Engineered biomimetic nanoparticles achieve targeted delivery and efficient metabolism-based synergistic therapy against glioblastoma.

Lu, Guihong; Wang, Xiaojun; Li, Feng; Wang, Shuang; Zhao, Jiawei; Wang, Jinyi; Liu, Jing; Lyu, Chengliang et al. · Nat Commun · 2022

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer with a poor prognosis and few treatment options. Here, building on the observation of elevated lactate (LA) in resected GBM, we develop biomimetic therapeutic nanoparticles (NPs) that deliver agents for LA metabolism-based synergistic therapy. Because our self-assembling NPs are encapsulated in membranes derived from glioma cells, they readily penetrate the blood-brain barrier and target GBM through homotypic recognition. After reaching the tumors, lactate oxidase in the NPs converts LA into pyruvic acid (PA) and hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>). The PA inhibits cancer cell growth by blocking histones expression and inducing cell-cycle arrest. In parallel, the H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> reacts with the delivered bis[2,4,5-trichloro-6-(pentyloxycarbonyl)phenyl] oxalate to release energy, which is used by the co-delivered photosensitizer chlorin e6 for the generation of cytotoxic singlet oxygen to kill glioma cells. Such a synergism ensures strong therapeutic effects against both glioma cell-line derived and patient-derived xenograft models.

Medical subject headings