Drug resistance-free cytotoxic nanodrugs in composites for cancer therapy

J Mater Chem B. 2021 Apr 14;9(14):3143-3152. doi: 10.1039/d0tb02850a. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

Abstract

Drug resistance is a major cause of treatment failure for small-molecule cancer chemotherapies, despite the advances in combination therapies, drug delivery systems, epigenetic drugs, and proteolysis-targeting chimeras. Herein, we report the use of a drug resistance-free cytotoxic nanodrug as an alternative to small-molecule drugs. The present nanodrugs comprise 2 nm core gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) covered completely with multivalent hydrocarbon chains to a final diameter of ∼10 nm as single drug molecules. This hydrophobic drug-platform was delivered in composite form (∼35 nm) with block-copolymer like other small-molecular drugs. Upon uptake by cells, the nanodrugs enhanced the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and induced apoptosis, presumably reflecting multivalent interactions between aliphatic chains and intracellular biomolecules. No resistance to our novel nanodrug was observed following multiple treatment passages and the potential for use in cancer therapy was verified in a breast cancer patient-derived xenograft mouse model. These findings provide insight into the use of nano-scaled compounds as agents that evade drug resistance to cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Gold / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrocarbons / chemistry
  • Hydrocarbons / pharmacology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Particle Size
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemical synthesis
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Gold