pH-Responsive Liposomes Loaded with Targeting Procoagulant Proteins as Potential Embolic Agents for Solid Tumor-Targeted Therapy.

Abstract

Selectively inducing tumor thrombosis and subsequent necrosis is a novel and promising antitumor strategy. We have previously designed a targeting procoagulant protein, called tTF-EG3287, which is a fusion of a truncated tissue factor (tTF) with EG3287, a short peptide against the neuropilin-1 (NRP1) binding site of vascular endothelial growth factor-A 165 (VEGF-A 165). However, off-target effects and high-dose requirements limit the further use of tTF-EG3287 in antitumor therapy. Therefore, we encapsulated tTF-EG3287 into poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-distearoyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PEOz-DSPE)-modified liposomes to construct pH-responsive liposomes as a novel vascular embolization agent, called tTF-EG3287@Liposomes. The liposomes had an average particle size of about 100 nm and showed considerable drug-loading capacity, encapsulation efficiency, and biocompatibility. Under the stimulation of acidic microenvironments (pH 6.5), the lipid membrane of tTF-EG3287@Liposomes collapsed, and the cumulative drug release rate within 72 h was 83 ± 1.26%. When administered to a mouse model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), tTF-EG3287@Liposomes showed prolonged retention and enhanced accumulation in the tumor as well as a superior antitumor effec, compared with tTF-EG3287. This study demonstrates the potential of tTF-EG3287@Liposomes as a novel embolic agent for solid tumors and provides a new strategy for tumor-targeted infarction therapy.

• Authors: Li Wang, Lanlan Wang, Peilan Xu, Cong Liu, Shengyu Wang, Xian Luo, Mengqi Li, Jiajing Liu, Zhiyu Zhao, Weisong Lai, Fanghong Luo, Jianghua Yan
• Journal: Molecular pharmaceutics (Mol Pharm) Vol. 19 Issue 5 Pg. 1356-1367 (05 02 2022) ISSN: 1543-8392 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35420039 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Liposomes
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
• Thromboplastin

Topics

• Animals
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Liposomes (chemistry)
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Mice
• Thromboplastin
• Tumor Microenvironment
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A