2. Academic Validation
  3. Mitochondrial-Targeted CS@KET/P780 Nanoplatform for Site-Specific Delivery and High-Efficiency Cancer Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Mitochondrial-Targeted CS@KET/P780 Nanoplatform for Site-Specific Delivery and High-Efficiency Cancer Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  • Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024 Feb 2:e2308027. doi: 10.1002/advs.202308027.
Shanshan Liu 1 2,  Hailong Tian 3,  Hui Ming 3,  Tingting Zhang 3,  Yajie Gao 4,  Ruolan Liu 5,  Lihua Chen 5,  Chen Yang 5,  Edouard C Nice 6,  Canhua Huang 3,  Jinku Bao 7,  Wei Gao 1 8,  Zheng Shi 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China.
  • 2 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563006, China.
  • 3 State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
  • 4 The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315020, China.
  • 5 School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
  • 6 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
  • 7 College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China.
  • 8 Clinical Genetics Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital & Clinical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610081, China.
PMID: 38308137 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308027
Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a form of malignancy with limited curative options available. To improve therapeutic outcomes, it is imperative to develop novel, potent therapeutic modalities. Ketoconazole (KET) has shown excellent therapeutic efficacy against HCC by eliciting Apoptosis. However, its limited water solubility hampers its application in clinical treatment. Herein, a mitochondria-targeted chemo-photodynamic nanoplatform, CS@KET/P780 NPs, is designed using a nanoprecipitation strategy by integrating a newly synthesized mitochondria-targeted photosensitizer (P780) and chemotherapeutic agent KET coated with chondroitin sulfate (CS) to amplify HCC therapy. In this nanoplatform, CS confers tumor-targeted and subsequently pH-responsive drug delivery behavior by binding to glycoprotein CD44, leading to the release of P780 and KET. Mechanistically, following laser irradiation, P780 targets and destroys mitochondrial integrity, thus inducing Apoptosis through the enhancement of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) buildup. Meanwhile, KET-induced Apoptosis synergistically enhances the Anticancer effect of P780. In addition, tumor cells undergoing Apoptosis can trigger immunogenic cell death (ICD) and a longer-term antitumor response by releasing tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which together contribute to improved therapeutic outcomes in HCC. Taken together, CS@KET/P780 NPs improve the bioavailability of KET and exhibit excellent therapeutic efficacy against HCC by exerting chemophototherapy and antitumor immunity.

Keywords

chemophototherapy; hepatocellular carcinoma; immunotherapy; ketoconazole; mitochondrial targeted.

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