Volume 62, Issue 45 e202308909
Research Article

Crosstalk between Hepatic Glutathione Efflux and Tumor Targeting Efficiency of Indocyanine Green-Conjugated Gold Nanoparticles

Dr. Yingyu Huang

Dr. Yingyu Huang

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, 75080 USA

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Wei Xiao

Wei Xiao

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, 75080 USA

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Dr. Samira Ahrari

Dr. Samira Ahrari

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, 75080 USA

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Prof. Dr. Mengxiao Yu

Prof. Dr. Mengxiao Yu

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, 75080 USA

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Prof. Dr. Jie Zheng

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Jie Zheng

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson, TX, 75080 USA

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First published: 09 September 2023
Citations: 3

Graphical Abstract

Crosstalk between the liver and tumor can significantly impact the tumor targeting efficiency of thiol-responsive nanoparticles through hepatic glutathione efflux.

Abstract

The elevated glutathione (GSH) level in solid tumors has been used as a major hallmark for GSH-responsive nanoparticles to enhance targeting efficiency and specificity. Meanwhile, GSH is mainly synthesized inside the hepatocytes of the liver in the body and constantly released into the blood through hepatic GSH efflux to regulate redox potential of the entire body. However, it remains largely unknown how this hepatic GSH efflux affects the tumor targeting of GSH-responsive nanoparticles. Herein, we report that depletion of hepatic GSH enhanced the tumor targeting of GSH-responsive indocyanine green-conjugated Au25 nanoclusters coated with 18 GSH ligand (ICG-Au25SG18). The dissociation of ICG from Au25SG18 by the hepatic GSH through thiol-exchange reaction and the subsequent hepatobiliary clearance of the detached ICG were slowed down by GSH depletion, which in turn prolonged the blood circulation of intact ICG-Au25SG18 and enhanced its tumor targeting. Our work highlights glutathione-mediated crosstalk between the liver and tumor, in addition to well-known Kupffer cell-mediated uptake, in the tumor targeting of engineered nanoparticles, which could be modulated to enhance targeting efficiency and specificity of cancer nanomedicines while reducing their nonspecific accumulation.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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