degradation of undruggable proteins. This study aimed to use the PROTAC technology to develop a PTGES3 degrader liposome complex containing a PTGES3-binding peptide and the E3 ubiquitin ligase ligand pomalidomide for regulating cell function and provide a novel pathway for treating HCC. Results In this study, we demonstrated that PTGES3 is highly expressed in HCC at the transcriptional and protein levels; furthermore, PTGES3 was identified as a novel drug target that could potentially treat HCC. Hence, we developed PTGES3-PROTACs by adjusting the ligand ratio to optimize the efficacy of degradation agents. The results revealed that PTGES3-PROTAC effectively degraded PTGES3 protein and strongly weakened the HCC malignant phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Our findings revealed that the highly selective PTGES3 proteolysis is a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC, and PTGES3 degraders PTGES3-PROTACs can be developed as safe and effective drugs for HCC treatment. Graphical abstract
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
分子生物学
·
药理学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
LANGMUIR
·
2025
·
IF 3.9
Bolin Yue,Tingli Wang,Mengke Zhang,Xiaoyu Wu,Xu Xu,Zequan Li,Bohan Ye,Lei Liu,Shiyong Song
Proteolysis-targeting chimeric (PROTAC) technology represents a groundbreaking approach with immense potential for treating a wide range of diseases. However, its clinical application is often limited by challenges in solubility and permeability. Herein, we have developed an innovative three-in-one nanoparticulate therapeutic agent tailored for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This agent features a PROTAC molecule derived from ceritinib, designated as 27B, serving as a targeted degrader of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). 27B is self-assembled with vitamin A palmitate (VAP) and vitamin E poly(ethylene glycol) succinate (TPGS) to form stable nanoparticles (BVT-NPs) that exhibit a uniform spherical morphology, excellent storage stability, and robust plasma stability. With an average particle size of approximately 130 nm and a loading capacity of 27B of 20%, BVT-NPs demonstrate a pH-responsive drug release profile. In vitro studies reveal that BVT-NPs significantly inhibit the proliferation of H3122 cells more effectively than free 27B, indicating a synergistic antitumor effect. Western blot analysis further confirms the superior efficacy of BVT-NPs in downregulating ALK and P-glycoprotein and upregulating Caspase-3. BVT-NPs markedly suppress tumor growth without inducing significant tissue toxicity. This carrier-free, multifunctional nanoparticulate system integrates PROTAC-mediated protein degradation with chemotherapy, thereby improving the PROTAC absorption and generating a synergistic therapeutic effect against NSCLC.
研究领域:
癌症治疗
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纳米医学
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药理学
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生物化学
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药物递送
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
·
2024
·
IF 6.9
Wenmin Chen,Yue Wu,Chuanyu Yang,Wenlong Ren,Lei Hou,Huichun Liang,Tingyue Wu,Yanjie Kong,Jiao Wu,Yu Rao,Ceshi Chen
Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies affecting women worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for more effective and specific treatments. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have emerged as a promising strategy to develop new lead compounds by selectively targeting oncoproteins for degradation. In this study, we designed, synthesized and evaluated a CRBN-based PROTAC, L055, which targets CDK9. Our findings demonstrate that L055 effectively inhibits the proliferation, induces cell cycle arrest, and decreases the survival of ERα-positive breast cancer cells in vitro. L055 specifically binds to CDK9, facilitating its degradation via the CRBN-dependent proteasomal pathway. Additionally, L055 suppressed the growth of organoids and tumors derived from T47D and MCF7 cells in nude mice. Thus, L055 represents a potential novel therapeutic agent for ERα-positive breast cancer and potentially other malignancies.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
分子生物学
·
药理学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
MOLECULES
·
2024
·Vol. 29
·期 8
·1845
·
IF 4.2
Sitong Lai,Bing Wang,Kunhui Sun,Fan Li,Qian Liu,Xie-An Yu,Lihe Jiang,Lisheng Wang
The integration of a multidimensional treatment dominated by active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including enhanced chemotherapy and synergistically amplification of oxidative damage, into a nanoplatform would be of great significance for furthering accurate and effective cancer treatment with the active ingredients of TCM. Herein, in this study, we designed and synthesized four matrine-proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) (depending on different lengths of the chains named LST-1, LST-2, LST-3, and LST-4) based on PROTAC technology to overcome the limitations of matrine. LST-4, with better anti-tumor activity than matrine, still degrades p-Erk and p-Akt proteins. Moreover, LST-4 NPs formed via LST-4 self-assembly with stronger anti-tumor activity and glutathione (GSH) depletion ability could be enriched in lysosomes through their outstanding enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Then, we synthesized LST-4@ZnPc NPs with a low-pH-triggered drug release property that could release zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) in tumor sites. LST-4@ZnPc NPs combine the application of chemotherapy and phototherapy, including both enhanced chemotherapy from LST-4 NPs and the synergistic amplification of oxidative damage, through increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) by photodynamic therapy (PDT), causing an GSH decrease via LST-4 mediation to effectively kill tumor cells. Therefore, multifunctional LST-4@ZnPc NPs are a promising method for killing cancer cells, which also provides a new paradigm for using natural products to kill tumors.
研究领域:
药学
·
肿瘤学
·
纳米医学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Materials Chemistry B
·
2024
·
IF 6.1
Mengxia Xu,Yuyang Yun,Changjun Li,Yiling Ruan,Osamu Muraoka,Weijia Xie,Xiaolian Sun
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. However, the always-on bioactivity of PROTACs may lead to non-target toxicity, which restricts their antitumor performance. Here, we developed an X-ray radiation responsive PROTAC nanomicelle (RCNprotac) by covalently conjugating a reported small molecule PROTAC (MZ1) to hydrophilic PEG via a diselenide bond-containing carbon chain, which then self-assembled into a 141.80 ± 5.66 nm nanomicelle. The RCNprotac displayed no bioactivity during circulation due to the occupation of the hydroxyl group on the E3 ubiquitin ligand component and could effectively accumulate at the tumor site owing to the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Upon exposure to X-ray radiation, the radiation-sensitive diselenide bonds were broken to specifically release MZ1 for tumor BRD4 protein degradation. Furthermore, the reduction in the BRD4 protein level could increase the tumor's sensitivity to radiation. RCNprotac showed a synergistic enhancement of antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. We believe that this X-ray-responsive PROTAC nanomicelle could provide a new strategy for the X-ray-activated spatiotemporally controlled protein degradation and for the BRD4 proteolysis enhanced tumor radiosensitivity.
研究领域:
癌症治疗
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纳米技术
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放射肿瘤学
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药学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF CONTROLLED RELEASE
·
2025
·
IF 11.5
Weihe Zhao,Xiangdong Xu,Shu An,Juehui Wu,Haiyang Wang,Jinmei Luo,Youyuan Yuan,Laisheng Li
Radiotherapy (RT) is a key component of comprehensive cancer treatment regimens; nevertheless, its concomitant immunosuppression may diminish therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we developed an injectable hydrogel system for the local delivery of PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs), achieved by loading tumor cell membrane-fused liposome nanoparticles to enhance the anti-tumor effect. The system targeted Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), and combined treatment with RT promoted DNA damage, reduced DNA repair and decreased tumor cell proliferation and survival. Additionally, this strategy effectively promoted dendritic cell (DC) maturation, enhanced tumor-specific T cell infiltration, reversed radiotherapy-induced immunosuppression and boosted the anti-tumor immune response. This strategy expands the application of PROTAC technology in counteracting radiotherapy-induced immunosuppression and provides an important basis for subsequent biomedical translation and clinical development.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
生物化学
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免疫学
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药学
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生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
BIOMEDICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY
·
2025
·Vol. 39
·期 2
·e6068
·
IF 1.7
Wenbin Huang,Hongjian Zhang,Yayun Zhou,Xuechao Liu,Qilei Zhang,Xiaopeng Ma
Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) is emerging as a promising medicinal modality, which has aroused widespread interest among the field of pharmaceutical manufacturing in the recent years. ARV-471 is an orally active PROTAC estrogen receptor degrader against breast cancer, which leads to the ubiquitylation and subsequent degradation of estrogen receptors via the proteasome. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method (LLOQ = 0.5 ng/mL) for the measurement of ARV-471 in rat plasma. The acetonitrile precipitated sample was separated on ACQUITY BEH C 18 column using acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid as mobile phased with gradient elution. Multiple reactions monitoring in positive ESI mode was employed for the quantification of ARV-471 ( m/z 724.4 → 396.2). The assay showed good linearity over the concentration range of 0.5–1000 ng/mL with correlation coefficient > 0.996. The assay was validated according to FDA guidance, and all the validation parameters were within the predefined acceptance criteria. After validation, the assay was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of ARV-471 in rats. Additionally, the metabolites in rat plasma were identified using liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry. Four metabolites were identified and characterized. Hydrolysis, glucuronidation and deamination were the main metabolic pathways of ARV-471 in rats.
研究领域:
药理学
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分析化学
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肿瘤学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
·
2024
·
IF 9.4
Wenkai Zhang,Yi Jin,Jiayu Wang,Muge Gu,Yue Wang,Xiangqi Zhang,Yihui Zhang,Wei Yu,Yao Liu,Wei-En Yuan,Jing Su
Targeted elimination of damaged or overexpressed proteins within the tumor serves a pivotal role in regulating cellular function and restraining tumor cell growth. Researchers have been striving to identify safer and more effective methods for protein removal. Here, we propose the synergistic employment of a small molecule degrading agent (PROTAC) and siRNA to attain enhanced protein clearance efficiency and tumor therapeutic effects. Co-delivery liposomes were prepared to facilitate the efficient encapsulation of PROTAC and siRNA. Specifically, the cationic liposome significantly improved the solubility of the insoluble PROTAC (DT2216). The cationic polymer (F-PEI) achieved efficient encapsulation of the nucleic acid drug, thereby promoting endocytosis and enhancing the therapeutic impact of the drug. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated remarkable degradation of target proteins and inhibition of tumor cells by the co-delivery system. In conclusion, the co-delivery liposomes furnished a nano-delivery system proficient in effectively encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, thereby presenting a novel strategy for targeted combination therapy in treating tumors.
研究领域:
药学
·
癌症研究
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纳米技术
·
分子生物学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
·
2025
·
IF 5.6
Yuan Fan,Yuxiang Liu,Liujiao Wang,Huashan Xu,Lele Yu,Yue Lang,Huafei Li,Fuxue Chen,Shini Feng
Protein hydrolysis-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules designed for the selective degradation of target proteins. MS4078, a novel PROTAC, shows promise for treating ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), yet its clinical efficacy is hindered by suboptimal tumor targeting and off-target toxicities. To enhance its therapeutic profile, we developed human heavy chain ferritin (HFN) as a targeted delivery system, leading to the creation of HFN@MS4078 nanocages. Prepared via passive loading, HFN@MS4078 achieved a drug loading capacity of 178 molecules per nanocage with a HFN recovery rate of 70.1 %. The nanocages exhibited a rapid release profile under lysosomal conditions (pH 5.0), with approximately 80 % drug release after 60 h, while maintaining over 80 % stability at physiological pH 7.4. In vitro, HFN@MS4078 was actively internalized into lysosomes via TfR1 receptor binding, resulting in a 2.7–2.8 times reduction in IC 50 values compared to free MS4078. Furthermore, HFN@MS4078 significantly decreased the expression levels of ALK, p-ALK, p-AKT, and p-ERK in NCI-H2228 and NCI-H3122 cell lines. In vivo, HFN@MS4078 substantially reduced tumor volume and prolonged survival while exhibiting negligible systemic toxicity. These results suggest that HFN@MS4078 represents a promising strategy for targeted therapy in ALK-positive NSCLC, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
药学
·
纳米技术
·
分子生物学
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药物递送
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生物医学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
·
2024
·
IF 6
Qingqing Zhang,Yuying Liu,Jie Zhang,Yanchen Li,Jin Wang,Nanxin Liu,Jie Zhang,Xiaoyan Pan
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) are bifunctional chimeric molecules capable of directly degrading binding proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. PROTACs have demonstrated significant potential in overcoming drug resistance and targeting previously untreatable targets. However, several limitations still need to be addressed, including their high molecular weight resulting in poor membrane permeability and bioavailability. In this study, we proposed that cancer-targeted penetrating peptides could enhance the cell permeability of PROTACs. We developed 26 novel targeted penetrating peptides for leukemia and lymphoma cells, among which C9C-f(3Bta) and Cyclo-C9C–R exhibited superior membrane permeability, targetability, and stability. By combining C9C-f(3Bta) and Cyclo-C9C–R with IMA-PROTAC, we effectively enhanced the anti-proliferative activity of IMA-PROTAC, facilitated degradation of Bcr-Abl protein in K562 cells, and reduced downstream STAT5 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the combined application promoted cell apoptosis while blocking G1 phase progression. HPLC-MRM-MS revealed that the combination of C9C-f(3Bta) or Cyclo-C9C–R with IMA-PROTAC significantly enhanced intracellular IMA-PROTAC content. In summary, our proof-of-concept study validated the hypothesis that combining PROTACs with targeted penetrating peptides can improve protein degradation efficiency as well as anti-proliferative capabilities.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
药理学
·
分子生物学
·
细胞生物学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
·
2025
·
IF 19
Haiyang Wang,Yixuan Hou,Taian Lin,Ihsan Ullah,Qing Xu,Ye Liu,Taosha Jin,Yangning Zhang,Youyong Yuan
Radiotherapy (RT) is commonly employed to prevent postoperative recurrence, typically delivered in fractionated doses to mitigate side effects. However, multi-course RT frequently leads to radiation resistance and immunosuppression. In this study, a sono-responsive hydrogel that enables fractionated releases of PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTAC) in response to ultrasound (US) pulses is presented. This system targets bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) and releases the PROTAC at the tumor site before each course of RT. This release inhibits DNA repair mechanisms and reduces myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), thereby mitigating RT resistance and immune suppression. This strategy significantly improves the therapeutic efficacy of postoperative RT, reducing the risk of tumor recurrence. Overall, this work proposes an easy-to-implement strategy for overcoming challenges in resistance and immunosuppression in multi-course postoperative RT.
研究领域:
生物医学工程
·
肿瘤学
·
药学
·
免疫学
·
放射生物学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
·
2024
·
IF 5.3
Xixi Chen,Fang Li,Binghui Cui,Qingyi Yan,Caisheng Qiu,Zengyan Zhu,Lijuan Wen,Weiliang Chen
It has been reported that proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can effectively degrade intracellular oncogenic proteins, providing an ideal strategy for cancer treatment. ARV825, a bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4)-PROTAC, has demonstrated the capacity to enhance the antitumor effect of the classic chemotherapeutic agent docetaxel (DTX). However, there are three major challenges to the broader in vivo application of ARV825: poor solubility, poor permeability, and off-target effects. Additionally, the efficient co-delivery of ARV825 and DTX to tumor tissues for a synergistic therapeutic effect remains unresolved. In this study, liposomes were utilized as co-delivery vehicles for ARV825 and DTX to effectively address these issues. The well-established liposomes significantly improved the solubility of both ARV825 and DTX while maintaining a sustained release profile in blood-mimetic conditions. The co-loaded liposomes accumulated in tumor tissues via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. After internalization, ARV825 effectively degraded intracellular BRD4 proteins and downregulated the expression of both Bcl-2 and PD-L1 proteins, thereby increasing tumor cell apoptosis and enhancing the tumor immune response. This, in turn, augmented the antitumor effect of DTX in vivo without undesired side effects. In conclusion, BRD4-PROTAC may serve as a promising synergistic agent alongside the conventional chemotherapeutic agent DTX, with liposomes functioning as effective co-delivery vehicles.
研究领域:
肿瘤学
·
药学
·
免疫学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）