Drug resistance is a major barrier to effective hepatocellular carcinoma therapy, and autophagy targeting holds great potential for overcoming this issue. Using binding energy data from molecular docking with TBC1 domain family member 2 (TBC1D2) as the target, we rationally designed compound G2 featuring a piperazine moiety. Target binding was validated via a competitive immunofluorescence assay. The binding affinity of G2 was determined by surface plasmon resonance, yielding a dissociation constant (KD) of 0.4 μM. Functional evaluation of G2 determined its aqueous solubility to be 0.3 mg/mL, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration value of 80 ± 20 nM and a selectivity index of 23.1 in HCCLM3 cells. Subsequent mechanistic investigations revealed that this selectivity arose from the heightened responsiveness of TBC1D2 expression to G2 in HCCLM3 cells, thereby inducing selective autophagic cell death. In HCCLM3 xenograft mouse models, G2 showed excellent hepatic retention. G2 monotherapy (58.2% tumor growth inhibition) and its combination with sorafenib (70.9%) exerted superior antitumor activity versus sorafenib monotherapy (52.8%), with favorable safety. Collectively, our findings establish G2 as a promising therapeutic candidate for surmounting sorafenib resistance, characterized by selective antitumor activity against malignant hepatocellular carcinoma.
Keyan Han, Yuqi Lin, Yu Huang et al.· European journal of medicina...· 0 citations
Cancer immunotherapy has substantially advanced cancer treatment, achieving durable responses in select malignancies. However, its widespread application is limited by significant challenges: low efficacy in many solid tumors, severe side effects, and immune evasion facilitated by the tumor microenvironment (TME). Nanotechnology offers a promising approach to address these obstacles. By employing nanoparticles (NPs), we can precisely deliver therapeutics to tumor sites, ensure controlled release to minimize side effects, and amplify the immune response, thereby substantially boosting the effectiveness of immunotherapy. This review comprehensively highlights the latest advancements in using nanotechnology to enhance cancer immunotherapy. This paper details various applications of nanotech in this field. It discusses smart nanoparticles that respond to TME signals to release drugs (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors) directly at the tumor, reducing systemic side effects and activating T-cells. We also explore how nanovaccines, which co-deliver tumor markers and immune boosters, can induce antigen-specific immune responses. Furthermore, mRNA-loaded nanoparticles can directly modify CAR T-cells inside the body, simplifying treatment and increasing efficacy. Strategies like using PLGA NPs to deliver immune enhancers such as IL-2 are also presented, which activate immune cells while minimizing systemic issues. The review also explains how nanoparticles can re-engineer the immunosuppressive TME to create an environment more conducive to immune action. We also emphasize that nanotechnology-enhanced adoptive therapies, particularly cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell immunotherapy, hold great potential to improve tumor targeting, treatment persistence durability, and overall anticancer efficacy. Collectively, we highlight synergistic effects achieved by combining nanoparticles with other treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, photothermal/photodynamic therapy, and more, which can turn hard-to-treat tumors into susceptible targets. The integration of nanotechnology and immunotherapy holds the potential to meaningfully advance future cancer therapy.
U. Cho, Jingjing Pu, Amit Sharma et al.· Molecular Cancer· 0 citations