Improved antitumor activity and tumor targeting of NH(2)-terminal-specific PEGylated tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.
Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is considered an attractive anticancer agent due to its tumor cell-specific cytotoxicity. However, its low stability, solubility, unexpected side effects, and weak pharmacokinetic profiles restrict its successful clinical application. To develop efficient TRAIL-based anticancer biotherapeutics, a new version of trimeric TRAIL was constructed by incorporating trimer-forming zipper sequences (HZ-TRAIL), and then NH(2)-terminal-specific PEGylation was done to produce PEGylated TRAIL (PEG-HZ-TRAIL). The biological, physicochemical, and pharmaceutical characteristics of PEG-HZ-TRAIL were then investigated using various in vitro and in vivo experiments, including a cell-based cytotoxicity test, a solubility test, pharmacokinetic analysis, and antitumor efficacy evaluations. Although slight activity loss occurred after PEGylation, PEG-HZ-TRAIL showed excellent tumor cell-specific cytotoxic effects via apoptotic pathways with negligible normal cell toxicity. The stability and pharmacokinetic problems of HZ-TRAIL were successfully overcome by PEGylation. Furthermore, in vivo antitumor tests revealed that PEG-HZ-TRAIL treatment enhanced therapeutic potentials compared with HZ-TRAIL in tumor xenograft animal models, and these enhancements were attributed to its better pharmacokinetic properties and tumor-targeting performance. These findings show that PEG-HZ-TRAIL administration provides an effective antitumor treatment, which exhibits superior tumor targeting and better inhibits tumor growth, and suggest that PEG-HZ-TRAIL should be considered a potential candidate for antitumor biotherapy.
College of Pharmacy, SungKyunKwan University, Suwon, Korea.
Su Young
SY
Chae
Tae Hyung
TH
Kim
Kyeongsoon
K
Park
Cheng-Hao
CH
Jin
Sohee
S
Son
Seulki
S
Lee
Yu Seok
YS
Youn
Kwangmeyung
K
Kim
Dong-Gyu
DG
Jo
Ick Chan
IC
Kwon
Xiaoyuan
X
Chen
Kang Choon
KC
Lee
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
C496217:PEGylated tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 1; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols