Precise targeting of cancer metastasis using multi-ligand nanoparticles incorporating four different ligands

Nanoscale. 2018 Apr 19;10(15):6861-6871. doi: 10.1039/c8nr02513d.

Abstract

Metastasis displays a highly heterogeneous cellular population with cancer cells continuously evolving. As a result, a single-ligand nanoparticle cannot account for the continuously changing expression of targetable biomarkers over time and space. To effectively direct nanoparticles to metastasis, we developed a multi-ligand nanoparticle by using four different types of ligands on the same nanoparticle that target biomarkers on the endothelium associated with metastatic disease. These vascular targets included αvβ3 integrin, P-selectin, EGFR and fibronectin. Using terminal and in vivo imaging studies, the targeting performance of the multi-ligand nanoparticles was compared to the single-ligand nanoparticle variants. All four single-ligand nanoparticle variants achieved significant targeting of lung metastasis in the 4T1 mouse model of breast cancer metastasis with about 2.5% of the injected dose being deposited into metastasis. A dual-ligand nanoparticle resulted in a nearly 2-fold higher deposition into lung metastases than its single-ligand counterparts. The multi-ligand nanoparticle significantly outperformed its targeting nanoparticle counterparts achieving a deposition of ∼7% of its injected nanoparticles into lung metastases. Using the high sensitivity of radionuclide imaging, PET imaging showed that a multi-ligand nanoparticle labeled with [18F]fluoride was able to precisely target metastatic disease at its very early stage of development in three different animal models of metastatic breast cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Ligands