Assessment of superiority of HSP70-targeting aptamer-functionalized drug-nanocarrier over non-targeted commercially available counterpart in HCC therapy: in vitro and in vivo investigations and molecular modeling.

AIMS: This research aims to compare the therapeutic potential of target-specific phosphorothioate backbone-modified aptamer L5 (TLS9a)-functionalized paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded nanocarrier (PTX-NPL5) that we formulated with that of non-targeted commercial formulation, protein albumin-bound nanoparticles of PTX, Abraxane® (CF) against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through a myriad of preclinical investigations. MAIN METHODS: A variety of in vitro and in vivo assays have been executed to compare the therapeutic effects of the formulations under investigation, including the investigation of the degree of apoptosis induction and its mechanism, cell cycle analysis, the level of ROS production, and redox status, the morphological and histological characteristics of malignant livers, and in vivo imaging. The formulations were also compared concerning pharmacokinetic behaviors. Finally, in silico molecular docking has been performed to predict the possible interactions between aptamer and target(s). KEY FINDINGS: PTX-NPL5 exhibited therapeutic superiority over CF in terms of inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, endorsing oxidative stress to neoplastic cells, and reducing hepatic cancerous lesions. Unlike CF, PTX-NPL5 did not exhibit any significant toxicity in healthy hepatocytes, proving enough impetus regarding the distinctive superiority of PTX-NPL5 over CF. The pharmacokinetic analysis further supported superior penetration and retention of PTX-NPL5 in neoplastic hepatocytes compared to CF. A molecular modeling study proposed possible interaction between aptamer L5 and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). SIGNIFICANCE: The target-specificity of PTX-NPL5 towards neoplastic hepatocytes, probably achieved through HSP70 recognition, enhanced its therapeutic efficacy over CF, which may facilitate its real clinical deployment against HCC in the near future.

Antisense oligonucleotides directed against insulin-like growth factor-II messenger ribonucleic acids delay the progress of rat hepatocarcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a multistep complex process, caused by many of genetic alteration. Insulin-like growth factors and their receptor have been widely implicated to HCC. Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is a mitogenic polypeptide, found in various fetal and neonatal tissues of humans and rats and expresses in HCC. Here we investigated anticancer potential of phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) against three coding exons (exon-1/exon-2/exon-3) of IGF-II messenger ribonucleic acid in rat hepatocarcinogenesis model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During diethylnitrosamine and 2-acetylaminofluorene induced hepatocarcinogenesis, rats were treated with ASOs. Various biochemical and histological studies were conducted. RESULTS: About 40% of carcinogen treated rats, which received two oligomers (against exon-1 or-3) did not show any hepatic lesion, hyperplastic nodule or tumor and remaining 60% of those rats showed lesion incidence and had about 59% and 55% reductions in the numbers of hepatic altered foci, respectively. Reductions in the total lesion-area when compared with carcinogen control rats were 64% and 53%, respectively for the animals treated with carcinogen and received the ASOs against exon-1/-3. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled ASO reached in the hepatocytes in 2 h. No predominant IGF-II overexpression was observed in case of rats treated with the two ASOs. Treatment of the antisense IGF-II oligomers in carcinogen treated rats show better hepatocellular integrity along with several preneoplastic/neoplastic marker isoenzyme/enzyme modulations. CONCLUSIONS: Two of the three antisense oligomer-types effectively controlled IGF-II overexpression, causing the delay of the development and/or progress of hepatic cancer in rats.

Doxorubicin-loaded phosphatidylethanolamine-conjugated nanoliposomes: in vitro characterization and their accumulation in liver, kidneys, and lungs in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)-conjugated nanoliposomes were developed, characterized, and investigated for their accumulation in liver, kidneys, and lungs in rats. METHODS: Drug-excipient interaction was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), surface morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, zeta potential and size distribution using a Zetasizer and particle size analyzer, and in vitro drug release by dialysis membrane. In vivo accumulation of liposomes in tissues was also studied. RESULTS: No chemical reaction was observed between drug and excipients. EDX study confirmed PE-conjugation in liposomes. Doxorubicin-loaded liposomes (DOX-L) and PE-conjugated doxorubicin-loaded liposomes (DOX-PEL) were of smooth surface and homogenously distributed in nanosize range (32-37 nm) with a negative surface charge. Loading efficiencies were 49.25% ± 1.05% and 52.98% ± 3.22% respectively, for DOX-L and DOX-PEL. In vitro drug release study showed 69.91% ± 1.05% and 77.07% ± 1.02% doxorubicin released, from DOX-L and DOX-PEL, respectively, in nine hours. Fluorescence microscopic study showed that liposomes were well distributed in liver, lungs, and kidneys. CONCLUSION: Data suggests that PE-conjugated nanoliposomes released the drug in a sustained manner and were capable of distributing them in various organs. This may be used for cell/ tissue targeting, attaching specific antibodies to PE.