Ursolic acid nanoparticles for glioblastoma therapy

Yong Li; Linyao Zhao; Qingyu Zhao; Youdong Zhou; Long Zhou; Ping Song; Baohui Liu; Qianxue Chen; Gang Deng

doi:10.1016/j.nano.2023.102684

Ursolic acid nanoparticles for glioblastoma therapy

Nanomedicine. 2023 Jun:50:102684. doi: 10.1016/j.nano.2023.102684. Epub 2023 Apr 25.

Authors

Yong Li¹, Linyao Zhao², Qingyu Zhao², Youdong Zhou², Long Zhou², Ping Song², Baohui Liu³, Qianxue Chen⁴, Gang Deng⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China. Electronic address: liyong12358@sina.com.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China. Electronic address: bliu666@whu.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China. Electronic address: chenqx666@whu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, PR China. Electronic address: gang.deng@whu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37100267
DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2023.102684

Abstract

Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary tumor in the central nervous system (CNS). The effect of chemotherapy of GBM is limited due to the existence of blood-brain barrier (BBB). The aim of this study is to develop self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) of ursolic acid (UA) for GBM treatment.

Methods: UA NPs were synthesized by solvent volatilization method. Western blot analysis fluorescent staining and flow cytometry were launched to explore the anti-glioblastoma mechanism of UA NPs. The antitumor effects of UA NPs were further confirmed in vivo using intracranial xenograft models.

Results: UA were successfully prepared. In vitro, UA NPs could significantly increase the protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3 and LC3-II to strongly eliminate glioblastoma cells through autophagy and apoptosis. In the intracranial xenograft models, UA NPs could further effectively enter the BBB, and greatly improve the survival time of the mice.

Conclusions: We successfully synthesized UA NPs which could effectively enter the BBB and show strong anti-tumor effect which may have great potential in the treatment of human glioblastoma.

Keywords: Autophagy; Glioblastoma; Nanoparticles; Ursolic acid.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Brain Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Brain Neoplasms* / metabolism
Cell Line, Tumor
Glioblastoma* / metabolism
Humans
Mice
Nanoparticles*
Ursolic Acid