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Tumor-targeted PROTAC prodrug nanoplatform enables precise protein degradation and combination cancer therapy.

Zhi-Feng ZouLei YangHui-Jun NieJing GaoShu-Min LeiYi LaiFan ZhangErnst WagnerHai-Jun YuXiao-Hua ChenZhi-Ai Xu
Published in: Acta pharmacologica Sinica (2024)
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have emerged as revolutionary anticancer therapeutics that degrade disease-causing proteins. However, the anticancer performance of PROTACs is often impaired by their insufficient bioavailability, unsatisfactory tumor specificity and ability to induce acquired drug resistance. Herein, we propose a polymer-conjugated PROTAC prodrug platform for the tumor-targeted delivery of the most prevalent von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)- and cereblon (CRBN)-based PROTACs, as well as for the precise codelivery of a degrader and conventional small-molecule drugs. The self-assembling PROTAC prodrug nanoparticles (NPs) can specifically target and be activated inside tumor cells to release the free PROTAC for precise protein degradation. The PROTAC prodrug NPs caused more efficient regression of MDA-MB-231 breast tumors in a mouse model by degrading bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) or cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) with decreased systemic toxicity. In addition, we demonstrated that the PROTAC prodrug NPs can serve as a versatile platform for the codelivery of a PROTAC and chemotherapeutics for enhanced anticancer efficiency and combination benefits. This study paves the way for utilizing tumor-targeted protein degradation for precise anticancer therapy and the effective combination treatment of complex diseases.
Keyphrases
  • cancer therapy
  • drug delivery
  • small molecule
  • protein protein
  • mouse model
  • drug release
  • amino acid
  • cell cycle
  • photodynamic therapy
  • stem cells
  • breast cancer cells
  • drug induced
  • cell death
  • single cell
  • smoking cessation