Polymeric Encapsulation of a Ru(II)-Based Photosensitizer for Folate-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy of Drug Resistant Cancers.

The currently used photodynamic therapy (PDT) photosensitizers (PSs) are generally associated with a poor cancer cell selectivity, which is responsible for some undesirable side effects. To overcome these problems, there is an urgent need for a selective drug delivery system for PDT PSs. Herein, the encapsulation of a promising Ru(II) polypyridine complex in a polymer with terminal folate groups to form nanoparticles is presented. While the Ru(II) complex itself has a cytotoxic effect in the dark, the encapsulation is able to overcome this drawback. Upon light exposure, the nanoparticles were found to be highly phototoxic in 2D monolayer cells as well as 3D multicellular tumor spheroids upon 480 or 595 nm irradiation. Importantly, the nanoparticles demonstrated a high selectivity for cancerous cells over noncancerous cells and were found to be active in drug resistant cancer cells lines, indicating that they are able to overcome drug resistances.

Selection of DNA-encoded chemical libraries against endogenous membrane proteins on live cells.

Membrane proteins on the cell surface perform a myriad of biological functions; however, ligand discovery for membrane proteins is highly challenging, because a natural cellular environment is often necessary to maintain protein structure and function. DNA-encoded chemical libraries (DELs) have emerged as a powerful technology for ligand discovery, but they are mainly limited to purified proteins. Here we report a method that can specifically label membrane proteins with a DNA tag, and thereby enable target-specific DEL selections against endogenous membrane proteins on live cells without overexpression or any other genetic manipulation. We demonstrate the generality and performance of this method by screening a 30.42-million-compound DEL against the folate receptor, carbonic anhydrase 12 and the epidermal growth factor receptor on live cells, and identify and validate a series of novel ligands for these targets. Given the high therapeutic significance of membrane proteins and their intractability to traditional high-throughput screening approaches, this method has the potential to facilitate membrane-protein-based drug discovery by harnessing the power of DEL.

Pre-clinical studies of EC2629, a highly potent folate- receptor-targeted DNA crosslinking agent.

Folate receptor (FR)-targeted small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) have shown promising results in early stage clinical trials with microtubule destabilizing agents, such as vintafolide and EC1456. In our effort to develop FR-targeted SMDCs with varying mechanisms of action, we synthesized EC2629, a folate conjugate of a DNA crosslinking agent based on a novel DNA-alkylating moiety. This agent was found to be extremely potent with an in vitro IC50 ~ 100× lower than folate SMDCs constructed with various microtubule inhibitors. EC2629 treatment of nude mice bearing FR-positive KB human xenografts led to cures in 100% of the test animals with very low dose levels (300 nmol/kg) following a convenient once a week schedule. The observed activity was not accompanied by any noticeable weight loss (up to 20 weeks post end of dosing). Complete responses were also observed against FR-positive paclitaxel (KB-PR) and cisplatin (KB-CR) resistant models. When evaluated against FR-positive patient derived xenograft (PDX) models of ovarian (ST070), endometrial (ST040) and triple negative breast cancers (ST502, ST738), EC2629 showed significantly greater anti-tumor activity compared to their corresponding standard of care treatments. Taken together, these studies thus demonstrated that EC2629, with its distinct DNA reacting mechanism, may be useful in treating FR-positive tumors, including those that are classified as drug resistant.

Folate-conjugated herpes simplex virus for retargeting to tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-mediated oncolytic therapy is a promising cancer treatment modality. However, viral tropism is considered to be one of the major stumbling blocks to the development of HSV-1 as an anticancer agent. METHODS: The surface of oncolytic HSV-1 G207 was covalently modified with folate-poly (ethylene glycol) conjugate (FA-PEG). The specificities and tumor targeting efficiencies of modified or unmodified G207 particles were analyzed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction at the level of cell attachment and entry. Immune responses were assessed by an interleukin-6 release assay from RAW264.7 macrophages. Biodistribution and in vivo antitumoral activity after intravenous delivery was evaluated in BALB/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous KB xenograft tumors. RESULTS: FA-PEG-HSV exhibited enhanced targeting specificity for folate receptor over-expressing tumor cells and had lower immunogenicity than the unmodified HSV. In vivo, the FA-PEG-HSV group revealed an increased anti-tumor efficiency and tumor targeting specificity compared to the naked HSV. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that folate-conjugated HSV G207 presents a folate receptor-targeted oncolytic virus with a potential therapeutic value via retargeting to tumor cells.

FePt@MnO-Based Nanotheranostic Platform with Acidity-Triggered Dual-Ions Release for Enhanced MR Imaging-Guided Ferroptosis Chemodynamic Therapy.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based anticancer therapy methods were heavily dependent on specific tumor microenvironments such as acidity and excess hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In this work, an acidity-sensitive nanotheranostic agent (FePt@MnO)@DSPE-PEG5000-FA (FMDF NPs)  was successfully constructed for MR imaging guided ferroptosis chemodynamic therapy (FCDT) of cancer. The FMDF NPs could specifically target folic acid (FA) receptor-positive tumor cells (HeLa etc.) and induce ferroptosis efficiently by rapidly releasing active Fe2+ to catalyze intracellular H2O2 into ROS based on Fenton reaction. On the other hand, the Mn2+ could also be released due to acidity  and further coordinate with GSH to enhance the longitudinal-transverse relaxivity (T1/T2-weighted MR imaging), which could obviously strengthen the contrast distinction between solid tumors and the surrounding tissue to accurately real-time monitor the tumor location. Furthermore, the in vivo anticancer study revealed that the growth of solid tumor models could be suppressed remarkably after treating with FMDF NPs and no obvious damage to other major organs. Therefore, the FMDF NPs were competent simultaneously as an enhanced imaging diagnosis contrast agent and efficient therapy agent for promoting more precise and effective treatment in the bionanomedicine field.

Final analysis of a phase I/IIa trial of the folate-binding protein-derived E39 peptide vaccine to prevent recurrence in ovarian and endometrial cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: E39, an HLA-A2-restricted, immunogenic peptide derived from the folate-binding protein (FBP), is overexpressed in multiple malignancies. We conducted a phase I/IIa trial of the E39 + GM-CSF vaccine with booster inoculations of either E39 or E39' (an attenuated version of E39) to prevent recurrences in disease-free endometrial and ovarian cancer patients(pts). Here, we present the final 24-month landmark analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: HLA-A2 + patients receiving E39 + GM-CSF were included in the vaccine group (VG), and HLA-A2- pts (or HLA-A2 + patients refusing vaccine) were followed as the control group (CG). VG group received 6 monthly inoculations as the primary vaccine series (PVS) and were randomized to receive either E39 or E39' booster inoculations. Demographic, safety, immunologic, and disease-free survival (DFS) data were collected and evaluated. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were enrolled; 29 in the VG and 22 in the CG. Fourteen patients received <1000 µg and 15 received 1000 µg of E39. There were no clinicopathologic differences between VG and CG or between dose groups. E39 was well tolerated. At the 24 months landmark, DFS was 55.5% (VG) vs 40.0% (CG), P = 0.339. Patients receiving 1000 µg and boosted patients also showed improved DFS (P < 0.03). DFS was improved in the 1000 µg group after treatment of primary disease (90.0% vs CG:42.9%, P = 0.007), but not in recurrent patients. In low-FBP expressing patients, DFS was 100.0% (1000 µg), 50.0% (<1000 µg), and 25.0% (CG), P = 0.029. CONCLUSIONS: This phase I/IIa trial reveals that E39 + GM-CSF is safe and may be effective in preventing recurrence in high-risk ovarian and endometrial cancer when optimally dosed (1000 µg) to FBP low patients being treated for primary disease.

A folic acid-functionalized dual-emissive nanoprobe for "double-check" luminescence imaging of cancer cells.

Development of luminescent probes for rapid and effective discrimination and detection of cancer cells has the potential to address the current challenges in early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of cancer diseases. In this work, we report the preparation of a unique folic acid (FA)-functionalized dual-emissive nanoprobe, CTMR@BHHBCB-Eu-FA, for steady-state and time-gated luminescence "double-check" imaging of cancer cells. The nanoprobe was engineered by covalently doping two luminescent dyes, 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (CTMR) and BHHBCB-Eu3+, in core and shell of silica nanoparticles, followed by surface modification of the nanoparticles with FA, a cancer cell-targeting molecule. As-prepared nanoprobe is monodisperse and highly stable in buffer displaying two strong emissions, short-lived emission from CTMR at 584 nm and long-lived emission from BHHBCB-Eu3+ at 612 nm. The nanoprobe is biocompatible, and can specifically recognize folate receptor (FR)-overexpressed cancer cells through the FA-FR binding interaction. Using the nanoprobe, the "double-check" imaging of HeLa cells was successfully achieved at steady-state and time-gated luminescence modes, indicating the capability of the nanoprobe for cancer cell imaging.

Enhancement of Binding Affinity of Folate to Its Receptor by Peptide Conjugation.

(1) Background: The folate receptor (FR) is a target for cancer treatment and detection. Expression of the FR is restricted in normal cells but overexpressed in many types of tumors. Folate was conjugated with peptides for enhancing binding affinity to the FR. (2) Materials and Methods: For conjugation, folate was coupled with propargyl or dibenzocyclooctyne, and 4-azidophenylalanine was introduced in peptides for "click" reactions. We measured binding kinetics including the rate constants of association (ka) and dissociation (kd) of folate-peptide conjugates with purified FR by biolayer interferometry. After optimization of the conditions for the click reaction, we successfully conjugated folate with designed peptides. (3) Results: The binding affinity, indicated by the equilibrium dissociation constant (KD), of folate toward the FR was enhanced by peptide conjugation. The enhanced FR binding affinity by peptide conjugation is a result of an increase in the number of interaction sites. (4) Conclusion: Such peptide-ligand conjugates will be important in the design of ligands with higher affinity. These high affinity ligands can be useful for targeted drug delivery system.

Development of 99mTc-labeled trivalent isonitrile radiotracer for folate receptor imaging.

Folate receptors (FR) are frequently overexpressed in a wide variety of human cancers. The aim of this study was to develop a trivalent 99mTc(CO)3-labeled folate radiotracer containing isonitrile (CN-R) as the coordinating ligand for FR target imaging. [99mTc]Tc-10 was HPLC purified (>98% chemical purity) and evaluated in vitro and in vivo as a potential agent for targeting FR-positive KB cells. [99mTc]Tc-10 is a hydrophilic compound with partition coefficient of -2.90 ±â€¯0.13 that showed high binding affinity (0.04 ±â€¯0.002 nM) in vitro. High accumulation and retention of [99mTc]Tc-10 (5.32 ±â€¯2.99% ID/g) was observed in mice with KB tumors at 4 h after injection through the tail vein, which was significantly inhibited by co-injection of free folic acid (FA). SPECT (single photon emission tomography)/CT results were in accordance with biodistribution data at all time points.

Study on the Significance of Folate Receptor-Mediated Staining Solution (FRD) Staining in Screening High Grade Cervical Lesions.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of folate receptor-mediated staining solution (FRD) in examination of cervical lesions during gynecological examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 404 patients participated in this study. FRD staining was applied to screen high grade cervical lesions. ThinPrep cytology test (TCT) and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing were also used for screening high grade cervical lesions. Coincidence rate and KAPPA value of different methods were compared by SPSS software. RESULTS As for CIN2+ and CIN3+, sensitivities for HPV testing were (96.92% and 97.78%) >TCT classification 1 (90.77% and 91.11%) >FRD staining (80.00% and 86.67%) >TCT classification 2 (70.77% and 77.78%), respectively. While specificities for HPV testing were (7.08% and 6.44%)

Plug-and-Play Continuous Gas Flow Assembly of Cysteine-Inserted AuCu Nanobimetals for Folate-Receptor-Targeted Chemo-Phototherapy.

Conjugatable nanobimetals exhibiting broadband light absorption for use as phototherapeutic platforms were assembled via a plug-and-play continuous gas flow route. Electrically produced AuCu nanobunches (NBs) under nitrogen gas flow were directly injected into cysteine (cys) solution through gas pressurization to mechanically spray the solution (AuCu into cys droplets). The sprayed droplets were then exposed to 185 nm UV light (higher photon energy [6.2 eV] than the work functions of Au [5.1 eV] and Cu [4.7 eV]) to initiate photoionization of AuCu NBs for subsequent electrostatic reaction with the SH- group of cys to form cys-inserted AuCu (AuCu-cys) platforms in a single-pass gas stream. These platforms exhibited broadband light absorption spectra because of hybridized interparticle plasmonic coupling and could be conjugated to folic acid (FA) when dispersed in FA solution to form highly dispersible, biocompatible, and cancer-targetable AuCu-cys-FA. This material was suitable for use in targeted phototherapy of folate-receptor (FR)-rich cancers via FR-mediated endocytosis, and loading doxorubicin (DOX) into AuCu-cys-FA (i.e., AuCu-cys-DOXFA) facilitated chemo-phototherapy because of photoresponsive anticancer drug release upon induction of hyperthermia.

Evaluation of Novel Tumor-Targeted Near-Infrared Probe for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery of Cancer.

Because the most reliable therapy for cancer involves quantitative resection of all diseased tissue, considerable effort has been devoted to improving a surgeon's ability to locate and remove all malignant lesions. With the aid of improved optical imaging equipment, we and others have focused on developing tumor-targeted fluorescent dyes to selectively illuminate cancer nodules during surgery. We describe here the design, synthesis, optical properties, in vitro and in vivo tumor specificity/affinity, pharmacokinetics, preclinical toxicology, and some clinical application of a folate receptor (FR)-targeted NIR dye (OTL38) that concentrates specifically in cancer tissues and clears rapidly from healthy tissues. We demonstrate that OTL38 binds FR-expressing cells with ∼1 nM affinity and eliminates from receptor negative tissues with a half-time of <30 min. We further show that OTL38 enables visualization of malignant lesions at concentrations less than 100-fold those required to elicit signs of toxicity. Since OTL38 also provides excellent tumor contrast in both murine tumor models and human cancer patients, we conclude that OTL38 constitutes an excellent NIR dye for fluorescence-guided resection of malignant lesions in cancer patients.

Diagnostic Value of ER, PR, FR and HER-2-Targeted Molecular Probes for Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Smart molecular probes are required in the application of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for biochemical and clinical research. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic values of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), folate receptor (FR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)-targeted molecular probes in the MRI diagnosis of breast cancer. METHODS: Initially, a total of 508 female breast cancer patients were selected for breast cancer subtype classification by immunohistochemistry. Subsequently, the tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and histological grade of different breast cancer subtypes were compared. Molecular probes of Ab-ER-USPIO, Ab-PR-USPIO, Ab-FR-USPIO and Ab-HER-2-USPIO were constructed and screened. The specific binding of molecular probes to breast cancer cells was detected both in vitro and in vivo by Prussian blue staining and MRI using T1 and T2 weighted images. Finally, in vivo toxicity of Ab-HER-2-USPIO was analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. RESULTS: We identified the following subtypes of breast cancer: Luminal A (ER-positive, FR-positive, HER-2-negative), Luminal B (ER-positive, FR-positive, HER-2-positive), HER-2 overexpression (ER-negative, FR-negative, HER-2-positive), and triple-negative breast cancer (ER-negative, FR-negative, HER-2-negative). Featuring favorable in vitro biocompatibility and low in vivo toxicity, Ab-HER-2-USPIO can specifically bind to breast cancer cells BT47 and SKBR3, thus enhancing the quality of T1 weighted MRI images. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that HER-2-targeted MRI molecular probes may be used in the clinical diagnosis of breast cancer and facilitate the development of promising strategies for breast cancer treatments.

Probing the specific binding of folic acid to folate receptor using amino-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for differentiation of MCF 7 tumoral cells from MCF 10A.

Folate receptor (FR) is overexpressed in various cancer cells while its expression in normal cells is restricted. The present study provides a new folic acid/folate (FA) functionalized nanomaterials to sense and the differentiation of the cancer cells from normal ones. The reported nanoprobe is based on the mesoporous materials that are functionalized with FA to specify the FR overexpressed cancerous cells. MCF 7 cell lines were used as a model to show the ability of the developed probe for cancer cell detection. The selective binding of FA to FR-positive cells causes the endocytosis of the mesoporous materials into the cells where it can be observed by fluorescence microscopy images. The specific nature of the binding of the FA functionalized mesoporous silica prevents the false detection of normal cells from cancerous cells even in the presence of each other. The cytotoxicity of the n-Pr-NH2-MCM 41-FA on the MCF 7 cells was investigated using MTT assay. The reported method can detect the MCF 7 cells from 100 to 1000 cells/mL. This method provides a selective and nontoxic approach towards detection of breast cancer cell lines while it can be developed as a point of care (POC) device for early detection of cancer. Finally, the MCF 7 cancer cells were treated with doxorubicin anti-cancer drug and our device detect the trace amount of MCF 7 based on their electrochemical activity.

Development of a New FR-Targeting Agent 99mTc-HYNFA with Improved Imaging Contrast and Comparison of Multimerization and/or PEGylation Strategies for Radio-Folate Modification.

This study aims to develop a new folate receptor (FR)-targeting agent for SPECT imaging with improved contrast and evaluate the modification strategies of multimerization and/or PEGylation in the development of new radio-folates. A series of novel folate derivatives have been synthesized and radiolabeled with 99mTc using tricine and TPPTS as coligands. To better investigate their pharmacokinetics, cell uptake, biodistribution, and microSPECT/CT imaging were evaluated. Four radioligands displayed high KB cell uptake after incubation for 2 and 4 h. Presaturated with excess folic acid (FA) resulted in a significant blocking effect in KB cells, indicating specificity of these radioligands toward FR. Biodistribution and microSPECT imaging studies in KB tumor-bearing mice showed that the folate conjugate 99mTc-HYNFA with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and triazole linkage displayed the highest tumor uptake (16.30 ± 2.01 %ID/g at 2 h p.i. and 14.9 ± 0.62 %ID/g at 4 h p.i. in mice biodistribution) and best imaging contrast, indicating promising application prospect. More interestingly, the in vivo performance of this monomeric 99mTc-HYNFA was much better than that of FA multimers and non-PEGylated monomers, suggesting that multimerization may not be a feasible method for the design of radio-folates. PEG linkage rather than FA multimerization should be taken into consideration in the development of folate-based radiopharmaceuticals in the future.

Accessing Structurally Diverse Near-Infrared Cyanine Dyes for Folate Receptor-Targeted Cancer Cell Staining.

Folate receptor (FR) targeting is one of the most promising strategies for the development of small-molecule-based cancer imaging agents considering that the FR is highly overexpressed on the surface of many cancer cell types. FR-targeted conjugates of near-infrared (NIR) emissive cyanine dyes are in advanced clinical trials for fluorescence-guided surgery and are valuable research tools for optical molecular imaging in animal models. Only a small number of promising conjugates has been evaluated so far. Analysis of structure-performance relations to identify critical factors modulating the performance of targeted conjugates is essential for successful further optimization. This contribution addresses the need for convenient synthetic access to structurally diverse NIR-emissive cyanine dyes for conjugation with folic acid. Structural variations were introduced to readily available cyanine precursors in particular via C-C-coupling reactions including Suzuki and (for the first time with these types of dyes) Sonogashira cross-couplings. Photophysical properties such as absorbance maxima, brightness, and photostability are highly dependent on the molecular structure. Selected modified cyanines were conjugated to folic acid for cancer cell targeting. Several conjugates display a favorable combination of high fluorescence brightness and photostability with high affinity to FR-positive cancer cells, and enable the selective imaging of these cells with low background.

Disassembly of amphiphilic small molecular prodrug with fluorescence switch induced by pH and folic acid receptors for targeted delivery and controlled release.

We develop a new type of pH-responsive amphiphilic small molecular prodrug by conjugating folic acid with anti-tumour doxorubicin via a hydrazone bond. This prodrug is featured by high and precise drug loading (55.4wt%), which can self-assemble into micellar nanoparticles in neutral environment while disassemble in the presence of tumour cells expressing folic acid receptors or the acidic tumoral endosomal environment. The prodrug nanoparticles can effectively improve anticancer efficacy due to the features of pH-triggered drug release and targeted delivery. Moreover, in vitro cell study further indicated that the resulting prodrug nanoparticles had enhanced cytotoxicity for folic-acid-positive cells (HeLa) compared to folic-acid-negative cells (MCF-7). More importantly, the induced disassembly of prodrug nanoparticles can "switch on" the inherent fluorescence of the internalized doxorubicin drug in the tumour microenvironment, which can be used for the detection of tumour cells. We believe that this strategy can pave a new way for designing small molecular drug delivery systems and facilitate tumour diagnosis and treatment simultaneously.

A "turn-on" silver nanocluster based fluorescent sensor for folate receptor detection and cancer cell imaging under visual analysis.

A novel terminal protection based label-free and "turn-on" fluorescent sensor for detection of folate receptors (FRs) and HeLa cells is developed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and silver nanoclusters (AgNCs). Multilevel visual analysis (m(2)VA) was firstly proposed and applied in optimizing the experimental parameters.

Mechanisms and implications of dual-acting methotrexate in folate-targeted nanotherapeutic delivery.

The rational design of a nanoplatform in drug delivery plays a crucial role in determining its targeting specificity and efficacy in vivo. A conventional approach relies on the surface conjugation of a nanometer-sized particle with two functionally distinct types of molecules, one as a targeting ligand, and the other as a therapeutic agent to be delivered to the diseased cell. However, an alternative simplified approach can be used, in which a single type of molecule displaying dual function as both a targeting ligand and therapeutic agent is conjugated to the nanoparticle. In this review, we evaluate the validity of this new strategy by using methotrexate, which displays multifunctional mechanisms of action. Methotrexate binds to the folate receptor, a surface biomarker frequently overexpressed in tumor cells, and also inhibits dihydrofolate reductase, an enzyme critical for cell survival and division. Thus we describe a series of fifth generation poly(amido amine) dendrimers conjugated with methotrexate, and discuss several lines of evidence supporting the efficacy of this new platform strategy based on surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, enzyme activity assays, and cell-based studies with folate receptor (+) KB cancer cells.

A target-triggered exponential amplification-based DNAzyme biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of folate receptors.

We develop a new method for ultrasensitive detection of folate receptors (FRs) using a target-triggered isothermally exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR)-based DNAzyme biosensor. This method exhibits excellent specificity and high sensitivity with a detection limit as low as 0.23 fM and a large dynamic range of 6 orders of magnitude from 1 fM to 1 nM. It might be further applied for the detection of various small molecule-binding proteins by simply changing the linked small molecule moiety of the hairpin probes.