Volume 16, Issue 23 2001747
Full Paper

ATP Suppression by pH-Activated Mitochondria-Targeted Delivery of Nitric Oxide Nanoplatform for Drug Resistance Reversal and Metastasis Inhibition

Yongyan Deng

Yongyan Deng

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027 P. R. China

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Fan Jia

Fan Jia

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027 P. R. China

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Xiaohui Chen

Xiaohui Chen

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027 P. R. China

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Qiao Jin

Corresponding Author

Qiao Jin

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027 P. R. China

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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Jian Ji

Corresponding Author

Jian Ji

MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027 P. R. China

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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First published: 06 May 2020
Citations: 125

Abstract

Mitochondria, which are important mediators for cancer initiation, growth, metastasis, and drug resistance, have been considered as a major target in cancer therapy. Herein, an acid-activated mitochondria-targeted drug nanocarrier is constructed for precise delivery of nitric oxide (NO) as an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) suppressor to amplify the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatments. By combining α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and acid-cleavable dimethylmaleic anhydride modified PEG conjugated mitochondria-targeting peptide, the nanocarrier shows prolonged blood circulation time and enhanced cellular uptake together with selectively restoring mitochondria-targeting capability under tumor extracellular pH (6.5). Such specific mitochondria-targeted delivery of NO proves crucial in inducing mitochondria dysfunction through facilitating mitochondrial membrane permeabilization and downregulating ATP level, which can inhibit P-glycoprotein-related bioactivities and formation of tumor-derived microvesicles to combat drug resistance and cancer metastasis. Therefore, this pioneering acid-activated mitochondria-targeted NO nanocarrier is supposed to be a malignant tumor opponent and may provide insights for diverse NO-relevant cancer treatments.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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