Selective targeting by preS1 domain of hepatitis B surface antigen conjugated with phosphorylcholine-based amphiphilic block copolymer micelles as a biocompatible, drug delivery carrier for treatment of human hepatocellular carcinoma with paclitaxel.
Using dithioester-capped 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) as a macro chain transfer agent, a diblock copolymer was synthesized with n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) as hydrophobic core-forming blocks. The MPC-BMA unit was copolymerized with an immobilizable unit, p-nitrophenylcarbonyloxyethyl methacrylate (NPMA). The NPMA moiety then was modified by the addition of preS1 domain of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). This micelle-forming nanoparticle, the poly (MPC-co-BMA-co-NPMA) (PMBN) conjugated with preS1 enables solubilization of paclitaxel (PTX) with increased hepatotropism. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of PTX and PTX/PMBN-preS1 against the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2, were 1,008 and 131 nM, respectively (p < 0.05). Conjugation of preS1 to PMBN enhanced strongly the synergistic inhibitory effect of paclitaxel on HepG2 cells in vitro, whereas such a change in IC(50) was not detected against the human squamous cell carcinoma cell line, A431. Tumor growth rates of a HepG2 xenograft in Balb/c nude mice after intraperitoneal injection of PTX, PTX/PMBN and PTX/PMBN-preS1 were +97.9%, -74.3% and -96.2%*, respectively (*p < 0.05 versus PTX). The local paclitaxel levels after administration of the PMBN-preS1 conjugate were determined in the xenografts by high-performance liquid chromatography and were 8 times higher than that after administration of paclitaxel alone. No side effects attributable to PMBN-preS1 were observed histologically in vital organs, and body weight loss was significantly less in the PTX/PMBN-preS1 group. These studies demonstrate that PMBN-preS1 may be used as a human hepatocyte-specific drug delivery carrier without serious adverse effects.
Miyata
Ryohei
R
Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. miyata@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Ueda
Masakazu
M
Jinno
Hiromitsu
H
Konno
Tomohiro
T
Ishihara
Kazuhiko
K
Ando
Nobutoshi
N
Kitagawa
Yuko
Y
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008823:Micelles; D053758:Nanoparticles; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D008823:Micelles; D011498:Protein Precursors; C050806:presurface protein 1, hepatitis B surface antigen; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D017239:Paclitaxel