Interaction of Ras Binding Domain (RBD) by chemotherapeutic zinc oxide nanoparticles: Progress towards RAS pathway protein interference

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 16;15(12):e0243802. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243802. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) NP is considered as a nanoscale chemotherapeutic. Thus, the drug delivery of this inorganic NP is of considerable importance. Ras mutations are common in cancer and the activation of this signaling pathway is a hallmark in carcinoma, melanoma and many other aggressive malignancies. Thus, here we examined the binding and delivery of Ras binding domain (RBD), a model cancer-relevant protein and effector of Ras by ZnO NP. Shifts in zeta potential in water, PBS, DMEM and DMEM supplemented with FBS supported NP interaction to RBD. Fluorescence quenching of the NP was concentration-dependent for RBD, Stern-Volmer analysis of this data was used to estimate binding strength which was significant for ZnO-RBD (Kd < 10-5). ZnO NP interaction to RBD was further confirmed by pull-down assay demonstrated by SDS-PAGE analysis. The ability of ZnO NP to inhibit 3-D tumor spheroid was demonstrated in HeLa cell spheroids-the ZnO NP breaking apart these structures revealing a significant (>50%) zone of killing as shown by light and fluorescence microscopy after intra-vital staining. ZnO 100 nm was superior to ZnO 14 nm in terms of anticancer activity. When bound to ZnO NP, the anticancer activity of RBD was enhanced. These data indicate the potential diagnostic application or therapeutic activity of RBD-NP complexes in vivo which demands further investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Protein Binding
  • Zinc Oxide / chemistry
  • Zinc Oxide / metabolism*
  • Zinc Oxide / pharmacology*
  • ras Proteins / chemistry
  • ras Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • ras Proteins
  • Zinc Oxide

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Johnson Cancer Research Center Innovative Cancer Research Award, start-up fund from Nanotechnology Innovation Center of Kansas State and National Cancer Institute (Grant No: 7R15CA13939003). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.