Mashayekhi Vida, Xenaki Katerina T, van Bergen En Henegouwen Paul M P, Oliveira Sabrina
Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Pharmaceutics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Cancers (Basel). 2020 Sep 23;12(10):2732. doi: 10.3390/cancers12102732.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) induces cell death through local light activation of a photosensitizer, although sub-optimal tumor specificity and side effects have hindered its clinical application. We introduced a new strategy named nanobody-targeted PDT in which photosensitizers are delivered to tumor cells by means of nanobodies. As efficacy of targeted PDT can be hampered by heterogeneity of target expression and/or moderate/low target expression levels, we explored the possibility of combined targeting of endothelial and cancer cells in vitro. We developed nanobodies binding to the mouse VEGFR2, which is overexpressed on tumor vasculature, and combined these with nanobodies specific for the cancer cell target EGFR. The nanobodies were conjugated to the photosensitizer IRDye700DX and specificity of the newly developed nanobodies was verified using several endothelial cell lines. The cytotoxicity of these conjugates was assessed in monocultures and in co-cultures with cancer cells, after illumination with an appropriate laser. The results show that the anti-VEGFR2 conjugates are specific and potent PDT agents. Nanobody-targeted PDT on co-culture of endothelial and cancer cells showed improved efficacy, when VEGFR2 and EGFR targeting nanobodies were applied simultaneously. Altogether, dual targeting of endothelial and cancer cells is a promising novel therapeutic strategy for more effective nanobody-targeted PDT.
光动力疗法(PDT)通过光敏剂的局部光激活诱导细胞死亡,尽管次优的肿瘤特异性和副作用阻碍了其临床应用。我们引入了一种名为纳米抗体靶向光动力疗法的新策略,其中光敏剂通过纳米抗体递送至肿瘤细胞。由于靶向光动力疗法的疗效可能会受到靶标表达异质性和/或中等/低靶标表达水平的影响,我们在体外探索了联合靶向内皮细胞和癌细胞的可能性。我们开发了与小鼠VEGFR2结合的纳米抗体,该受体在肿瘤血管系统上过表达,并将其与针对癌细胞靶标EGFR的纳米抗体相结合。将纳米抗体与光敏剂IRDye700DX偶联,并使用几种内皮细胞系验证新开发纳米抗体的特异性。在用适当的激光照射后,在单培养物和与癌细胞的共培养物中评估这些偶联物的细胞毒性。结果表明,抗VEGFR2偶联物是特异性且有效的光动力治疗剂。当同时应用靶向VEGFR2和EGFR的纳米抗体时,内皮细胞和癌细胞共培养的纳米抗体靶向光动力疗法显示出更高的疗效。总之,内皮细胞和癌细胞的双重靶向是一种有前景的新型治疗策略,可实现更有效的纳米抗体靶向光动力疗法。