pH-responsive drug-loaded peptides enhance drug accumulation and promote apoptosis in tumor cells

Zhongying Gong; Hongxia Zhao; Jingkun Bai

doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113954

pH-responsive drug-loaded peptides enhance drug accumulation and promote apoptosis in tumor cells

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2024 May 7:239:113954. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113954. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zhongying Gong¹, Hongxia Zhao², Jingkun Bai³

Affiliations

¹ College of Economics and Management, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
² College of Economics and Management, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China. Electronic address: zhx9878@126.com.
³ School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China. Electronic address: jkbai@sdsmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38744076
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113954

Abstract

The efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in tumor treatment is limited by their toxicity and side effects due to their inability to selectively accumulate in tumor tissue. In addition, chemotherapeutic agents are easily pumped out of tumor cells, resulting in their inadequate accumulation. To overcome these challenges, a drug delivery system utilizing the amphiphilic peptide Pep1 was designed. Pep1 can self-assemble into spherical nanoparticles (PL/Pep1) and encapsulate paclitaxel (PTX) and lapatinib (LAP). PL/Pep1 transformed into nanofibers in an acidic environment, resulting in longer drug retention and higher drug concentrations within tumor cells. Ultimately, PL/Pep1 inhibited tumor angiogenesis and enhanced tumor cell apoptosis. The use of shape-changing peptides as drug carriers to enhance cancer cell apoptosis is promising.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Drug retention; Peptide self-assembly; Shape shifting; pH response.