New boron carriers with high boron content and targeted cancer-cell delivery are considered the first choice for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for cancer treatment. Previously, we have shown that composites of antisense oligonucleotide and boron clusters are functional nanoparticles for the downregulation of expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and can be loaded into EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells without a transfection factor. In this study, we hypothesize that free cellular uptake is mediated by binding and activation of the EGFR by boron clusters. Proteomic analysis of proteins pulled-down from various EGFR-overexpressing cancer cells using short oligonucleotide probes, conjugated to 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane (1,2-DCDDB, [C2B10H12]) and [(3,3'-Iron-1,2,1',2'-dicarbollide)-] (FESAN, [Fe(C2B9H11)2]-), evidenced that boron cage binds to EGFR subdomains. Moreover, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) and fluorescence microscopy analyses confirmed that FESANs-highly decorated B-ASOs were efficiently delivered and internalized by EGFR-overexpressing cells. Antisense reduction of EGFR in A431 and U87-MG cells resulted in decreased boron accumulation compared to control cells, indicating that cellular uptake of B-ASOs is related to EGFR-dependent internalization. The data obtained suggest that EGFR-mediated cellular uptake of B-ASO represents a novel strategy for cellular delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids (and possibly other medicines) conjugated to boron clusters.
Keywords: ASO anti-EGFR; B-ASO; BNCT; EGFR; ICP MS; antisense oligonucleotide; boron cluster; cancer cells; drug delivery; uptake.